Katie Couric's Resurfaced Comments About Jeff Zucker Are Raising Eyebrows

Jeff Zucker's sudden resignation from CNN on February 2 has come as a shock to many journalists who have worked with him throughout the years. In his statement, via CNN, Zucker revealed that his departure was due to not disclosing a relationship he had with a colleague. Though he didn't name the co-worker by name, those in the know say it's Allison Gollust.

Ana Navarro, who works as a political commentator for the cable news network, tweeted that she was "grateful" to have worked for Zucker despite calls from Donald Trump to get her and other Trump critics "fired" from their jobs. "He steadfastly defended CNN & had his people's back, even when it was hard & brought consequences," Navarro added. Meanwhile, the Daily Beast reports that political analyst S.E. Cupp and "New Day" co-host Alisyn Camerota are "devastated" over Zucker's departure. However, a person who may be not as shocked about this whole scandal is Katie Couric.

As it turns out, Couric, who worked under Zucker during his time as executive producer on the "Today" show in the early '90s to mid-2000s, actually commented on his relationship with Gollust in her October 2021 memoir, "Going There." 

Before Allison Gollust became Jeff Zucker's "most-trusted lieutenant" at CNN (via NBC News), Zucker had vouched for her to get a job at NBC, where he was first named an executive producer for "Today" and was later promoted to president and chief officer of the network. Katie Couric wrote about Zucker and Gollust's closeness in her memoir "Going There," which was released in October 2021. Couric claimed in the book that Zucker "made a huge push to bring on" Gollust to the network as head of public relations.

"When we worked at NBC, she and Jeff cooked up even bolder ways to draw attention to 'Today' and later Jeff himself when he moved to Entertainment," Couric wrote in her book (via Twitter). "They were joined at the hip." Couric added that Gollust's appointment couldn't have been possible because the network had "already hired a PR person for the show."

Couric wondered why Zucker "was angling so hard to bring Allison on board," and claimed that their living situation was super unusual. Gollust had, according to Couric, moved into the apartment above Zucker while they both were married to different people. "Everyone who heard about their cozy arrangement thought it was super strange," Couric added, saying her close relationship with Zucker's now ex-wife Caryn Nathanson made what she noticed about her boss and Gollust "really uncomfortable." Per the New York Post, Couric believed her resistance to hire Gollust cost her a job at CNN, where Zucker was named president in 2013.