It’s been about six years since the Today Show co-host Ann Curry left the network. It was rumored that now ex-host Matt Lauer was the reason behind her departure, which plays into Curry’s stance on the recent sexual assault allegations made against Lauer resulting in his termination in November 2017.
The former co-host said she actually wasn’t that surprised by the allegations. After going on CBS This Morning on Wednesday, Curry didn’t hold back on expressing how she felt.
“I can tell you that I’m not surprised by the allegations,” she said. “I would be surprised if many women did not understand that there was a climate of verbal harassment that existed. I think it would be surprising if someone said they didn’t see that,” she said. “The verbal sexual harassment was [pervasive] … It was, period.” Yikes.
Though she wasn’t afraid to hit us all with the truth about Lauer, her intentions aren’t to hurt anyone, and she wanted to make that clear, which she explained in her interview with PEOPLE magazine.
“I’m not a vengeful person,” she said. “I know what it’s like to be humiliated. I just don’t want to play a part in anyone else’s humiliation.”
She went on to express her sorrow for the victims of Lauer’s misconduct. “I wish I could say that I was celebrating,” she said.“But actually I immediately checked myself. Because I knew women had suffered.”
Curry was quick to agree that sexism was the cause of her departure from the Today Show. “The women’s movement got us into the workplace, but it didn’t make us safe once we got there,” she said.“The battle lines are now clear.”
As for Lauer’s dismissal from the show and the popular #metoo movement, Curry is happy people are using their voices. “I think the fact that people are speaking out is important and the fact that we are moving against this imbalance of power is absolutely overdue.”
Curry is now on her own path to raise awareness of allegations like Lauer’s in her upcoming docuseries, We’ll Meet Again, which will air on PBS on Jan. 23.