For many people, the news of Matt Lauer’s firing from NBC was a shock. After all, the Today Show is a morning ritual for families all across America and Lauer felt like just another part of the family. So to hear of his inappropriate behavior was devastating. Especially for those who worked closely with him, like former co-hosts of his Savannah Guthrie and Al Roker.
But according to NBC, even though this was the first official complaint reported, they have reason to believe that this was not an isolated incident, but that he had been behaving inappropriately towards females at work for some time.
It has been reported that he would interrogate female producers on their sexual life, he bought a female co-worker a sex toy as a present and included a note on how he would like to use it on her, and he had a button on the underside of his desk that would lock his office door from the inside.
Lauer has issued an apology, which I find so sad that we are all relieved that he actually apologized because there are others who have been recently accused that have not acknowledged their accusations, much less apologize for them. But just like Kevin Spacey and Louis C.K.’s apologies, they’re too long.
How hard is it to simply say “I’m sorry”? There’s really no need to elaborate on how sorry you are and how disappointed and ashamed you are. You should have been disappointed and ashamed when it happened. You’re only sorry now because you’ve been caught and actually held accountable for the first time in your career.
Also, why is Lauer’s statement primarily about him? He writes “To the people I have hurt, I am truly sorry”, but then the rest of the statement is about himself.
He closes his apology with “Repairing the damage will take a lot of time and soul searching and I’m committed to beginning that effort… The last two days have forced me to take a very hard look at my own troubling flaws. It’s been humbling. I am blessed to be surrounded by the people I love”.
Not only does he make his abusing women about him, but he also takes this statement as time to engage in damage control. Another part of the statement from Lauer following his departure from the network read: “Some of what is being said about me is untrue or mischaracterized, but there is enough truth in these stories to make me feel embarrassed and ashamed.”
Dear Matt Lauer, this is neither the time nor the place to differentiate exact fact from fiction. All we need to know right now is that you were fired for sexual misconduct, you admit to the allegations, you’re sorry and it won’t ever happen again. That’s all.
And for whoever is next to be accused and (hopefully) fired, here’s some advice: Keep It Simple, Stupid.
Also, keep it in your pants. Seriously, no one wants to see it. And that’s really weird for you to do at work.
Read Lauer’s statement in full here: http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/matt-lauer-statement-today-sexual-harass…