Katie Couric Revealed Her Own Investigation Into The “Disgusting” Side Of Matt Lauer
Katie Couric appeared on Today to discuss the allegations against former co-host Matt Lauer and what she did to investigate the situation
Katie Couric is in the middle of a book tour that’s taking her back to some of her old stomping grounds. And as part of that tour, she is talking about previous collegial relationships with folks she worked with over the years. One of those topics was her time working with Matt Lauer. In her book, Couric talks about their working relationship and what ultimately happened in the fallout of sexual harassment allegations levied against Lauer a few years ago. According to Deadline and from an interview on the Today show, Couric said she had “investigated” the matter herself and was quite appalled at what she found.
As part of the Today interview, the subject of Matt Lauer came up because Katie Couric and he had co-hosted Today for about nine years from 1997 to 2006. Following the allegations against Lauer in 2017 that he had engaged in an inappropriate sexual relationship with a colleague, Couric said she asked around among folks associated with the show and the network. According to Couric, what was reported back was tough to hear. Couric said, “(I) did some of my own reporting. I talked to people. I tried to excavate what was going on. It was devastating but also disgusting. What I realized was there was a side of Matt I never knew, and I tried to understand why he behaved the way he did, and why he was so reckless and callous, and honestly abusive to other women.”
Katie Couric didn’t go into detail on what level of investigating she did into the matter, though it doesn’t sound like it was all that tough to find information. It was reported at the time, through a number of different sources (including a book by Ronan Farrow) that the allegations against Matt Lauer ran deep during his time working at Today. Lauer has vehemently denied those allegations. To date, no criminal charges have been brought against Lauer.
Katie Couric was quick to say that during their time working together there hadn’t been anything in the way of problems between her and Matt Lauer. Though she did admit during this Today interview that there were “rumors” about him during that time. Couric didn’t expand on what she meant by that, though it likely isn’t tough to read between the lines. She also pointed out that she and Lauer did not continue now to maintain any relationship, on a friend level or professional. She apparently includes text conversations between her and Matt Lauer in her book and they don’t appear to be flattering to the latter. This latter part was one of the reasons it came up during the Today interview. She made it a forward-facing topic in what she had just published.
Matt Lauer was accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a Today show employee to which he admits. He denies other allegations against him though which allegedly have included some rather heinous acts. Back in 2017, Matt Lauer was terminated from his role as co-host of Today. Katie Couric had left the show by that point, having moved to CBS Evening News in 2006.
Katie Couric is currently promoting her book and off of the airwaves. Her last gig on-air was working as the anchor for Yahoo News. But she left that role in 2017 when her contract expired. At present, there does not appear a plan to get back into the broadcasting game.
