Former “Today” show host Matt Lauer, who was fired in November amid allegations of workplace misconduct, has spoken out for the first time.
Lauer explained why he stayed silent during the media storm before and after his firing.
“I remained silent in an attempt to protect my family from further embarrassment and to restore a small degree of the privacy they have lost. But defending my family now requires me to speak up,” his statement added.
But the 60-year-old stipulated that “I fully acknowledge that I acted inappropriately as a husband, father and principal at NBC. However I want to make it perfectly clear that any allegations or reports of coercive, aggressive or abusive actions on my part, at any time, are absolutely false.”
After he was fired, Lauer addressed the allegations, but he was not specific.
“Repairing the damage will take a lot of time and soul searching, and I’m committed to beginning that effort. It is not my full time job. 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 people I love. I thank them for their patience and grace.”
It comes as former “Today” host Ann Curry said that she reported Lauer’s conduct to NBC executives in 2012. Curry said she reported him on behalf of a colleague.
A female staffer, she claims, told her that she was “sexually harassed physically” by Lauer.
The NBC staffer, who wasn’t named, said she went to Curry with a complaint, reported the Washington Post.
“I told management they had a problem and they needed to keep an eye on him and how he deals with women,” she added.
Curry left the “Today” show in 2012, the same year that she reported Lauer, who was her co-host.