Matt Lauer accused of exposing himself, harassing co-workers: report
Former “Today” host Matt Lauer displayed a pattern of sexual misconduct throughout his tenure and allegedly exposed himself to a co-worker, according to a story published in Variety.
The report comes hours after NBC announced Lauer had been fired following a sexual harassment complaint.
Sources told the magazine that Lauer once gave a colleague a sex toy as a present and included a note about how he wanted to use it on her.
In another instance, he reportedly summoned a female employee into his office and then dropped his pants. When she declined to do anything, Lauer criticized her.
Other employees said Lauer would exchange names of producers he’d slept with, and would play “f—, marry or kill,” to name female co-hosts he most wanted to sleep with, according to the report.
{mosads}Lauer’s office was located in a secluded space in 30 Rockefeller Center, and he had a button installed under his desk that allowed him to lock the door from inside the room, two women who accused Lauer of harassment told Variety.
A memo from NBC News Chairman Andy Lack said the complaint that led to Lauer’s firing was the first the network had received about Lauer. But, the network has “reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident,” Lack said.
Lauer’s behavior extended to while he traveled on assignment, as well. Sources told Variety that Lauer would ask female colleagues to his hotel room while on the road.
“He couldn’t sleep around town with celebrities or on the road with random people, because he’s Matt Lauer and he’s married. So he’d have to do it within his stable, where he exerted power, and he knew people wouldn’t ever complain,” a former producer told the magazine.
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