“Today” show anchor Matt Lauer was terminated Wednesday morning in a shock move by NBC. The termination comes on the heels of disturbing media reports about Lauer’s inappropriate behavior with women. NBC said in a statement Wednesday morning:
Matt Lauer has been terminated from NBC News. On Monday night, we received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer. As a result, we’ve decided to terminate his employment.
The move shocked the media world, already reeling from departures of some of its biggest names over a series of sexual misconduct allegations across multiple networks.
In 2014, however, the atmosphere was very different. In a peculiar and awkward “Today” sketch, Lauer removes his pants and stands in his boxers in a hallway as his female NBC colleagues walk in the door. Lauer then opens his suit jacket, thrusts his hips forward and says, “Drink it in, ladies!” One of them asks “Again, Matt?”
Savannah Guthrie, “Today” co-anchor, tells Lauer “Stop it. You’re making me lactate.”
Screenshot/NBC
Different times.
Watch and cringe: