Matt Lauer

Matthew Todd Lauer (born December 30, 1957) is an American former broadcast journalist and television anchor, principally recognized for co-hosting NBC's Today morning program from January 1997 until his termination on November 29, 2017. During his two-decade tenure, Lauer contributed to the show's status as a leading network morning broadcast, conducting high-profile interviews with political figures including Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and maintaining its competitive edge in ratings against rivals like ABC's Good Morning America. His professional rise included early roles in local news in New York and stints on NBC's Weekend Today before ascending to the flagship program's anchor desk, where he became one of the network's highest-paid on-air talents.

Lauer's career abruptly ended after NBC received a detailed complaint from a colleague alleging inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace, prompting an internal review that led to his immediate firing for conduct violating company standards. Subsequent reports detailed additional accusations from multiple women, including claims of harassment, non-consensual encounters, and one specific allegation of rape during a 2001 work trip, which an NBC-commissioned investigation deemed credible among accusers while finding no evidence that network executives had prior knowledge. Lauer has denied the rape claim and aspects of other allegations, asserting some encounters were consensual, with no criminal charges filed; the episode unfolded amid broader scrutiny of workplace misconduct in media but highlighted questions about institutional responses given the absence of documented prior complaints to management.