More current and former NBC News executives are going on the record saying they never heard complaints about Matt Lauer‘s inappropriate workplace behavior.
“Never once has any woman or man complained to me about Matt Lauer. If they had, I would have gone straight to HR,” said Today show ep Don Nash, who has been with the program for 27 years, the last five as executive producer.
Yesterday, former Today show ep and NBC president Jeff Zucker, now president of CNN Worldwide, said no one ever complained to him about any “predatory behavior.” Page Six reports that Steve Capus, who was president of NBC News from 2005 to 2013 and is now ep of the CBS Evening News, denied having any prior knowledge of Lauer’s behavior.
This follows NBC’s statement late Wednesday that, before Monday’s complaint, “current management,” which includes NBC News president (and former Today ep) Noah Oppenheim and NBC News Chairman Andy Lack “was never made aware of any complaints about Matt Lauer’s conduct.” Lack previously worked as NBC News president for 8 years starting in 1993. He was named COO of NBC 2001. Lack promoted Lauer to anchor of Today in 1997 when Bryant Gumbel departed.
PageSix also reports that Lauer’s lawyers may be looking for NBC to pay out the $30 million remaining on his contract. However, the Post talked with a TV insider who is certain Lauer won’t be paid a dime.
“There is no way Matt is getting paid. There has been an irrevocable breach of Matt’s contract, there is a moral clause that says if he brings the company into disrepute — which he clearly has — NBC can terminate his employment immediately without pay and they do not have to pay out his contract.”