Matt Lauer’s exit from NBC came after a stint of lies and denial to his superiors, an insider told Page Six.
NBC News president Noah Oppenhein reportedly told the NBC Nightly News crew on Friday that Lauer would not be paid the remainder of his contract — which would have amounted to around $30 million.
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Network bosses came to the decision because the veteran news anchor was terminated on November 29 “for cause,” referring to his inappropriate sexual behavior toward coworkers.
“Noah told the group there would be no negotiations for a payout to Matt,” an insider told Page Six of the meeting. “He said he had no knowledge of these events (the allegations against Lauer) or any other ones like them. Noah did admit he knew of rumors of infidelity, but Matt had always strongly denied them.”
Oppenhein also told employees that Lauer continued to lie about his sexual misconduct “up until the very moment he realized he was caught red-handed.”
NBC News chairman Andy Lack said he confronted Lauer on Monday after receiving a complaint from one of the on-air talent’s colleagues, and before meeting with the complainant.
“Andy asked Matt point blank, ‘Is there any truth to this?’ And Matt said, ‘No,’ ” Oppenheim recalled.
“Andy and I and at least two other people that I know of, confronted Matt directly… We asked him multiple different ways, ‘Is there something you have done, is there any behavior that we need to know about, what could this be about?’ And he looked all those people in the eye and said nothing,” he reiterated of their confrontation with Lauer.
Only when presented with the full account from the victim — plus a saved archive of texts and photos — did Lauer own up to his wrongdoing.
Oppenheim, Lack and other NBC executives are now heading an internal review of sexual harassment at NBC News. They ensure that any person with knowledge of any inappropriate behavior by any employee will be “dealt with in the most severe way possible.”
Lauer was removed from the network after serving as co-host of Today for more than two decades.