It was announced on Wednesday that Matt Lauer had been fired from NBC after the network received a complaint alleging inappropriate sexual behavior by the Today show anchor, with the news coming the same day as the network’s annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony at New York’s Rockefeller Center.
Lauer was scheduled to host the event along with Today show hosts Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker and Hoda Kotb, but was not replaced after his firing. The show continued with Guthrie, Roker and Kotb as hosts, featuring performances by Brett Eldredge, Jennifer Nettles, Leslie Odom Jr., Pentatonix, Gwen Stefani, and the Tenors.
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A photo was snapped of the three hosts in conversation during the event, and while one can’t be certain of what they were discussing, the concerned looks on their faces could lead one to speculate that they were considering their former colleague and his recent firing.
All three anchors had expressed their dismay after the news was announced, with Guthrie and Kotb at the desk together when Guthrie delivered the news on Wednesday morning.
“For the moment, all we can say is we are heartbroken,” she said. “I’m heartbroken for Matt. He is my dear, dear friend and my partner. And he is beloved by many, many people here.”
“And I’m heartbroken for the brave colleague that came forward to tell her story and any other women who have their own stories to tell,” she continued. “And we are grappling with a dilemma that so many people have faced these weeks. How do you reconcile your love for someone with the recognition that they have behaved badly. And I don’t know the answer to that. But I know this reckoning that so many organizations have been going through is important. It’s long overdue. And it must result in workplaces where all women, all people, feel safe and respected. As painful as it is this moment in our culture, and this change, had to happen.”
Kotb added, “This is a very tough morning for both of us. I’ve known Matt for 15 years and I’ve loved him as a friend and a colleague.”
Roker later appeared on the show to deliver his weather report and said that he was “still dealing with the news of a friend of 30 years, and we’re all trying to process it.”
Photo Credit: Getty / Angela Weiss
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