Matt Lauer Will Never Work Again, See His Life Today After Major Scandal

since Matt laau was fired from his job as anchor of today after an NBC News employee accused him of sexual misconduct there was a side of Matt I never really knew and I tried to understand why he behaved the way he did and why he was so reckless and callous and honestly abusive to other women Matt lower the former reigning king of morning television saw his Empire crumble in 2017 when a wave of sexual misconduct allegations washed away his carefully cultivated image the man who had greeted Millions with a smile each morning was suddenly revealed to be a predator ostracized from the industry he helped shape join us as we Trace Low's stunning Fall From Grace the devastating impact on his victims and his controversial attempts to Stage a comeback Matt low rise to fame for over two decades Matt low was a household name in America gracing the screens of M as the co-anchor of NBC's Today Show his journey to the top began in 1992 when he joined the network as a temporary newsreader standing at 5' 11 in tall Low's Charisma and charm quickly caught the attention of Executives and in 1997 he was promoted to co-anchor alongside Katie kurick as the face of America's most popular Morning Show Law's responsibilities were vast and varied he interview interviewed countless high-profile politicians and celebrities from presidents to pop stars showcasing his versatility as a journalist his ability to connect with guests and his engaging manner earned him a reputation as a reliable and trustworthy figure in the news industry Low's star continued to rise and he soon became one of the most powerful and well-known figures in TV news his influence extended far beyond the studio and he was often sought out out for his opinions on a wide range of topics he was not only a journalist but also a taste maker with his endorsements and recommendations carrying significant weight as his Fame grew so did his salary by the peak of his career laau was earning a staggering $25 million per year making him one of the highest paid journalists in the world his contract negotiations were the stuff of Legend with NBC allegedly agreeing to provide him with helicopter transportation to and from his home in the Hamptons a luxury that allowed him to spend more time with his family despite his enormous success L managed to maintain an air of relatability he was known for his quick wit and self-deprecating humor traits that endeared him to audiences across the country his chemistry with his co-anchors particularly Katie kurck was undeniable and their onscreen Rapport was was a major factor in the show's success however behind the scenes rumors of LA's inappropriate behavior had began to circulate in 2006 a video surfaced of low making lewd comments to his co-anchor Meredith Vieira during a commercial break while the incident was brushed off as a joke at the time it hinted at a darker side to La's personality that would eventually come to light despite these warning signs Low's career continued to flourish he was given more responsibilities and opportunities including hosting the opening ceremonies of several Olympic Games his interviews with world leaders and celebrities were often the most talked about segments of The Today Show further cementing his status as a media giant the complaint that led to Low's downfall in November 2017 the world was shocked by the news that Matt laau had been fired from his position as co-anchor of The Today Show due to a complaint from a colleague alleging inappropriate sexual behavior while specific details were initially withheld it was revealed that the alleged misconduct occurred during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi Russia laau maintained the encounter was consensual a claim the network rejected in a memo to staff NBC News chairman Andrew lack stated that while the complaint was the first of its kind to be filed against laau there was reason to believe that it was not an isolated incident this suggestion that Low's inappropriate behavior may have been a pattern rather than a one-off event was deeply concerning to many the announcement of Low's firing was made on air by his former co-hosts Savannah Guthrie and hodak cotp both of whom struggled to contain their emotions as they delivered the news Guthrie who had worked alongside La for more than a decade said that she was heartbroken and grapp with the fact that her longtime colleague had turned out to be a different person than she had thought CB meanwhile emphasized The Bravery of the women who had come forward with their stories and the importance of creating a safe and respectful workplace for all employees she acknowledged that the news of LA's misconduct had come as a shock to many but insisted it was a necessary step in the fight against harassment and abuse for laau himself the Scandal was a stunning Fall From Grace within days he went from being one of the most respected and admired figures in television to a pariah his reputation forever tarnished by the weight of the allegations against him shocking allegations emerge as the news of Matt Low's firing from The Today Show spread the public was left reeling How could a man who had been such a beloved figure a trusted voice in the homes of of millions of Americans have behaved in such a reprehensible manner the answer as it turned out was far more disturbing than anyone could have imagined in the days and weeks following Low's termination a flood of allegations emerged painting a picture of a man who had used his position of power and influence to prey on vulnerable women one of the most shocking allegations came from a former NBC employee who claimed that laau had exposed himself to her in his office and then reprimanded her for not engaging in a sexual act another woman alleged that laau had given her an adult toy as a gift along with an explicit note detailing how he wanted to use it on her but perhaps the most disturbing allegation of all came from Brook Nevels a former NBC News employee who spoke out in Ronan Pharaoh's 2019 book catch and kill she alleged that during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi Russia laau had forced himself on her in his hotel room after a night of drinking with colleagues according to Neville's she had visited LA's room twice that night once to retrieve her press credential and the second time at his invitation it was during this second visit she claimed that laau became physically aggressive and forced himself on her despite her repeated refusals the allegation was met with shock and Horror by many in the media industry and Beyond La for his part denied the allegation claiming that the encounter had been consensual in a lengthy statement he painted Neville as a jilted lover who had pursued him and then turned on him when he tried to end the relationship but Neville was not alone in her accusations as more women came forward with their own stories of harassment and abuse at the hands of laow a disturbing pattern began to emerge many of the women described a culture of fear and intimidation at NBC where LA's Behavior was an Open Secret but few were willing to speak out against him some of the women claimed that they had reported LA's Behavior to superiors only to be ignored or dismissed others said they had been too afraid to come forward knowing ler had the power to make or break their careers the impact on Low's personal life in the face of the shocking Al ations Matt laau remained defiant he categorically denied any wrongdoing insisting that his encounters with his accusers including Brook Neville's were entirely consensual in a lengthy statement laau painted himself as the victim of false accusations claiming that he had been unfairly maligned and that his reputation had been irreparably damaged The Fallout from this Scandal extended far beyond LA's professional life his wife of nearly near two decades Dutch model Annette Ro filed for divorce 3 months after the allegations became public seeking to end their marriage the couple who had three children together had reportedly been living separate lives for years with LA residing in Manhattan during the week while ROK stayed at their home in the Hamptons the allegations against laau were the final straw for ROK in her divorce filing she reportedly accused laau of cruel and in Humane treatment alleging that he had engaged in a pattern of controlling and abusive Behavior throughout their marriage La denied the allegations but the damage was done the divorce was finalized in September 2019 with ROK reportedly receiving up to $20 million in assets including their sprawling 47 acre horse farm in Long Island known as Brightside Farm but Ro was not the only one to cut ties with law in the wake of the Scandal many of his closest friends and colleagues also turned their backs on him apparently horrified by the revelations of his misconduct his longtime friend and co-anchor Katie kurick with whom he had shared the spotlight for over a decade was also deeply affected and chose to distance herself in a 2019 Interview With People magazine kurick admitted that she had been completely blindsided by the allegations against laau and that she had no idea about the dark side of his person personality kurick said that she had considered laau a friend and a partner and that she had never witnessed any inappropriate behavior on his part but after the allegation surfaced she began to hear stories from other women who had worked with LA over the years and what she learned left her feeling shocked and Disturbed the button in Low's Office of the many disturbing claims against Matt laau perhaps the most unusual was the existence of a hidden button under his desk at NBC Studios according to multiple reports the button allowed L to lock his office door from the inside without getting up from his seat the button which was allegedly installed by NBC's technical staff at Low's request gave him the ability to welcome female employees into his office and initiate inappropriate contact while knowing that nobody could walk in on him the revelation of the butt 's existence was met with shock and outrage by many who saw it as a clear indication of the power dynamics at play in law's alleged misconduct the idea that he had a mechanism in place to ensure privacy while engaging in inappropriate behavior was deeply disturbing and raised serious questions about the culture at NBC that allowed such a system to exist in his 2019 statement to variety La denied the existence of the button calling the reports completely false and insisting that there was no such locking mechanism in his office he accused the media of spreading misinformation in an effort to paint him in a negative light but Low's denials rang Hollow to many who saw the button as just one example of the ways in which he had allegedly abused his power and authority over the years unprofessional behavior towards colleagues as the shocking allegator a against Matt laau continued to mount in the wake of his firing from NBC a disturbing pattern of behavior began to emerge resurfaced videos and firsthand accounts from his colleagues painted a picture of a man who had repeatedly crossed the line of professional conduct using his position of power to make inappropriate comments and advances toward the women he worked with one particularly egregious example came in the form of a leaked video from 200 six which showed low making lwd comments to his then co-anchor Meredith Vieira during a commercial break in the video low can be heard telling Vieira to keep bending over like that as she leaned over to grab something off the floor it's a nice view he added as Vieira laughed uncomfortably the video which was released by TMZ in the days following Low's firing was met with widespread outrage and disgust many saw it as a clear example of the kind of harassment and objectification that women in the media industry had been forced to endure for years often at the hands of powerful men like laau but the incident with Vieira was far from an isolated one in the weeks and months that followed more and more women came forward with their own stories of inappropriate behavior by La one of the most shocking revelations came from none other than Katie kurick Low's longtime co-anchor on The Today Show in a 2012 interview with Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live kuck had joked that laau pinches me on the ass a lot at the time the comment was largely brushed off as a harmless bit of banter between colleagues but in the wake of the allegations against laau it took on a much more Sinister tone kurick later claimed that she was joking and that low had never actually touched her inappropriately but the fact that she had felt comfortable making such a comment in the first place spoke volumes about the culture of harassment and objectification that had long pervaded LA's role in Anne Curry's messy exit for years Matt laow and Anne Curry were two of the most recognizable faces on morning television as co-anchors of The Today Show they had a powerful platform to inform and entertain millions of viewers each day but behind the scenes tensions were brewing and in 2012 Curry's abrupt and messy exit from the show sparked speculation about the role that La may have played in her downfall Curry had been with the Today Show since 1997 working her way up from news anchor to co-host alongside La in 2011 but from the beginning there were signs that the two did not have the same onair chemistry that low had enjoyed with his previous co-anchor Katie kurick according to reports at the time laow openly complained about Curry to NBC Executives criticizing her performance and suggesting that she was dragging down the show's ratings some even claimed that he gave the network an ultimatum either Curry goes or he does whether or not these reports were entirely accurate there was no denying that Curry's exit from the show was handled poorly in June 2012 just a year after taking over as co-anchor she was abruptly removed from her position and relegated to a lesser role as a correspondent the move was widely seen as a demotion and many viewers were outraged at how Curry had been treated in a tearful onair goodbye Curry apologized to viewers for not being able to carry the ball across the finish line but behind the scenes there were rumors that laau had played a key role in her ouster some claim claimed that he had the power to save her job but chose not to use it in the years since Curry's departure more details have emerged about the toxic work environment at NBC during that time in a 2018 interview with the Washington Post Curry spoke about the pervasive verbal sexual harassment that she and other women had endured at the network she described a culture in which powerful men like La were able to get away with inappropriate Behavior while the women who spoke out against them were often punished or ignored Curry did not directly blame La for her firing but she did suggest that the network had a problem with the way it treated women I don't know a single woman who didn't experience some form of sexual harassment she told the post it was pervasive the revelations about LA's alleged misconduct which came to light in 2017 only added fuel to the speculation about about his role in Curry's exit some saw it as further evidence of how powerful men in the media industry were able to use their influence to control and manipulate the women around them Low's Infamous contract negotiations before the allegations that would ultimately lead to his downfall Low's contract negotiations became the stuff of legend in the media industry in 2014 he signed a 2-year deal with NBC that was report reportedly worth a staggering $25 million per year making him one of the highest paid news anchors in the world the details of the contract were kept closely guarded but rumors and speculation swirled about the perks and privileges that lower had been able to secure for himself one of the most talked about Provisions was a clause that allegedly allowed him to use NBC's private helicopter to commute between his home in the Hamptons and the Network Studios in Manhattan for laau who had long been known for his lavish lifestyle and love of luxury the helicopter Clause was seen as a symbol of his immense power and influence within NBC it was a perk that few other employees even at the highest levels of the company could ever hope to receive but for many others the helicopter Clause was also a troubling sign of the way that Law's contract negotiations had become emblematic of a larger culture of excess and entitlement Within in the media industry in a world where many journalists were struggling to make ends meet the idea that a single anchor could command such an astronomical salary and such over-the-top perks seemed almost obscene of course laer was hardly the only high-profile journalist to secure lucrative contracts and lavish perks but the sheer scale of his deal and the way that it was perceived by others in the industry made it stand out as a particularly egregious example example in many ways the story of Low's contract negotiations is a microcosm of the larger issues that have long plagued the media industry in a business that is ostensibly dedicated to holding the powerful accountable and speaking truth to power there has often been a troubling tendency to instead reward and celebrate those who are able to accumulate the most power and influence for themselves for years laau was held up as a shining example of this tendency his massive salary his helicopter rides and his unchecked power within NBC were all seen as signs of his success and his value to the network but in the end they would also prove to be his undoing LA's post Scandal life in the aftermath of the Scandal Matt low disappeared from public view the once ubiquitous face of morning television who had graced the homes of millions of Americans every weekday for over two decades suddenly became a ghost retreating Behind the Walls of his sprawling Long Island estate his $41 million strongheart Manor became his Fortress of Solitude in the wake of the Scandal this 12-bedroom property which sits on a stunning 6.3 acre lot overlooking the Panic River had long been a symbol of LA's wealth and success but in the Years following his downfall it became something else entirely a refuge Refuge from the prying eyes of the public and the media Low's life in Exile was a far cry from the Glamorous jet setting existence he had once enjoyed gone were the lavish parties the celebrity hobnobbing and the constant Buzz of activity that had long surrounded him instead he reportedly spent his days holed up inside his Mansion rarely venturing out in public and avoiding all contact with the Press but even in his isolation laau was not entirely alone in 2019 news broke that he had begun dating shamin abas a welsh-born PR executive with a successful career in luxury marketing the relationship which began just months after LA's divorce from his wife Annette Ro is said to be serious with the couple spending much of their time together at lowers Hampton's estate despite the Newfound companion ship however Low's life in the wake of the Scandal was a far cry from The Charmed existence he had once known according to sources close to the former anchor he struggled to come to terms with the sudden loss of his career his reputation and his place in the public eye he was said to be deeply depressed spending long hours alone in his mansion and rarely engaging with the outside world even his once close friendships strained after the allegations many of LA's former colleagues and Associates including some who had known him for decades were said to have distanced themselves from him either out of disgust at his alleged Behavior or fear of being tainted by association one source told People magazine in 2021 that laau had become increasingly isolated in the years since his firing rarely reaching out to old friends or acquaintances despite his best efforts to keep a lowprofile however lower could not entirely escape the glare of the public eye in the years since his firing he has been photographed a handful of times by Paparazzi usually while out and about in the Hamptons or traveling with Abus the images which show a somber gray-haired lower looking thinner and more Haggard than in his Heyday only served to fuel speculation about his state of mind and his plans for the future rumors of a potential comeback in the spring of 2024 nearly 7 years after His stunning Fall From Grace rumors begin to swirl that Matt low is plotting a comeback according to sources close to the disgraced former anchor he has grown Restless in his self-imposed Exile and is eager to return to the public eye and reclaim some semblance of his former life and career the rumors first surface in the pages of Us Weekly which reports that L has begun reaching out to old friends and colleagues leagues in the media industry testing the waters for a potential return the idea of allower comeback is met with a mix of incredulity and revulsion by many in the media World After All This is a man who has been accused of sexual assault harassment and other gross misdeeds by multiple women a man whose alleged Behavior has become a symbol of the rampant abuse of power and privilege in the industry the idea that he might be welcomed back with open arms after all that has happened seems almost too absurd to contemplate however according to the report laau himself seems to believe that enough time has passed since his downfall to make a comeback possible The Source claims laau is convinced the public has moved on from the Scandal and that there is still a place for him in the media landscape part of LA's alleged strategy for rehabilitating his image involves portraying himself as a changed man one who has learned from his mistakes and is ready to make amends Central to this narrative is his relationship with Shaman abas the pr executive he has been dating since 2019 according to the reports laer sees Abus as a key part of his comeback plan a way to show the world that he is capable of maintaining a stable healthy relationship despite his past transgressions only time will tell whether L's rumored comeback will become a reality or whether the wounds he has inflicted on so many will prove too deep to heal but one thing is certain the media landscape has changed irrevocably since his downfall and the road back to respectability and relevance will be a long and difficult one if it is possible at all thanks for watching and we'll see you in the next one [Music]