Katie Couric Reveals She Has ‘No Relationship’ With Matt Lauer Following ‘Disgusting’ Assault Allegations

Katie Couric revealed she has “no relationship” with former Today coanchor Matt Lauer after he was accused of sexual assault.

The journalist, 64, made the statement while appearing on Today on Tuesday, October 19, to discuss her new book, Going There.  

“It took me a long time to process what was going on because the side of Matt I knew was the side of Matt I think you all knew,” Couric, appearing on her former show, told Savannah Guthrie. “He was kind and generous and considerate, a good colleague and, as I got more information and learned what was going on behind the scenes, it was really upsetting and disturbing.”

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Couric, who worked with the disgraced journalist, 63, for 15 years, continued to explain that while the news disturbed her, she did her own reporting on the story.

“I really tried to excavate what had been going on,” she said. “It was really devastating, but also disgusting and, you know, I think what I realized is 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.”

In November 2017, Lauer was infamously fired from NBC News for alleged inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace, including allegations of rape. In October 2019, Lauer wrote a letter to Variety denying the claims, stating that the acts were “completely consensual.” Guthrie, 49, delivered the news of Lauer’s firing alongside Hoda Kotb.

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Couric’s tell-all memoir has landed the Emmy winner in hot water recently due to the candid stories she shared, including stories about Prince Harry and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, despite not yet being released. However, the newscaster believes these choice excerpts from her book are being taken out of context. 

“I think it’s been wildly misrepresented. I don’t think the tone and the spirit and the content of the book is like the tabloid headlines, I understand, are kind of portraying it,” Couric said. “I think it’s actually really—it is honest, but it’s very complimentary about many, many people.”

She added, “I call myself out on a lot of things because I think it’s most important to be honest about yourself and your own actions and your own behavior and attitudes.”