NBC Fires Matt Lauer

Lauer, Rose, et al are smart enough to not literally call their accusers liars.

But these non specific admissions of bad behavior, while also denying the specific claims don’t impress me.

If you want to clear things up, then tell us specifically what did, and did not, happen.

Otherwise, it’s just an attempt to discredit the women who you victimized.

 

I know a guy.

 

Yet these stupid media outlets keep paying it. Why is that?

What is the cap on what people are worth?

 

Always the right answer!

 

For the one thousandth time, I don’t make coffee!

 

Point taken ... but when you're losing your job over the accusation, you have to do something. And stepping away from the wrongness of their actions for a moment, if they tell us specifically what happened, aren't they just digging themselves a deeper grave?

 

The show is built around Lauer. Its prestige and ratings advantage over GMA is worth $150 million to NBC.

It's not unreasonable to think that without Lauer, earns $100 million less a year.

So... is Lauer overpaid?

 

I just don’t want to here thee saccharin apologies, that sound like they’re all coming out of the same writers’ room.

If you want to apologize for victimizing women, don’t attempt to discredit the women while doing it, which only further victimizes then.

To me, it renders the whole apology moot.

It’s a PR statement meant to begin the process of rebuilding the reputation and career of the person who issues it.

 

See, I don't think people watched because of Lauer. I mean, he was a good host. But people would watch anyway. It's a morning show, a show people just turn on to start their day, drink their coffee and check in to see what's going on -- kind of like people used to sit down with the newspaper. They'll do it, and leave it on for hours, no matter who's on it. Just like we always say people will read newspaper stories, usually without caring who writes them.

The Today Show will get somebody else, and be fine without Lauer. He's really not worth the trouble and certainly not worth the money.

 

I totally get what you're saying, YF. But if you're a person who's trying to keep their head above water when everything is crumbling around them, you still probably get to work on the process of rebuilding that reputation and career. I mean, you only have one life, even if you've screwed yourself (and others) in the first part of it.

I don't know ... this might be a meaningless, esoteric stance. I just see why they keep splashing in the water. It's that, or roll up in the fetal position and wait for the Grim Reaper.

 

NBC, if it can be proved that upper management knew about Lauer's actions before Monday night*, is going to be in a world of hurt when the lawsuits start flying, from the top down.

* Highly fucking likely.

 

What if he didn’t do what he’s accused of doing? He’s supposed to admit it, why? Because NBC is so mean to Donald Trump?