NEW YORK — Amid allegations made against other high-profile men in media, Matt Lauer has been accused of inappropriate sexual behavior.
While NBC executives have said it was the first complaint against Lauer in his 20 years as an anchor on the “Today” show, it seems Lauer’s questionable behavior was always hiding in plain sight.
Katie Couric, Lauer's former co-host, stated plainly on a 2012 episode of Bravo TV's "Watch What Happens Live" that Lauer had a bad habit of getting handsy with her.
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TMZ reported that during the show segment called "Plead the Fifth," host Andy Cohen asked Couric to reveal Lauer's most annoying habit.
“He pinches me on the (butt) a lot,” Couric said.
At the time, the Huffington Post appeared to be the only news outlet to report Couric's comments made on live television.
On Wednesday, Lauer, 59, was fired. NBC News chairman Andrew Lack issued a memo to employees saying that a complaint filed earlier this week led to a review of Lauer's behavior and that the results represented a "clear violation of our company's standards."
In recent years, despite a decrease in his likeability rating among viewers, Lauer had one of the most lucrative contracts in morning television, according to the Hollywood Reporter.