Matt Lauer Firing: A History of His Biggest Scandals And Grossest Controversies

Ah, the infamous Tom Cruise interview. In 2005, Lauer interviewed the actor on Today, and the conversation quickly turned to Scientology. The two discussed Scientology’s rules about prescription medication, and Cruise insisted that they’re not necessary because “there’s no such thing as a chemical imbalance.” “But aren’t there examples where it works?” asked Lauer. “Matt, Matt, Matt, you’re glib,” replied Cruise, who continued (and still continues) to spout his weird pseudo-science theories. Watch the whole video above, or scroll ahead to the 11:30 mark to see their verbal sparring get really intense.

In a 2006 interview about Coulter’s book Godless, Lauer asks the right-wing pundit about her views on 9/11 widows. When Lauer refutes Coulter’s claim that 9/11 widows have a “doctrine of infallibility,” she tells him, “You’re getting testy with me.” Lauer, clearly fed up, quickly ends the interview. Check out the moment (and the audience’s reaction) at the 7:15 mark.

In 2012, Ann Curry left Today after serving as Lauer’s co-anchor for only a year. Lauer and Curry didn’t have the best chemistry, ratings began to slide, and NBC execs forced Curry out. Tabloids blamed Lauer for her oust, even though the host has publicly said that “there was nothing we could do as it was happening, and we all felt bad about it.”

When Anne Hathaway visited Today to promote Les Miserables, she had suffered an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction just a few days earlier. Upon greeting the star on the show, Lauer opened with, “Nice to see you. Seen a lot of you lately.” Gross.

In 2014, Lauer interviewed GM CEO Mary Barra about her work at the auto giant. “Given the pressures of this job at General Motors, can you do both well?” asked the anchor. Barra answered the question with a version of “Yes, duh,” but Lauer was later criticized for asking what many viewers perceived to be a sexist question.

During the summer of 2016, rumors that co-hosts Matt Lauer and Natalie Morales were having an affair rocked Today after Morales left NBC for Access Hollywood. Both parties vehemently denied having an intimate relationship, but that didn’t stop the press from speculating about a potential scandal.

Lauer hosted the first Presidential Debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump in September 2016, and things did not go well for the host-turned-moderator. Left-leaning viewers criticized Lauer for repeatedly interrupting Clinton, pressuring her to answer questions about her e-mails, and not fact checking some of Trump’s more outlandish comments. For a funnier take on the controversy, check out Trevor Noah’s segment on Lauer’s moderation skills.

When Megyn Kelly first started out at Today, things weren’t going well for the former Fox News personality. Celebrities were reluctant to book her snafu-riddled show, and Page Six reported that when one industry insider told Lauer that stars were being advised to avoid Kelly’s hour on Today, he replied that he “gets it,” adding that “it’s a big problem for them.” Not quite the solidarity that NBC wants from its morning show hosts.

Lauer’s own personal controversy may be the most interesting scandal of all. Lauer has been married to Annette Roque for 19 years, but in 2006, Roque filed for divorce, citing “cruel and inhumane acts.” However, she withdrew her divorce filing a month later after the two reached a private agreement, and in recent years, the two have been rumored to be living entirely separate lives.