A wake up call to Matt Lauer: Please do everyone a favor and slither away into the grass of your abode. Why he would think anyone cares about his critique of the production of the show he was ignominiously fired from for sexual harassment, sexual assault, having sexual affairs with co-workers, and just about any other thing that can be connected to the word “sexual” is beyond mere mortals to understand. It may actually be an insight as to what drives the man and his view of the world.
But first, we need to look at the facts, beginning with the response of his former co-workers who worked with him on set of the Today show. Simply put, they don’t care about what he thinks. This may have been true when he was still an employee, but it definitely is true now. Lauer’s attempt at “intervention” was an email sent to an NBC producer disagreeing with the choice of music used to introduce a segment.
One question that is prompted by this fact is what he is doing with his time now that he is essentially unemployable. The response from employers across the board to allegations or admissions of sexual misconduct has been termination without redemption. Lauer apparently is sitting around at home watching Today and still in a fantasy world where he is calling the shots. This possibility lends itself to wondering just how much power Lauer had both on and off the set.
A possibility is that Lauer is a megalomaniac. One can guess whether this is an in-born personality trait or one that was developed over his two decades of being one of NBC’s premiere golden boys. He apparently was untouchable for those 20 years, unlike his female co-workers. This leads one to ask if megalomania is an accepted part of the NBC media and corporate culture.
Lauer’s estimated net worth is about $80 million, which includes a number of real estate holdings around the world. This is good for Lauer because money does not discriminate regardless of one’s bad behavior. He should be talking to his money, not to NBC. Come to think about it, his time may be better spent circling the financial wagons for the potential upcoming civil lawsuits from his targeted co-workers. NBC is likely to suffer some financial loss because of Lauer, and whether they will try to go after Lauer to recover at least part of those impending losses remains to be seen.
Given the current cultural climate, it is unlikely Lauer will find a new source of income anytime soon. But his megalomania may not allow him to take this more sensible approach. Maybe he thinks that while having zero chance of ever working in front of the camera again, he still might have a place at NBC. He might not be through yet with his quest to raise his body count among female co-workers.
As is the case with many people, men and women alike, the simple reality is they only have themselves to blame for their current situation. NBC shelled out more than $100 million to Lauer over his 20 year career, and the sad truth seems to be he was more interested in taking advantage of his situation instead of taking advantage of an opportunity few people will ever have. The latest news is — no Matt Lauer Farewell shows are in the works.
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