A lot of us might have to back up and blink a few times while shaking our heads to clear them when it comes to realizing that Matt Lauer, who we assumed was divorced already, is just now having to go through the actual motions of divorce. Apparently his wife, Annette Roque, filed back in the 2000s but eventually the two reconciled and the idea of the big “d” word just went away for a while. But then when Matt was fired from NBC for inappropriate behavior, as it’s being called these days, that seemed to be the last straw for Annette. Ross A. Lincoln of The Wrap has detailed just how this happened and has reminded us that Annette filed for divorce back in 2006 due to ‘cruel and inhumane treatment’ which could cover a wide and descriptive swath of terms, but somehow managed to forgive Lauer and stayed with him up until the final insult to their marriage landed and she had enough. It might sound a bit hurtful and cruel, especially since Lauer’s behavior, if accurately described, was as terrible as it seemed, but one can’t help but think that Annette should have taken off a while back when she had the chance.
It’s not that easy, as some people would say, considering that the two had a well-established life together and simply stepping away from it wouldn’t be as simple as cutting ties and moving on. After all when kids are involved things tend to get a bit messy and the fallout from a high-profile divorce, which this would be don’t kid yourselves, is enough to rattle anyone in a big way. But perhaps the frustration over this matter comes from seeing too many women being abused in some way over the years and then hearing it’s time to stop, or MeToo, or anything that has to do with female empowerment claiming that it’s time to stand up and take action against those that would seek to subjugate them in any way. Julius Young from Fox News reminds us that during the time in which Roque claims that Lauer was at his worst she was pregnant with their third child, and it’s horribly easy to understand that she might have been scared for her children and herself had she decided to simply up and leave. But on the flip side there are those who will call her a strong and capable woman for staying, for trying to sort things out and save her marriage. In the meantime those who are expecting women to stand by their claims that they are strong and independent might have heard crickets chirping in the near distance as we waited for women to realize once again that they do have the ability to stand on their own two feet at any given time.
There’s really no defense for Lauer at this time, and thankfully he hasn’t bothered to do anything other than take the hits that will likely keep coming so long as he’s willing to remain in the public eye. But as far as Annette goes it might be nice to see her finally get away from the man that she felt was cruel and inhumane, but somehow still able to convince her that she should stay with him for another decade despite the fact that he obviously didn’t change all that much. In the court of public opinion many would look to Lauer and let loose with their vitriol and heavy-handed accusations that he’s little more than an abusive thug that’s been allowed a place in the spotlight for so long. But just for once let’s admit that while trying to reconcile and save a marriage is a noble thing for anyone to do, there are simply too many people that will suffer through abuse and ill treatment for reasons of their own that are unnecessary. People are right, it’s easy to talk and it’s easy to state what SHOULD happen, as the actions that need to be taken at times are rather difficult and have long-lasting repercussions. But on the flip side of this, not taking action when it’s necessary could have even worse repercussions since with children involved this becomes a horrible message to teach them, that it’s okay to stay with a person who is abusive and cruel because it’s possible they can change.
The one thing that would make this situation worse at this time would be if Annette decided once again that Matt is worthy of another chance and took him back to reconcile again, but at this moment it doesn’t seem as though such a thing might happen, which is fortunate indeed. It’s always possible for a person to change, but after so long and after enough chances that are given, sometimes without having been earned, it’s time to finally realize the truth and move on.
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