It’s just like the old adage: Art imitates life imitates fictional Jennifer Aniston character Alex Levy. Today, broadcast journalist and former Today show correspondent Katie Couric appeared on the flagship NBC daytime program to promote her upcoming memoir, Going There. Host Savannah Guthrie asked about Couric’s co-anchor of nine years, Matt Lauer, who has been accused of sexual harassment in the workplace and was fired in 2017 amid the rise of the Me Too reckoning in media.
“It took me a long time to process what was going on because the side of Matt I knew was the side of Matt I think you all knew,†Couric said. “He was kind and generous and considerate, a good colleague. As I got more information and learned what was going on behind the scenes, it was really upsetting and disturbing.†She added, “It was really devastating but also disgusting.â€
Couric said she did her own investigating into the allegations against her colleague in order to understand “why he was so reckless and callous and honestly abusive to other women.†When Guthrie followed up by asking, “Where does that relationship stand now?†Couric confirmed that she and her former colleague “have no relationship.â€
During the Today show’s third hour, Couric defended her memoir against its online detractors, saying:
I think so much of it has been taken out of context. You’ve read the book. There’s some cheeky observations, and I have fun mentioning things. But when they’re plucked out and woven together to misrepresent the narrative, I think anyone who reads the book knows the spirit of the book: that it’s fun, that yes, I’m honest about some things, but I wanted to be honest. It’s not My Little Pony and sunshine and lollipops.
Where’s Laura Peterson when you need her?