By Kristy Puchko | Celebrity | May 20, 2020 |
By Kristy Puchko | Celebrity | May 20, 2020 |
Alleged rapist/serial sexual predator/former Today host Matt Lauer is not a fan of Ronan Farrow’s book Catch and Kill. The disgraced newsman has resurfaced to write an op-ed about his qualms with Farrow’s reporting, specifically in regards to Brooke Nevils, who accused Lauer of rape and—in his own words—was “the same woman whose complaint resulted in my termination at NBC.”
So, he’s published a piece on Mediaite, which suggests no bigger, flashier, more prestigious outlet would take this op-ed. Titled “Why Ronan Farrow Is Indeed Too Good to Be True,” Lauer’s piece begins with his hurt feelings over Nevils’ rape accusation, then moves into suggesting Farrow had an ax to grind against NBC. “Consequently, he cultivated many sources who were also disgruntled or who had been fired by NBC,” Lauer argues, “And therefore had an incentive to come up with explanations for why their careers there didn’t work out.”
So, we shouldn’t trust people who didn’t thrive in a work environment where Matt Lauer’s sexual misconduct was an open secret for years? Where it likely led to Ann Curry losing her job at Today? Where his misogynist view influenced reporting on a wide variety of big news stories including the 2016 election? Gotcha.
The rest of the article is Lauer defending himself by nitpicking Ronan’s work page by page. His argument is basically: Nevil is a liar and Ronan is a fink for believing her.
Here’s how Twitter reacted.
Reminder: Matt Lauer anally raped a co-worker at the Sochi Olympics. @RonanFarrow was one of the stellar reporters who broke the story on the coverup of Lauer's conduct for decades.
— Elizabeth C. McLaughlin 🩸🦷 (@ECMcLaughlin) May 19, 2020
In no reasonable universe should anyone be asking Matt Lauer to write an opinion on Ronan Farrow.
Why is Matt Lauer going around “interviewing” former boyfriends of a woman who has accused him of rape, and how did it get published https://t.co/pmC6T0Mqbd
— Sulome (@SulomeAnderson) May 19, 2020
Imagine being Matt Lauer and thinking anyone wants to hear from you.
— Maggie Serota (@maggieserota) May 19, 2020
I don’t know what I resent more: Matt Lauer thinking we want to hear from him or the cultural forces that make media platforms think that Matt Lauers deserve a platform.
— Dr. Esther AT LEAST WEAR A MASK Choo (@choo_ek) May 19, 2020
I declined the invitation. Lauer was proud of his predator status and certain that he'd get away with it because he was so valuable to that company. Brooke Nevils, you saved a lot of interns from being preyed upon. And If you were one of those NBC interns, please DM me.
— Nell Scovell (@NellSco) May 20, 2020
Like maybe stop asking people who don't even understand consent for their opinions on respected journalists.
— Geraldine (@everywhereist) May 19, 2020
I didn't care about Matt Lauer's opinion *before* I learned he was a rapist, I sure as hell don't care about it now.
Matt Lauer has rechecked the facts regarding rape by Matt Lauer and has come to the conclusion that Matt Lauer is innnocent. https://t.co/2BzlIgu5KD
— Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) May 19, 2020
I wish Busy Tonight was still a show so on air I could ask Matt Lauer to go find a chair, pull it up, make sure it was nice and cozy and then SIT THE FUCK DOWN FOREVER.
— Busy Philipps (@BusyPhilipps) May 20, 2020
NEW from Aristocratic Murderer: Columbo Not As Smart As He Thinks He Is https://t.co/8dDiC52Bad
— kathbarbadoro (@kathbarbadoro) May 19, 2020
Can someone tell Matt Lauer we’re a little busy at the moment. We’ll have to take a raincheck on his piss-poor rape rebuttal.
— Susie Meister (@susie_meister) May 19, 2020
Welp, that clinches it.
— The Hoarse Whisperer (@HoarseWisperer) May 19, 2020
If Matt Lauer doesn’t like Ronan Farrow, I really have no choice but to… like Ronan Farrow even more. https://t.co/GT1LfNuXJB
I don't need to hear anything Matt Lauer has to say about anything, especially criticisms of a journalist who won a Pulitzer Prize for outing predators like Matt Lauer.
— Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) May 19, 2020
We made a critical error with Matt Lauer pic.twitter.com/xuOs7s0oYD
— Jessica Valenti (@JessicaValenti) May 19, 2020
is matt lauer the guy who had a secret button under his desk that locked his office door so women couldn't get away or am i thinking of a different matt lauer
— blaine capatch (@blainecapatch) May 19, 2020
Dude you had a literal rape button. https://t.co/5Mj1RJEnwK
— Courtney Enlow (@courtenlow) May 19, 2020
Matt Lauer: it wasn’t a rape button, it was a regular button I used to rape people!! Totally different!!
— Siobhan Thompson, mysterious European heiress (@vornietom) May 19, 2020
If only there were some kind of button I could push to shut the door on Matt Lauer when he started to fuss and beg and protest.
— Bess Kalb (@bessbell) May 19, 2020
Saw there's a new Matt Lauer piece making the rounds during quarantine. Forgot how much that guy loves a captive audience.
— Lena (@banalplay) May 19, 2020
Farrow also responded, with a single tweet:
All I’ll say on this is that Matt Lauer is just wrong. Catch and Kill was thoroughly reported and fact-checked, including with Matt Lauer himself.
— Ronan Farrow (@RonanFarrow) May 19, 2020