Ann Curry Says Verbal Harassment Was Pervasive At NBC, Not Surprised By Matt Lauer Scandal

Ann Curry recently weighed in on Matt Lauer's sexual misconduct allegations. The former Today host said that verbal harassment has been prevalent at NBC.

Ann Curry Talks About Matt Lauer

During a recent interview, Curry did not comment much about Lauer, but she said that she is aware that sexual and verbal harassment existed especially at her former workplace.

"We clearly are waking up to a reality and injustice that has been occurring for some time. I would be surprised if many women did not understand that there was a climate of verbal harassment that existed. I think it'd be surprising if someone said that they didn't see that," said Curry.

2012 Firing

Curry was ousted from Today in 2012 just after a year of co-hosting the show with Lauer. There were speculations suggesting that Lauer was involved in the network's decision to let go of Curry. NBC executives also felt that the co-hosts lacked chemistry, but they decided to renew Lauer's contract.

CBS host Gayle King asked Curry about her awkward departure from the show six years ago and said that some people saw it as Lauer derailing her career. During her last day on Today, Curry could not hold back her tears when she said goodbye to her fans.

During her recent interview, the 61-year-old host said she's not going to cry again on national television, but she also said that being fired hurt like hell. Curry has no idea who was responsible for her ousting, so she did not directly blame Lauer for it.

Matt Lauer's Firing

Last year, Lauer was fired from Today after an employee filed a complaint against him for inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace. The complainant's lawyer, Ari Wilkenfeld, said that his client is worried that her identity will be exposed following Lauer's firing.

"My client is terrified and she does live in constant fear that people are going to track her down and figure out who she is. She doesn't want to be known. She feels terrified for herself, and she feels badly for the many other women who are suspected of being her," said the lawyer.

Andrew Lack, the chairman of NBC News, said that the unnamed woman's complaint was not an isolated incident. Two other women have since come forward about their harrowing experiences with Lauer.

Tags

Today, Matt Lauer, Sexual harassment