Earlier this week, NBC journalist Matt Lauer was fired from the network, his decades-long career left in tatters after a female colleague accused him of inappropriate sexual advances. Since then, many more accusers have come forward with allegations about his conduct, and examples of his seedy on-air behaviour have begun to resurface.
One video in particular has been widely shared – the below interview with Sandra Bullock, who stopped by the Today show in 2009 to promote her movie The Proposal, and found herself barraged by questions and comments about a nude scene she performed.
“The major thing that’s changed since I’ve seen you last: I have seen you naked,” said Matt Lauer at start of the interview, setting the tone for a whole lot of awkwardness to come. Bullock tried to laugh the comments off, but the host persisted, telling her that he had a nude picture of her as his screen saver.
“You’re naked for most of this movie!” he told her. “No I’m not! I’m emotionally naked for most of this movie,” replied an uncomfortable Bullock, still trying to save an interaction that had, by that point, veered well and truly off the rails.
The host went on to question her on why she changed her mind about appearing nude in a film, asking again “did I mention you have a nude scene in this movie?” Bullock, who clearly over it at that point, replied “pretty much from the time you opened your mouth.”
At the conclusion of the interview, Lauer asked her to return to the show more often; “not after this interview” she shot back. You can watch their uncomfortable chat below:
The Today show franchise, of which Lauer was a key part, is one of NBC’s biggest money-makers, pulling in hundreds of millions of dollars a year in advertising revenues.
Lauer was paid a reported $US 20 million a year to host the flagship show, and his lawyers have been angling for a $30 million payout following his termination, but the network is unlikely to agree to this.
