NBC News’ “Today” show has issued a statement denying allegations of marital infidelity by co-host Matt Lauer in a story published by the National Enquirer. The scandal-mongering tabloid had claimed that Lauer had split from his wife after she accused him of at least two extramarital affairs.
“The allegations surrounding Matt Lauer are completely inaccurate and unfounded. These accusations are reckless and harmful to the Lauer family. Equally reckless, irresponsible and inaccurate are the accusations about his ‘Today’ show colleagues. Matt and his wife have spoken out on this on the record and will not be discussing it further,” said the statement issued by NBC News.
“I am living in my apartment with Annette and my children as a family and a couple,” said Lauer in an interview with People magazine. He and his wife called the Enquirer story “a work of fiction.”
Lauer, who has been anchoring “Today” from the Cannes Film Festival in France, was particularly dismissive of the Enquirer’s claim that he had been partying in Vancouver nearly every night while NBC was airing the Olympics and missed spending Valentine’s Day with his wife in New York so he could do more partying. In fact, he told People, his wife and children were with him in Canada skiing on February 14th.
Annette Lauer, who had filed for divorce in 2006, but then dropped the legal action, acknowledged past marital difficulties, but told People, “We have worked through it.”
RBR-TVBR observation: When you live in the public eye, you have to deal with this type of media attention. But we have to wonder whether it is really anyone’s business. Lauer isn’t an elected official or a moral crusader, nor is he accused of any crime. So why does anybody care about his family life except his own family? That is apparently the price of celebrity.
