Ann Curry is finally saying more about her reaction to the sexual harassment allegations against her former Today show co-host Matt Lauer. In an interview on CBS This Morning on Wednesday, Curry said she was “not surprised” by the claims against Lauer.
Curry, who was reportedly pushed out of her Today gig by Lauer in 2012, initially said she was “still processing” the news of allegations against Lauer when they arose near the end of 2017. NBC officials moved quickly to fire Lauer over what the network described as “inappropriate sexual behavior” in late-November, with multiple women eventually accusing the longtime Today host sexual harassment and misconduct.
“I would be surprised if many women did not understand that there was a climate of verbal harassment that existed,” Curry said on CBS. “I think it would be surprising if someone said they didn’t see that.”
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Curry went on to say that “verbal sexual harassment” was pervasive during her time working with Lauer at Today. “It was, yes, period,” Curry said.
Speaking with the hosts of CBS This Morning, where Charlie Rose was also fired at the end of 2017 over a range of sexual harassment allegations, Curry told host Norah O’Donnell that she sees the overall “#MeToo” movement against sexual harassment and assault as “overdue.” Curry appeared on the program to discuss those cultural changes as well as to promote her new PBS interview series, We’ll Meet Again.
CBS This Morning host Gayle King also asked Curry about the reports that Lauer played a role in her leaving Today more than five years ago, but Curry refused to blame Lauer for her departure from the morning show. “I don’t know what was all behind it,” she said. “I do know it hurt like hell.”