Savannah Guthrie on Today: "We are disburbed to our core" over Matt Lauer rape allegations

The Daily Beast

Guthrie and Hoda Kotb addressed viewers directly on Today this morning in response to their ex-NBC News colleague Brooke Nevils' allegation in Ronan Farrow's new book Catch and Kill that Lauer raped her in a hotel room at the Sochi Olympics, as reported overnight by Variety. “I feel like we owe it to our viewers to pause for a moment,” said Guthrie. “This is shocking and appalling, and I honestly don’t even know what to say about it. I want to say that I know it wasn’t easy for our colleague Brooke to come forward then. It’s not easy now. And we support her and any women who come forward with claims. It’s just very painful for all of us at NBC and at the Today show, and it’s very, very difficult.” Kotb said she was having a flashback to two years ago when they sat together and revealed to viewers that Lauer had been fired. As Kotb emphasized, Nevils' was alleging that Lauer committed a crime. "That’s shocking to all of us who have sat with Matt for many, many years," she said.