After a year at WOWK-TV, Lauer was up for promotion and he got it. Given the chance to move in front of the camera and appear as an on-air reporter, he was determined to show he could make it in the big leagues. His drive and professionalism shined through during those years, and he was soon traveling the country to appear for various news stations in the U.S.
All that exposure not only helped him hone his craft, but got him noticed by one of the biggest names in the news business: the National Broadcasting Company, or NBC.
He Was a Dropout
Before we drop the bomb on Lauer, let's talk about how he dropped out of college. You'd think a lengthy and expensive career guided Lauer into the upper echelons of newscasting, but you'd be wrong. In fact, Lauer's possible alma mater was nothing special: Scripps College of Communication, School of Media Arts and Studies.
He dropped out in 1979, knowing his future lay waiting for him outside the classroom. Until 2017, of course, he seemed to be right. The decision paid off greatly. The funny thing is while we're sure Scripps is a fine college, it's not what you would call prestigious.
Stepping Into The Limelight
Matt Lauer's big risk paid off: he leaped right into the television industry. The same year he dropped out of college, he managed to get a job with WOWK-TV as a producer. Learning the ropes of a brand-new industry is never easy, but he managed it with aplomb, getting the ins and outs of what was required for a newscast – in the meantime, he fell in love with the business.
He had found his place in the world, but he knew he would never be satisfied staying behind the camera. This man was destined for the desk.
He Landed It
Lauer became a household name when the early nineties rolled around, and thanks to this buzz about the young anchor, he got the nod to fill in as a substitute news anchor on the Today show when Margaret Larson was out.
The fill-in gig acted as his audition for the anchor spot, which NBC offered to him in January of 1994. The new year hit, and Lauer became part of the full-time cast. Lauer was overjoyed, since all his hard work had finally paid off in a big way, but he had no idea what was waiting in store for him when he took the job.
The Tom Cruise Interview
Matt Lauer faced controversy even long before this scandal. One incident in particular dates back to 2005, when he interviewed Tom Cruise. Lauer grilled Cruise on a number of topics including his devotion to Scientology, depression, and psychiatric medication.
Voices were raised, and insults were thrown, with Cruise calling Lauer “glib.” This interview soon made headlines, but not for the right reasons. Looking back, people say there were red flags that should have warned us of Lauer’s later behavior…