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…
The News Guy
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 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.
Major Names
Lauer isn't always argumentative. He's had plenty of very heartfelt and emotional meetings, both in the studio and outside. One of the most famous of these meetings was in 2007, when royal princes William and Harry spoke to Lauer about their later mother, Princess Diana. It was the tenth anniversary of her death, and the emotional interview swept across the world.
Talk about big names – the man spoke to royalty. It proved Lauer wasn't just a firecracker, and those who watched the interview found themselves getting emotional at the stories the brothers told about their mother.
The Renewed Contract
Lauer had become one of the most famous reporters in the world – in just over a decade. He was the face millions of people saw every morning when they turned on the television, and he was the one who broke the biggest stories. His professionalism, style, and work ethic had taken him far.
It was no surprise, then, that NBC offered to renew his contract in 2012. The contract ran through 2017, and while the details aren't fully public, it's believed that Lauer earned an amazing twenty-five million dollars a year. An incredible amount for what was an incredible reporter for NBC.