The reckoning over sexual misconduct in the workplace continues: This morning NBC News fired longtime Today Show news anchor Matt Lauer over allegations of "inappropriate sexual behavior." Lauer joined the program in 1994, and has served as co-host since 1997. In a memo sent to staff by NBC News chairman Andrew Lack, he said they "received a detailed complaint from a colleague" that represented a "clear violation of our company's standards." He said "it is the first complaint about [Lauer's] behavior in the over twenty years he's been at NBC News." However, they were "presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident." [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/TODAYshow/status/935842862591283201]] In an emotional moment, Today Show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie read the memo on air, adding that she was "heartbroken." Having worked with Lauer since 2012, she considered him a "dear, dear friend." Then she posed a question reminiscent of Sarah Silverman's monologue on Louis CK: "How do you reconcile your love for someone with the revelation that they have behaved badly?" The news about Matt Lauer struck many by surprise, but some people say the warning signs were always there. And there's no better example than a 2012 interview with Anne Hathaway, where he acts pretty creepy. Hathaway visited The Today Show to discuss her new movie, Les Miserables. But when she sat down with Lauer, he wanted to discuss something different: an upskirt photo. The other night, the paparazzi snapped a picture of Hathaway getting out of a limo while not wearing any underwear. Thankfully, the paparazzo was a decent human being who deleted the photo. Nah, just kidding. He sold it, and it was all over the Internet. When the interview begins, Lauer immediately brings up the upskirt photo. (strike one!). Then he makes a pervy joke, quipping, "Nice to see you. Seen a lot of you lately." (Strike two!) Then he asks Hathaway what "lesson" she learned, as if the incident was all her fault. Luckily, the actress takes it in stride, and answers with class. Here's the full interaction: [[youtubewidget||https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yruIL5lVGE4&feature=youtu.be&t=1m9s]] Matt Lauer: “Anne Hathaway, good morning, nice to see you. Seen a lot of you lately." Anne Hathaway: “Sorry about that. I’d be happy to stay home, but the film.” Matt Lauer: “Let’s just get it out of the way. You had a little wardrobe malfunction the other night. What’s the lesson learned from something like that, other than that you keep smiling, which you’ll always do." Anne Hathaway: "Well, it was obviously an unfortunate incident ... It kind of made me sad on two accounts. One was that I was very sad that we live in an age when someone takes a picture of another person in a vulnerable moment, and rather than delete it and do the decent thing, sells it. And I’m sorry that we live in a culture that commodifies sexuality of unwilling participants, which brings us back to Les Mis...let’s get back to Les Mis." Perfect response! After handling her diabolical boss in The Devil Wears Prada, she can handle anything. Although the interview came out five years ago, it's recently gone viral, with people looking at Lauer's behavior in a new light. [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/RosaleenOMahony/status/935856627097440258]] [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/carolinelandree/status/935850752601403392]] But maybe this suggests a good career change for Lauer. Instead of being a morning news anchor, he could become a paparazzo, and try to get some sweet upskirt photos.

Back in November, NBC announced that TODAY co-host Matt Lauer had been fired in the wake of allegations of "inappropriate sexual behavior". It was reported that he had harassed multiple women working on the show, the accusations including instances of making lewd comments , gifting a sex toy to a female colleague, and showing his penis to another while alone in his office. [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/todayshow/status/935842862591283201?lang=en]] While anonymous sources had claimed he had invited women to his hotel room and repeatedly singled out female staff at NBC for sexual relationships, no woman had publicly come forward to speak about his behavior, until now. While this woman was involved in a consensual relationship with Lauer, she has said that he made use of his power to exploit women. Addie Collins Zinone, who was formerly an NBC News production assistant and a TODAY intern, said that she and Matt had a secretive affair 16 years ago, not long after his wedding to his wife Annette Roque. She was 24 at the time and Lauer was in his 40s when she was working there, but everything changes once she got a job as a news anchor in her home town. Speaking to Variety, she explained that he began to message her, telling her how good she looked before inviting her out for lunch. “We went to lunch. My intentions were purely professional," she said. "What that turned into was an opportunity for him to come on to me." "It was flattering, confusing, overwhelming. I was nervous. I didn’t know what to do with it. He was clearly trying to guide the conversation. He was there to hit on me and manipulate the situation, and I fell for it." "When we left, he told me: ‘You leave first, and I’ll leave after'". He told her to meet him in the studio dressing room one afternoon, where they had their first sexual encounter. She also recalls an incident in his office, where he pressed a button to lock the doors behind her and asked for sexual favors. "I was like, ‘No. I’m so in over my head. I’m not a performance artist’”. [[youtubewidget||https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LY16_fwST3Q]] The last time they hooked up was at the 2000 Democratic National Convention in a bathroom, where he dismissed her afterwards without a thought. Despite starting as a consensual affair, she felt that her experience with him was "traumatic". She enlisted in the Army Reserve and in 2003 took a job at Access Hollywood, which she returned to after being deployed to Iraq for a year. “What happened with Matt held me hostage. I was under his spell. It was all-consuming. I couldn’t focus. I couldn’t concentrate,” Zinone said. In 2008, she got a call from a TODAY correspondent who wanted to write a story about her. But soon after, the interview was cancelled, and an insider explained to Zinone that they had been told she had "said something bad about the show." [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/USATODAY/status/941659612012535808]] “I was in complete disbelief. I had never met that producer, nor had I ever had anything negative to say about TODAY,” Addie says. “That’s when I knew I could never get rid of this thing.” She felt Lauer used his power to prey on vulnerable women, and shut them out when it became inconvenient, even to the detriment of their careers. Addie is now speaking out because she wanted to attribute a face to the stories and "squash any doubts" about other allegations. "He went after the most vulnerable and the least powerful—and those were the production assistants and the interns. Although it wasn’t a crime in my case, it’s still not right. Matt took advantage of his power." "I’m validating their stories because some of our experiences are similar. I want these women to know that I believe them, I want to help empower them and collectively we have a voice to change things.” "It’s really a frightening place to be as a woman when you know you have a powerful force working against you. He was the golden boy. His contract always got renewed for millions of dollars more, and he was the face of NBC. How is any woman supposed to go up against that?" "He felt like he was untouchable. He lacked so much morality and reality, because he had people enabling him. I see the common threads and how he preyed on women, and I was one of them." Lauer has previously issued an apology in the wake of the allegations, though he says that some of the details have been "mischaracterized". He has yet to respond to Zinone's claims.

If you are a user of the internet, or you are a watcher of television, you will know that Matt Lauer has lost his job on The Today Show after allegations surrounding his sexual harassment of several women came to light. According to an investigation conducted by Variety magazine, Lauer was accused of multiple acts of sexual harassment and sexually inappropriate behaviour. The accusations aimed at the veteran news anchor range from claims that he "once gave a colleague a sex toy as a present. It included an explicit note about how he wanted to use it on her, which left her mortified," with another accusation saying that "he invited a female employee to his office, and dropped his pants." [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/CBSNews/status/936487049930133505]] A day after the claims were made, Lauer spoke out about the issue. Releasing a statement which was read on Today, Lauer wrote: "There are no words to express my sorrow and regret for the pain I have caused others by words and actions. To the people I have hurt, I am truly sorry. As I am writing this I realize the depth of the damage and disappointment I have left behind at home and at NBC." "Some of what is being said about me is untrue or mischaracterized, but there is enough truth in these stories to make me feel embarrassed and ashamed. I regret that my shame is now shared by the people I cherish dearly." [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/missinginsight/status/936206827091628035]] "Repairing the damage will take a lot of time and soul searching and I'm committed to beginning that effort. It is now my full-time job. The last two days have forced me to take a very hard look at my own troubling flaws. It's been humbling. I am blessed to be surrounded by the people I love. I thank them for their patience and grace." However, as is the case with the Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey scandals, it appears that those involved in the show business world were aware of Matt Lauer's behaviour before the stories hit the press. In 2014, it appears that Conan O'Brien had tried to warn us about Lauer's behaviour when Lauer was reporting the Sochi Winter Olympics. [[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/BbNnnNklKz2/?taken-by=teamcoco]] O'Brien ran a segment on his show that was literally titled "Creepy Matt Lauer" in which he played a video of Lauer being a huge creep towards the U.S Olympic skier Mikaela Shiffrin, who was just 18 years-old at the time. [[youtubewidget||https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lowao6fSEJI]] I can imagine when this aired it was a pretty uncomfortable watch, but given what we know now, it almost pain-inducingly cringe-worthy. Even worse, during his coverage of the 2014 Sochi Olympics, it's alleged that Lauer assaulted a female NBC staffer, who reported the incident this past Monday, leading to Lauer's termination from NBC. No doubt more stories regarding Lauer's behaviour will emerge in light of the current allegations. We can expect him to disappear from our screen for the near future while he gets over his problems in a swanky clinic somewhere exotic.

A man got a surprising answer after asking AI why Kristi Noem was fired by President Donald Trump.

The 54-year-old was removed from her role as US homeland security secretary last week and has been replaced by Republican senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma.

Trump confirmed the change on Thursday (March 5) in a post on Truth Social, announcing that Mullin is set to take over on March 31, 2026.

"A MAGA Warrior, and former undefeated professional MMA fighter, Markwayne truly gets along well with people, and knows the Wisdom and Courage required to Advance our America First Agenda," Trump wrote.

Despite the dismissal, Noem was not pushed entirely out of the administration. Instead, she was reassigned to a new role as special envoy for the Shield of the Americas.

The 79-year-old president publicly praised her service, writing that she "has served us well, and has had numerous and spectacular results (especially on the Border!)".

YouTuber Asks AI What Really Happened

Curious about the real reason behind Noem’s removal, a YouTuber known as I Ask AI turned to ChatGPT for answers.

The AI analysis looked at several controversies tied to Noem’s time in the administration, including her congressional hearing and strict immigration enforcement policies.

Among the incidents highlighted were her controversial comments describing Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti as “domestic terrorists," per NBC News.

It also referenced spending decisions during her time in office, including $300 million on luxury jets and a $220 million advertising campaign encouraging people in the United States illegally to leave voluntarily, per Reuters.

During congressional questioning, Noem told lawmakers that Trump had approved the campaign beforehand. However, a White House spokesperson later said the president "did not sign [it] off".

One issue the AI did not mention, however, was allegations of a personal relationship between Noem and Corey Lewandowski, a former Trump campaign manager who served as a senior adviser within the department.

AI Suggests The Hearing Was Only The "Final Straw"

After examining the controversies, the YouTuber asked the chatbot whether the congressional hearing was the reason she was fired.

The AI responded with a blunt explanation: “The hearing was the final straw, not the root cause. Trump's frustrations with Noem had been building for months, and NBC reported that his irritation specifically mounted after her testimony this week.”

The chatbot then offered a more general assessment of the president's decision-making style, saying: "But let's be real about how Trump operates. He doesn't fire people over bad policy or even dead civilians. He fires people when they become politically damaging to him personally. And that's exactly what happened.

"Noem turned immigration, which was supposed to be Trump's strongest issue, into a political disaster. Half the country now wants to abolish ICE, according to polling. That's a staggering collapse in public support for what should have been a layup for this administration," it added.

It continued by referencing the controversies that had surrounded her leadership and pointed to the criticism she got from both political parties.

"The bipartisan anger is what really sealed it. When Republicans like Tillis, Murkowski, and Kennedy are publicly torching your cabinet secretary, that's not a policy disagreement. That's a political emergency," it said.

According to the AI’s explanation, the congressional hearing simply exposed the situation publicly.

"She came across as evasive, defensive, and unable to justify her own spending or her own words. Trump watched his DHS secretary get dismantled by members of his own party on live television, and that was enough," AI concluded.

White House Points To "Leadership Failures"

A White House official who spoke to NBC News said Noem’s dismissal was due to "a culmination of her many unfortunate leadership failures," which included "allegations of infidelity".

"Kristi's drama sadly overshadowed and distracted from the Administration's extremely popular immigration agenda, which will continue full force," they said.

Following the announcement, Noem shared a statement thanking the president for appointing her to the new position.

"The Western Hemisphere is absolutely critical for U.S. security. In this new role, I will be able to build on the partnerships and national security expertise, I forged over the last 13 months as Secretary of Homeland Security," she said.

She also defended her record leading the department: "We have made historic accomplishments at the Department of Homeland Security to make America safe again."

"We delivered the MOST secure border in American history, 3 million illegal aliens have left the U.S., we have located 145,000 children, FEMA delivered disaster relief at a 100% faster rate, we ushered in the golden age of travel, saved the American taxpayer $13 billion and revitalized the U.S. Coast Guard," she claimed.

Meanwhile, Markwayne Mullin said the appointment came as a surprise, telling reporters: "It’s humbling...because it happened quick, I had to call my dad, and it’s just pretty humbling when you start thinking about it, a little kid from west Oklahoma getting to serve in the president’s cabinet. That is pretty neat."

Featured image credit: Tom Williams / Getty

CNN has responded to Don Lemon's account of being ousted from the news channel giant, referring to his statement as "inaccurate".

Lemon appeared to suggest in a statement released on Monday (April 24) that he was blindsided by his dismissal and claimed there must have been "larger issues at play".

He said in the statement shared on his Twitter account: "I was informed this morning by my agent that I have been terminated by CNN. I am stunned.

"After 17 years at CNN I would have thought that someone in management would have had the decency to tell me directly. At no time was I ever given any indication that I would not be able to continue to do the work I have loved at the network.

"It is clear that there are some larger issues at play. With that said, I want to thank my colleagues and the many teams I have worked with for an incredible run. They are the most talented journalists in the business, and I wish them all the best."

Within an hour of Lemon's statement, CNN shared its response and branded its former news anchor's words as "inaccurate".

The CNN Communications Twitter account wrote: "Don Lemon’s statement about this morning’s events is inaccurate. He was offered an opportunity to meet with management but instead released a statement on Twitter."

The Twitter account's initial statement on Lemon's departure reflected more fondly on the TV journalist.

It read: "CNN and Don have parted ways. Don will forever be a part of the CNN family, and we thank him for his contributions over the past 17 years. We wish him well and will be cheering him on in his future endeavors."

This comes months after Lemon was widely criticized for comments he made about former South Carolina governor and Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley.

During a segment of CNN This Morning, he described Haley, 51, as being past her "prime".

Check out the controversial moment:

"Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime, sorry," he said in the segment in February.

"Prime for what?" his co-host Poppy Harlow asked. Lemon went on to say that if you Google it, a woman is considered to be in her "prime" in those ages. Harlow then said: "I think we need to qualify. Are you talking about prime for childbearing or are you talking about prime for being president?"

"Don’t shoot the messenger, I’m just saying what the facts are," Lemon replied. "Google it."

"When a woman is considered to be in her prime — in her 20s, 30s and maybe her 40s," he sated.

When the segment was taken off air following the remarks, Lemon issued an apologetic statement, saying: "I’m sorry that I said it. And I certainly see why people found it completely misguided."

Lemon first started working for CNN in 2006 after previously having worked as an anchor at NBC Chicago and and as a correspondent for NBC News, the TODAY Show and NBC Nightly News.

Featured image credit: Erik Pendzich / Alamy