Former Rare Staff
Disgraced former “Today” host Matt Lauer has reached that place where no apology will do, and many are criticizing him for being insincere in the first and only statement he’s released since his firing.
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Lauer’s wife has left the country with the kids, he’s been fired from his job, he’s lost the major paycheck that goes with it, his reputation, and, to top it all off, people don’t believe that he’s sorry what for what he’s done.
Many on social media said they think Lauer is only sorry that he got caught.
There, I fixed Matt Lauer's apology. pic.twitter.com/gSKwSO95Yq
— Jez 🌮 (@NYGuuurl) November 30, 2017
https://twitter.com/MrFilmkritik/status/936205781434818560
Matt Lauer apology, translated: “I’m very sorry I’ve finally been exposed as a predatory monster. I honestly thought I was untouchable. I realize now I was wrong to think that.”
— Neal Rogers 🇺🇦 (@nealrogers) November 30, 2017
https://twitter.com/TheAdamKirsch/status/936236240357265409
https://twitter.com/sohmer/status/936256505111830529
Things I don’t care about: Matt Lauer’s apology. Things I do care about: the many, many, many women whose careers and lives he ruined.
— Justice for Breonna Taylor (@Bklyn_Betty) November 30, 2017
Matt Lauer’s statement is half-hearted at best. Notice all the “I”s. Only half a sentence is given to the victims. He has twisted this into a fashion for feeling sorry for him and gives LITTLE attention to the victims. On behalf of the #metoo movement, apology not accepted. pic.twitter.com/RVEUJyDoXv
— 🌻 Becca Hargis 🌻🤗 (@LunaLuxeCandles) November 30, 2017
https://twitter.com/evanmc14/status/936240701603483648
https://twitter.com/realZiplok/status/936280889415348224
Miami Herald columnist Carl Hiassen picked up right where these commenters left off, saying that Lauer’s apology rings hollow because it’s the “new apology template for famous men who act like pigs.”
Hiassen proceeded to poke holes in Lauer’s apology line by line.
“You wouldn’t be surprised to know that these somber statements of contrition — which now appear almost daily — are carefully tweaked by public relations consultants and attorneys before the name of the disgraced prominent male is attached,” Hiassen wrote. “‘There are no words,’ said an apology attributed last week to fired ‘Today’ host Matt Lauer, ‘to express my sorrow and regret for the pain I have caused others.'”
“While seeming to strike the proper abject tone, the very phrase ‘there are no words’ can’t be taken seriously unless the whole statement literally ends with the word ‘words,'” Hiassen wrote, before adding if “[Lauer] hadn’t gotten caught, [he’d] still be doing what [he’s] gotten away with for years and years.”
The columnist also said that Lauer’s remarks on the need for “soul searching” and that assessment that a “hard look at [his] own troubling flaws” is “humbling” was an egocentric response.
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“First of all, ‘troubling’ is the lamest possible way for him to depict his predatory romps. Disgusting, outrageous, unforgivable — perfectly sound, suitable adjectives,” he continued. “Second, ‘humbling’ is an egocentric reaction to the experience of being exposed for behavior that caused others to be humiliated, intimidated or afraid. Sickened is how Lauer should feel.”
