Celebrities React to Matt Lauer Firing: ‘Don’t Let the Door Hit You on the Way Out’

Hollywood and media personalities took to Twitter Thursday to react to now-former NBC News star Matt Lauer’s firing with a mixture of shock and approval.

Celebrities including Olivia Munn, Kathy Griffin, Andy Richter, and Chrissy Teigen all weighed in on Lauer’s firing on their social media accounts.

Rose McGowan — who has been one of the most vocal advocates for women in Hollywood during its sexual abuse scandal — also tweeted to Lauer, telling him: “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.”

Lauer — the star of NBC’s top-rated morning show Today and a 20-year broadcast news veteran — was abruptly fired from the network Wednesday morning after a staffer reportedly came forward with sexual harassment allegations against the anchor. Page Six subsequently reported that the woman’s claim stemmed from an incident during the 2014 Sochi Olympics in Russia, which Lauer was covering for NBC.

Following Lauer’s firing, other women have come forward with detailed allegations against the newsman, including that his NBC office had a discreet button with which he could lock the door from his desk, and that he once allegedly sent a sex toy with an inappropriate note to a female co-worker, and exposed himself to another.

Lauer apologized in a statement read on-air by his Today co-host Savannah Guthrie.

“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,” he said in a statement. “The last two days have forced me to take a very hard look at my troubling flaws. It has been humbling.”

“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,” he added.

Below, find celebrity reaction to Lauer’s exit from NBC.

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This morning I woke up expecting to do a cooking segment on the Today show with my friend @MattLauerNBC. Driving uptown I was in shock as I heard the news of his dismissal due to allegations of sexual misconduct at work. As I watched @SavannahGuthrie read Andy Lack’s statement, I was utterly shaken up. I must say that in all the many years I have been on the @TodayShow I have only experienced a warm, cordial and respectful environment. When I walked into 30 Rock it felt like someone had died. The mood was somber to say the least, shell shocked would be more accurate. Like finding out your dad has been cheating on your mom and the happy family you thought you were living in is in fact broken. I must say that in all the years I have known Matt, and worked with him on the Today show, I have never found him to be anything but empathic, kind, totally appropriate, and respectful of me; a consummate professional. But as someone who has experienced sexual assault and sexual harassment I know how hard it is to come forward or even properly process that it is indeed happening to you. Especially when it’s someone who holds such a high place in one’s profession. I don’t know who the women who have come forward are but I can tell you how hard it is to even admit that it’s actually happened. You feel utterly intimidated and often blame yourself. There is little upside for a victim speaking out. And as a victim myself I am thankful they did. I am deeply saddened about Matt as I am saddened about @CharlieRose, two people I have very much looked up to in television. Their presence and contributions to our industry will be sorely missed. But I stand in solidarity with the victims. And while this is a painful period in our cultural history, it is a good and necessary purging of one of the most harmful aspects of the ‘old boys club’. There is always pain when the thorn gets pulled out of the flesh. But only when it’s gone can the healing begin. #MeToo

A post shared by Padma Lakshmi (@padmalakshmi) on Nov 29, 2017 at 1:21pm PST

 

Follow Daniel Nussbaum on Twitter: @dznussbaum