Ellen DeGeneres Slammed For Ignoring Matt Lauer Sexual Misconduct Allegations
Ellen DeGeneres is being called out by a number of fans for failing to speak publicly regarding friend Matt Lauer’s recent firing from The Today Show following allegations of sexual misconduct in the workplace. A number of social media users commented on Ellen’s “deafening silence” on the subject, despite him appearing on her daytime talk show multiple times and their famously close friendship.
Fans called out the talk show host on social media following the pretty shocking news about the NBC anchor, urging her to speak out and acknowledge his firing either on her show or on social media.
“I’m sure I’m not alone in recognizing @TheEllenShow’s deafening silence re: her good pal Matt Lauer’s firing for sexual misconduct,” tweeted @jbacharach1. “Ellen fans would like to hear from you on the subject.”
“@TheEllenShow is Ellen bold enough to condemn her friend Matt? She is always outspoken when these issues come up #MattLauer,” said another, while a third added of Ellen keeping noticeably quiet about her friend, “Ellen… I know it hurts, but you must address the Matt Lauer thing.”
Others claimed that if the allegations were made against President Donald Trump, who DeGeneres has spoken out against on multiple occasions, that she would likely have been one of the first public figures to condemn him.
“@TheEllenShow shame on you Ellen, if our president did what your friend Matt did you would have blasted him on your show yesterday,” Twitter user @workhomenona then added on the social media site. “I am not having you on my DVR going forward!”
Fans also pointed out that Ellen has joked about Matt on The Ellen DeGeneres Show multiple times in the past, even manipulating footage to make it appear as though the news anchor appeared in the erotic movie Fifty Shades of Grey during a prank.
“Was Ellen trying to warn us all with her ‘pranks’? #MattLauer #mattlauerfired #ellen” asked one fan of the jokes DeGeneres and Lauer have shared, particularly after the two launched into a prank war in recent episodes of The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Others then suggested that Ellen should invite Matt back onto her show once again in order to allow him the chance to explain himself following his pretty shocking firing earlier this week in order to give him a platform to directly address the allegations made against him.
DeGeneres hasn’t yet publicly spoken out regarding Lauer’s firing and it’s not clear if she intends to, though she has posted multiple items to social media since the news was announced.
One of her most recent Instagram uploads includes a sweet photo of herself and wife Portia De Rossi, which DeGeneres posted in celebration of December 1 being 13 years since they first met. The comedian and talk show host captioned the photo by telling her more than 49.5 million followers that she “can’t imagine how I got this lucky.”
As reported by E! News, Matt was fired by NBC on November 29 after being accused by a female colleague of inappropriate sexual behavior. As a result, he lost his position on both NBC News and Today, the latter of which he’s appeared on for the past 20 years.
“There are no words to express my sorrow and regret for the pain I have caused others by words and actions,” Lauer then said in a statement earlier this week shortly after the news broke. “To the people I have hurt, I am truly sorry.”
