Katie Couric Finally Speaks Out On Matt Lauer’s Allegations, Calls His Behavior ‘Upsetting’

Katie Couric has finally broken her silence regarding the allegations of sexual impropriety against Matt Lauer, and it doesn’t appear to be kind to her longtime Today show co-host.

After Lauer was abruptly fired last week amid a report that he acted in a sexually inappropriate manner with a colleague, many had waited to see what the 60-year-old Couric had to say about the allegations. Couric spent 15 years alongside Lauer in the anchor chair and their on-screen chemistry helped win the show high ratings.

Couric had not yet made a comment on the allegations against Lauer, even as many others spoke up to condemn his behavior. But that ended on Friday when Couric responded to an Instagram user who called out Couric for not speaking up on the allegations.

“Nothing to say on Matt?? Huh – y’all would have been all over the story years ago,” the person commented on a photo that Couric posted. “I watched y’all for YEARS. My childhood. Just goes to show you really can’t trust people…. Crickets. People hear you loud and clear though.”

Amazingly, Katie Couric used that as an opportunity to break her silence about Matt Lauer, offering a brief comment and promising that she will open up more on it later.

“It’s incredibly upsetting and I will say something when I’m ready to. Thanks for your interest,” Couric wrote.

While Katie Couric may not have said much, the fact that she labeled his behavior “upsetting” made waves. People magazine picked up on her comment, noting that Couric and Lauer had a famous friendship forged by years in front of a live television audience.

Couric also could have been responding to a leaked video published by TMZ that allegedly showed Lauer whispering “Keep bending over like that… It’s a nice view” to Meredith Vieira as she bent over while on set.

NEW: TMZ reports: Matt Lauer whispered to Katie Couric in 2006, "Keep bending over like that. It's a nice view" — and it happened on set, while cameras were rolling. https://t.co/4QfFQA6jDF

— Evan Rosenfeld (@Evan_Rosenfeld) November 29, 2017

Others have already spoken up about Matt Lauer’s allegations, with most siding against the longtime Today show anchor. Actor and comedian Dennis Leary said this week that he always thought Lauer was a “creepy” guy and even stopped doing interviews on the Today show because of Lauer’s behavior.

“I stopped being interviewed by him on the Today show about 10 years ago because he was so creepy,” Leary said in a recent television appearance (via USA Today). “I just got a weird, weaselly vibe from the guy, and I said to my publicist, I said, ‘I don’t want to be interviewed by him any longer.'”

Matt Lauer himself has been mostly silent, issuing an apology for his behavior but avoiding the spotlight in the days since his abrupt firing from the Today show. Those close to the anchor said he has no immediate plans for any return to television.

Katie Couric did not say when she may have more to say on Matt Lauer’s situation.