Don Lemon Defends Friend Matt Lauer 7 Years After Today Firing

Don Lemon has his friend Matt Lauer’s back after the former Today show host was forced out of his high-profile gig in 2017.

While appearing on the Wednesday, January 22, episode of the “Hollywood Raw Podcast With Dax Holt and Adam Glyn,” Lemon, 58, said he believed Lauer, 67, could make a successful comeback – potentially on a podcast.

“I think that if he could come back to digital, he can set his own course,” he explained, before adding, “But I only got to know Matt after, you know, the whole situation happened.”

The former CNN host said he has seen Lauer receiving positivity from fans firsthand during interactions while out in public.

Related: Matt Lauer Feels He’s ‘Owed an Apology’ Years After Misconduct Scandal

Matt Lauer is “planning a comeback” years after he was fired from NBC amid allegations of sexual misconduct. “He’s started to talk to people,” a source tells Us Weekly exclusively of the morning show host. “He’s planning his next act, still very upset with how he was portrayed, and still feels like he was the […]

“Whenever I see Matt out and about or, you know, even with us, if we go out to dinner, my husband [Tim MaloneI] go out to dinner with him and his fiancée and people love him. Women love him. They’re like, ‘Man, oh my God, can I get a picture? I love you. I miss you on television.’ Right?” he recalled. “And so, I think the public loves him. The public misses him, but it’s just the… it’s the people inside the business who are afraid of.”

He added: “Maybe there is a way that he’ll come back, but I think it’s more of the people who are inside of the business who are concerned about, you know, what happened with Matt.”

Lemon said he believes that if it was up to the public rather than the networks and executives, Lauer would have a shot at returning to the public eye.

“I think the public… I’ll put it this way. I think the general public would accept —  just me —  would accept Matt back. And I think people would watch him and I think the ratings would be great.”

It’s not the first time suggestions of a return to the industry have been floated. Whispers of a return for Lauer became louder in April 2024 when a source told Us Weekly exclusively that the anchor was “planning a comeback” years after he was fired from NBC amid allegations of sexual misconduct.

Related: Matt Lauer Thinks ‘The Media Cannot Be Trusted’ After Misconduct Scandal

Matt Lauer was the face of NBC before leaving and virtually disappearing in disgrace. Once one of America’s most recognized and highly paid TV journalists, “he believes that the media cannot be trusted,” a source tells Us Weekly exclusively. “He was a guy who spent his entire life going after people professionally; his job was […]

“He’s started to talk to people,” the insider shared with Us at the time. “He’s planning his next act, still very upset with how he was portrayed, and still feels like he was the victim.”

Amid a slew of other high-profile men implicated in the #MeToo movement, the former Today host made headlines in November 2017 after a female colleague accused him of inappropriate behavior. He was ultimately fired that same month following the allegations. In 2019, journalist Ronan Farrow published details about the alleged assault in his book Catch and Kill. Lauer has denied all the accusations against him.