Katie Couric Once Said Matt Lauer "Pinches Me on the Ass a Lot"

Couric made her comment after being asked about Lauer’s most annoying habit on a 2012 episode of Watch What Happens Live

By Elyse Dupre Nov 29, 2017 9:52 PMTags

Shortly after Matt Lauer was fired from Today over complaints of "inappropriate sexual behavior," an old video of Katie Couric saying Lauer "pinches me on the ass a lot" started circulating throughout the web.

The video was from Couric's 2012 guest appearance on Watch What Happens Live.  During the show, host Andy Cohen asked Couric to play "Plead the Fifth"—a frequently played game on the Bravo show in which celebrity guests are asked three questions and can pass on only one.

For the final question, Cohen asked Couric about Lauer's most annoying habit. Couric replied, "He pinches me on the ass a lot."

"Wow! I wouldn't have a problem with that," Cohen replied.

Watch the video to see Couric play "Plead the Fifth."

Couric and Lauer were the co-hosts of Today from 1997 to 2006. However, the two had a weeklong reunion earlier this year when Couric served as substitute during Savannah Guthrie's maternity leave. During her return, Couric helped Lauer celebrate his 20th anniversary at Today.

Guthrie announced the news of Lauer's termination with Hoda Kotb Wednesday morning and read an e-mail from NBC News chairman Andy Lack.

"Dear colleagues, on Monday night, we received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer," the email read. "It represented, after serious review, a clear violation of our company's standards. As a result, we've decided to terminate his employment. While it is the first complaint about his behavior in the over 20 years he's been at NBC News, we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident."

The email also stated, "Our highest priority is to create a workplace environment where everyone feels safe and protected, and to ensure that any actions run counter to our core values are met with consequences, no matter who the offender. We are deeply saddened by this turn of events but we will face it together as a news organization—and do it in as transparent a manner as we can." 

Guthrie said she was "heartbroken" over the news.

"I'm heartbroken for Matt. He is my dear, dear friend and my partner and he is beloved by many people here. And I'm heartbroken for the brave colleague who came forward to tell her story, and any other women who have their own stories to tell," she said at one point during the show. "We are grappling with a dilemma that so many people have faced these last few weeks: How do you reconcile your love for someone with the revelation that they have behaved badly? And I don't know the answer to that."

(E!, Bravo and NBC News are all part of NBCUniversal).