Don Lemon thinks former “Today” host Matt Lauer could stage a comeback: 'Women love him'

Don Lemon is predicting a major comeback for Matt Lauer, eight years after the former news anchor's colossal fall from grace.

During his Wednesday visit to the Hollywood Raw Podcast with Dax Holt and Adam Glyn, Lemon proved that he is in Lauer's corner while pondering his friend's future career prospects. Asked if he believes Lauer could successfully return to the industry, Lemon replied, “I think that if he could come back to digital, he can set his own course."

The former CNN anchor went on to share that to this day, Lauer is still approached by fans in public.

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"I only got to know Matt after, you know, the whole situation happened, because we live in the same town and we have mutual friends," Lemon explained. "Whenever I see Matt out and about  — or you know, if we go out to dinner, my husband and I go out to dinner with him and his fiancée — and people love him."

He added, "Women love him! They’re like, ‘Man, oh my God, can I get a picture? I love you. I miss you on television.’ 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."

Lauer was famously fired from his role as a Today anchor in 2017 when former NBC employee Brooke Nevils alleged that he sexually assaulted her. Lauer denied the allegations, which were detailed in Ronan Farrow’s 2019 book about the #MeToo movement, Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predator. Afterward, several more women came forward with sexual misconduct claims against Lauer, which he acknowledged in a statement, saying, "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."

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Lemon went on to argue that Lauer might have a better chance of returning to the industry in light of President Donald Trump's reelection. (More than a dozen women have accused the sitting president of sexual assault or harassment and in one 2023 case, he was found liable of sexual abuse.)

"Maybe in this whole Trump era, when canceled is over, maybe there is a way that he’ll come back," Lemon said of Lauer. "I think it’s more the people who are inside of the business who are concerned about, you know, what happened with Matt."

He continued, "I’ll put it this way. I think the general public would accept Matt back. And I think people would watch him and I think the ratings would be great.”

Related: Don Lemon says Elon Musk canceled his planned show on X after 'tense' interview

As for the allegations against Lauer, Lemon said, "I don't know anything about what happened, I know nothing about that at all." He praised the former TV host as a "talented person," adding, "Women can feel the way that they feel and I understand that but that's their business. I know when I'm out with him, everybody loves Matt, and everybody flocks to Matt and everyone wants a picture and everyone says 'I miss you and we wanna see you back on television.' I hear it every time."

Last year, Lauer made a rare public appearance at the wedding of Lemon and his longtime partner, Tim Malone. Lemon, a news anchor himself, was abruptly fired from CNN in 2023, following an extensive Variety report with allegations of sexist behavior and the denigration of female colleagues dating back to 2008.

Lemon attempted his own comeback with The Don Lemon Show on X, but the show was abruptly canceled by the social media platform's owner,  Elon Musk. Lemon is now suing Musk, alleging fraud, negligent misrepresentation, misappropriation of his name and likeness, unjust enrichment, and breach of express contract.

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