Matt Lauer may be gone from NBC, but a very, very large paycheck could still be coming his way. According to the New York Post's Page Six, Matt's lawyers are trying to get him a $30 million payout.
The Post claims that the main thing his team is hoping to do is to get him paid through the remainder of his $20 million a year contract, which still has a year and a half left on it.
Many TV contracts contain moral clauses, and it's likely that Matt's did, given that he was such a huge on-air talent.
A source said of Matt and his team, "They are currently looking at his contract and determining whether the claims against him, which clearly would affect any moral clause in his contract and his ensuing termination would cut off his contractual rights to be paid through to the end of his contract."
Another TV insider said, "There is no way Matt is getting paid. There has been an irrevocable breach of Matt's contract, there is a moral clause that says if he brings the company into disrepute — which he clearly has — NBC can terminate his employment immediately without pay and they do not have to pay out his contract."
The veteran newsman's demise has been incredibly fast. On Nov. 29, NBC announced that he had been fired over sexual misconduct allegations, and Andrew Lack, the NBC News president, said in a memo, "We were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident."
On Nov. 30, Matt broke his silence on his firing.
"There are no words to express my sorrow and regret for the pain I have caused others by words and actions. To the people I have hurt, I am truly sorry. As I am writing this I realize the depth of the damage and disappointment I have left behind at home and at NBC," he wrote. "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. I regret that my shame is now shared by the people I cherish dearly."
He continued, "Repairing the damage will take a lot of time and soul searching and I'm committed to beginning that effort. It is now my full time job. The last two days have forced me to take a very hard look at my own troubling flaws. It's been humbling. I am blessed to be surrounded by the people I love. I thank them for their patience and grace."