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Bryant Gumbel still believes his disgraced pal Matt Lauer is “a good man.”
While chatting with Page Six at The Apollo Spring Benefit in New York City this week, the former “Today” show host said he speaks to Lauer “almost” every day – despite his friend’s string of controversies.
“[He’s] doing fine,” Gumbel, 74, shared of his longtime friend, 65. “He’s doing great.”
The two have been close for years, with Gumbel even serving as best man when Lauer married now-ex Annette Roque in 1998. The former couple welcomed three kids together before finalizing their divorce in 2019.
Lauer later returned the favor, standing by Gumbel’s side as he wed second wife Hilary Quinlan in 2001.
As previously reported, Lauer took over co-hosting duties from Gumbel in 1997.
He was unceremoniously axed from NBC in November 2017 due to a complaint of “inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace.”
Former NBC staffer Brooke Nevils alleged that Lauer raped her in her hotel room at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, an encounter that Lauer owned up to – but insisted that it was consensual.
Gumbel told Page Six that he doesn’t believe Lauer misses being on TV.
“I think he misses being in the mix sometimes but I don’t think he misses being on television,” he said.
“He’s got a lot on his plate right now. He’s enjoying his kids, he’s enjoying his life. [When] I talked to him last, he was heading out on his boat.”
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And it doesn’t sound like Gumbel misses being on daily TV either, sharing that he never watches the “Today” show.
“I watch less TV than anybody on the planet,” he confessed.
”If you took sporting events out of it, I basically don’t watch television. It’s not a value judgement; I’ve never been a TV watcher. Even as a kid, I’d rather read or watch a sporting event.”
Other celebs at the annual gala included MC Lyte, Wyclef Jean and Spike Lee, who was on hand to present the Impact Award to basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
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