After being fired by NBC for sexual misconduct with a colleague, Matt Lauer left town and headed to see his 16-year-old son, Jack, to “explain what happened and why he was fired in person.”
Lauer is close to his eldest son, according to sources, and drove to his school Wednesday morning for a man-to-man talk about the scandal that ended his 20-year career at “Today.”
The source said, “Matt’s first thought was that he needed to explain this to his son Jack in person, as it would be far more painful for him to read about it in the press and online. Matt drove out to Jack’s prep school this morning.”
A rep for Lauer declined to comment.
Lauer has previously described having awkward conversations with Jack. Earlier this year, Lauer said on “Today” how he tried to have a “sex talk” with a then-15-year-old Jack, and it didn’t work out. He explained, “I tried to have ‘the talk’ in the car. I don’t remember exactly what prompted it, but [my wife] Annette and I talked about it that I needed to have the talk. So I had this car ride and … I said, ‘Jack, you know, I do have to…’ and he looked at me and said, ‘Not happening. I’m not gonna have this talk. I know, I know everything, you don’t have to do that.’”
Meanwhile, Lauer’s former model wife, Annette, has remained silent. She briefly filed for divorce in 2006, claiming she suffered “cruel and inhumane” treatment from Lauer, who she said in legal documents was controlling and demonstrated “extreme anger and hostility.” She withdrew the divorce filing a month later.