Lilly Singhis slammingMatt Lauerover his new rape accusations.
On Tuesday night, theA Little Latehost addressed Lauer, 61, and the new bombshell claims that he allegedly raped his former NBC News colleagueBrooke Nevils.
Singh, 31, tackled the topic duringher talk show’s recurring “Gift Basket” segment, in which she presents those “who’ve been having a hard time” with a mock gift basket to cheer them up.
“Our next gift basket is for none other than Matt Lauer,” she told her audience, noting how Lauer “was fired from this network after several allegations came up accusing the former news anchor of sexual assault, which he denies all of the claims.”
“Yeah, okay,” Singh sarcastically remarked, before presenting the oustedTodayshow anchor with a gift basket, which included a bottle of Jergen’s lotion, a button and two letters — all which had references to his past alleged actions. (He was not present to receive the basket.)
“Here’s a bottle of Jergen’s. Because the only thing that will be getting you off anytime soon is your own hand,” Singh said. “I got the travel size because I can’t imagine your tiny penis would need any more than that.”
“Next, here’s a button,” she went on. “It’s kind of like the one you allegedly had behind your desk to lock female co-workers in your office with you, except this one locks your penis in your pants.”
“Finally, I just read your open letter, where you not only refuse to take responsibility for your heinous actions, but you also blame your victims — yeah plural, victims — for your bad behavior. Incredible.”
“Matty boy, since you love letters so much, I got you two,” Singh added as she opened the envelopes and revealed the letters F and U from inside. “Would you look at that? It’s an F-U.”
An attorney for Lauer did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Randy Holmes/Getty Images; Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Singh’s segment, which was the first time that an NBC late-night personality has addressed Lauer and his alleged actions, comes two weeks after the rape accusation surfaced in an excerpt fromRonan Farrow‘s new book,Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators.
In the book, Nevils alleges that Laueranally raped her in his hotel roomat the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Nevils told Farrow she was “too drunk to consent” and also stated multiple times that she did not want to have anal intercourse.
She also stated in the book that she had more sexual encounters with Lauer back in New York City, telling Farrow: “It was completely transactional. It was not a relationship.”
Lauer, who recentlyfinalized his divorcefrom longtime wifeAnnette Roque,penned a lengthy letter in response, claiming the encounter was “extramarital, but consensual.” He said the encounter in Sochi was the beginning of his affair with Nevils and “the first of many sexual encounters between us over the next several months.”
Matt Lauer.Brent N. Clarke/FilmMagic
The formerTodayanchor, who pointed out what he claims are “contradictions” in Nevils’ story, also argued that he did not have a hidden button inside his office that allowed him to lock the door from inside.
In response to his open letter, Nevils slammed Lauer and called his note a“case study in victim-blaming.”
In a statement read on-air on theTodayshow after Nevils’ rape accusation was first publicly reported, NBC News said, “Matt Lauer’s conduct was appalling, horrific and reprehensible, as we said at the time. That’s why he was fired within 24 hours of us first learning of the complaint. Our hearts break again for our colleague.”
Matt Lauer.D Dipasupil/FilmMagic
In the wake of the allegations, Lauerhas been keeping a low profile.
The oustedTodayshow anchor was photographed on Sunday grabbing fishing supplies from his boat in the Hamptons, where he has been living since hewas first firedin November 2017 due to Nevils’ sexual misconduct complaint. He was also spottedpicking up coffeein the Hamptons on Oct. 16.
Sources recently told PEOPLE that Lauer was maintaining a low profile in anticipation of Farrow’s book.
“Matt has been hunkered down in the Hamptons in anticipation of this book,” said one source. “He knew bad things were in it, but he didn’t know exactly what was going to make it into the news.”
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go toonline.rainn.org.
source: people.com
