Geraldo Defends Matt Lauer: ‘News Is a Flirty Business’

Geraldo Rivera (Noam Galai/Getty Images for Cantor Fitzgerald) and Matt Lauer (Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)

While many prominent personalities are joining the fray and denouncing recently-fired “Today” show host Matt Lauer, one of the former NBC morning program anchor’s celebrity friends has voiced his support.

Famed former talk show host and current Fox News correspondent Geraldo Rivera appeared to throw his weight behind Lauer in a series of tweets and said that sexual harassment allegations “may be criminalizing courtship.”

“News is a flirty business,” Rivera tweeted. “It seems like current epidemic of #SexHarassmentAlllegations may be criminalizing courtship & conflating it with predation.”

Rivera said a “hang em high” witch-hunt has sprouted around Lauer, stifling open discussion. He characterized news as a “flirty biz” and pointed to “newsroom courtships that have led to happy marriages.”

Geraldo also questioned the motivation of some harassment complainants, saying money or wanting to “get even” might be what’s driving them.

Fox News issued a statement in response to Rivera’s tweets on Wednesday, Nov. 29, according to CBS.

“Geraldo’s tweets do not reflect the views of FOX News or its management,” the statement said. “We were troubled by his comments and are addressing them with him.”

Rivera offered an apology for his comments and said that he should have forcefully raised the problem of victims of harassers being “too frightened to come forward in a timely fashion.”

Lauer faces accusations of inappropriate sexual conduct with respect to multiple women and was dismissed by NBC officials on Wednesday, Nov. 29, following a detailed complaint from a female co-worker.

And a final message from your friendly neighborhood news reporter …

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