Eight years after the Thanksgiving Eve bombshell that shattered his empire, Matt Lauer—the silver-tongued king of morning TV—is stirring from his Hamptons hibernation, eyes blazing with unresolved fury. The 67-year-old disgraced anchor, whose 2017 ouster from NBC’s Today show amid a torrent of sexual misconduct allegations sent shockwaves through Hollywood, is no longer content with quiet coastal sunsets. Insiders whisper he’s “still angry” about the swift corporate guillotine that ended his 25-year reign, severing a $20 million salary and a legacy built on charm and charisma. Now, fueled by that bitterness, Lauer is quietly forging alliances with media heavyweights, plotting a comeback that could either redeem or reignite the flames of public outrage.

The scandal’s echoes still linger like a bad hangover. On November 29, 2017, NBC fired Lauer after a detailed complaint from a female colleague detailed “inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace,” with the network hinting it wasn’t isolated. What followed was a deluge: accusations from multiple women, including claims of explicit texts to interns, coercive office encounters, and a locked-door liaison that left one accuser feeling trapped in a power imbalance. Lauer, in a stunned on-air apology, admitted to making “mistakes” but denied some specifics, vowing to listen and learn. The fallout was biblical—divorce from Annette Roque, custody battles, and a retreat to his $36 million North Fork estate, where he’s raised his three children amid tabloid scrutiny.

Fast-forward to December 2025, and the Hamptons hermit is emerging, transformed yet unbowed. Sources close to Lauer paint a picture of domestic stability: dating marketing exec Shamin Abas since 2019, with whispers of a long-delayed proposal that could double as a comeback launchpad. He’s “doing well in his private life,” one confidant told outlets like People, crediting therapy, family focus, and selective socializing—think Don Lemon’s 2024 wedding, where Lauer mingled with ex-colleagues without incident. But beneath the serenity simmers resentment. “He’s still angry about how it all went down,” the source revealed, pointing to perceived industry hypocrisy in an era where #MeToo reckonings have softened for some. Lauer feels the public “misses him,” echoing Lemon’s January podcast prediction: “Women love him… it’s the business insiders who are afraid.”

His strategy? Surgical strikes into streaming and digital realms, where gatekeepers are fewer and forgiveness algorithms favor clicks over contrition. Reports swirl of overtures to platforms like iHeartRadio or Substack, but the juiciest scoop comes from RadarOnline: Lauer’s eyeing a “pariah power trio” with T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach, the GMA3 duo bounced for their 2022 affair. United by shared scarlet letters, they could launch a no-holds-barred podcast dissecting media’s underbelly—harassment, hypocrisy, and high-stakes hookups. “He sees parallels in their downfalls,” an insider dished, noting Lauer’s outreach to the couple, who’ve since thrived on their own SiriusXM show. It’s a high-wire act: leverage their redemption arc for his, but risk amplifying old wounds.

Yet, as Lauer negotiates with “powerful figures,” questions loom larger than his cufflinks. Has time truly healed the victims’ scars? In a post-Ron DeSantis, pre-second-Trump media landscape, where Bill O’Reilly podcasts and Harvey Weinstein whispers persist, does Lauer’s charm offensive signal progress or peril? Public polls on X (formerly Twitter) are split—some decry a “tone-deaf triumph,” others pine for his polished prose. Critics warn of backlash, citing 2024’s “cancel culture fatigue” but urging accountability. Lauer, ever the tactician, plans to address the elephant: a tell-all segment owning his “mistakes” while flipping the script on network betrayal.

Whether this phoenix rises or crashes remains the billion-dollar bet. For now, the man who once woke America is awakening himself—angry, ambitious, and unapologetically aiming high. In the cutthroat coliseum of morning shows, his return could be the plot twist of the decade. But will viewers tune in for vindication… or just the vindictiveness?