Katie Couric Slams Matt Lauer, Addresses New Book's 'Snark' In Awkward 'Today' Return

Katie Couric opened up about her upcoming book and disgraced former co-host Matt Lauer's sexual misconduct allegations in her awkward return to the "Today" show.

On Tuesday, Couric, 64, was quizzed by Savannah Guthrie about her new memoir "Going There's" "snark" and attacks on former colleagues on the NBC morning show, which the former had co-hosted for 15 years before she left in 2006.

Couric claimed that the attacks have "been wildly misrepresented" — except for those she wrote against her former TV partner, Lauer, whom she slammed as "abusive" and "disgusting."

After previously being accused of being too defensive when Lauer was first accused of sexual misconduct, Couric explained to Guthrie Tuesday that it had been "really, really hard" for her when she first learned about the allegations. She added that she initially found them too hard to believe because she'd never seen that side of him in the nine years they'd worked together.

"It took me a long time to process what was going on, because the side of Matt I knew was the man I think you all knew: He was kind and generous and considerate, a good colleague," she was quoted by Page Six as telling Guthrie. "As I got more information and learned what was going on behind the scenes, it was really upsetting and disturbing."

Couric said she did some of "my own reporting" and tried to "excavate what had been going on," before claiming that what she'd found was "really devastating, but also disgusting."

Couric explained that she tried to understand why he was "so reckless and callous and honestly abusive to other women." She then clarified that she and Lauer no longer have any relationship.

The former "Today" co-host also blamed sexism in showbiz on the "very permissive environment in the '90s," which she said often resulted in "serious transgressions."

During the interview, Couric also defended her admission in her book that she was not very welcoming to "charismatic female correspondents" in a bid to "protect my turf." She admitted that she is insecure and territorial because there were few jobs for women and men were the ones who made the decisions at the time.

"I think it's human nature," Couric said, before insisting that she "never, never, never" actively tried to sabotage a female colleague's career.

Following more than two decades as anchor of the "Today" show, Lauer was fired by NBC in 2017 after numerous women accused him of sexual harassment in the workplace. Former NBC News employee Brooke Nevils also came forward with allegations that Lauer raped her during a business trip at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, and her complaint led to the anchor's firing.

Lauer has since called the rape allegation "categorically false" and claimed his encounter with Nevils was an "extramarital affair."

This wasn't the first time Couric had spoken about Lauer ahead of the release of her tome. During an interview with People published last week, she said it took her a long time to come to terms with Lauer's alleged behavior but added that she has since cut ties with her former colleague.

"Going There" hits shelves on Oct. 26.