NBC News has fired the staffer it believes responsible for leaking embarrassing footage of Lawrence O’Donnell berating his staff and complaining about “hammering” in his earpiece, the New York Post reported Monday.
Following an internal investigation, the network identified an editor at the “Today” show as responsible for leak and dismissed that person on September 26, according to the Post. The former employee’s name has not been released.
A network source told Post that the former editor “left a very clear trail.”
A spokesperson for the network declined to comment.
The broadcast-quality footage, which quickly went viral following its publication on the website Mediaite on September 20, ignited days of mockery for O’Donnell and was compared to the famous Bill O’Reilly “do it live” video from “Inside Edition.”
“What’s going on, why am I losing this, why don’t I have sound,” O’Donnell complains about an earpiece. “Who’s asking for a Labor Day rundown in my ear? … You have insanity in my earpiece … F—in’.”
The footage lasts for more than eight minutes.
The prime-time MSNBC host and former “West Wing” producer was forced to issue an apology shortly after the video became public.
“A better anchorman and a better person would’ve had a better reaction to technical difficulties,” the “Last Word” host tweeted. “I’m sorry.”
A better anchorman and a better person would’ve had a better reaction to technical difficulties. I’m sorry.
— Lawrence O’Donnell (@Lawrence) September 20, 2017
A representatives for NBC News declined to commet.