Vice Media made it official Tuesday, announcing that the company is bringing in former A+E Networks CEO Nancy Dubuc to replace Shane Smith as Chief Executive Officer.
“Why Nancy Dubuc? Simply put, because rarely in business do you get to work in a perfect partnership,” said Smith in a press release. “We are a modern day Bonnie and Clyde and we are going to take all your money.”
Smith, who has steered the company since it’s early beginnings as an edgy Montreal startup will transition to the role of “executive chairman.”
“Shane and the team at Vice have done what all of us aspire to do — build a brand and make content that people really care about,” said Dubuc. “It’s an honor to join a brand with such tremendous opportunity and I look forward to growing the platform for decades to come.”
Smith will now be focused on creating content, strategic deals and partnerships to help grow the company.
Dubuc, a member of the Vice Media board, joins the company from A&E where she previously served as president and chief executive officer.
Smith announced news of her hiring in an official memo sent to staff on Tuesday, writing that he was thrilled to have Dubuc onboard and joked about yesterday’s leaks of her hire.
“While we tried our damnedest to have everything signed, sealed and delivered before sharing it with you and with the rest of the world, we seemingly can’t take a crap in this town without it leaking to the press,” he said. “Today we put this speculation to rest and turn our focus toward executing our growth plans to maintain our hegemonic place atop the new media landscape which, in turn, will give us the ability to control our own destiny.”
Despite the language, Dubuc joins Vice at a fraught moment. Last month, the company reported that it missed its 2017 earnings target by $100 million. The organization has also been racked by a series of #MeToo scandals that have resulted in the departure of Mike Germano and the suspension of Andrew Creighton, the company’s chief digital officer and president, respectively.
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Ann Curry was ousted from "Today" in 2012 as the show was losing ground to ABC's "Good Morning America," and after she issued a tearful on-air goodbye Lauer was widely viewed as the reason for her departure. New York Magazine later reported that the two had a tense off-camera relationship, and though Curry took the fall, Lauer was more to blame for the show's declining viewership.
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In 2012, Lauer was criticized for asking Anne Hathaway about an upskirt photo taken at the premiere of "Les Miserables" and attempting to make a joke of the situation by saying he'd "seen a lot of you lately." Hathaway was praised for how she handled the situation, gently shutting down the line of questioning by saying it was unfortunate that the culture "commodifies sexuality of unwilling participants."
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In 2006, Lauer's wife Annette Roque filed for divorce, alleging that she suffered "cruel and inhumane" treatment at the hands of her controlling husband. The two eventually reconciled and Roque, who was pregnant at the time, withdrew the paperwork, but the documents were obtained and published by the National Enquirer in 2014.
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Lauer's former co-anchor Katie Couric joked about his behavior in a 2012 interview with Andy Cohen. "He pinches me on the ass a lot," she said, calling it Lauer's most annoying habit. Video of the interview, which was handled jokingly at the time, was recirculated following his termination for a sexual misconduct allegation.
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Lauer moderated a pair of NBC News town halls during the 2016 presidential election, which were widely slammed for the way he questioned the two candidates. Lauer repeatedly asked Hillary Clinton about her email server and rushed past other, more concrete policy issues. Meanwhile, he was perceived to have gone much softer on Donald Trump, failing to press the then-nominee on repeated falsehoods.
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Lauer was finally axed by NBC News and removed from "Today" in 2017, after the company received a "detailed complaint" from a colleague accusing him of inappropriate sexual behavior.
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Morning show host was axed following a sexual misconduct allegation by an NBC News colleague
Matt Lauer was terminated by NBC News on Wednesday after the company received a complaint of sexual harassment against him. But that's not the first time the longtime "Today" host found himself in hot water.