Why A News Producer Thinks Katie Couric's New Book Is 'Ruining Her Legacy'
Katie Couric is releasing what can only be described as a tell-all memoir, and it is raising more than a few eyebrows. In the book titled "Going There," she touches on everything from her late husband to coworkers and celebrities; and rumor has it she doesn't paint them in a very nice light. In the days leading up to her book's publication, those close to her have expressed concerns over its contents with one producer going so far as to say Couric is "ruining her legacy." Here's what we know.
The former "Today Show" host, now 64, is set to release her new book on October 26, per Fox News, and it reportedly contains some scathing statements about many people she has worked with throughout the years. Following the book's announcement, a senior news producer who worked with Couric and opted to remain anonymous told the New York Post that Couric's actions have confused those around her. "Nobody can understand why Katie did this. She's ruining her legacy," the source said.
The same unnamed producer went on to say that Couric's attitude towards the women in her life was particularly disappointing. "From the excerpts I've seen, she's taking down women from Martha Stewart to Diane Sawyer and Deborah Norville. She's ... so rough on other women for being ambitious like she was, it's unforgivable. She gives fresh meaning to that old saying: 'There's a special place in hell for women who don't help other women,'" they said.
Katie Couric tells all in her new memoir
The book, which was obtained by the New York Post and Daily Mail prior to its publication date, reportedly trashes a number of high profile people in Katie Couric's world. Perhaps unsurprisingly, her main target was longtime rival Diane Sawyer. Couric describes her numerous battles with Sawyer over exclusive interviews and gets downright nasty about it, if leaked excerpts are to be believed. "I wonder who she had to blow to get that," Couric reportedly wrote about one of Sawyer's interviews with a woman who gave birth to twins at 57, per Fox News. "I'm pretty sure I speak for Diane when I say neither of us ever resorted to actual fellatio to land an interview, but we both engaged in the metaphoric kind — flattering gatekeepers, family members, and whoever else stood in the way of a big get."
Along with pointed comments about Sawyer, Couric also reportedly wrote that she went out of her way to avoid mentoring younger rivals, and that she "heard whispers" about her previous co-host Matt Lauer, who left "The Today Show" following allegations of sexual misconduct. Not only did Couric have prior knowledge of his alleged misdeeds, she also reportedly wrote that she felt sympathy for him and sent him texts expressing her love and sympathy following his dismissal from NBC.
If Couric was looking to make headlines with her book, she certainly accomplished that goal — but at what cost?