30 Secrets & Scandals Katie Couric Couldn't Hide
Sept. 30 2021, Published 5:17 p.m. ET
Katie Couric is known for being one of the biggest names in daytime television after working in the industry for over 40 years – but there's a lot the public doesn't know about her.
Throughout her career, the 64-year-old has been wrapped up in a handful of scandals, including plenty of bad blood, trash-talking, dirty secrets and more...
FRENEMIES IN THE INDUSTRY: ASHLEY BANFIELD
In her new memoir, Going There, the TV personality admitted that she was less than welcoming to other women in the industry, including Ashley Banfield, who was just starting out her career at the time.
She claimed in her pages that she was cold because "mentorship sometimes felt like self-sabotage," noting that she was especially icy to fellow women on the Today show because she felt like she needed to "protect my turf."
THE 'TODAY' SHOW DIVA
A 2005 article from The New York Times accused the former NBC star of transforming from "America's girl next door" into the "mercurial diva down the hall" after she became a fierce, on-air talent. The outlet also called out a "strained chemistry" among her colleagues on the show, and even described Couric as having a "Marxist-style cult of popularity" as a result of her massive following.
SHE WAS THE HIGHEST-PAID JOURNALIST IN THE WORLD AT ONE POINT
After making a salary of $15 million a year, the famous news anchor became the world's highest-paid TV personality for a brief period of time until being overshadowed by Ellen Degeneres, Dr. Phil and more, per Forbes. She was also the highest-salaried female news staffer in history before Megyn Kelly forged ahead of her in 2017.
FEUD WITH MARTHA STEWART
In her memoir, which is set to come out in late October, Couric also exposed her real thoughts on ex-con Martha Stewart – and she didn't shy away from low blows and prison jokes.
She claimed that the cookbook author could use "some healthy humbling (prison will do that…) to develop a sense of humor."
SHE WITNESSED PRINCE ANDREW AT THE EPSTEIN TOWNHOUSE
Cuoric reportedly opened up about her experience at a dinner party at Jeffrey Epstein's townhouse, which she described as "Eyes Wide Shut with a twist – creepy chandeliers and body-part art."
She also called out Prince Andrew for allegedly appearing to be quite friendly with the convicted sex abuser.
"I couldn't imagine what Epstein and Andrew were up to, apart from trying to cultivate friends in the media. Which, in retrospect, they must have figured they'd need when the pedophilia charges started rolling in," she spilled in her book.
SHE CAUSED A RUCKUS AT CBS
Couric was apparently not welcomed by everyone at CBS when she joined the network in 2006. According to an article from The New York Times in 2011, Judy Muller claimed that "[Couric's] hiring has often been described as a Hail Mary pass...I think it was much more akin to throwing a grenade. In an effort to try to create something completely new, CBS management just blew up the place."
SHE CLAIMED TO BE SABOTAGED BY CBS
In her memoir, Couric described her tenure at CBS as an "unwinnable" situation after she "thought we'd be greeted as liberators; instead we got an insurgency."
She said she "never really belonged" at CBS and felt 'embattled, defensive, misunderstood" while at the network, per the excerpts from her book.
FRENEMIES IN THE INDUSTRY: DEBORAH NORVILLE
Couric also blasted Deborah Norville and admitted to having animosity toward her, even after replacing her on Today in 1991. She slammed her predecessor, claiming that morning viewers didn't take a liking to Norville, who she said had a "major relatability problem" because of her "relentless perfection."
HER DATE FROM HELL WITH LARRY KING
Couric labeled Larry King, who died in January, as a creep after she went on a nightmarish date with him.
She previously recalled that the pair went out to an Italian restaurant and then back to his apartment, where he allegedly "lunged" at her.
"When I like, I really like," he reportedly told her after she claims to have pushed him off.
HER HEARTBREAK FROM TOM WARNER
The former Today anchor said she was left with a broken heart after her then-boyfriend, TV producer Tom Warner, allegedly dumped her via email back in 2004.
In his book, Katie: The Real Story, author Edward Klein wrote Couric was "upset that Tom didn't have the nerve to break up with her in person" and that the ordeal was "embarrassing and humiliating for her."
SHE WAS CALLED OUT BY WENDY WILLIAMS FOR HER 'ASHY' FEET
Couric was once called out for needing moisturizer – on live TV! During a guest appearance on the The Wendy Williams Show, the news anchor tried to show off her shoes, but all attention went immediately to her dry skin.
"I've got some ashy feet going on," she said, embarrassed. "I need some lotion!"
"Your feet are ashy, I must say. But it's OK!" Williams ruthlessly quipped back.
SHE HAD AN ALLEGED PLAGIARISM SCANDAL
In 2007, Couric was accused of plagiarism while at CBS when a video essay she did was revealed to be copied almost word-for-word from a Wall Street Journal column. The producer on the piece was fired, but Couric maintained that she had no previous knowledge of any form of plagiarism for the story, per Routers.
MATT LAUER SCANDAL
Couric also found herself entangled in the Matt Lauer scandal amid the #MeToo movement. In 2017, her former co-host was fired from NBC following sexual misconduct allegations.
She previously described the experience as "painful" but maintained she was unaware of any inappropriate behavior by her old pal. However, she insisted in her book that Lauer was a "decent" man and even copped to offering him support at the time.
"I love you and care about you deeply. I am here. Please let me know if you want to talk. There will be better days ahead," she recalled telling him.
FRENEMY IN THE INDUSTRY: ANN CURRY
According to a report from The Hollywood Reporter back in 2012, the Katie Couric media founder was apparently not so nice to her co-anchor, Ann Curry. The article claimed that Couric and Curry didn't have the best of relationships and that Couric would even tease her for her wardrobe choices. Even if she was just joking, "Curry took those remarks 'badly.'"
FRENEMIES IN THE INDUSTRY: DIANE SAWYER
Couric reportedly has a longtime rivalry with Diane Sawyer, who is known for a myriad of gigs, including Good Morning America and 20/20.
According to The Daily Beast, Couric once accused Sawyer of sleeping around to get to the top after she beat her out for an interview. "I wonder who she blew this time to get it," Couric allegedly mumbled.
SHE HAD A SMELLY ENCOUNTER WITH PRINCE HARRY
Couric also claimed in her new memoir that she had a run-in with the Duke of Sussex, where the royal reportedly had some bad stenches going on. She said the meeting, which occurred at a polo match in Brazil, must have been during Prince Harry's "wild-oats sowing phase," as she claimed to smell the odor of cigarettes and alcohol "ooze from every pore."
SHE CALLED ONE OF HER EXES A 'MIDLIFE CRISIS’
The TV personality spoke ill of one of her exes, Brooks Perlin, who she dated during a "midlife crisis." She claimed in her book that she only dated him because she was "rebelling" and had never done anything "particularly scandalous."
SHE TRIED TO SNEAK A HIDDEN CAMERA INTO TRUMP'S WEDDING
When she attended the former POTUS' wedding back in 2005, Couric reportedly snuck in a recording device, even though they were banned from the event. After she was busted and ordered to stop filming, she claimed that Trump had previously given her permission. Her segment on the wedding never aired.
SHE WAS ONCE AT THE CENTER OF A VACCINE CONTROVERSY
At the time of her show, Katie, in 2013, the talk-show host interviewed two mothers who claimed that the HPV vaccine had caused harm to their daughters – and she got some major backlash for the episode. Critics claimed that Couric focused too much on the women's anti-vaccine stories without citing the scientific facts justifying vaccines.
She later responded to the controversy in an essay, writing, "We simply spent too much time on the serious adverse events that have been reported in very rare cases following the vaccine. More emphasis should have been given to the safety and efficacy of the HPV vaccines...my personal view is that the benefits of the HPV vaccine far outweigh its risks."
HER GUN VIOLENCE DOCUMENTARY ALSO SPARKED BACKLASH
Her 2016 documentary, Under the Gun, was called out for its editing. A gun rights activist group, Virginia Citizens Defense League, later filed a defamation lawsuit, claiming that the editors of the film had manipulated their conversation with Couric. She later issued an apology on the documentary's website.
HER FIRST HUSBAND DIED OF CANCER
Couric's first husband, Jay Monahan, died from colon cancer back in 1998 when he was only 42. The devastating loss of her husband and father of her two children, Ellie and Caroline, inspired her to become the co-founder of Stand Up To Cancer.
SHE GOT A COLONOSCOPY ON AIR
After the death of her husband, Couric became outspoken about the importance of cancer screenings. In order to inspire viewers to get their routine colonoscopies, the news anchor underwent the procedure during an episode of Today. The stunt actually caused an increase in people getting the procedure done, which was called "The Couric Effect."
She then did the same thing with a mammogram in 2005.
SHE WAS THE FIRST WOMAN TO HOST 'JEOPARDY!'
Couric stood in as a two-week guest host on Jeopardy! after the tragic passing of longtime host Alex Trebek in 2020. The reporter's appearance on the show in March made history as the first woman to ever host the game show.
'JEOPARDY!' PRODUCERS WERE WORRIED ABOUT HER GUEST APPEARANCE
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After an appearance on Bill Maher's show, during which Couric slammed GOP congressmen for following Donald Trump, staffers at Jeopardy! claimed that Couric's comments were concerning for producers.
"Jeopardy viewers are quite a traditional bunch, and there's fears she might be too polarizing after this," a source revealed to Page Six at the time. "At the very least, she already appears to have ruled herself out of becoming the permanent host of the show."
SHE PISSED OFF MEGHAN MCCAIN
Meghan McCain was also not too pleased with Couric's comments to Maher – particularly, the Today host's question about how we were going to "deprogram these people who have signed up for the cult of Trump." McCain fired back, insisting that Couric's words were "dangerous" for the country. "Honestly [people like Katie Couric] can go to hell because I don't need to be deprogrammed."
HER DAUGHTER ELLIE IS EXTREMELY PRIVATE
Couric has described one of her daughters, Ellie, as a "private person." Recalling the time she talked about her during a magazine interview, Couric said, "I told a story about her and she said, 'Mom, I'd really prefer that you not talk about me in public, and if you do, can you just ask me first?' I was like, you're absolutely right."
SHE ONCE PRETENDED TO HAVE A SECRET LOVER
Back in March, the news anchor pretended to be caught red-handed with fake secret lover Leslie Jordan. She posted a clip of the pair pretending to hide from paps to her Instagram page.
"Omg I got caught by the PAPZ with my LA boyfriend! Sorry, Molner! Love you @thelesliejordan," she wrote at the time. The video was all in good fun, as Couric has been happily married to John Molner since 2014.
SHE WENT ON A FIRST DATE WITH BOB SAGET
Couric revealed years ago that she once went on a date with Full House star Bob Saget; however, it didn't lead to much. She recalled on The Howard Stern Show that the actor was "really fun," but she never heard from him afterward.
AND JEFF PROBST
She also tried going on a date with Survivor host Jeff Probst, but she wasn't impressed with his attire for the evening. "I think he had puka shells on – that was kind of a weird thing," she recalled. She said didn't hear back from him, either.
"I can't say that I was devastated that neither called me back," she said at the time. "I thought they were both nice guys...I don't think there was real magic there with either, but I enjoyed spending time with them."
CRITICS SAY HER NEW BOOK MIGHT AFFECT HER CAREER
One critic quipped that the news anchor's memoir "should be called 'Burning Bridges' by Catty Couric."
Another claimed that the book would even threaten her future TV gigs. "She'll be stuck with her newsletter and Instagram Stories for the rest of her working life, even though the book oozes of her desperation to be back on network television hosting her own show."
