Katie Couric is reflecting on the “sexist angle” she skilled as a feminine journalist within the ’90s.
On Sunday’s episode of Invoice Maher’s “Membership Random” podcast, the veteran information anchor mirrored on her relationship with former “At present” present co-host Bryant Gumbel whereas they have been the faces of the morning program between 1991 and 1997, when Gumbel left NBC for CBS.
The Tv Corridor of Fame inductee praised Gumbel as “a seamless broadcaster” who’s “actually proficient” and “extremely good,” however acknowledged they often butted heads.
“He is a man’s man. You bought that proper,” Couric, 67, informed Maher. “He was prickly, however I imply, what a expertise. I imply, my God.”
“Sophisticated man, although, I believe,” she added. Gumbel, 75, left “At present” in 1997 after 15 years. Couric additionally had a 15-year tenure, leaving in 2006.
Couric recalled an incident from 1991 for example of a time after they have been at odds.
Gumbel “obtained mad at me” as Couric was about to embark on maternity go away when she was pregnant together with her first little one, she stated, and gave her “countless” flack for her upcoming day without work.
“I used to be having my first child,” she informed Maher. “He was like, ‘Why do not you simply drop it within the subject and are available again to work instantly?’ or one thing.”
USA TODAY has reached out to Gumbel’s consultant for remark.
She acknowledged that “he was kidding” and “goofing on me,” however Couric stated this change “was emblematic of kind of an extremely sexist angle.” Being a feminine journalist entailed a piece setting that was “replete with microaggressions,” she stated.
“It was a really totally different setting,” she stated of working in broadcast information after Maher introduced up Matt Lauer, who was fired from “At present” in 2017 amid sexual harassment allegations, which he has denied. “A number of fraternization, a well mannered method of claiming interoffice schtupping.”
Most lately, Gumbel hosted HBO’s “Actual Sports activities With Bryant Gumbel,” which ended final 12 months after its twenty ninth season.
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Katie Couric stated 1991 change with Bryant Gumbel was ‘surprising to observe’
This is not the primary time Couric has taken a glance again at her expertise working with Gumbel.
In a 2019 installment of her Wake-Up Name e-newsletter, Couric recalled an “uncomfortable change” with Gumbel on her final day at work earlier than taking maternity go away.Â
“Let’s simply say, Bryant Gumbel didn’t fairly get it,” Couric wrote. “It’s fairly surprising to observe it now, 28 years later!”Â
Within the clip, Gumbel asks Couric why she’s taking “so lengthy” off work.Â
Couric, then 34 and anticipated to provide beginning to her first daughter, Elinor Monahan, in three weeks, stated she can be away from the present for 9 weeks complete. She in the end solely took 4 weeks off, Couric informed USA TODAY in 2019.Â
“I will loosen up for 3 weeks, as a lot as you’ll be able to loosen up if you’re carrying round 30 additional kilos,” Couric informed Gumbel through the phase. “Then hopefully I will have the newborn and every little thing. It is a main shock to your physique, I hope you understand, when you’ve a child. And it takes some time to get again to regular and get on a schedule.”Â
Gumbel apparently thought that was an excessive amount of time: “Our ancestors did not fear about that shock to your physique. They got here proper again and labored.”
“They usually died after they have been, like, 32 years outdated,” Couric stated.
“You are 34 − what are you anxious about?” he responded.
After Couric famous she hadn’t had greater than every week off of labor in a 12 months, Gumbel requested, “What number of males get 9 weeks off?”
She retorted, “Do we now have to do that in, like, a sexist debate?” and requested him to “be good to me” on her final day.
Katie Couric and Bryant Gumbel have been ‘very pleasant’ post-‘At present’
Couric informed USA TODAY in 2019 that her relationship with Gumbel was “very pleasant.”Â
“It’s going to be attention-grabbing to listen to his response, however we had a fantastic working relationship,” she stated. “I believe a few of (his angle) was kind of in jest and clearly he was giving me a tough time, however simply in context of all of the conversations lately, it was attention-grabbing to observe.”Â
Couric made it clear she had no unwell will towards Gumbel, however that the “humorous/not humorous” clip was a fantastic start line to launch a dialogue in regards to the stigma towards maternity go away within the U.S.Â
“Instances have modified a lot, however I do assume there’s quite a lot of implicit bias towards mothers,” Couric informed USA TODAY. “I believe it is necessary to verify your employer is up on the instances and that girls aren’t penalized, consciously or unconsciously, after they have kids.”Â
Contributing: Hannah Yasharoff
