NBC has reportedly fired a “Today” show editor for leaking a video of “Last Word” host Lawrence O’Donnell delivering an off-air, expletive-filled tirade directed at his production team.
The now-viral video leaked last month showed Mr. O’Donnell on the set of his MSNBC news show, screaming at production over troubles with his earpiece. He later apologized for the eight-minute tirade, saying “a better anchorman and a better person would’ve had a better reaction to technical difficulties.”
Multiple sources told the New York Post that NBC eventually tracked down a male “Today” show editor who had compiled and leaked the video to Mediaite.
“It turned out to be a ’Today’ show editor who said he did it because he thought it was funny,” one source said. “But it wasn’t exactly the perfect crime — he left a very clear trail.”
“Sources connected with the leak” told the Post that there were only a handful of people capable of accessing and transmitting the file like the one submitted to Mediaite, and that NBC was able to follow a “clear digital trail” to the leaker.
NBC declined to comment to the Post.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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