Don Lemon defends friend Matt Lauer – 8 years after ‘Today’ firing: ‘I think the audience loves him’

When life gives you lemons…

Don Lemon has thrown his support behind Matt Lauer following the former Today show host’s colossal fall in 2017.

The former CNN anchor, 58, has remained friends with Lauer after several women accused him of sexual harassment and rape, prompting him to lose his prestigious job at NBC.

Appearing on the “Hollywood Raw” podcast Wednesday, Lemon told hosts Dax Holt and Adam Glyn that Lauer, 67, has the potential to make a successful return to the podcast world.

“I think if he can go digital, he can make his way. But I only got to know Matt after, you know, the whole situation happened,” he said.

Lemon added that fans’ response to seeing Lauer in public hasn’t waned since his departure from the NBC show.

“Every time I see Matt out or, you know, even with us, if we go out to dinner, my husband [Tim MaloneI] go out to dinner with him and his fiancee and people love him. Women love it. They say, ‘Oh my God, can I take a picture? i love you I miss him on television.’ right?” he said.

“And so, I think the public loves it. The public misses him, but it’s just… it’s the people inside the business who are afraid.”

“Maybe there’s a way for him to come back, but I think it’s more of the people who are inside the business who are concerned, you know, what happened to Matt,” he added.

The former news anchor suggested Lauer’s comeback could happen if the public had anything to do with it.

“I think the public… I’ll put it this way. I think the general public would accept – just me – accept Matt. And I think people would watch it and I think the ratings would be great,” he said.

It looks like Lemon is just one of the few friends left in Lauer’s circle.

Lauer’s friendships have reportedly undergone a “drastic change” since the disgraced news anchor was fired from his high-profile job.

A source close to Lauer previously told People that he’s “lost a lot of old friends, even people who stuck by him after the ‘Today’ show.”

These days, Lauer is living “a pretty good life,” but added that his new reality “is nothing like what it was” before he left the show, the source added.