Can Matt Lauer Be Both a Sexist Prick and a Good Dad?

By Erin Gloria Ryan  |  June 26, 2014 | 5:40pm
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Today, Matt Lauer sounded like an old timey idiot when he interviewed General Motors CEO Mary Barra about whether it was possible to be a good mom and a good CEO at the same time. But that raises an important question: Can a pompous, soul-dead talking head who couches his sexism in “not to be a sexist, but (sexism)” type idiocy be a good dad?

Matt Lauer has three children, ages 13, 10, and 7. At those ages, they need their dad around as much as possible to teach them important lessons like: don’t say sexist things to powerful women, as it makes the sayer of sexist things look like a fool. Like how their dad looked like a fool during this exchange today:

LAUER: You’re a mom, I mentioned, two kids. You said in an interview not long ago that your kids told you they’re going to hold you accountable for one job and that is being a mom.
BARRA: Correct.
LAUER: Given the pressures of this job at General Motors, can you do both well?

An important question, but not as important as the one Matt Lauer should be asking himself: can a sexist dad have it all? Or is that just a myth perpetuated by a media hungry for seemingly new angles within comfortable narratives?

 
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