Katie Couric Claims “Today” Co-Anchor Bryant Gumbel Had 'Incredibly Sexist Attitude' About Her Maternity Leave
Couric is mom to daughters Ellie, 32, and Carrie, 28, whom she shares with late husband Jay Monahan
Katie Couric claims she didn't get a warm reaction from her Today co-anchor Bryant Gumbel when she left for maternity leave.
On Sunday, April 14, the veteran journalist, 67, appeared on an episode of the Club Random podcast and spoke with host Bill Maher, 68, about his friend Gumbel, 75, whom Maher described as a "guy's guy."
"He is a guy's guy. He is a guy's guy, you got that right. He is," Couric said on the podcast. "He was prickly but I mean, what a talent. He's such a seamless broadcaster, eloquent. When that countdown would happen, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, he would just hit it perfect."
After Maher went on to speculate that Gumbel was "mad" at him over politics since he hadn't heard from him in recent years, Couric told a story about how Gumbel was seemingly upset with her when they both worked for Today.
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Related: Katie Couric's Newborn Grandson Shares This Special Connection to Her Late Husband Jay Monahan
"He got mad at me because I was doing something on maternity leave," Couric recounted. "And he was giving me endless s--- for taking like a month or two off. I was having my first baby."
A rep for Gumbel did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
"Yeah, I could see that," Maher responded.
"He was like, 'Why don't you just drop it in the field and come back to work right away or something?'" Couric remembered. "It was really..."
Maher added that it sounded like Gumbel was kidding.
"No, he was kidding," Couric affirmed. "He was goofing on me but giving me a lot of s--- but it was emblematic of an incredibly sexist attitude."
Couric is mom to daughters Ellie, 32, and Carrie, 28, whom she shares with late husband Jay Monahan. She recently became a grandma after Ellie welcomed her first baby, son John Albert Dobrosky.
A few days after her daughter welcomed her first son, Couric posted about the happy news on her Instagram. The sweet post included a few photos of her daughter, son-in-law and their baby boy as they smiled together.
In her caption, Couric shared that her newborn grandson was named after her first husband, who died in 1998 at age 42 from colon cancer.
"John Albert Dobrosky was born on his due date, Saturday, March 23rd at 8:23 am, just shy of seven pounds. He will be called Jay in honor of his maternal grandfather," Couric wrote, referencing Monahan.
"Albert is after Mark’s paternal grandfather. Mom and Dad (Ellie and Mark) are over the moon 🌕 (it was a full moon) I am thrilled to have my first grandchild, Carrie can’t wait to be a cool Aunt and Molner is enjoying handing out cigars."
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