NBC Fires "What's the Internet" Leaker

NBC has fired the source of the recently leaked "Today Show" footage that showed then (1993) Today Show anchors Katie Couric, Bryant Gumbel, and Elizabeth Vargas asking "What is the Internet? Then, the Internet wasn't something we couldn't live without, and thus, the hosts' confusion over it was understandable.

The video was originally off-air footage, though NBC did air it at one point and had a laugh about it. Thus, it wasn't really a "leak," but according to what NBC said, it's not just that the network doesn't have a sense of humor. Rather, it seems the source had a history of doing this sort of thing. NBC's official statement is:

“The individual in question violated the company’s standards of conduct by repeatedly copying and distributing a variety of materials without permission.”

While some are blasting NBC over the issue, the video was NBC's intellectual property, and whoever the poster was, he obviously didn't have permission to post it. Thus, they were well within their rights to terminate him.  Also, since he was apparently a repeat offender, it was even more egregious that he continued to leak content.


That said, it was still hilarious, and let's take another look at it.