As an author, Nancy Alspaugh has written several best-selling books like Fearless Women: Midlife Journeys and Not Your Mothers Midlife: A Ten-Step Guide to Fearless Aging. Her fine writing skills have earned her several international recognitions, including a nomination for a Daytime Emmy award. But in recent years, thanks to Matt Lauer and his blockbuster scandal at NBC’s Today Show, Nancy Alspaugh is more recognized as the first wife of the former host.
More interestingly, while the world has piled on the criticism about the character and personality of the disgraced Today Show host, Nancy Alspaugh has taken up a defensive position. This decision has led many to wonder about their relationship and why it ended.
Nancy Alspaugh and Matt Lauer Were Married for Seven Years
Aside from being famous as a screenwriter and author, Nancy Alspaugh is now known for her relationship with Matt Lauer, the former TV news anchor and co-host of the NBC-aired news and talk morning TV show, Today. It is one of her few claims to fame, others being her career as a screenwriter and author. Matt Lauer, the American TV personality from New York City, was known for hosting Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and for co-hosting several Olympic Games opening.
He earned his degree from Ohio University and started his career as a producer for WOWK-TV. Compared to the former host’s subsequent relationships and personal life, Matt Lauer and Nancy Alspaugh had a quiet relationship, and we don’t know much about their time together. All we know so far is, they dated for a while, and in 1981, they tied the knot. During their time together, the couple never shared any children, and seven years after they got married, they parted ways.
This is Why Their Marriage Failed
One word that doesn’t come up often when discussing divorce is amicable. But that is the word that describes Nancy Alspaugh’s divorce from Matt Lauer. According to an interview with Entertainment Tonight, the couple parted ways because of their respective focus on their careers. In the interview, she explained that at the time, both of them were focused on building their professional life. As a result, their marriage suffered.
And while she admits they could have worked on their marriage, they chose to end it, taking the ‘easy route.’ It is, perhaps, because of this mutually accepted reason that the ex-couple have remained friends to date. Over time, Nancy Alspaugh and Matt Lauer’s family have developed a close relationship. He has also been a big supporter of her autism charity, ACT Today, as one of its biggest donors.
The most significant evidence of Nancy and Matt’s post-divorce relationship is her defense of the former Today Show host following the scandal that got him fired from the role. He was accused of sexual harassment and assault in November 2017. Nancy Alspaugh says the estranged journalist needs a second chance, and people should focus on the good in him. It remains to be seen how much impact the character defense will have on his return to active media.
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Nancy Married Another Media Personnel
After their divorce, Nancy Alspaugh got into a second marriage with FOX executive, Read Jackson. Read was a longtime media executive who worked for Fox Sports Network. Sadly, he passed in January 2016 due to cancer. Similar to her relationship with Matt Lauer, there are very few details about their time together. Since her husband passed away, Nancy Alspaugh has remained single ever since.
So far, all we know is they never shared biological children. They did, however, adopt a son, Wyatt. Their adopted child has autism, and through him, she’s inspired to advocate for the disorder. Nancy Alspaugh is the executive director of Autism Care and Treatment Today, a nonprofit organization that treats and takes care of individuals who have autism. She also co-hosts a weekly web show, Let’s Talk Autism.
She Has a Long and Successful Career in the Media
Born in 1955 and raised in one of the states of America, Nancy Alspaugh is an American citizen who derives joy in inspiring people with her widely recognized and accepted write-ups. Alspaugh is yet to give more details about herself, her educational background, and early beginnings, but it is easy to conclude that the beautiful American writer saw the four walls of the classroom.
Nancy began her journey to prominence in the early 1990s as a screenwriter and producer for several talk shows like Caryl & Marilyn: Real Friends, which aired on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) from 1996 to 1997. Her rise to fame, however, follows the Leeza Gibbons’ popular talk show, which she wrote four of its episodes. Her work on the show earned her a nomination for five Daytime Emmy Awards, with two award nominations for Outstanding Talk Show and Outstanding Special Class Writing.
Between 2003 and 2005, she released two of her books. Her first book titled Midlife: A Ten-Step Guide to Fearless Aging was written alongside writer and TV actor, Marilyn Kentz. Alspaugh’s second book, Fearless Women: Midlife Journeys, was released to the public in 2005. The book talks about the experiences of about 38 million women of the Baby Boom generation.
Nancy Alspaugh Has a Substantial Net Worth
Nancy’s proficiency earned her several more awards, such as The United Press International Award, The Associated Press Award, The Genesis Award, The Gabriel Award, and a lot more. Added to her numerous milestones, Nancy is also believed to have earned quite a lot from her career. Although her real net worth is not yet known, some net worth-calculating sites place her fortune between $500,000 and $8 million. She also has a share from her late husband’s $19 million net worth.
In addition to being financially successful, Nancy is also doing well for her charity. Through substantial support from the public, including that of her ex-husband, Matt Lauer, Nancy Alspaugh’s charity, the Autism Care and Treatment Today has raised about $5 Million since its establishment in the year 2014.
