Ex-'Today' assistant who admitted to Matt Lauer affair called 'whore,' 'homewrecker'

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Ex-NBC staffer details secret affair with Matt Lauer

Fox411: Addie Collins Zinone, a former NBC News production assistant, revealed that she had a month-long sexual relationship with Matt Lauer in the summer of 2000.

The former production assistant who revealed she engaged in a sexual relationship with "Today" host Matt Lauer in 2000 is being called a "whore" and a "homewrecker."

Addie Collins Zinone divulged shocking new details about her torrid affair with the now-disgraced talk show host in an explosive interview with Megyn Kelly on Monday.

While Zinone was initially praised for opening about her experience with Lauer, the former "Today" staffer is now facing backlash online for coming forward. She was 24 and he was in his 40s and married when they began their affair.

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Pictured: Addie Zinone (left) and Megyn Kelly on "Megyn Kelly Today" Monday, December 18, 2017. (NBC)

"Stop playing the victim! You are NOT a victim!! You are a whore! Plain and simple," one person wrote on Twitter.

Another shared, "Addie Zinone just wanted some 5 minute attention... her affair with Matt Laurer was 100% consensual and she honestly should have never brought it up. She made the choice to be a homewrecker and gives a bad name to the real #MeToo people."

"THERES A PHRASE FOR WHAT HAPPENED WITH THIS WOMAN, ITS (sic) CALLED TRYING TO SLEEP TO THE TOP, THIS IS SO FREAKING REDICULOUS (sic), ID (sic) EVEN BET SHE CAME ON TO HIM!!!"

Zinone told Kelly about the negative comments she was already receiving since revealing her affair with Lauer.

"I understand that people are going to paint me as a homewrecker, as a slut and a whore and those are things I have been called. It was suggested yesterday to me that ‘Please please go get hit by a bus,'" Zinone told Kelly.

Their alleged affair lasted about a month and, even though Zinone felt that Lauer steered her into the uncomfortable situation, she said she takes full responsibility for her actions, calling them a “massive mistake” that has continued to haunt her.

Matt Lauer was fired from NBC for allegations of sexual misconduct. (NBC)

"These are very hard things to talk about," she admitted. "My family is shattered by this. They are afraid for me. This all trickles down to a lot of people that are affected, so having these conversations is really important, but also there’s a lot of shame attached to what I did."

Zinone said she struggled with hiding her story for 17 years and was fearful of opening up to the world about her shame.