Manti Te'o indeed will talk about his recent fake girlfriend hoax ordeal on
camera.
And Katie Couric reportedly will be sitting across from him.
The former Today Show host and CBS evening news anchor landed the first
televised interview with the former Notre Dame All-American linebacker, the
New York Times reported Sunday.
The newspaper said a spokesman for the show confirmed that Te'o will be
interviewed along with his parents, Brian and Ottilia. The Times also reported
the interview will be televised on Thursday on "Katie," Couric's syndicated
talk show, and excerpts will be broadcast beforehand on "Good Morning America"
and other ABC News programs.
The Times noted a fairly fortuitous coincidence for Couric in landing the
interview: The spokesman hired by Te'o's family, Matthew Hiltzik, is also the
longtime spokesman for Couric.
Te'o became embroiled last week in a raging controversy after
Deadspin.com reported that Lennay Kekua, the 22-year-old woman who was
portrayed as Te'o's girlfriend and was said to have died in September, was in
fact a hoax.
The man alleged to have been the mastermind of the hoax, 22-year-old
Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, also might speak to the media this week, his uncle told
reporters in Lancaster, Calif.
"The family is strong," Peter "Navy" Tuiasosopo said, according to the
Los Angeles Times. "The family will stay together."
Ronaiah Tuiasosopo's father, Pastor Titus Tuiasosopo, thanked his
Lancaster congregation Sunday for the support it showed to his family.
Te'o first spoke, off-camera, to ESPN and said he had no part in the
scam, adding that the alleged mastermind hoaxer Ronaiah Tuiasosopo contacted
him to admit his part and apologize last week.
