Palm Steakhouse Quietly Removes Matt Lauer's Sketch From Its Celebrity Wall

There's one less familiar face on Palm Restaurant's celebrity wall. Page Six reports that the high-end New York City eatery — famous for its steak and lobster — has taken down a caricature of former Today Show co-host Matt Lauer, who was accused of inappropriate sexual behavior and fired from NBC in November. Sketches of his former co-anchors Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford still remain.

The 60-year-old TV personality might have more on his mind than where his portrait is hanging. Lauer is currently struggling to sell his $12.7 million Sag Harbor mansion, which he owns with his wife, Annette Roque. In January, the New York Post reported that the 51-year-old Dutch-born model kicked Lauer out of the house in the Hamptons, which they shared with their three kids.

Page Six also reported that a cartoon drawing of Bill Cosby was expunged from Palm's décor, as was a caricature of Harvey Weinstein. The disgraced producer, who was widely accused of sexual harassment in October, has been made to feel fairly unwelcome in much of the food world — he's even currently being sued by Lindt & Sprüngli over a cancelled Golden Globes party.

Staff at Palm West Side at 250 W. 50th St. in Manhattan confirmed to The Daily Meal that Lauer's portrait had been removed. 

According to the chain's website, dining room caricatures have been a big part of Palm's style ever since Italian immigrants Wally Ganzi and Bruce Bozzi first opened the original location on Second Avenue in 1926. The business has since grown into a 21-restaurant chain with outposts across the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Mexico. It even earned a spot as one of America's best high-end steakhouse chains.