Matt Lauer probably feels he’s damned if he does, damned if he doesn't.

The 55-year-old embattled TODAY co-host is now taking heat for his interview with Chris Brown on Monday's show, with Brown's fans angry he asked questions about the Forever singer's infamous 2009 beating of Rihanna, and Brown's detractors arguing he danced around the seriousness of the brutal beating by not directly referring to it.