This is it exactly. They’re attempting to come back, but there isn’t any real hint of even understanding what it is they’ve done wrong or why it’s wrong. There’s no indication they’re at all interested in changing their ways or learning from this experience, or even really acknowledging the situation, or even really recognizing the damage they’ve done to others.
They feel entitled to the career and influence and money they had, without actually changing anything about themselves. It’s still “why me, poor me”. I don’t personally require anyone to donate or go through performative public improvement projects, but what I do expect is at least some fairly frank acknowledgement out loud that they’ve hurt others and intend to change their abusive behavior and then to actually stick with that change.
I’ve seen no real remorse or intent to change from Lauer or Louis CK. Both can just crawl back into their holes until they decide to acknowledge their culpability out loud, learn to be better humans, and then be that.
And if they can’t? Then they don’t get that career back. Nobody owes these men any time and attention.