NBC on Sunday suspended “Today” show personality Billy Bush indefinitely after he was caught on a videotape from 2005 in a crude conversation about women with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
“Today” Executive Producer Noah Oppenheim said in a memo Sunday that “there is simply no excuse for Billy’s language and behavior on that tape.” Bush, who hosts the third hour of the “Today” show, has been suspended “pending further review of the matter,” Oppenheim said.
NBC announced its decision two days after the videotape from the “Access Hollywood” archives surfaced. Bush was a host for that show in 2005, and he was taped in a hot-mic discussion with Trump when the future presidential nominee was on a Hollywood set to make an appearance on a soap opera.
On the tape, Trump brags about kissing, groping and trying to have sex with women who were not his wife. Bush joins in, laughing at some of Trump’s comments and later encouraging an actress to hug Trump.
Bush, 44, has been brutalized on his own Facebook page since the tape surfaced. Hundreds of hostile comments were attached to Bush’s last posting Friday — of him distributing a plate of bacon to “Today” viewers outside of the show’s studio. “You are sickening!” one woman wrote, in a comment that nearly 5,000 had “liked” through Sunday afternoon.
Angering women viewers of a show as important to NBC’s bottom line as “Today” is no small matter. Many viewers upset by 2012’s messy dumping of Ann Curry as “Today” host took it out on colleague Matt Lauer; the show’s ratings still haven’t recovered. Women make up the majority of “Today” viewers, particularly in the last two hours.
Bush has only been at “Today” for two months, where he’s had a rocky start. He was the reporter to whom American swimmer Ryan Lochte lied about being robbed at the Olympics. When Bush later tried to defend Lochte on “Today,” he was dressed down by colleague Al Roker.
The “Access Hollywood” tape was an embarrassment on multiple levels for NBC News. The news division for days had been aware of the tape from the NBC-owned entertainment show, but was scooped by The Washington Post on Friday when the newspaper was tipped off about its existence and got a story out within hours.
Bush issued a statement Friday apologizing for his actions.
The tape showed Bush and Trump speaking as the Republican was about to appear on the daytime drama “Days of Our Lives.” From the bus they had ridden to the set, Bush pointed out to Trump an actress, Arianne Zucker, who was there to greet them.
Bush called the actress “hot,” adding an expletive.
“I’ve gotta use some Tic Tacs, just in case I start kissing her,” Trump said. “You know, I’m automatically attracted to beautiful … I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.”
“Grab them by the p—-. You can do anything,” Trump added.
After getting off the bus, Bush asks the actress to hug Trump, then adds, “How about a little hug for the Bushy?”
The married father of three is the nephew of former President George H.W. Bush.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
Who watches Today anyway? Incredibly insipid fare!! I could care less about Billy’s remarks or Trump’s. Trump is correct. Locker room braggadocio. Anyway, talk is talk. The other Billy, our ex-President, is a serial molester. He was a doer. Most Americans get it.
I was with Donald from the day ONE and I will be with him all the way no matter what.
Bush should be ashamed of himself. I am glad he is out for good.
You can’t convince me that this was not a hit job for Jebby who is still butthurt that he didn’t get to run against Killery now the Bush’s are voting for and backing her. I believe Billy boy was trying to make points with the family by releasing this. It’s total BS. I’m glad he got suspended and I’m glad he’s getting heat for it.
you must be right Dolfin! must be a set up!
Billy Bush is a back stabbing punk he and his family are filthy rich and we lost a bunch of brave Americans because of his families oil wells in the middle east they should be sent to prison with Mother Teresa Hilary Clinton and all their money confiscated and given to the families of our fallen hero’s.
I agree with your opinions, Charles. Those Bush asshol– are traitors!!! Big mama bush said that the oil minister from Saudi arabia was just like another member of the family (a la mafia), I think. Billyboy is a hypocrite – and I almost swear it is a set up. You can bet on it. Jebby boy still can not believe is lost to Donald Trump!!! Just like when brother W was told about the twin towers – listless and out of touch with reality. Money has not bought anything.
The old saying what go around comes around
Bravo Billy Boy!!! There is nothing wrong with what you said. Those girls were Skanks!!! Bimbo’s!!!! They are worthless!!! Just bed room candy!!!
women KNOW this goes on – they don’t like it, but as long as they dont hear it, they know ‘men will be men’. they would rather be talked about than ignored.
only reason THIS is a problem is that it was recorded.
let’s see if we can fiund some clinton recording – apparently they will be valid fodder for the election.
It was a hot mic, I believe he did it on purpose. I voted for all of the Bushs’ from HW, W and Jebby in FL, I’m sorry now that I find out what backstabbers they are. Google where was George HW Bush the day Kennedy was shot! There’s quite a lot more to that story. Google who was behind the Iran/Contra flights into Mena AR. George HW Bush. Lot we didn’t know back then but I lived in Mena I remember the planes landing and I remember the two little boys that were murdered. I’m totally disgusted by them (Bush’s).
Women are so hypocritical when it comes to things like this. Be real people…. look within your own families, friends and co-workers. AS IF !! These are the same women who have husbands and family looking at porn each night, go to strip clubs…. watch Gansta Videos…. STOP THE INSANITY !!!! I don’t give a hoot to what someone said 10 – 15 – 20 years ago. We are all guilty of something we’re ashamed of…… WE’RE HUMAN!!! Remember that….. and stop being so self righteous….. Where is the indignation against partial birth abortions, child pornography, sex slaves…. sexual neglect of our children right here in America…… get off your high horse and do something useful pr just SHUT UP!!
I love you Maria!!! You are spot on! I’m so fed up with the “holier than thou” club. We all have skeletons in our closets. No one lives in their own private bubble for crying out loud.
Maria, this reminds me of a high school jocks coming home after winning over a rival team. Each bragged about which cheerleader or other girls they would “get” at homecoming. I would guess no one has been on a college bus of “Big Time Charlies ” they would make this tape sound like a Sunday School picnic. The ones you better keep an eye on is the quiet one who force women by cause of their high position. A. General,governor, or president anyone?
The news media is in bed with the dems. They will do every thing they can to bash trump. The people are not buying It .it is already turned out to be a failure. Maybe they can go back to his high school days to dig up some dirt. shame on them..
Their all in bed with them because most of them are married to the dems in the government. I had a list on it, not sure I still have it. Tells all. Whose married to who, etc.
Isn’t it illegal to tape someone without their knowledge? This is a great example of how the media fuels “kindling” into raging infernos. It was 11 years ago! Get over it amd move on to something importamt for a chamge!
Is there nothing that disgusting, ugly, lying crook can do that will turn his fanatic fans against him. Scary world and not just terrorists!
Mary,
With your post you should really be upset with Hilary and all here lies, etc. But you may one of the “lefters” that can see the forest for the trees. I hope you see the light before you cast a vote for MS Clinton.
Is there nothing that disgusting, ugly, lying crook can do that will turn her fanatic fans against her. Scary world and not just terrorists!
Do you not consider leaving 4 Americans to die at the hands of radical Islamist militants while she ordered their potential rescuers to change clothes 4-times because of her fear and political correctness DISGUSTING? How about lying to congress and the American people? Or her denigration of the sexual assault at the hands of her husband victims? Maybe Hillary’s laughter at her successful defense of a guilty child rapist would disgust you? Talk, no matter how ill-advised, is NOT more disgusting than actual ACTIONS.
Hey Velo Mac: you are too kind to billy c. He was far more than a serial molester. How about rapist & rabid fornicator. He didn’ pay Paula jones
$850,000 for heavy petting in nov, 1998 out of court. Remember that he & killery left the White House “dead broke”! Now we know why. Paula
had all their money.
I am a Deploreable woman. I have been a Trump supporter from the first moment he threw his hat in the ring. I used to love the Bushes…I am over them…..will never vote for another one……and I live in Texas where Jeb’s son lives! I am no longer a Republican because of Paul Ryan and all of the other supposed Republicans that will not not support our candidate. It’s disgraceful. We the People do not care about some potty conversation that happened 11 years ago and was secretly recorded! When I read that Billy Bush has been suspended from his Today show segment, my feet did a Happy Dance! Mr. Trump has my vote no matter what else the evil ones try to throw against the wall! It will backfire just like every other dirty trick they’ve pulled has. The debate was great and I think that a lot of undecideds made up their minds last night. I cannot wait until November 8th to cast my vote for the next President of the United States, PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP!
Whoo hoo…….with you 100% Eudora! ❤️????????❤️????????❤️
This was Hillary’s team through and through. Their October surprise. Now I read that one of her henchmen is going to pay $5mm for any video’s of Trump. That ship has sailed for the HRC Campaign.
“Her Royal Cu_t” (HRC) day is coming.
While I don’t condone Trump’s remarks, it was 11 years ago. What about all the lying that Hillary has done recently? And if we want to go back 11 years ago, Hillary hired private detectives to dig up all the trash she could on all the women that Billy Boy had been with to discredit them and drag them through the trash heap —- and she supports women? Just not the ones her husband played bad with! And on another subject — Hillary also claims to be a long time advocate for children’s rights — what about the rights of the millions of children murdered in abortion mills? Think about a baby 3/4 of the way out of its mother’s womb, crying with life and silenced with a pair of scissors to the brain…
Go Mr Trump. This sounds right President Donald J Trump.
This story gives a little more context to the tape than I have seen elsewhere. It sounds like Billy Bush is a large part of the problem. It sounds like he was the one who set this situation up. If my perception is accurate, NBC should banish him to MSNBC so he can keep Brian Williams company.
I was turned off by Bush’s remarks during the Olympics relating to Lochte. Al Roker was right for challenging Bush’s remarks. How many more presidential relatives will NBC try to put on their payroll? Are they going to offer Michelle Obama a regular cooking segment on the Today Show once her time as First Lady ends?
All of the holy than thou big shots that think WE THE PEOPLE believe that they have never spoke like that. What an insult. I do not condone what was said and it should not be spoken. That being said, the people that work for these news organizations follow by example… I even listen to Megan Kelly as she tells her viewers how offensive these words have been and ask her, if she believes in GOD if she has ever made any remarks that could be offensive to someone, even though it were not in public. If you all can answer you have never spoke in an offensive way then I would like to me a SAINT, not from New Orleans, but you would almost have to be from heaven. Now lets drop this old news, quit kicking a dead horse and move on………………………………………….
Buss gets what he deserve. Hillary is the worse for American’s safety. She is a liar and crooked. The system is rigged so we should let President Trump fixes it . Let put Crooked Hillary in jail we will find out more about rigged system. I couldn’t wait.
I agree with Eudora. I am switching parties and registering Independent. Those “Upper Crust” Republicans seem to think they should be able to choose our nominee and totally ignore the voice of the People. I too was a Bush supporter, and voted for all of them. Never again! And now it’s time for all the Republican hierarchy (especially Ryan, Romney and all those that can’t support our nominee) to move on and get real jobs like the rest of us. I don’t condone Trump’s remarks by any means, but our country is in serious trouble and we desperately need someone to try and fix it before it’s toolate. Go Donald!!!!!!!!
Most men and women have heard locker room talk sometime in their lives. I was married 56 years to a great guy and heard a lot of that stuff from he and his friends. All great men with money on their side. Many women talk like that, and if we could hear from the secret service men on how they viewed Hillary while her husband was President, there would be plenty of locker room language from her mouth. One man said she called him a Motherf——, and threw something at him. From the grapevine, she was no lady, and I wish somebody would bring out a tape of her when she let go while being First Lady. Believe me, she was not a lady. She treated those men terrible. The debate was better for Trump, but I must say, Cooper and the other person treated Hillary a lot better than they did Trump. Just like the first debate with Holt. All of these people are on her side. I think they seem to be shaking in their shoes not to antagonize her. When Chris Wallace is the next moderator, he will go after Trump worse than the others. Fox News has gone overboard to show their dislike for Trump now. They aren’t Fair and Balanced anymore. Kelly is a loud mouth bimbo trying to get Hollywood to notice her. I wouldn’t watch her show if it was the only one on TV. Evidently her rise to fame had something to do with Ailes. She did say he made improper remarks to her 10 years ago. Wonder what happened?
I am a woman supporting Mr Trump and not in the least offended by those stupid remarks. The liberal media, Democrats, liberal pundints and RINOS are hypocrites. How they are offended by mere words and not ACTIONS is puzzling. Not a peep out of them about Chris Matthews “hot mic” comments, not a peep when Billary sexually assaulted and raped so many woman, not a peep that Hillary threatened, harassed, lied and ridiculed Billary’s victims, not a word about the filthy U Tube of Obama and his crude comments, not a word about the BILLIONS missing when Hillary left Sec of State poition, and how without either Clinton working a regular job…and leaving the Whitehouse “broke”….how are the multi millionaires????
I don’t find the crude remarks as offensive as the dirty politics of slamming Mr Trump.if you find it necessary to dig up decades old remarks to slam your opponent it reveals two things about your character…1) you have no credible issues to talk about, 2) you are a vile nasty human being. Hillary is poison!
DID ALL THE “UNCLE BUSH’S” CHIP IN TO SUPPORT THE LITTLE TWERP BILLY BUSH PEANUT WHO RELEASED A TAPE, MADE WITHOUT TRUMP’S KNOWLEDGE OR THE TWERP’S KNOWLEDGE, BUT MADE AVAILABLE NOW???? GLAD THE TWERP IS OUT OF A JOB, BUT THE MEDIA WILL CAVE TO THE BUSH’S DIRECTION OF MEDIA REPORTING………you know, the corruption thing!!!!