Billy Bush has been suspended from The Today Show for his role in the scandalous Donald Trump video that hit the Internet on Friday.
You know the video, right?
Come on: by now, you must know the video.
Released by The Washington Post on Friday afternoon, it featured Bush and Trump on board the Access Hollywood bus, making their way to the Days of Our Lives set.
Trump was set to film a cameo on the soap opera.
Wearing microphones they were unaware were recording, Bush and Trump got to talking about Bush’s then-co-host, Nancy O’Dell.
“I moved on her like a bitch, but I couldn’t get there. And she was married. I did try and f–k her. She was married,” Trump tells Bush, who laughs at Trump’s story.
The Presidential nominee later says of his philosophy when it comes to the opposite sex:
“Just kiss. I don’t even wait,” he bragged, noting that “when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab them by the pussy. You can do anything.”
Here is a look at the lewd exchange:
Bush did not say much himself in the back-and-forth, but he clearly egged Trump on and acted impressed by The Donald’s sexual advances and endeavors.
In light of the scandal, Bush came out on Friday night and issued the following apology/statement:
“Obviously I’m embarrassed and ashamed. It’s no excuse, but this happened eleven years ago – I was younger, less mature, and acted foolishly in playing along.
“I’m very sorry.”
Bush is married with three kids.
“Sheesh, your girl’s hot as sh-t. In the purple,” the former Access Hollywood anchor said in the video as the two men got ready to meet Days of Our Lives actress Arianne Zucker.
“Yes! The Donald has scored,” he added.
The crux of the focus of this scandal, of course, has been on Trump.
And for good reason, he is running to be President of the United States.
But The Today Show has been under pressure to act against Bush, with a petition circulating that has been calling for him to be fired.
There’s the issue of what he actually said to Trump.
But there’s also the issue that The Today Show is, in many ways, a news show.
And yet it failed to actually report on the news in this case. It has been employing an individual who was well aware of Trump’s heinous side, and yet never said a word about it.
So that brings us to the suspension.
In a note sent to show staffers, Noah Oppenheim, the executive in charge of the NBC morning show, wrote the following:
“I know we’ve all been deeply troubled by the revelations of the past 48 hours.
“Let me be clear – there is simply no excuse for Billy’s language and behavior on that tape. NBC has decided to suspend Billy, pending further review of this matter.”
Bush is the nephew of former President George H.W. Bush,.
He also involved in Ryan Lochte’s Rio scandal earlier this summer after he defended the Olympic medalist’s robbery claims, constantly insisting that Lochte wasn’t lying.
Even though he clearly was lying.