It’s official:
Billy Bush can go ahead and apply for his dream job of Donald Trump Errand Boy.
Because he no longer works for The Today Show.
About 10 days after a video hit the Internet that featured Bush joking about Donald Trump’s proclivity to grab the pussies of women he finds attractive, the embattled reporter* has parted ways with NBC.
(*We all know Billy Bush was never any kind of real reporter.)
This split had been rumored for days, but was finalized by both sides on Monday evening.
“Billy Bush will be leaving the TODAY show’s 9am hour, effective today,” the network said in a statement to employees.
“While he was a new member of the TODAY team, he was a valued colleague and longtime member of the broader NBC family. We wish him success as he goes forward.”
Bush was only just hired for this hosting gig in August.
He signed a three-year deal worth $ 3.5 million per year at the time; terms of his settlement with NBC have not been disclosed.
As depicted in the video above, Bush and Trump were on board an Access Hollywood bus in 2005, on their way to the set of Days of Our Lives.
Unaware they were being recorded, the co-host and the terrible businessman talked about soap opera actress Arianne Zucker, with whom Trump was set to film a cameo.
“Your girl is hot as sh-t,” Bush is overheard as saying to Trump, quickly adding:
“Yes! The Donald has scored again!”
This promoted Trump to say that he needed to pop a Tic-Tac because he just starts kissing “beautiful women” when he sees them. He doesn’t even “wait” for consent, Trump says on the tape.
Somehow, Melania Trump has blamed her husband’s comments on Bush, saying the fake journalist had egged The Donald on.
Bush tried to save face after the footage went viral, issuing the best apology one could make in this circumstance.
“Obviously I’m embarrassed and ashamed,” he said at the time. “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.”
It was too little and it was too late, however.
Now that he’s out of a job, awaiting Trump to start Trump TV as soon as the election ends we’re sure in order to be hired someplace again, Bush has released a new statement.
It reads:
“I am deeply grateful for the conversations I’ve had with my daughters, and for all of the support from family, friends and colleagues. I look forward to what lies ahead.”
While it’s become public knowledge since the tapes hit that Bush wasn’t very popular on the set of Today, at least one person has stood by Bush’s side throughout this ordeal.
This is what ex-Access Hollywood co-host Kit Hoover had to say on air about her friend:
“Those tapes were a decade ago and it was seven minutes of someone’s life, and all I can tell you is what I know and the person that I sat next to for the last six years, and that person for me is a totally different person.
“The Billy that I know and a lot of people would say has the biggest heart of anybody and he is a good person.”
DO YOU THINK BUSH DESERVED TO BE LET GO FOR THIS TAPE?