Billy Bush Reportedly ‘Livid’ Over Today Show Anniversary Snub Five Years After Access Hollywood Tape Release
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Former NBC personality Billy Bush is reportedly “livid” after he was left out of a 12-minute video that aired Monday to commemorate 70 years of the Today show.
The network celebrated seven decades of Today, and showed a lot of familiar faces from throughout the years in a tribute video last Friday. Matt Lauer made the cut, despite his 2017 firing from NBC over allegations of sexual misconduct.
Bush, who was fired by NBC a week after the infamous 2005 Access Hollywood tape, was not featured.
The New York Post reported:
Lauer, who was ousted from NBC in 2017 amid accusations of sexual misconduct and assault, appeared briefly a few times in the video — including one snippet of Lauer on 9/11 and another reporting from Egypt, standing in front of the Sphinx wearing khaki shorts and shades.
“Billy was livid they included everyone except him,” a source close to Bush said. “When they chose to include Matt Lauer — who was accused of anally raping a young staff member while on a work trip — but chose not to include Billy, you know something is very wrong.”
Bush was fired from NBC after the Access Hollywood tape dropped in October of 2016, just weeks before the presidential election. The 11-year-old video showed Bush cheering on then-candidate Donald Trump as he talked about his encounters with women.
Trump was the host of NBC’s The Apprentice at the time the video was recorded.
A partial transcript from the video reads:
Trump: “Yeah that’s her with the gold. I better use some Tic Tacs just in case I start kissing her. 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.”
Bush: “Whatever you want.”
Trump: “Grab them by the pussy. You can do anything.”
Bush: “Yeah those legs. All I can see is the legs.”
Trump: “It looks good.”
Bush: “Come on shorty.”
Trump: “Oh nice legs huh.”
Bush: “Get out of the way honey. Oh that’s good legs. Go ahead.”
