Billy Bush recently revisited the controversial topic of Donald Trump’s Access Hollywood tape during an interview on Rob Lowe’s SiriusXM podcast, Literally! With Rob Lowe. In an eye-opening revelation, Bush shared that he had flagged Trump’s inappropriate comments to a producer back in 2005, long before the scandal erupted to the forefront of public discourse.
Noteworthy Warnings in 2005
During the interview, Bush recounted the day of the Access Hollywood filming. “The day of the filming in 2005, I called my producer [and] said, ‘You’re not gonna believe what Trump said. He is going after Nancy.’ All I said was ‘Nancy O’Dell’ because I didn’t hear the other stuff,” he explained, referring to his co-anchor. The “other stuff” Bush mentioned pertains to Trump’s notorious remarks about groping women. He continued, “I said, ‘He’s trying to take Nancy furniture shopping to sleep with her. This is crazy. He’s done it again! The guy’s an animal!’ I report it, basically, to my superior, but it sits in a desk forever…”
Context of the Scandal
At that time, Trump was the star of NBC’s highly-rated reality series, The Apprentice, while Bush was just starting his tenure as co-anchor of Access Hollywood. It wasn’t until 2016, a few weeks before the presidential election, that The Washington Post unveiled the infamous Access Hollywood tape, which featured Trump boasting about “grabbing women by the genitals.” The recording, captured off camera, included Trump stating, “When you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.”
The Fallout for Bush
Although Bush could be heard laughing in the background of the tape, the scandal ultimately cost him his job at NBC’s Today show. He has since revisited the events and their aftermath across various media outlets. During his talk with Lowe, Bush elaborated on how NBC was actively seeking out footage of Trump making disrespectful remarks about women. He recalled, “NBC put out an APB, all points bulletin, on Donald Trump because there was a former [pageant queen] who came forward and said he had done something inappropriate.” Bush was caught in a difficult position, as he actually flagged the Access Hollywood tape that featured Trump’s unacceptable comments.
Support and Resilience
Reflecting on his career’s twists and turns, Bush shared that losing his job meant forfeiting his first major paycheck. He expressed gratitude for the support from a close-knit circle of friends, family, and colleagues—people like Dennis Quaid and Julie Bowen, who helped him navigate those challenging times. “I would never have survived without them,” he acknowledged, emphasizing the importance of reaching out to friends in times of need. “I always say pick up the phone, call, send a text: ‘Hey, buddy. Thinking about you. I’m here.’ Do it.”
The episode featuring Billy Bush is part of a new season of Literally! With Rob Lowe, which also includes conversations with various celebrities. Listeners can catch new episodes every Thursday on the SiriusXM app and other podcast platforms.
With the ongoing discussions around the Access Hollywood tape, Bush’s insights serve as a reminder of the complexities surrounding media, celebrity culture, and accountability.
