Can you smell that? It’s a comeback attempt by Billy Bush, media pariah.
More than seven months after the “grab ’em by the pussy” scandal that torpedoed his career, the former NBC host – who was sacked within days of the infamous audio leak – has addressed his truly gross conversation with now-President Donald Trump for the first time.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, the nephew of George W. Bush lamented ever having engaged with Trump’s vulgar assessment of women back in 2005, when they were taping a segment for Access Hollywood.
“Looking back on what was said on that bus, I wish I had changed the topic. I wish I had said: “Does anyone want water?” or “It looks like it’s gonna rain.” He liked TV and competition. I could’ve said, “Can you believe the ratings on whatever?” I didn’t have the strength of character to do it.”
Someone with a much more impressive strength of character is one of Bush’s three young daughters, Mary, who had no qualms calling out her dad over his seedy contribution to the lewd conversation (“Your girl’s hot as shit, in the purple,” he said to Trump in the video, referencing the woman escorting them to the set of a soap opera).
Bush told THR it was the 16-year-old (Mary was actually just 15 when she called him in tears from boarding school, after the story broke) who made him realise how wrong it is to talk smack about women, under any circumstance.
“My [then] 15-year-old, Mary, called me from boarding school, and she was in tears: “Dad, Dad, Dad,” and I said, “Everything is going to be fine, Mary. Everything’s going to be OK.” It’s just instinctively what you say to your daughter. And she said, “No, why were you laughing at the things that he was saying on that bus, Dad? They weren’t funny.” It hit really hard, and I stopped for a second, and I said, “I have no answer for that that’s any good. I am really sorry. That was Dad in a bad moment a long time ago. You know me. I am really sorry that you had to hear and see that. I love you.” She needed to hear that, and I certainly needed to tell her that.”
Sad that it took a 16-year-old to get him there, but at least Mary has her head on straight.
You can read Bush’s full interview with THR HERE.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter.
Photo: Access Hollywood.
