Billy Bush Breaks Silence Regarding Matt Lauer’s Termination From ‘Today’
Billy Bush has shared his thoughts about his former Today colleague Matt Lauer's termination from NBC following sexual misconduct allegations surfacing.
Saddened And Disappointed
Bush opened up to People Magazine in an exclusive interview about the first time he heard of Matt Lauer's firing.
The former Access Hollywood host stated that he received calls from friends and family members indicating that Lauer received karma. However, Bush seemed genially saddened by the news.
"People texted and called me making comments like he got what he deserved. But there is no joy in the demise of the others...no matter who it is," Bush told People.
Bush And Lauer
The two former Today co-hosts had a tense relationship off-camera. The former NBC television personality also added that he was initially angry with Lauer after he thought that the previous Today anchor did not fight for his job.
Bush was put on suspension and then evicted from NBC News when the nefarious 2005 Access Hollywood footage surfaced that had Bush laughing at several inappropriate comments on then Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump. Lauer remained one of NBC News's most influential voices that time, and Bush thought Lauer failed to save him.
Eventually, Bush had a private conversation with Lauer and the fallen anchor revealed to Bush that he fought for him to stay on the show.
Bush also revealed that Lauer called him for advice after he was terminated from NBC News.
"He texted me and asked about some of the self-help books I've been reading. I told him, 'Start here,'" Bush told Page Six.
The Colbert Interview
Before Bush sat down with People and Page Six, he sat down with the Late Show with Stephen Colbert host for his first high-profile interview since President Trump took office on Dec. 5, 2017.
Colbert forced Bush to face the Access Hollywood tape again, and the former entertainment journalist revealed that President Trump's voice was in the video.
Bush cringed when he saw the video and added that if President Trump were detailing his sexual assault strategy, he would have called the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
A Tale Of Two Former Co-Anchors
Bush is not the only former Today host to speak out about Lauer's sexual misconduct controversy.
According to Katie Couric, who anchored Today from 1991 to 2006, while she was reading up against the grievances against her longtime friend, she said that "This is Not The Matt We Know." Couric also added that she could not imagine that any woman would receive that horrifying treatment while working on the Today show.
Days after Couric spoke out, Ann Curry, who worked on the NBC morning newscast from 1997 to 2012, stated that she was not surprised by the claims. Curry also added that it would have been surprising if any of the women saw that there was a climate of verbal harassment that existed at Today.
