Wednesday, October 9, 2024

#TrumpSexTape: Billy Bush Suspended from “Today” Show by NBC, Al Roker Will Fill In

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NBC has suspended Billy Bush from the Today show. The suspension follows the Trump audio tape reveal from “Access Hollywood.” Bush is heard encouraging Trump in his vulgar remarks about “Days of our Lives” actress Arianne Zucker, and Bush co-host at time Nancy O’Dell.

Al Roker, who was supposed to take a week off for knee surgery, will replace Bush.

After 12 years hosting “Access Hollywood” for NBC in Los Angeles, Bush moved with his family to New York in August to join the Today show. He co-hosts the 9am hour.

From the beginning there’s been trouble, though, starting with a scandal surrounding Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte. The big issue? Bush is not a journalist. He’s a celebrity interviewer. The Today Show is run by NBC News.

No one knows the effect this has had on O’Dell, who now hosts “Entertainment Tonight” for CBS Paramount Television, or Zucker, who still stars on “Days of Our Lives,” which airs on NBC. They can’t be happy with Bush or Trump.

“I know we’ve all been deeply troubled by the revelations of the past 48 hours,” Today show executive producer Noah Oppenheim wrote in a memo to staffers. “Let me be clear — there is simply no excuse for Billy’s language and behavior on that tape, NBC has decided to suspend Billy, pending further review of this matter.”

The main audience for the Today show’s 9am hour is women, and they are outraged by the Trump-Billy Bush tape. And that may spell the end for Billy. Stay tuned…

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.

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