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…
