Editing Billy Bush (section)

===''Today''===
In May 2016, Bush was selected to be the co-host of the third hour of [[NBC]]'s ''[[Today (American TV program)|Today]]''.<ref>{{cite web |first=Ree |last=Hines |title=TODAY anchors welcome Billy Bush: 'We're so happy he's joining our crew' |url=http://www.today.com/popculture/today-anchors-welcome-billy-bush-we-re-so-happy-he-t93261 |work=[[Today (American TV program)|Today]] |date=May 18, 2016 |access-date=October 10, 2016}}</ref> He served as a replacement for [[Willie Geist]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/willie-geist-today-show-billy-bush-1201841990/ |title=Willie Geist Leaving Third Hour of 'Today,' Billy Bush to Replace Him |work=Variety |author=Prudom, Laura |date=August 22, 2016 |access-date=October 10, 2016}}</ref>

====Ryan Lochte controversy====
Bush was the first reporter to interview American Olympic swimmer [[Ryan Lochte]] after the athlete [[Lochtegate|claimed he was robbed at gunpoint]] in [[Rio de Janeiro]] during the [[2016 Summer Olympics]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Chung |first=Jen |url=http://gothamist.com/2016/08/15/ryan_lochte_fake_rio_cop_cocked_gun.php |title=Ryan Lochte: Rio Police Impersonator 'Cocked' Gun & 'Put It To My Forehead' During Robbery |website=Gothamist.com |access-date=August 18, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817221533/http://gothamist.com/2016/08/15/ryan_lochte_fake_rio_cop_cocked_gun.php |archive-date=August 17, 2016 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Bush's due diligence as an interviewer was scrutinized after critics claimed Bush did not ask questions that would have shown Lochte's story was fabricated.<ref name="Contrera">{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2016/10/09/is-billy-bush-a-journalist-or-an-entertainer-the-answer-might-determine-whether-he-keeps-his-job/ |title=NBC has suspended Billy Bush. But will he ever come back? |newspaper=The Washington Post |author=Contrera, Jessica |date=October 9, 2016 |access-date=October 10, 2016}}</ref> When details of Lochte's story began to fall apart, [[Matt Lauer]] re-interviewed the swimmer in a move that was seen as a snub to Bush.<ref name="Contrera" /> Bush garnered attention once again after he and [[Al Roker]] got into an argument during Olympic coverage on ''Today'' after Lochte was exposed.<ref name="Yahr">{{cite news |author=Emily Yahr, Elahe Izadi |title=Billy Bush was already polarizing. His lewd Donald Trump conversation makes things much worse. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2016/10/07/billy-bush-was-already-polarizing-his-lewd-donald-trump-conversation-makes-things-much-worse/ |access-date=October 8, 2016 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=October 7, 2016}}</ref> Bush defended Lochte, saying he lied about "some" details whereas Roker characterized Lochte's statement as a lie.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/al-roker-ryan-lochte_us_57b8c733e4b00d9c3a1803ad |title=Al Roker Goes In On Ryan Lochte, Becomes Internet Hero |work=The Huffington post |author=Hanson, Hilary |date=August 20, 2016 |access-date=October 10, 2016}}</ref>

====Trump tape scandal====
{{Main|Donald Trump Access Hollywood tape}}
On October 7, 2016, ''[[The Washington Post]]'' reported that video footage was released of [[Donald Trump]] having a lewd conversation with Bush, with Trump either unaware or unconcerned that [[Hot mic|his microphone was active]]. Bush is heard laughing about Trump's failed effort to seduce a married woman, and joining in by commenting on actress [[Arianne Zucker]]'s appearance, calling her "hot as shit."<ref name="WaPoOctober716">{{cite news |last1=Fahrenthold |first1=David A. |title=Trump recorded having extremely lewd conversation about women in 2005 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-recorded-having-extremely-lewd-conversation-about-women-in-2005/2016/10/07/3b9ce776-8cb4-11e6-bf8a-3d26847eeed4_story.html |access-date=October 8, 2016 |newspaper=Washington Post |date=October 7, 2016}}</ref> The video was made on the [[The Burbank Studios|NBC Studios]] lot in the course of videotaping an ''Access Hollywood'' episode in mid-September 2005,<ref>{{cite web |title=Donald Trump, Billy Bush discussed Nancy O'Dell in leaked audio |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2016/10/08/donald-trump-billy-bush-were-talking-nancy-odell-leaked-audio/91786526/ |access-date=October 8, 2016 |work=USA Today}}</ref> promoting Trump's cameo appearance in an episode of daytime soap opera ''[[Days of Our Lives]]'' to promote ''[[The Apprentice (U.S. TV series)|The Apprentice]]''.

In the video, Trump discussed a failed attempt to seduce Bush's then-co-host [[Nancy O'Dell]]:<ref>{{cite web |last1=Capelouto |first1=Susanna |title=Nancy O'Dell, the woman who rebuffed Trump |url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/08/us/nancy-odell-bio/ |website=CNN |date=October 8, 2016 |publisher=Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. |access-date=October 9, 2016}}</ref> "I moved on her, and I failed. I’ll admit it. I did try and fuck her. She was married." He also talked about stars groping women: "...you just kiss...when you're a star they let you do it. You can do anything [Bush: Anything you want]...grab them by the pussy..."<ref name="WaPoOctober716"/>

When the news of the footage first broke, Bush was at New York's [[JFK International Airport]] waiting to take off for Los Angeles. He spent the six-hour flight reading news reports on the unfolding controversy. By the time he arrived in Los Angeles, a horde of [[paparazzi]] had materialized at [[Los Angeles International Airport]] and at his home in Los Angeles, where they remained for more than a week. Bush spent the remainder of that weekend trying to save his job at ''Today'', which had already garnered controversy, first over Bush's lack of hard-news experience and the rude tone he exhibited during red carpet events and then over the [[Ryan Lochte]] matter. Initially, NBC News signaled Bush would return that Monday to apologize on-air. Bush later stated, "I would have welcomed addressing the audience."<ref name="HR2017">{{cite news | url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/billy-bush-breaks-his-silence-trump-access-hollywood-tape-nbc-a-comeback-plan-1005744|title=Billy Bush Breaks His Silence on Trump, the 'Access Hollywood' Tape, NBC, and a Comeback Plan|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] | date= May 21, 2017|first1=Lacey |last1=Rose|first2= Marisa |last2=Guthrie}}</ref>

However, Bush received criticism online and calls for his resignation from the show, with ''[[The Washington Post]]'' stating, "Bush's public image was damaged—perhaps beyond repair."<ref name="Yahr"/> He issued an apology, stating: "Obviously I'm embarrassed and ashamed. It's no excuse, but this happened eleven years ago. I was younger, less mature, and acted foolishly in playing along. I'm very sorry."<ref>{{cite news |author=Michael M. Grynbaum, John Koblin |title=Billy Bush Says He's Ashamed by Lewd Talk With Donald Trump |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/08/us/politics/billy-bush-donald-trump-video.html |access-date=October 8, 2016 |work=The New York Times |date=October 7, 2016}}</ref> Bush was 33 years old at the time the video was made. On October 9, 2016, NBC announced that Bush was suspended from ''Today'' for his role in the 2005 video. He was suspended pending an internal review.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.politico.com/blogs/on-media/2016/10/billy-bush-wont-be-on-today-show-on-monday-229436#ixzz4MdUYaFQN |title=Billy Bush suspended from 'Today' show |last=Gold |first=Hadas |author-link=Hadas Gold|date=October 9, 2016 |newspaper=POLITICO |access-date=October 10, 2016 }}</ref> By October 17, Bush had been fired.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.ew.com/article/2016/10/17/billy-bush-today |title=Billy Bush officially out at Today |first=James |last=Hibberd |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |date=October 17, 2016 |access-date=October 17, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2016/10/17/billy-bush-out-today-nbc-trump-tape/91901962/ |work=[[USA Today]] |title=Billy Bush is out at Today |first=Maria |last=Puente |date=October 17, 2016 |access-date=October 17, 2016}}</ref>

After ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported in late November 2017 that Trump had privately told people, including a sitting senator, that the voice on the tape was not his, Bush published an op-ed in the paper on December 3, reaffirming that the voice in the tape was the president's and accusing him of engaging in [[Historical negationism|revisionist history]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/billy-bush-reaffirms-trump-s-access-hollywood-comments-are-real-n826146|title=Billy Bush on Trump's 'Access Hollywood' tape: 'Of course he said it'|last=Johnson|first=Alex|date=December 3, 2017|work=[[NBC News]]|access-date=December 3, 2017|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/03/opinion/billy-bush-trump-access-hollywood-tape.html|title=Opinion {{!}} Billy Bush: Yes, Donald Trump, You Said That|last=Bush|first=Billy|date=December 3, 2017|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=December 3, 2017|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>