It’s expected Billy Bush will ask for your forgiveness over breakfast tomorrow. Whether or not the public will accept his apology is a whole other matter.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, you can expect to find Bush in his Today anchor seat on Monday following the enormous outcry over his “locker room banter” with Donald Trump. A network source told THR that NBC is giving the former Access Hollywood host the opportunity to say sorry.
“The plan is for him to have a chance to apologize,” offered the source.
With all the attention focused on Trump in the fallout attached to his bragging about such things as grabbing women by the p*ssy, speculation about the status of Bush’s job with the morning staple feels relatively low. (Fellow Access Hollywood alum Pat O’Brien saw his career irrevocably damaged after his infamous voicemail leak, if memory serves.) Of course, that could certainly change after Bush’s appearance tomorrow.
“NBC News did exactly what you would expect from a great news organization,” said an NBC spokesperson on the compromising situation their on-air talent has found themselves in. “As soon as we saw the tape and made the assessment it was undoubtedly newsworthy, we moved quickly and deliberately to get it published and to do so in the most responsible way.”
There’s still a chance you might not see or hear Bush outside of his presence in the news cycle tomorrow. Variety reports that the situation is still being mulled over by the NBC brass. The sources Variety spoke with say the Peacock Network has seriously considered keeping the anchor of the air. Here’s the scenario that might play out if that’s the case.
The situation remains in flux, one of these people said, but under a scenario being considered, Al Roker and Tamron Hall would host Monday’s broadcast of the 9 a.m. hour of “Today,” while Bush would be sidelined. Roker was supposed to have taken the day off to deal with a surgical procedure, but is preparing to appear on air, this person said. No final decision has been made, this person cautioned, and the ultimate direction is being handed down by executives above Noah Oppenheim, the senior vice president and executive in charge of “Today.” A final say on the matter is not expected to come down until later on Sunday, this person said.
Maybe NBC should consider swapping out Billy Bush for Nancy O’Dell? Just an idea.
(Via The Hollywood Reporter)
