The former 'Today' show co-host, who lost his job after the leaking of the now-infamous 'Access Hollywood' tape, is now publicly speaking out about the man on the other end of that exchange -- who went on to become president.
Billy Bush is changing course.
After the leaking of the infamous Access Hollywood tape last year, of a 2005 recording where now-president Donald Trump appeared to brag about sexual assault and groping women while Bush played along, the 46-year-old TV personality lost his job as a co-host on the Today show.
An industry source tells ET that Bush is ready to resurrect his career, saying, “If he truly wants to change the narrative, he has to change his life.
“With the New York Times piece and the [Stephen] Colbert appearance, he’s starting that process," the source adds. "If he truly wants to change his path, he needs to be a force for positive change within the industry. I give him credit for standing up and having a backbone.”
Bush has indeed been in the media recently, taking particular issue with Trump's reported recent claims that the Access Hollywood tape is fake, writing, "He said it... Of course he said it," in a New York Times op-ed.
"Along with Donald Trump and me, there were seven other guys present on the bus at the time, and every single one of us assumed we were listening to a crass stand-up act. He was performing," Bush continued. Surely, we thought, none of this was real. We now know better."
In the piece, Bush goes on to explain his behavior in response to Trump, arguing that it is not only commonplace in the industry, but often encouraged.
"The key to succeeding in my line of work was establishing a strong rapport with celebrities. I did that, and was rewarded for it," he wrote. "My segments with Donald Trump when I was just a correspondent were part of the reason I got promoted. NBC tripled my salary and paid for my moving van from New York to Los Angeles."
"Was I acting out of self-interest? You bet I was," he added. "Was I alone? Far from it."
After his op-ed, Bush appeared on Monday night's Late Show With Stephen Colbert for his first TV interview since being fired by NBC, where he opened up about the surreality of losing his job while Trump became the commander in chief.
“The very day he was swearing in as the 45th President of the United States, I was checking into this soul-searching retreat in Santalina, California, for nine days,” Bush recalled to the late-night host.
Bush also opened up about being fired without having the opportunity to address the Today audience. “I will say, I would have liked the chance to have been able to address the audience that following Monday. But it was right after the debate and I think the tape made it in time for the debate, so I didn’t get that.”
Watch the video below for more.
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