Billy Bush Says That Access Hollywood Trump Tape Is Not Locker-Room Banter

Billy Bush described the “roller coaster” since the now infamous Access Hollywood tape with President Donald Trump was leaked in his first interview since the video came out seven months ago.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Bush commented on Trump’s defending of his comments by saying it was “locker room talk.” “I’m in a lot of locker rooms, I am an athlete, and no, that is not the type of conversation that goes on or that I’ve participated in,” Bush said.

Bush said of getting fired from the Today Show while Trump became President that the “irony is glaring,” though Bush said he’s tried to learn from the experience. “I’ve come out of this with a deeper understanding of how women can connect to the feeling of having to fight extra hard for an even playing field,” he said.

Bush also said the leaked tape affected his relationships with his three daughters. He said one of his daughters called him crying from boarding school asking why he laughed along with what Trump said. Bush said that if a similar conversation came up now that he would change the subject.

He said learning he would not return to the Today Show “hurt a lot.” “I put together an apology right away, the one you saw,” Bush said.”I told people that I was ashamed and embarrassed. And I was.”