Billy Bush has found himself in hot water once again.
As you may recall, weeks before the 2016 presidential election, when the 51-year-old was an anchor for Today, audio surfaced from a infamous conversation between him and Donald Trump in 2005 about groping women. Trump said at the time:
“I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, [women] let you do it. You can do anything. Grab ’em by the pussy.”
Billy, who was working at Access Hollywood when the interaction happened, then responded:
“Whatever you want.”
Following the incident, the television host faced a ton of backlash and was later fired from Today. He said in an apology shortly afterward:
“Obviously I’m embarrassed and ashamed. It’s no excuse, but this happened 11 years ago — I was younger, less mature, and acted foolishly in playing along. I’m very sorry.”
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But it looks like Billy hasn’t learned anything from the previous situation about objectifying women because three years after the incident, he was caught making another lewd comment – this time about Kendall Jenner. On Friday, The Daily Beast revealed that it obtained audio from an October 31 taping of Extra where Billy made a sexual joke about the 27-year-old model’s Toy Story-inspired Halloween costume. After a staff member told him she went as Jessie the cowgirl, he remarked at the time:
“Kendall goes as Jessie and, believe me, there were a lot of woodies.”
WTF??!
Clearly, someone knew the comment would not go over well, as it never made it on air. Instead, the radio personality went on to say, “it’s going to be hard to see Toy Story the same way ever again.” Wow. Despite the gross joke, it looks like Extra is standing by Billy. A spokesperson for Telepictures, the division of Warner Bros. Television that produces the show, defended him in a statement, saying:
“As with many forms of production in the entertainment industry, the show’s creative process allows the flexibility to try different jokes and banter. In the end, some material lands on the cutting room floor, including remarks that may be too edgy to air on broadcast television.”
A source also claimed to Page Six that Billy meant no harm with the comment about Kendall, explaining:
“There was no malicious intent on Bush’s part as he was working through material in the show’s normal creative process.”
Um… It’s a little concerning if these types of jokes are being made during the “normal creative process?!”
At this time, Kendall has not responded to the leaked comment – but we can imagine she’s not too thrilled by it! What are your thoughts on the controversy, Perezcious readers? Let us know in the comments below.
[Image via extratv/YouTube, MEGA/WENN ]
