The Other McCain

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Boomerang: NBC Suspends ‘Today’ Host Billy Bush Because …

Posted on | October 10, 2016 | 2 Comments

. . . uh, why? Honestly, I’m mystified by this unexpected and, to me, inexplicable reaction to the Trump 2005 “hot mic” video leak:

Billy Bush has been suspended from the “Today” show “pending further review of the matter.”
It is unclear if he will ever return to the broadcast.
“He will never be on the show again,” an on-air source said Sunday night, reflecting what staffers are saying behind the scenes.
A second source at the network confirmed Monday that his return is unlikely.
“Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie briefly told viewers about Bush’s suspension on Monday morning.
The sudden change came amid a chorus of calls for disciplinary action against Bush over his vulgar 2005 conversation with Donald Trump that was caught on tape and revealed on Friday. . . .
[T]he executive in charge of “Today,” Noah Oppenheim, said in an internal memo that the executives had decided to go even further and suspend Bush.
“I know we’ve all been deeply troubled by the revelations of the past 48 hours,” Oppenheim wrote.
“Let me be clear — there is simply no excuse for Billy’s language and behavior on that tape,” he wrote. “NBC has decided to suspend Billy, pending further review of this matter.”

 

OK, do me a favor and go read the full transcript of that 2005 video and tell me what “language and behavior” Bush is being disciplined for. Frankly, I don’t see it. Bush is there with Trump, and Trump’s saying what he’s saying, and Bush says . . . what? Please, explain to me how he said something so reprehensible that there’s “no excuse” for it.

What is the cause of this “chorus of calls for disciplinary action”? What Trump said was without doubt offensive — as I said, it effectively guarantees his defeat in the election — but I’m not seeing what Billy Bush said that was so bad. In context, you’ve got the celebrity Alpha billionaire (Trump’s Apprentice at the time was anchoring NBC’s 9 p.m. Thursday slot, with about 14 million viewers) and it’s Trump being Trump. He’s talking about women, and Billy Bush, an ex-radio talk-show host, in 2005 was 33 and had recently promoted to co-host of Access Hollywood.

What exactly was this young B-list TV personality supposed to say in response to Trump’s comments? What he did say was, “Sheesh, your girl’s hot as sh–” and “Yes! The Donald has scored. Whoa, my man!” and “Uh, yeah, those legs, all I can see is the legs. . . . Oh, that’s good legs.”

OK, maybe you wouldn’t want to be caught on tape saying those things, but is what Billy Bush said a “no excuse” situation? And again, who is it that’s making this “chorus of calls for disciplinary action”?

Guys can’t even say “good legs” anymore, not even just guys talking to each other? Is this the new 21st-century standard? Are we now e a nation of third-grade tattletales? “Teacher! Teacher! Billy said a naughty word!” We need a “chorus of calls” for some people to get a life.

 

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2 Responses to “Boomerang: NBC Suspends ‘Today’ Host Billy Bush Because …”

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    October 10th, 2016 @ 5:07 pm

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