Just read yesterday that Bush’s wife is apparently now considering an exit from his marriage and that they’ve been estranged since the revelation of the now infamous Access Hollywood tape in which Bush’s guest, Donald Trump, talks about grabbing women by the you know what.
Don’t get me wrong: I agree that his conduct was also not exactly Boy Scout-worthy in that video. But based on my recollection, it seems like Bush wasn’t really initiating that discussion, just more or less mirroring the spirit of his companion. I agree that he sinned in that respect. I get the shock and disgust from his female colleagues initially, and I certainly understand how his wife would be humiliated and angry initially.
But on the other hand, it seems to me that maybe this one snapshot in time may not be truly reflective of who he is overall. Maybe I missed it, but did he ever creep out any of his colleagues before? Did have ever make unwanted sexual advances like so many members of the Fox team have? Which is not to say that Fox ought to be the standard of behavior to compare him to, but the point being, how bad really is Billy Bush based on that one moment in his life? Again it’s possible that there are other details I’m not aware of - haven’t really followed him since the story broke.
But in any event, it seems like he’s suffered a lot for this one offense, particularly when it’s compared to the fact that the guy who said most of outrageous things (and apparently even did them, no less) paid relatively nothing for his transgressions. Bush lost his job. He’s probably lost his career in TV. He’s an embarrassment to the Bush family name. And he’s probably now going to lose his spouse. And yet the guy who was the true offender goes on to become president of the United States?
No, I don’t feel sorry for him. If he was physically assaulted, perhaps, then I would. But losing his job, or his wife, after being shown to be a creep-enabler? No. Enabling creeps should have social consequences.
He has a chance to come out and do some good. I seriously doubt this is the only time he’s observed (or enabled) creepy behavior. There are likely lots of serial creeps (and worse) in Hollywood. He could do some harm to them if he wanted to. Yes, it’d be at some further risk to his reputation and future earnings, but it would show some personal character.
When someone tells you they routinely commit acts of sexual predation, the proper response is not to giggle like a schoolboy. Of course the proper response is also not to vote for a confessed sexual predator, so it’s not like Bush should feel like the Lone Ranger.
My assumption would be that 99% of their marital problems are outside the public eye, and that the video, while it may have been a last straw, is mostly just a convenient diversion to avoid other questions.
I like to think that if I were in his position I would have just “uh-huh”, and turned away from most of Trump’s bragging, and when it came to “grab em by the pussy” I would have immediately called him on it and told others.
I know how serious sexual assault is, and how enablers, well, enable it to happen.
But part of me wonders if I would not have just pretended to be somewhat interested, because I was about to be on TV with the guy, and then just frozen when it came to the infamous line and not said anything.
I still think I would have behaved much better than BB, but perhaps not so much better that I would feel comfortable throwing the first stone.
And as ugly as his giggling and making the model kiss trump is to me, it’s not a “hang him by the balls” crime.
I think we can all agree that this isn’t our decision to make. It doesn’t matter whether we feel the Bushes should get a divorce or stay married. The two people involved in that decision are Billy and Sydney.
My outsider’s opinion is that what’s happening probably isn’t based on the one incident that happened to be recorded on camera.
Nope. His is the fate, and will be the fate, of anyone who associates with Trump. He’s just another live destroyed that was trying to raise his own status by associating with Trump. Any decent person would be appalled and distance themselves.
Nah. This guy is either creepy/useless well beyond what happened in that video, or he thought so much of himself that he married a woman so uptight as to leave him after this small amount of douchey-ness. I’m guessing the former but I don’t feel sorry for either situation.
I can see it as unfair. But only because I’m sure he’s far from alone in this behavior. What is happening should be what happens, as far as I’m concerned. The fact that others get away with worse only means that they should be getting in trouble, too.
I also am capable of choosing to feel sorry for him a bit. Though I do find it difficult to do so. But I’m not sure how much that has to do with him and how much that has to do with how I’ve changed as a person since the election.
He was an entertainment reporter. His job was to get access to entertainers and in 2005, Trump was already a household name in the business. It’s not clear what his association with Trump was after the encounter. For all we know, he may not have indeed tried to distance himself. If there’s proof to the contrary, I’d certainly be willing to acknowledge it.
I agree with the bold text in your quote. A lot of people think they know how they would have responded or handled the situation, but they’ll never know. We can all agree that the way Billy Bush reacted is not the appropriate or desirable reaction, but there’s no evidence I’ve seen that suggests he took the conversation in that direction. It seems like he wanted Trump to feel comfortable talking however he wanted to talk. I agree 100% that he should have had higher personal standards than this, but it’s a moment in time. It’s not like there are hours and hours of them having these sorts of interactions on a regular basis, or even more than once.
Last Week Tonight ran a segment of him that showed he’s been a pandering Trump suck-up for years.
I don’t think that that one clip was the cause of their estrangement. It was probably more of a "last straw " situation. Or maybe her eyes were opened by the universal condemnation he received.
It is ironic, though, isn’t it? Due to that clip, Bush loses his cushy NBC job, his reputation, maybe his wife. And Donald Trump… becomes President.
I hope I would have handled it better than Bush did, but I can never know for sure. But if I were in that position and, out of a combination of bafflement and cowardice, I had responded as he did, I would deserve a lot of moral condemnation. Moral condemnation, even to the point of losing one’s job, isn’t the end of the world. Sometimes people need sharp lessons.
That doesn’t have to be the end of the story. Bush could try to redeem himself and go after the culture of creepery in the entertainment industry. Even if I don’t know exactly how I’d react in the moment, I’m confident that if I made such a mistake, I’d try and do good afterward to redeem myself. So far, I haven’t seen Bush doing any such good.