Billy Bush says he’s ‘ashamed and embarrassed’ of his role in the P***ygate scandal, and has been working on bettering himself since the leaked tape ended his career.
Bush was fired from the Today show in October 2016, when a video surfaced of one of his conversations with Donald Trump, in which the then-Apprentice host was heard using vulgar language speaking about women.
‘I went through stages of grieving because I lost my career. For a man, that’s the ultimate degradation,’ he told People, in an interview published Wednesday.
The scandal brought Bush’s career as an entertainment journalist to an end, but that wasn’t his rock bottom.
Billy Bush (pictured December 4) spoke about the P***ygate scandal and how its impacted his life in an interview with People magazine published Wednesday
Bush was fired from the Today show in October 2016, when a video surfaced of one of his conversations with Donald Trump, in which the then-Apprentice host was heard using vulgar language to speak about women (a still from the video above)
A little less than a year later, he was hit with a second blow when he and his wife Sydney decided to separate.
The couple has been married for 19 years and have three daughters together.
‘I was a happy-go-lucky guy,’ Bush told the magazine. ‘Everything is going great and I was like, “Hey, this is awesome!” And then, kaboom.’
Since losing his job, Bush says he’s ‘done some self-help work,’ including reading the Bible every day and meditating.
In September, Bush and his wife Sydney (center) announced their separation. Bush says he remains hopeful they will get back together. The couple pictured above with their three daughters
While Bush and his wife are officially separated at the moment, the two continue to work out together (the couple pictured above leaving a Soul Cycle class earlier this month
He’s spent a lot of time thinking about his behavior in the P***ygate tape, which was recorded back in 2005, and he takes responsibility for the way he enabled Trump’s derogatory speech.
‘There is a term for what I did,’ he said. ‘It’s called bystander abuse. It says by not doing anything you are endorsing the moment and adding to it. That moment was a product of me wanting to get through [the Trump interview]. To me his comments were so hypothetical and tasteless, I just laughed along.’
He says the scandal has taken on new meaning for him with the #MeToo movement and as a father.
‘I have three daughters,’ Bush said. ‘They are going to be in the workplace one day. I want them to be paid equally, I want them to be treated well and when they walk out of a room I don’t want to ever hear anyone talking behind their back in a degrading way.’
Bush says he doesn’t want to get back into journalism, and is instead focused on his liquor company, which produces American Harvest vodka (above)
In a way, he thinks that the scandal was meant to happen to him.
‘I had some growing up to do anyway in life,’ he said. ‘I did so much exploring and figuring out. I’m a deeper person. And I’m happy about using my knowledge for a good purpose.’
As for his marriage, he remains hopeful that he and his wife can find love again.
He admits that they were struggling even before the scandal.
‘We got married young and had our first child right away. We’re taking a step back. We get to explore and take our time. She’s been so awesome through everything. I love her very much,’ he said.
He maintains that his recent step back into the public eye has not been an attempt to get back into journalism again.
For now, he says he’s focusing on Beach Whiskey, the liquor company he co-founded two years ago which includes the brand of vodka, American Harvest.
He also teased a soon-to-be announced project inspired by his trials.
‘I have a plan to make this mess my message,’ Bush said. ‘I know I’m coming out with a purpose. And I want to use what I know to help other people.’