Billy Bush says p**** tape scandal made him a ‘much nicer person’

‘Of course you want to delete it, but you can’t’

Billy Bush at the Emmy Awards on 22 September 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

Billy Bush says he’s a nicer person after going through the Access Hollywood scandal that resulted in him losing his job.

The former NBC host was fired from the Today show in 2016 after appearing in a resurfaced 2005 tape in which then-presidential candidate Donald Trump bragged about his proclaimed ability to “grab [women] by the p****”.

Bush reflected on the scandal and its aftermath in a recent interview on Dennis Quaid’s podcast The Dennissance.

He admitted the moment was “terrible”, but sought to find a silver lining in the experience.

“It’s such an ugly moment. It’s like – yeah, you want to delete it. Of course you want to delete it!” he said.

“But you can’t and it’s out there for the world to consume, and your children most importantly.

“It’s just humiliating, embarrassing, it’s s*****, you suck. There’s no denying the moment is a terrible moment.”

He acknowledged the public and private support he has received and added: “I’m a much nicer person. I’m much more curious about other people’s experiences.”

When Quaid asked if the scandal gave him more empathy, Bush confirmed that it had and told the actor: “I only take the good out of it at this point. I’m almost fully drained of the resentment. Not fully, but mostly.”

Bush returned to television in 2019 as the host of Extra.