Late last night, The New York Times published a new op-ed written by former Access Hollywood host, Billy Bush, titled “Yes, Donald. You Said That.”
Of course, the quotes Bush is referring to are those from the infamous tape in which the now President says:
“I moved on her like a bitch. But I couldn’t get there. And she was
married. Then all of a sudden I see her, she’s now got the big phony
tits and everything. She’s totally changed her look…I better use
some Tic Tacs just in case I start kissing her. You know, I’m
automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them. It’s
like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star,
they let you do it. You can do anything…Grab ’em by the pussy. You
can do anything.”
Bush is heard egging Trump on throughout the tape, was summarily fired by NBC, and now he seems to be on a publicity tour to rehab his image—even tweeting, “Well, you asked…” when sharing the Times piece—and frankly, I’ve got no time for it.
Actually, Billy, I don’t think we did. Reports started circulating last week that the President had privately expressed that perhaps the tape was faked, even though at the time he told The Washington Post: “This was locker room banter, a private conversation that took place many years ago. Bill Clinton has said far worse to me on the golf course—not even close. I apologize if anyone was offended.”
Here’s the thing: Anyone who actually thinks that tape isn’t real is never going to be convinced otherwise. We all know there’s a segment of Trump’s base who will side with him, no matter what facts are presented to the contrary. There was not ever any real dispute over the veracity of the tape. We didn’t need Billy Bush to confirm it.
Now, the substance of Bush’s op-ed isn’t all bad, per se. He says that he believes the women who have accused Trump of misconduct. Great. He admits that he was “guilty of sacrificing a bit of ourselves in the name of success.” We all knew that, but OK, I’m glad you can say it out loud now. He writes, “The activist and gender-relations expert Jackson Katz has said that this is not a women’s issue—it’s a men’s issue. That’s a great place to start, and something I have real thoughts about—but it is a story for another day.” True, but what are you waiting for? Probably a book deal.
I’m sure I sound a little cynical, and that’s probably because I am. How can you not be, given how we’ve watched the failing upward of men behaving badly so many times? This happened and Trump became the President of the United States. Yeah, I’m cynical. But also, I just don’t have time right now to help make men feel better about what they’ve done. This moment in time is so utterly raw, emotional, and triggering for women. We are too busy taking care of one another to give Bush a warm pat on the back for performing what I suppose he considers “wokeness.”
“On a personal note, this last year has been an odyssey, the likes of
which I hope to never face again: anger, anxiety, betrayal,
humiliation, many selfish but, I hope, understandable emotions. But
these have given way to light, both spiritual and intellectual. It’s
been fortifying.
I know that I don’t need the accouterments of fame to know God and be
happy. After everything over the last year, I think I’m a better man
and father to my three teenage daughters—far from perfect, but
better.”
I’ll take a hard pass on all this rhetoric, especially the part where you try to use your daughters for sympathy, like so many men before you. I do feel for them, very much. But they shouldn’t be a tool you use to get your career back.
I hope you continue to evolve as a person, Billy Bush. Seriously, I do. Just keep it to yourself.
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