Well, that’s an interesting greeting. Billy Bush‘s voice mail message is making headlines less than 48 hours after a video of his sexist 2005 conversation with Donald Trump was released online.
The New York Times reported Sunday, October 9, that the recording on Bush’s office phone line at NBC headquarters says, “You’ve reached Billy Bush’s office. He’s busy making America great again. Please leave a message.”
Politico posted the greeting, which appears to have been recorded by an assistant (listen to it below).
Bush, 44, is currently entangled in a controversy surrounding newly unearthed audio of his vulgar 2005 chat with Trump, 70. In the conversation, which was first released by The Washington Post on Friday, October 7, Trump brags about hitting on Bush’s married former Access Hollywood cohost Nancy O’Dell. He also says he “can do anything” because of his celebrity, including grabbing women “by the p–sy.”
The entertainment journalist, who told Us in a statement Friday that he was “embarrassed and ashamed” by his behavior, has since faced backlash for exchanging crass remarks with the Republican presidential candidate. Several Facebook users commented on Bush’s page, calling him “disgusting” and “a pig.”
“Just saw the video with you and Donald Trump,” one user wrote. “You’re as scummy as he is. … You are sickening! You’re just as big as a pig and scumbag as trump is.”
Earlier this year, Bush, who is the nephew of former President George H.W. Bush, deleted his Twitter account after he was involved in Ryan Lochte‘s 2016 Summer Olympics controversy. Bush was the first to interview the medalist about his now-infamous robbery claims, and was later under fire for defending the lies.
The TV host has not deleted his Instagram account. Among the images featured is a video of him posing in front of a truck that advertises topless maids, as he talks about his wife asking him what he wants for Father’s Day. “Happy Father’s Day from a man who asks for nothing and needs very little,” he captioned the clip.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the Today show host is set to address his involvement in the Trump footage on the Monday, October 10, episode of Today.
