With his unapologetically brash personality and off-the-cuff sense of humor, Billy Bush made a big splash in a big pond right from the start; first as a correspondent, then as a co-host on NBC’s “Access Hollywood” (1999- ). A distant cousin of U.S. President George W. Bush – perhaps the only personality trait he shared was the last name – Bush was as plugged-in and catty as they come – but not catty enough to put off celebrities. Whether buying Heidi Klum pizza backstage before the Victoria’s Secret fashion show or quizzing Penelope Cruz on how to spell boyfriend’s Matthew McConaughey’s name, Bush’s goofy sense of humor and ingratiating personality put stars at ease and charmed viewers.Born William Hall “Billy” Bush on Oct. 13.1971, the future entertainment anchor grew up in Rhode Island and attended St. George’s School, before moving on to Colby College in Waterville, ME, where he majored in International Studies and Government. He also competed on the men’s lacrosse team, where he was a two-time captain. It was in college, where Bush admitted to being a mediocre student, that he developed an interest in and an aptitude for broadcasting. In his senior year, he began working as a DJ at the campus radio station when the bug took hold. Upon graduation, he continued in the field, taking a low-paying gig as a disc jockey at a small oldies station in Guilford, NH, which he supported with a day job selling ads for the station. Despite the long hours and low frills, Bush knew he was hooked for good.
Intent on moving forward with his fledgling broadcast career, Bush made a tape of his show and sent it around to radio stations in larger markets. In no time, a classic rock station in Washington, D.C. called and offered him a job. Within a couple of months of hosting their daily talk program, Bush won the Washington Air Award for emerging talent. He was then promptly snapped up by a start-up top-40 station for the prime morning-drive slot – a new show called “Billy Bush and the Bush League Morning Show.” Soon enough, Bush began cultivating the wily on-air personality that would serve him well – and ruffle a few feathers in the process. From the beginning, he downplayed his connection to the Bush political family, to the point of insisting that it not be used to market him or his show. He refrained from political viewpoints as well, and focused on entertainment and personalities.
In 2001, Bush made his first television appearance with an interview on “Extra,” (NBC, 1994- ). This interview caught the attention of the news director of the NBC affiliate in Washington, who promptly offered him a job for their own morning show. Gravitating effortlessly toward TV, Bush made enough of an on-air impact to get asked to become an East Coast correspondent on the entertainment news program, “Access Hollywood.” At the same time, he was offered a job to co-anchor a newscast with Paula Zahn CNN, to be a co-anchor of a newscast with Paula Zahn. Bush let the sheer numbers of network television viewers do the deciding for him, and he accepted the NBC job.
Firmly ensconced in the television world, Bush that same year served as a correspondent for NBC’s “The Today Show” (1952- ). And in 2003, he hosted a short-lived new version of “Let’s Make a Deal” for the network. He parlayed his rising fame into co-hosting the Miss Universe pageant, from 2003-2005, with his “Access” co-stars, as well as hosting the Miss USA pageant three times by himself during the same time frame.
By 2004, Bush moved opposite Nancy O’Dell to take the co-host slot, taking over for Pat O’Brien. As he grew comfortable in his position, Bush said that he believed that the world of sound bites was better suited to him – and in many ways easier – than filling hours of air time every day on the radio, with a much smaller staff.
Bush drew plenty of ire with his playful, often provocative interview style, asking pointed questions to Britney Spears and Penelope Cruz about their respective boyfriends, and even asking Jennifer Lopez how she felt about her notorious posterior – he even lampooned in 2004 on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” (NBC, 1994- ). On the big screen, he acknowledged his persona with an appearance as himself in the 2004 remake of “The Stepford Wives.”
