Billy Bush Gets Called out by Former ‘Access Hollywood’ Co-Host Shaun Robinson for White Privilege
Many people of color in Hollywood and other industries are coming forward with stories about their experiences of being marginalized. Former Access Hollywood co-host Shaun Robinson tweeted something after her former co-worker Billy Bush put out his interview about the George Floyd murder and following protests and uprisings.
Shaun Robinson responds to Billy Bush tweet
Bush tweeted an interview with Extra correspondent about Nate Burleson about the protests.
After Bush sent out his tweet, Robinson quote-tweeted it and said, “I appreciate you being an ally NOW. But, if you want to talk about the pain #WhitePrivilege causes African Americans, you should probably also talk to the Black woman who sat next to you on the set of #AccessHollywood for years.”
Fans began to tweet Robinson, sending her their support and backing her up. One person tweeted, “Yessssss, speak on it, sis. Tired of them issuing these worthless vows of solidarity to be PC knowing full well they mean little to none of it. If you’re truly an ally you would look at ‘home’ first to offer real assistance.”
‘More for my list of grievances? I don’t forgive him for yucking it up with Trump or for the way he spoke to Melissa McCarthy,” said someone else.
This isn’t the first time a news magazine host has talked about Bush’s privilege
In an October 2019 interview with UrbanHollywood411, former Extra co-host Tanika Ray also talked about how she found out she would be leaving the show once Billy Bush was hired. She co-hosted with Mario Lopez, who left the show months before this. Bush now hosts the show solo.
“I think we live in a country where it’s been proven time and again, that privilege is real,” she said, referring to Bush’s scandal when he interviewed Donald Trump and the now-president spoke crudely about grabbing women’s body parts.
“He can make a comeback. Whereas one of my co-hosts, A.J. Calloway, he was allegedly involved in some sexual scandal,” Ray continued. “It’s never been proven, but he will never work in TV again. But that’s America isn’t it? And once we understand the reality of it, we can move to changing that. But sure, [Bush] can get another chance. That’s sort of the world we live in.”
On leaving the show, Ray said, “The thing that really is the most sad [thing] for me is that I held my community so hard. I rode for us every single day,” she said. “And with Black celebrities that may not have gone mainstream…I made sure to get them on our podium or our platform. I made sure to do incredible interview with them. That gives [producers] no choice but to put it in the show.”
