Billy Bush reveals he tried to out Ricky Martin but destroyed footage

As a journalist for entertainment for decades, Billy Bush had countless meetings with celebrities. But his first with Ricky Martin, he remembers as “the most uncomfortable celebrity situation I have ever had”.

He said on a recent episode of Podcast Literally! With Rob Lowe That it took place when Martin released his huge success “Livin ‘La Vida Loca” from his eponymous album from 1999.

“I was young and working in New York the first two years Access to HollywoodCorrespondent of the east coast. I received the call to make and interviewed Ricky Martin in Miami for his new album and Mariah Carey the night before, “said Bush.” I know that Barbara Walters had asked him questions about her sexuality. I say to myself: “Isn’t that a big newspaper manufacturer?” “”

Bush said that in the hotel hall the day before the interview, he took an informal survey to find out what people wanted to know about the singer. He said they wanted to know if he was gay.

When he finally sat for the interview, Bush asked this question. To hear him say, Martin quickly removed his microphone.

“He gets up and he leaves the set,” said Bush, “and I’m sitting there, going,” oh s —. “”

Let’s just say he received angry phone calls from superiors. But it was not the worst.

“I say to myself,” ok, I feel really bad. “I feel bad because he was legitimately injured, and I am not hurting people.

Bush said he had returned to the place where he interviewed Martin. Without microphones. He quickly ended up with only Martin. Bush apologized.

“I say to myself,” Ricky, I’m really sorry to have asked this question “, said Bush. “‘I don’t know what I thought. It was a question of cowboy. It was inappropriate. I’m really sorry. And I promise you will never see daylight. I’m going to crush this band with a hammer.'”

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He joked: “I should have fucked another.”

Bush said Martin had said them that there would be a time and a place to tell him about his sexuality – he was released publicly in 2010, after welcoming sons – but it would not be in the Bush show at the time. He forgave him and hug him.

He did the same when they met two years later.

Bush said he had learned a “precious lesson” from the experience. It was simply: “Don’t be a hole A. Don’t be an idiot.”

EW contacted Martin representatives.

Listen to the complete bush and LOWE conversation above.