Billy Bush vividly recalls “the most uncomfortable celebrity interview situation” he has ever encountered, and it centers around the renowned singer Ricky Martin.
The 53-year-old entertainment host recently appeared on Literally! with Rob Lowe, where he discussed a memorable interview he conducted with the iconic “Livin’ La Vida Loca” artist during the launch of his self-titled debut album in 1999.
“During my early days as the East Coast correspondent for Access Hollywood, I received a call to travel to Miami for an interview with Ricky Martin, right after I had been scheduled to interview Mariah Carey the night before,” he recounted, reflecting on the excitement and pressure of such high-profile interviews.
“I remembered that Barbara Walters had previously questioned him about his sexuality. I thought to myself, ‘Wouldn’t that be a significant news topic?’”
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In the hotel lobby the evening prior to the interview, he conducted an informal poll to gauge what questions the audience was curious about, and overwhelmingly, they wanted to know if Ricky Martin was gay.
When he eventually sat down for the interview, Billy posed the question, only for Ricky to swiftly remove his microphone and walk off the set.
“He stood up and exited the set, leaving me stunned, thinking, ‘Oh s—,’” he expressed, recounting the panic of the moment.
“At that moment, I genuinely felt remorse. I was aware that I had hurt him, and that was never my intention. I’m in the business of understanding myself and navigating my career, not causing pain to others. It’s crucial to learn from our mistakes in life. Remember that, everyone,” he advised.
After the awkward exchange, Billy approached Ricky without his microphone and offered a heartfelt apology.
“I said, ‘Ricky, I sincerely apologize for that question,’” he recalled. “‘I have no idea what I was thinking. It was a reckless question—completely inappropriate. I’m so sorry. I promise you, this will never be aired. I will destroy that tape with a hammer.’”
He humorously added, “In hindsight, I should have smashed another one.”
