Ricky Martin ripped off mic, stormed off set after Billy Bush nearly outed him mid-interview: ‘You motherf–ker’
Ricky Martin was fuming when Billy Bush questioned him about his sexuality in the early aughts, the entertainment journalist recalled in a new interview.
Bush — who now regrets the intrusive question — revealed on “Literally! With Rob Lowe” Thursday that he told the Latin music superstar at the time that eight people he spoke to in the lobby bar the night prior wanted to know “if you’re gay.”
“He stiffens up in the chair and he goes, ‘What?’ And I go, ‘Oh boy,’” the reporter, who was working for “Access Hollywood” at the time, recalled. “And he goes, ‘You motherf–ker,’ rips off his microphone.”
Bush, now 53, claimed Martin, also now 53, added, “You want your headline … You piece of garbage.”
10“He goes, ‘You motherf–ker,’ rips off his microphone,” Bush claimed of the Latin pop star.Getty Images
The “Livin’ La Vida Loca” singer allegedly then walked off the set, leaving the entertainment reporter to say to himself, “Oh s–t,” while his producer also freaked out and said, “This is terrible.”Bush, who had flown to Miami for the interview, claimed he got a call from his bosses in Los Angeles shortly after, and they reamed him for his line of questioning.“I’m not in the business of hurting people. I am in the business of figuring out who I am and where I’m going. And you need to be able to make mistakes in life,” the “Extra” host told podcaster Rob Lowe, further reflecting on the incident.10“I’m not in the business of hurting people,” Bush added, noting he regretted asking Martin if he was gay.Team Coco Podcasts/YouTube10Bush was just starting his career at “Access Hollywood” when the incident occurred.Bush said he immediately walked back into the interview location to apologize to Martin, and said, “Ricky, I am so sorry for asking that question. I don’t know what I was thinking. It was a cowboy question. It was inappropriate. I’m so sorry, and I promise you this will never see the light of day.”The “Nobody Wants to Be Lonely” singer then transparently told him, “I’ve been struggling with this my whole life. There will be a time, there will be a place. It will not be here on this program while I’m promoting this album.”He continued, “It is deeply personal to me. I appreciate you coming back in here. I forgive you.”10In the early aughts, there were many rumors about Martin’s sexuality.Getty Images10The “Livin’ La Vida Loca” singer allegedly told Bush privately, “I’ve been struggling with this my whole life. There will be a time, there will be a place.”WireImageMartin eventually came out as gay in 2010, approximately seven years after his interview with Bush.He announced on his website at the time that he was a “fortunate homosexual man.”The “She Bangs” singer added, “These years in silence and reflection made me stronger and reminded me that acceptance has to come from within and that this kind of truth gives me the power to conquer emotions I didn’t even know existed.”10Martin eventually came out as gay in 2010.Getty Images10He later said he had been left traumatized by interviewers that tried to out him like Barbara Walters.CTVThe revelation came after years of speculation about Martin’s sexuality from fans and journalists, like Bush, who pried into the details about his personal life.sit-down for “20/20” in 2000, which the renowned news anchor later regretted.Martin has said that interview left him feeling “violated” and with “a little PTSD” because he wasn’t ready to come out.10Bush added on “Literally! With Rob Lowe” that he appreciated that he and Martin were able to make amends.Team Coco Podcasts/YouTube