NBC

NBC execs had a plan to time the release of the Donald Trump audio to have maximum impact on both the 2nd presidential debate and the general election ... sources connected with the network tell TMZ.

Multiple sources connected with NBC tell us ... top network execs knew about the video long before they publicly said they did, but wanted to hold it because it was too early in the election. The sources say many NBC execs have open disdain for Trump and their plan was to roll out the tape 48 hours before the debate so it would dominate the news cycle leading up to the face-off.

As we reported, Billy Bush was bragging about the tape -- in front of NBC execs at the Rio Olympics -- in early August. NBC says it's only known about the tape for a little more than a week.

We're told the plan was to edit the tape to keep the focus on Trump and not Billy. "Access Hollywood" we're told was not going to air the portion where Trump and Billy got off the bus and Billy goaded Trump and the soap star to hug. Our sources say the tape was going to be "sanitized" to protect Billy as much as possible.

Case in point ... after The Washington Post ran the story, 'Access' aired their footage and cut out the parts where Billy looked worse -- saying things like, "Jeez! Your girl's hot as s*** in the purple!"

We've told you the plan got derailed by Hurricane Matthew. Execs decided the wall-to-wall coverage of the storm would mess up the plan to dominate the news with the Trump tape, so they were going to hold it until Monday. It didn't sit well with some staffers who wanted it out pre-debate, so it was leaked to the Washington Post.

Billy Bush has been all but fired by NBC for his part in the "Access Hollywood" Donald Trump outtakes, but his bosses had no problem with Billy's offhanded remarks about women ... for years.

Sources connected to "Access Hollywood" tell us, Billy and others would talk openly in the newsroom about women ... and some of it's even on tape. We're told some of the comments -- "Man, you look hot today," "Look at her legs," and "Man, she looks hot today!"

Billy was particularly impressed with Gigi Hadid and Taylor Swift's legs. He also, somewhat infamously, asked J Lo point-blank about her butt ... although that comment was at least on camera.

The point is ... we're told no one complained, and Billy wasn't the only one making those kinds of remarks.

What's more ... we're told a number of people knew about the Trump/Bush conversation when it went down in 2005, and again ... no one complained.

People at NBC knew about Donald Trump's crude convo with Billy Bush for at least 2 months ... because Billy was bragging about it back then.

TMZ has confirmed ... Billy was telling NBC staffers in Rio about the tape back in early August, when he was still working for "Access Hollywood." We're told word circulated because Billy made it clear Trump was trash-talking Nancy O'Dell.

NBC News says it didn't know about the outtakes until a week ago Monday, but the word around the network is people knew, including executives at 'Access,' which is an NBC property. We're told those executives had full knowledge of Billy's comments on the tape ... which creates a potential problem if NBC is serious about firing him.

We're told Bush's camp will argue they can't 86 him based on a "morality clause" because execs knew what he had said, and didn't discipline him at the time ... 11 years ago.

Sylvester Stallone's training and weight loss show, "Strong" was jacked from the mind of a personal trainer ... according to the suit the guy just filed.

Robert Fletcher says he created a show called "America's Next Great Trainer" and shopped it around Hollywood in 2014. He says he sent his pitch materials to Stallone's publicist, and also to agents at William Morris Endeavor ... which reps Stallone.

Fletcher thinks it's no coincidence that in early 2016 he started hearing about "Strong" -- the NBC show that lists Sly as one of its executive producers.

"Strong" features male and female trainers competing in various physical challenges -- and in his suit, Fletcher says that's almost a carbon copy of his show idea.

He says it's also fishy that one of the "Strong" trainers is a guy named Todd Durkin. Fletcher says Durkin was attached to 'ANGT' ... but went radio silent in 2015.

He's suing Stallone, NBC, Durkin and other "Strong" producers for at least $7 mil.

"The Biggest Loser" needs to drop more than weight ... its new logo is a total rip-off, according to a new lawsuit filed by former NFL lineman LeCharles Bentley.

Donald Trump has settled his legal disputes with NBCUniversal and Univision by using his best resource ... money, money, money.

The Donald just announced he bought out NBC's half share of the Miss Universe Organization ... making him 100% owner.

Trump threatened NBC with a lawsuit after they yanked the Miss USA pageant off the air, following his remarks about Mexicans. Miss USA is a part of the Miss Universe Org. He sued Univision for $500 million, which also pulled the plug on the pageant.

Casey Anthony and Matt Lauer could be meeting really soon, because she's been wheeling and dealing with NBC execs trying to hammer out a deal for a sit-down.

TMZ broke the story ... Anthony, who was acquitted in 2011 of murdering her daughter, flew to New York City last week. We got video of her and veteran producer Don Wood arriving, and according to our sources, NBC paid for the flight.

Since she's been in NYC, the NY Post says Anthony and Wood have met with a senior NBC booker who handles 'Today' and other NBC news programs.

As we've reported, Casey flirted with network interviews in the past, but never closed. As of now ... NBC's saying no deal yet -- and you gotta figure she's also talking to other outlets in NYC.

Stay tuned.

Nancy Snyderman has resigned as Chief Medical Editor at NBC News, but the handwriting was clearly on the wall.

Snyderman has been scarcely seen on the broadcast over the last few weeks. Fact is ... her profile has been much lower since her return after the Ebola scandal, where she violated a voluntary quarantine by going to a restaurant near her New Jersey home.

There was also an incident a few weeks back, where she appeared live on the air slurring her words and seeming kind of out of it.

Lester Holt gets the game ... he answered our photog's goofy question about the whole Brian Williams thing perfectly ... with a laugh.

Lester was leaving 30 Rock after anchoring "NBC Nightly News" when our photog tried projecting 6 months into the future, wondering if he would duke it out with Williams for the job.

There's something about the way he handled it ... he didn't answer but he didn't scoff either ... perfect.

Conventional wisdom is ... it's a long shot that Williams will return. Our NBC sources say Lester's contract allows him to walk if he's passed over for permanent anchor if Williams leaves.

A video appearing to be the isolated vocals from Mariah Carey's NBC performance Wednesday night has found its way online ... and she struggled.

The video was posted on a site called The Concourse and it seems authentic. It matches the version that aired on TV with full accompaniment.

Mariah seems fine during the meat and potatoes portion of "All I Want for Christmas is You" ... but she has difficulty when she exercises her upper octave range.

It's interesting for sure.

Mariah Carey hit the stage at Rockefeller Center for the NBC special -- nearly 24 hours late ... but whatever.

Mariah just performed her classic "All I Want for Christmas is You" for the tree lighting special ... and she did it LIVE ... as promised.

TMZ broke the story ... Mariah pissed off fans and crew members by making them wait in the cold for 3 hours last night when the rest of the special was recorded -- so NBC yanked her from the lineup.

Mimi got a second chance today when the Peacock agreed to tack on her performance ... but ONLY if she did it live. Worth the wait? Watch ...

NBC just realized Mariah Carey is worth the hassle ... because they have now booked her to perform live tonight ... this after pulling the plug on her Tuesday night.

TMZ broke the story that Mariah showed up more than 3 hours late for a taped performance that was supposed to air during the Christmas tree lighting ceremony Wednesday night in Rockefeller Center. She was delayed because she was yacking with her lawyer about the divorce settlement with husband Nick. When she finally showed up, frustrated NBC execs sent her packing.

But, NBC had a change of heart and they are now rolling the dice that she will show up tonight. It's interesting ... the decision comes after LeAnn Rimes tweeted that she would have more air time, insinuating it was because of 'the Mariah problem.'

The tree lighting ceremony just got more interesting.

Mariah tweeted about the ordeal Wednesday afternoon, writing, "Last night's situation was beyond my control. I apologize to all that showed up, you know that I would never want to disappoint you."

Mariah Carey was so consumed with divorce talk Tuesday evening ... she blew off her scheduled taped performance for the Rockefeller Center tree lighting ceremony ... and when she finally showed up the pissed off NBC honchos sent her packing.

Carey was supposed to tape a segment for the live show that airs Wednesday night. But as fans waited for hours in the rainy, cold night , there was no Mariah in sight.

People connected to the hotel tell us ... Mariah was ensconced in her East Side hotel, yacking with her lawyer on the phone about her divorce. People who overheard her say it did not seem nasty ... she was going over the property settlement.

When she pulled up to Rockefeller Center more than 3 hours late, she was still on the phone and people overheard her continuing to talk divorce.

NBC execs were full on enraged -- ditto the crew -- and Mariah's people were told to just go home. We're told she really wanted to perform, but the network had clearly had enough.

We're told Mariah was upset because she didn't want to disappoint her fans or the network.

Calls to Mariah's rep were not returned.

Matt Lauer was more honest than any of his colleagues Tuesday ... telling our photog that Nancy Snyderman was squarely at fault for violating the Ebola quarantine ... something no one, including the doc, has said.

We got Matt coming out of the "Today" studios and asked about Snyderman's apology, in which she says her crew did indeed violate the quarantine ... she did NOT take personal responsibility, even though she was in the back of her Mercedes for a restaurant run recently.

Matt didn't mince words, and said Nancy's part of the crew and assessed the blame where it should lie.

NBC got back to us and said they couldn't comment "due to privacy concerns." They added their team -- including Dr. Nancy Snyderman -- was deemed "low risk" and agreed to follow guidelines. According to the Health Dept. ... someone didn't.

NBC News -- which has scared the crap out of American citizens by warning them of the dangers of Ebola and the cautions that must be taken -- did exactly the opposite.

The New Jersey Health Department just revealed the NBC crew that had agreed to a voluntary 21-day quarantine after one of its cameraman tested positive for Ebola ... VIOLATED the quarantine.

It's pretty ridiculous ... NBC seemed almost breathlessly excited in reporting that it's people became part of the story.

Now the health department has laid down the law and ORDERED medical correspondent Nancy Snyderman and the other crew members to stay put and comply with the basic safety rules.

Brace yourselves Dundler Mifflinites ... one of the stars of "The Office" -- who also ran the show behind the scenes for a few seasons -- says there will NEVER be a reunion.

Paul Lieberstein -- better known as Toby Flenderson -- was on his way out of Riva Bella in West Hollywood when we asked if there was a chance the cast would ever reunite.

The actor got right to the point without pulling any punches.