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[ElectricBlanketFire]

CNN just posted the article but it's from an interview with Howard Stern back in 2008.

In an effort to gin up interest in his newly revamped "Celebrity Apprentice" in 2008, Donald Trump entertained a controversial idea: bringing on O.J. Simpson as a contestant.

The proposal was quickly and unequivocally shot down by NBC at the time. The company released a statement in April 2008 saying, "NBC representatives have never considered O.J. Simpson for the next season of 'The Apprentice,' nor will."

Trump added that while he was friendly and played golf with O.J. before the murder trial, he abandoned him when he "realized he killed his wife."

"Why would you put him on the Apprentice?" Stern asked

"Well you know, in your business, there's a thing called ratings. And, you know you can come up with a cure for cancer — I found out a lot about your business — because, hey, I'm the biggest star. I'm now the biggest star," Trump said. "So I know that if you come up with a cure for cancer, and if you put it on, and if it doesn't get ratings, they will not broadcast it."

"So, you come with a cure for a disease, no good. Now, I know this if I put O.J. on huge ratings. Oh, forget it, 35 million people," Trump said.

"So did O.J. call you and..." said Stern.

"I don't want to go into it, but O.J. would have done it," said Trump. "I can't go into the details."

Trump refused to answer if he spoke to Simpson about the show when asked directly.

Trump said, "I hadn't spoken to him in years, I don't like people that kill their wives. Does that make sense? Does that make me a disloyal person?"

More at the link including Trump saying Nicole would be "kissing his ass" if she knew he'd turn into "the biggest star on television."

 

[Wag]

The best entertainer.

 

[ShockingAlberto]

What the hell is that cancer bit about

 

[TheWorthyEdge]

Definitely would've gotten the ratings...

 

[SpaceWolf]

The man talks like he's got brain damage.

 

[QuantumBro]

Gotta love comparing OJ Simpson to the cure for cancer.

 

[adj_noun]

What the hell is that cancer bit about

Cures for cancer don't get ratings.

 

[RPGCrazied]

The man talks like he's got brain damage.

And he is President of the United States. Let that sink in for a minute.

I'm still in disbelief.

 

[Baron von Loathsome]

Trump added that while he was friendly and played golf with O.J. before the murder trial, he abandoned him when he "realized he killed his wife."

I can imagine Trump suddenly realizing that there was a reason that everyone thought OJ killed his wife.

 

[Linkura]

Even in 2008, his interviews were complete gobbledygook.

 

[MrSaturn99]

"Well you know, in your business, there's a thing called ratings. And, you know you can come up with a cure for cancer — I found out a lot about your business — because, hey, I'm the biggest star. I'm now the biggest star," Trump said. "So I know that if you come up with a cure for cancer, and if you put it on, and if it doesn't get ratings, they will not broadcast it."

jesus christ

 

[JustenP88]

At what point was he ever "the biggest star" of anything? I'm not up on the hierarchy of reality TV clowns, but I thought The Apprentice was just a blip in that objectively trash genre of entertainment.

 

[SoundofSilence]

"Well you know, in your business, there's a thing called ratings. And, you know you can come up with a cure for cancer — I found out a lot about your business — because, hey, I'm the biggest star. I'm now the biggest star," Trump said. "So I know that if you come up with a cure for cancer, and if you put it on, and if it doesn't get ratings, they will not broadcast it."

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

 

[Netherscourge]

OJ would probably turn down Trump these days.

 

[Brandon F]

What the hell is that cancer bit about

Had to read that passage a couple times myself, but he is pointlessly saying OJ is guaranteed ratings and constructs an argument in his head about how OJ could even beat the person that cured cancer in terms of popularity...because of a 'what If' scenario wherein the cancer savior gets poor ratings for reasons he doesn't state and therefore the show wouldn't air....

Look it's really easier to just call Trump a complete moron than make sense of it.

 

[Szadek]

jesus christ

He sounds like he just had a stroke.

 

[CopperPuppy]

"That day he became President."

- Van Jones

 

[HeySeuss]

I don't know if he made parole or if that's still yet to be determined today, but if he gets out he will be all over the media with appearances on every major network. For the exact reason Trump said in the op. So even though he's an easy punching bag and most of it is deserved, he's right.

 

[Nazgul_Hunter]

What he means by the cancer bit is that it's not sexy enough for TV ratings. It'd be a huge boon for humanity, but nobody would watch it on TV cause that's boring.

Now a guy who killed his wife, now that's a ratings boost.

That's basically what he's saying.

 

[Wag]

I don't know if he made parole or if that's still yet to be determined today, but if he gets out he will be all over the media with appearances on every major network. For the exact reason Trump said in the op. So even though he's an easy punching bag and most of it is deserved, he's right.

Probably not. He's a pariah and would want to keep a low-profile. Doesn't he still owe the Goldmans and Browns millions of dollars?

 

[RPGCrazied]

I don't know if he made parole or if that's still yet to be determined today, but if he gets out he will be all over the media with appearances on every major network. For the exact reason Trump said in the op. So even though he's an easy punching bag and most of it is deserved, he's right.

If he does I'd expect him to get a White House visit with picture time under Hillary painting.

 

[Funky Papa]

jesus christ

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

IRL POTUS talks like his counterpart from a late 80's/early 90's Japanese videogame.

What a time to be alive.

 

[Gunkankun]

"I hadn't spoken to him in years, I don't like people that kill their wives. Does that make sense? Does that make me a disloyal person?"

What is he talking about? Does he need a pat on the back for this or something?

 

[Kinyou]

What he means by the cancer bit is that it's not sexy enough for TV ratings. It'd be a huge boon for humanity, but nobody would watch it on TV cause that's boring.

Now a guy who killed his wife, now that's a ratings boost.

That's basically what he's saying.

Yeah, that seems to be his point but it also shows how terrible he is at making analogies. How would you even put "cure for cancer" on his apprentice show? It would make much more sense if he had thought of some intellectual celebrity like Neil deGrasse Tyson as example.

 

[Marty Chinn]

What he means by the cancer bit is that it's not sexy enough for TV ratings. It'd be a huge boon for humanity, but nobody would watch it on TV cause that's boring.

Now a guy who killed his wife, now that's a ratings boost.

That's basically what he's saying.

Ya, of all the Trump things to complain about, Trump is actually right here. As controversial and even disgusting as it would be to use OJ to boost ratings, people would tune in and create good ratings simply because of the controversy.

 

[HeySeuss]

Probably not. He's a pariah and would want to keep a low-profile. Doesn't he still owe the Goldmans and Browns millions of dollars?

All the more reason for him to make appearances and write another book.

If he does I'd expect him to get a White House visit with picture time under Hillary painting.

This would cause his base to have a stroke not knowing how to feel. On the one hand it's putting the fu to Hillary, but on the other hand he's the black man that got away with murder. I'd pay to see that shitshow lol

 

[Brandon F]

Ya, of all the Trump things to complain about, Trump is actually right here. As controversial and even disgusting as it would be to use OJ to boost ratings, people would tune in and create good ratings simply because of the controversy.

Yea, that's obvious to everyone. The point being NBC taking the ethical and moral stance that Trump isn't very concerned about. No surprise really, but it's good to prove the pattern.

 

[Linkura]

Ya, of all the Trump things to complain about, Trump is actually right here. As controversial and even disgusting as it would be to use OJ to boost ratings, people would tune in and create good ratings simply because of the controversy.

Right. But it's his completely incoherent words that stand out to me. Even 9 years ago, he was fucking terrible at interviews.

 

[Randolph Freelander]

Trump said, "I hadn't spoken to him in years, I don't like people that kill their wives. Does that make sense? Does that make me a disloyal person?"

Trump's moral compass is so broken that he wonders if distancing himself from a double murderer is a bad thing.

 

[Jisgsaw]

"Well you know, in your business, there's a thing called ratings. And, you know you can come up with a cure for cancer — I found out a lot about your business — because, hey, I'm the biggest star. I'm now the biggest star," Trump said. "So I know that if you come up with a cure for cancer, and if you put it on, and if it doesn't get ratings, they will not broadcast it."

I know I should be used to it by now, but... I'm sorry, WHAT?

 

[Brandon F]

The "I found out about your business" part tugs at me.

Like, is Trump assuming that the person responsible for curing cancer would immediately grow a for-profit enterprise to exploit the cure and due to Trump's own stature, he would have no problems finding this out and getting a meeting to discuss his appearance on the Apprentice?

Or is he just equating the accomplishment of one curing cancer as Trump "finding out about your business" because his stature as a TV soundbyte means he gets a heads-up on stuff like that before worldwide acclaim from the media?

 

[Netherscourge]

If Trump could, he would have had OJ BEAT UP the guy who cured cancer in a celebrity boxing match, because that would get bigger ratings than the cure for cancer itself.