# Old (pre-Apprentice) TV mentions of Donald Trump **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies, trump\ **Created:** [October 2, 2026, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-pre-apprentice-tv-mentions-of-donald-trump/1033540 "2026-10-02T16:25:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-pre-apprentice-tv-mentions-of-donald-trump/1033540/41 "2026-10-02T22:51:00Z")
> [@dorvann](#): > > One thing I have always wonder if if the Zapp Branigan character in Futurama was inspired by Donald Trump. Biff Tannen, in the alternative future where he’s a mogul, definitely was. > **[Back to the Future writer: bad guy Biff was based on Donald Trump](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/oct/23/back-to-the-future-writer-bad-guy-biff-was-based-on-donald-trump)** > > Screenwriter Bob Gale confirms long-standing fan theory that Marty’s nemesis in the trilogy was modelled on the Republican presidential candidate ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-pre-apprentice-tv-mentions-of-donald-trump/1033540/42 "2026-10-02T22:53:35Z")
In 1983, during Bob Vila’s time at _This Old House_, both Donald Trump and Ivana appeared on an episode. Part of the time was spent at newly built Trump Tower lobby in NYC, and another part was at a penthouse apartment there. If course, the apartment had a gorgeous skyline view and over-the-top design. That was the first time that I saw Trump in action, and I immediately knew that I didn’t like him. A year later my wife and I were vacationing in NYC and we toured the Trump Tower lobby, because of what we saw in that episode. As we planned on taking THE escalator to the second level to see the shops there, the security guard at the bottom of it looked us over and evidently thought we were worthy of stepping on such precious ground. We went up, looked around, and went right back down. As we left, there was a long line of black limos idling on the street. I knew then that we were not of that world. ---
**Author:** ![motu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/motu/32/259_2.png) [@motu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/motu)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-pre-apprentice-tv-mentions-of-donald-trump/1033540/43 "2026-10-02T23:39:57Z")
Wrestlemania IV & V were held at Trump Plaza in Atlantic City (1988 & 1989). He got many mentions and camera time. Also, he occasionally would attend events, obviously in the front row and would get a camera on him because of that. Vince McMahon and Trump were friends for decades, both are carnies. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-pre-apprentice-tv-mentions-of-donald-trump/1033540/44 "2026-10-02T23:50:41Z")
Quantum Leap had an episode where our time-traveling hero gets a chance to change the course of someone’s life for the better: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/oD25zo_fTPw/maxresdefault.jpg "Trump in Quantum Leap Series (S04E18)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oD25zo_fTPw) ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2026, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-pre-apprentice-tv-mentions-of-donald-trump/1033540/45 "2026-10-03T00:04:45Z")
[What am I, chopped liver?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-pre-apprentice-tv-mentions-of-donald-trump/1033540/11) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2026, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-pre-apprentice-tv-mentions-of-donald-trump/1033540/46 "2026-10-03T00:06:12Z")
Well, you clearly just went back in time and put that there. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2026, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-pre-apprentice-tv-mentions-of-donald-trump/1033540/47 "2026-10-03T00:13:50Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Trump was very happy to throw stones on Larry King. But he definitely wouldn’t commit to helping rebuild the Trade Center. Why on earth would he? It’s owned by the Port Authority and a guy named Larry Silverstein held a long term lease. He had no ownership or any right or way to help financially or otherwise. I can see him criticizing the effort because he’s a dick but expecting that he help financially makes no sense. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2026, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-pre-apprentice-tv-mentions-of-donald-trump/1033540/48 "2026-10-03T00:47:39Z")
The first time I heard Trump’s name was when Rona Barrett appeared on the Tonight Show to promote an upcoming interview with America’s youngest billionaire. “His name is Donald Trump…” Carson asked why he’d never heard of him. Barrett answered that Trump was extremely shy of publicity. This was around 1980-81. I’ve never forgotten that the first thing I heard about Trump was a lie. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2026, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-pre-apprentice-tv-mentions-of-donald-trump/1033540/49 "2026-10-03T00:48:35Z")
> [@F.U.Shakespeare](#): > > Carson asked why he’d never heard of Trump. Barrett answered that Trump was extremely shy of publicity. What went wrong that stopped being true? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2026, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-pre-apprentice-tv-mentions-of-donald-trump/1033540/50 "2026-10-03T00:54:32Z")
> [@F.U.Shakespeare](#): > > I’ve never forgotten that the first thing I heard about Trump was a lie. The shy part or the billionaire part? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2026, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-pre-apprentice-tv-mentions-of-donald-trump/1033540/51 "2026-10-03T01:06:17Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > The shy part or the billionaire part? I mean, I thought his taxes revealed he was about -$320,000,000 or so at the time his taxes were filed. Owed a ton of money to foreign banks and businesses. What ever happened with this? ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2026, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-pre-apprentice-tv-mentions-of-donald-trump/1033540/52 "2026-10-03T01:20:44Z")
> [@dorvann](#): > > One thing I have always wonder if if the Zapp Branigan character in Futurama was inspired by Donald Trump. There’s a [video on YouTube](https://youtu.be/VA8vQorhAE0?is=30oVwNzHGbjlofvs) of Billy West (Zapp’s voice actor) reading Trump tweets as Zapp. It’s frightening how well they mesh. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2026, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-pre-apprentice-tv-mentions-of-donald-trump/1033540/53 "2026-10-03T01:29:18Z")
A 1958 episode of the western series _Trackdown_ featured Trump as an itinerant con man: > **Narrator** : The people were ready to believe. Like sheep they ran to the slaughterhouse. And waiting for them was the high priest of fraud. > > **Trump** : I am the only one. Trust me. I can build a wall around your homes that nothing will penetrate. > > **Townperson** : What do we do? How can we save ourselves? > > **Trump** : You ask how do you build that wall. You ask, and I’m here to tell you. (OK, it was actually a character named _Walter_ Trump, and Donald Trump was only 11 years old at the time, but still…) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2026, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-pre-apprentice-tv-mentions-of-donald-trump/1033540/54 "2026-10-03T01:33:52Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Why on earth would he? It’s owned by the Port Authority and a guy named Larry Silverstein held a long term lease. He had no ownership or any right or way to help financially or otherwise. I can see him criticizing the effort because he’s a dick but expecting that he help financially makes no sense. My memory was faulty. I recalled that a group of NY Developers took on the project. Trump’s company could have joined that effort. That may have been one of many proposals that was rejected. This was a long, long time ago. I don’t know the complete timeline. Apparently Silverstein Properties had the financial resources to Develop and rebuild this huge property. Link [https://newyorkyimby.com/2026/09/checking-in-on-the-world-trade-center-complex-redevelopment-25-years-later.html](https://newyorkyimby.com/2026/09/checking-in-on-the-world-trade-center-complex-redevelopment-25-years-later.html) > [@](#): > > The largest piece is 2 World Trade Center, a 55-story office supertall that **[officially resumed construction](https://newyorkyimby.com/2026/07/2-world-trade-center-officially-restarts-construction-with-ceremonial-groundbreaking-in-financial-district-manhattan.html)** over the summer after sitting stalled at street level for nearly 15 years. Designed by Foster + Partners and developed by Silverstein Properties on land owned by the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey (PANYNJ), ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2026, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-pre-apprentice-tv-mentions-of-donald-trump/1033540/55 "2026-10-03T11:09:00Z")
He’s mentioned on The Sopranos in the context of when they are running — appropriately enough — a HUD scam. “Eat my dust, Donald Trump.” They mention him again a few seasons later, Ivana too, but that’s post-Apprentice. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2026, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-pre-apprentice-tv-mentions-of-donald-trump/1033540/56 "2026-10-03T11:36:40Z")
> [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > A 1958 episode of the western series _Trackdown_ featured Trump as an itinerant con man: ISTR this has been discussed here before and there is some genuine belief that this was a potshot at Fred Trump, who had also been the subject of a Woody Guthrie song in 1954. > **[Old Man Trump](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Man_Trump)** > > "Old Man Trump" is a song with lyrics written by American folk singer-songwriter Woody Guthrie in 1954. The song describes the racist housing practices and discriminatory rental policies of his landlord, Fred Trump, father of the current United States President Donald Trump. In January 2016, Will Kaufman, a Guthrie scholar and professor of American literature and culture at the University of Lancashire, unearthed the handwritten lyrics while conducting research at the Woody Guthrie Archives in T... ---
**Author:** ![motu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/motu/32/259_2.png) [@motu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/motu)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2026, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-pre-apprentice-tv-mentions-of-donald-trump/1033540/57 "2026-10-03T18:30:05Z")
[![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/jkR-RwV-xAY/hqdefault.jpg "1995 - Pizza Hut - Entitled to Half (with Donald Trump) Commercial") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkR-RwV-xAY) 1995 [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/iyqEFUQKczw/hqdefault.jpg "Pizza Hut "New Yorker" TV ad (2000) featuring Donald Trump") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyqEFUQKczw) 2000 [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/W4QNXnNftWk/hqdefault.jpg "McDonalds - Donald Trump + Grimace Commercial") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4QNXnNftWk) 2002 ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2026, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-pre-apprentice-tv-mentions-of-donald-trump/1033540/58 "2026-10-03T20:49:23Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > The shy part or the billionaire part? Yes. One reason the story sayed with me was because there was a family in my hometown named Trump. They were dirt-poor trash, and had about a dozen kids, who were always in and out of jail. I thought, wow, a guy named Trump, who _hasn’t_ cost the taxpayers an arm and a leg… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-pre-apprentice-tv-mentions-of-donald-trump/1033540.md?page=2)