Donald Trump announcement today- to the great astonishment of at least 8 people- that he’s not running for president brings the issue to mind. Nobody could deny that he’s an epic publicity whore who’d stop little short of showing his wife’s boobs to casino visitors if it would get him two minutes of free publicity, but is he the ultimate one?
Nowhere near Trump’s level but I’ll mention him for the sideshow quality is Frederic von Anhalt, the ersatz prince married to Zsa Zsa Gabor. A few of his stunts over the years include stating that he was the father of Anna Nicole’s baby, being found naked handcuffed to his Rolls steering wheel where he claimed hitchhikers had left him, run for governor of California and given interviews in which he trashed America in an obvious trolling fashion. Most recently he has claimed that he and 94 year old Zsa Zsa critically ill amputee Zsa Zsa are going to become parents by a surrogate mother, specifically David Hasshellhoff’s (48 year old) ex-wife Pamela Bach. Bach has called him a liar.
Who are some other “any press is better than no press” hos?
With social media it’s a lot easier to be a celebrity publicity whore than back in the old days. Trump, Sharpton and Hilton would find it hard to compete with people like:
Aimee Semple McPherson a radio evangelist of the 1920s, who disappeared for 32 days, and claimed to have escaped from kidnappers in a grueling 13 hour walk through the desert, despite being impeccably dressed when she presented herself.
Senator Joseph McCarthywho claimed to have enlisted in the Army as a private (he went in as an officer), been wounded in combat (he wasn’t) and inflated his combat record – all before he ever waved lists of suspected Communists in front of reporters, without ever giving the names to authorities.
Morton Downey, Jr.,talk show host who, during a period when his ratings were sinking, claimed that skinheads had assaulted him in an airport bathroom and painted a swastika on his forehead, among other indignities.
Madonna for being, well, for being Madonna, particularly the 1981-1993 period.
To me, having some modicum of talent mitigates the famewhore factor somewhat. So as annoying as Kanye, Madonna, and even Donald Trump are, there is some worth to their public persona.
People who I deem utterly worthless, if not for some accident of birth or dumb luck, might just as likely be living out the back of a dumpster…
Paris Hilton
Sarah Palin (she got elected to the governorship of a state, which is something, but all that did is make me think that if I mastered the winking thing, I could as well.)