Donny Deutsch Talks Up His Friendship with ‘King-Maker’ Donald Trump
Donny Deutsch’s USA comedy “Donny!” hasn’t even premiered yet and he’s already thinking about someone he’d like to have on season 2: Donald Trump.
That is, of course, if the other Donald’s political campaign doesn’t pan out.
Speaking at the Television Critics Association panel Wednesday for his upcoming USA comedy series, Deutsch said that he and Trump are friends — their kids go to the same school and Deutsch appeared on the first three seasons of “The Apprentice” while Trump appeared on Deutsch’s CNBC talk show “The Big Idea.” Deutsch bragged that he even has Trump’s phone number. But he admitted he wasn’t sure about his presidential run.
“It is theater of the absurd beyond,” Deutsch said, adding that he wasn’t sure if Trump has thought it through but that “he’s this incredible brand and this enzyme right now … at the very least, he’s going to be a king-maker.”
“Donny!” is what USA is calling a “soft-scripted” series where the lines are partly improvised. It has Deutsch starring as an ad man with his own talk show. So what would he ask Trump if could talk to him on his show?
“I’d say, ‘Dude, do you really know what you’re getting yourself into?,'” Deutsch said, adding that he’d also ask Trump about his hair.
Alas, Deutsch will have to wait to see how things pan out in November — this one, not next year’s. The first season of “Donny!” premieres Nov. 10 on USA after the return of Todd Chrisley’s reality series “Chrisley Knows Best.” His guest stars include Regis Philbin, Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb.
Trump was also the subject later in the day at the panel for “West Texas Investors Club,” which airs at 10 p.m. Tuesdays on CNBC. Those panelists — three folksy Texans who making high-finance deals and investments in startup ventures — were blunt.
“The trouble with Donald Trump is that his thoughts turn into words,” said co-star Butch Gilliam.
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