Did Donald Trump pay actors to hold signs at his announcement speech?

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Donald Trump’s now-announced presidential campaign is either a goldmine of hilarity or a sideshow. Or both, I guess. I don’t think anyone is taking it seriously, are they? What’s interesting is that Trump actually IS polling better than several big-name Republican candidates. But polling is a double-edged sword for Trump – he has major name-recognition, which is good, but even a majority of Republicans already know that they hate him (which is bad). Trump’s nonsensical Is-this-a-parody announcement speech didn’t help matters either. Basically, the whole thing is already a glorious mess. So let’s go through some Trump headlines this week:

Neil Young is pissed. At Trump’s announcement, Canadian Neil Young’s “Keep on Rockin’ in the Free World” was played repeatedly. Neil Young says that Trump used the song without permission and that during this election cycle, he’s going to be supporting Bernie Sanders. Which… I want to hear that song played at Bernie Sanders’ rallies from here on out.

Trump may have paid actors to cheer for him. There was a good turnout at Trump’s presidential announcement at Trump Tower on Tuesday. THR claims that Trump gave actors $50 each to show up and wave signs for him. THR even had the email evidence, and it’s pretty clear that many of the “homemade signs” were actually distributed by Trump’s campaign. Trump’s people told E! News the story isn’t true but they would not be commenting further. Ha.

Trump loves dictators. The Daily Beast compiled a list!

Trump is probably lying about his wealth. He claims he’s worth more than $8 billion. The truth is that he probably has assets estimated at about $4 billion, if that. And the FEC is going to need more documentation than the one-page assessment Trump handed out.

Trump’s Combover of Secrets. Trump was in New Hampshire this week and he offered to let one woman touch his hair to prove that it is real. Even Fox News was surprised that Trump is putting the Combover of Secrets front and center during his campaign.

Trump insults a dude in a wheelchair. He was dissing George Will and wheelchair-bound Charles Krauthammer and these are Trump’s actual words: “You know when I watch a George Will or a Charles Krauthammer, you know, I watch them for years, they’re losers. They sit there. They haven’t done anything.” THEY JUST SIT THERE.

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Photos courtesy of WENN.

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96 Responses to “Did Donald Trump pay actors to hold signs at his announcement speech?”

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  1. Lilacflowers says:

    Just glorious!

  2. Kiddo says:

    He is a really bad parody of politicians, in general. People would groan if SNL put out a skit THIS stupid.

    • C. C. Cedras says:

      Ya know…SNL could do the exact same thing they did with Sarah Palin when Amy Poehler and Tina Fey did the Couric interview straight up. It would be hilarious.

  3. Debbie says:

    Of course he hired actors no one is actually going to get behind this. However, it will be fun to watch all his delusions and lies crumble around him.

    • Denisemich says:

      +1..

      Also,I don’t believe polls this early in the race. Let’s wait until Jan 2016 to see what is really going on..

      America has real issues and Donald Trump is not the person to fix any of them.

    • Bridget says:

      I just assumed Trump paid everyone to be there. It’s not like anyone actually wants the guy to run for president.

      • PrincessMe says:

        But $50 bucks though (if that’s the real figure). I wouldn’t accept (just) $50 bucks to be anywhere near that mess. Have some standards actors, lol. He’s worth “8 billion” after all.

      • Chinoiserie says:

        Is he really so delusional that does not realise that he needs to pay for people to support him becaus nobody actually does.

  4. doofus says:

    yeah, and Keep on Rockin’ in the Free World is actually a song that CONDEMNS the leadership of this country and how they ran it (Bush the Elder). reminds of when Reagan used Born in the USA…not realizing that it’s not a very positive song.

    the meaning of music escapes some people.

    • Lilacflowers says:

      What? You expect them to listen to the words? What? It isn’t like Springsteen’s Born in the USA is a protest song about what Reagan did to the economy and his VA policies towards Viet Nam veterans. Oh wait, it is!

      • doofus says:

        *snicker*

        yeah, they just hear “USA” and think “Murica!!!!!!” as I said yesterday, DUMB X 2.

        don’t listen to the words, and don’t ask for permission to use it.

      • Bridget says:

        How does someone with all this supposed business acumen not know that you can’t use other people’s work without their permission?

    • Maria A. says:

      Sometimes the mind just reels at how tone deaf guys like Trump are: that he or his people weren’t really paying attention to what the song was saying before they swiped it for their event. Reminds me of when Reagan used Born in the USA, which was also not a complimentary, rah-rah happy song.
      Just mind numbingly tone deaf.

  5. Allie says:

    Only $50?! Nah, not worth the money.

    • PrincessMe says:

      LOL, I should have scrolled down, said the same thing myself. As a matter of fact, that’s probably the only thing I took away from this.

  6. DanaG says:

    I can’t wait for the mud to start flying cause we all know Trump has a lot of skeletons in the closet I wonder if Ivana will rerelease her book cause that was very interesting. Donald is just a joke and should be treated as such and let him waste as much money as he can. Can you imagine how he and his wife would decorate the Whitehouse?

  7. Kiddo says:

    Does anyone believe that he is truly running for president?

    • lisa says:

      oh no i dont

      this is just for attention and some high profile things to do

    • lucy2 says:

      Nope. He’s a stunt queen. He hasn’t been in the news for anything else lately (bankruptcy, fighting with former talk shows hosts, getting divorced, etc) so it was time to re-inflate his gross ego.

    • Hautie says:

      I do truly believe Trump is filming a “behind the scene” reality show, for this mess. He needs to stay in the run for at least 13 episodes. 🙂 Anything for a check.

      So maybe by September… when it is time to film a new season of the Apprentice…. he will drop out.

      But until then. He will give “The Daily Show” untold amount of foolishness, to mock.

  8. littlemissnaughty says:

    Repugnant. As a “politician” and human being.

  9. Peggy says:

    I don’t think any of the other Republican candidates are shaking in their boots.
    Is this one trick pony going to check Ted Cruz’s birth certificate too?
    Waiting for the people he owes money, when he claimed Bankruptcy four times to come out of the woodwork, now that he is a Billioniare.

    • Jedi says:

      So whats the deal with Ted Cruz – how will that work since he was actually born in Canada? like, would he even be allowed to be president if he won (asking as a Canadian who has no real idea what the US laws on this are…)?

      • Falula says:

        I think, but someone please correct me if I’m wrong, that if Cruz made it far enough that it was a real issue (like won the GOP nomination or the election), they would have to amend the constitution before he could be inaugurated.

      • doofus says:

        no, at least one of his parents is a natural born citizen so I believe he qualifies.

        these things are all checked by the FEC before a candidate can run.

      • Jedi says:

        thanks Falula and doofus!

      • lucy2 says:

        Cruz’s father was born in Cuba, but his mother was born in the US. Because she is a natural born citizen, he is as well. No amendment needed.
        Funnily enough, even if Obama had been born outside the US (which he was not, despite the “amazing” things Trump’s investigators found but never shared with anyone), his mother was a natural born citizen, so it never should have been an issue. But Trump’s never worried about facts, laws, etc.

      • Lilacflowers says:

        Natural born citizen status was conveyed to him through his mother, just as it would have been conveyed to Obama through his mother if he had been born elsewhere. The birthers are quite sexist in their insistence that Stanley Ann Dunham had no rights

      • jen2 says:

        @ doofus: Problems arise only if your name is Obama, whose mother is a full blown US citizen and he was born in the US State of Hawaii. Cruz is also a citizen since his mother is and it does not matter where the child is born..Canada, Africa or Mars. One parent must be a citizen so, he qualifies. But oddly enough, no screams for his long form birth certificate from Trump. We shall see.

  10. NewWester says:

    I would bet that he will drop out by August citing “personal reasons” Which would be he didn’t want to fully disclose all his assets and “wealth”. The other would be that he and Melania are divorcing due to all the stress of his running for public office. Shortly there after Fakebaby will announce that he is going to run for office

    • Suzanne says:

      Who’s Fakebaby?

    • doofus says:

      yeah, I said yesterday that he’d drop out before the deadline to release his full financials.

      He has (I think) 30 days and he can get up to two extensions. when he has no more time and the final deadline nears, he’ll drop out. he can’t have anyone knowing that his “wealth” is mostly on paper and he’s got few liquid assets.

    • lucy2 says:

      Yeah, it’ll be the financials. Everyone’s already reporting that he exaggerated his wealth by more than double in that little stunt, er, speech. When he has to produce actual numbers, he’ll back away and make an excuse.

  11. The Girl in the Rumour says:

    He’s the Clive Palmer of American politics.

    • Dash says:

      This needs more acknowledgement. How surprised would the world be if they realised the guy that is building the Titanic 2 is now a full blown member of parliament in Australia! People actually voted for him!

  12. Suzanne says:

    Look people…Obama got elected TWICE…with NO business experience…NO military experience…NO leadership experience. Trump has two out of three of those. Yeah, he’s failed and filed bankruptcy…and yeah he’s a bag of wind most of the time…but he strikes me as far more of a experienced business person…than Obama would even dream of being. Skeleton’s…yeah. BUT LOOK AT HILLARY!!!! You freaking people just close both eyes and buy in to every thing that woman says. HOW STUPID ARE WE AMERICANS? PLEASE DON’T BE FOOLED AGAIN BY THE CLINTONS.

    • KIddo says:

      You have lost your damn mind, if you think Trump > than nearly anyone.

    • anniefannie says:

      Unfortunately your assessment of Obamas lack of business experience is irrelevant in the face of a booming economy and stock market.
      When are Republicans going to face the most obvious of conclusions that trickle down theory DOESNT WORK?!?!?
      I’m from Kansas and Brownbeck and his policies have bankrupted our state. I suggest you Face facts and don’t be fooled?

      • Tiffany :) says:

        Exactly. There are examples of GOP policies in action, and the picture is not pretty. Meanwhile, Obama’s economy has a stock market that reached record levels. He hit Mitt Romney’s promised unemployment rate 1 year earlier than Mitt’s goal.

    • aang says:

      I listened with an open mind because God knows we need something different. As soon as I heard him say that most Mexican immigrants are drug dealers and rapists, while grudingly admitting a few might not be criminals, I stoppped listening. That does not mean I will vote for Hillary.

    • Jayna says:

      Donald Trump is an explosive hothead. I don’t want him anywhere near the presidency.

    • Bridget says:

      Trump inherited money from his dad and uses it to build fancy golf courses and apartment buildings. And has indeed had to file bankruptcy. Not exactly a business wizard there.

      What on earth does business experience bring to the table of the presidency?

    • Sixer says:

      “NO business experience…NO military experience”

      Business and the military are merely two of many aspects of society that a president is expected to organise and manage; not the only two that count or indeed the only two whose voices *should* count.

      My understanding of Obama (and as a Brit, I certainly concede it’s only a partial understanding) is that he came up through a background of community activism based on conflict management.

      I’d have thought that was ideal experience leading up to managing the competing interests – social, commercial and military – that make up a country.

      • Lilacflowers says:

        And this American would agree. I’ve seen far too many “business leaders” attempt to run government like a business and fail badly because they never accepted that the “shareholders” include that frail elder who needs in-home services; that military vet; and that disabled baby whom they campaigned against

      • Sixer says:

        Over here, the silly narrative is always running the budget like a household. You know, like a country doesn’t have a money-creating central bank or anything. Even though it’s a ridiculous analogy, everyone falls for it.

        A country is not a household. Nor is it a business!

      • lucy2 says:

        He was also an attorney, taught at a univ. in Chicago, and served in state government for 7 years before becoming a US senator.
        Personally I think some military experience is a good thing for a national leader to have – if you are making the decision to send troops into harm’s way, knowing what that’s actually like is a good attribute, but it’s not a deal breaker. Nor is business experience.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        Well said, Lilacflowers!

    • Lilacflowers says:

      As if the only President with a MBA did so well in the job

    • jessiebes says:

      So I am guessing if Trump payed actors. He is surely going to pay people to troll these celebrity blogs.

    • Tiffany :) says:

      Business is not government. Business operates to make profits. Government operates to provide services for the common good.

      Trump knows jack sh*t about the common good.

    • Mary s says:

      LOL

  13. Peggy says:

    Well he did pay people to act as supporters, it would not be a stretch to pay posters.
    In the 80’s NYC Mayor Koch, called Fakebaby a greedy little pig, and it still rings true today.
    Going to a Military Academy, counts as Mililtary experience now.

  14. Lilacflowers says:

    My sister lives in New Hampshire, land of the never-ending presidential primary. She meets every candidate, some because she simply can’t avoid them, but she makes a point of attending forums and asking questions and she drags her kids and husband with her and makes them ask questions too. She is the most sarcastic person I have ever met and this primary season is going to be epic for her.

    • Kiddo says:

      She should write a blog!

    • Tiffany :) says:

      I used to live in Iowa and we had the same thing. Even in off years, politicians were a constant. Presidential candidates were always reading books to us in elementary, having BBQs, showing up at the grocery store, etc.

  15. Jayna says:

    It doesn’t surprise me at all that he paid people. SNL is going to have a field day with his candidacy. LOL

  16. Crumpet says:

    Oh please, that was a HUGE reach to make the Charles Krauthammer comment as an insult to being in a wheelchair.

    Trump is hugely entertaining, in that he just puts it out there. No canned political malarkey for him. I admire that. Is he an egomaniac? Sure. But the man obviously knows how to get things done, and works endlessly. Unlike some others I won’t mention by name. I think this presidential campaign just got interesting.

    • Kiddo says:

      He’s a buffoonish idiot.

      • Crumpet says:

        Don’t hold back now, Kiddo. 😀 Here is the the thing: that is exactly how I feel about Obama. Aren’t opinions fun?

      • Kiddo says:

        You can like or dislike Obama, but he is an incredibly well-educated well-spoken man, (aside from the annoying ‘AHS’). I disagree with some of his policies, but come on Crumpet, Trump is a failure of epic proportions in his own businesses, and is nothing more than a bloviating PT Barnum self-promoter. He has NO IDEAS, no critical thinking skills, no diplomacy and his wealth was by virtue of his father’s hard work, not his own genius or sweat equity. Even he knows that.

        I try not to get too one sided, against all right politics, but when someone advocates for Trump, I have a hard time not just throwing my hands up and yelling ‘stupid’ all around.

      • MAC says:

        Thanks crumpet. 🙂

      • anniefannie says:

        “Bloviating PT Barnum self promoter”….best descriptor ever!!!!!

      • lou says:

        You don’t have to like Obama, but please don’t put him on the same level as Trump. Surely you can see the massive differences between them in education, intelllect and charm at the very least.

        The rest of the world is laughing at Trump actually being an option. God help America. 🙂

    • Pedro45 says:

      So inheriting money and starring on reality tv is “getting things done”?
      Paris Hilton for President!!!

    • Bridget says:

      What on earth does Trump actually get done? His real estate business was built on money he inherited from his dad. This isn’t a right wing/left wing thing, it’s that Donald Trump is a genuine idiot.

    • doofus says:

      he does just put it out there, but what he puts out there varies between nonsensical and outright lies. oh, with a dash of racism and xenophobia. awesome.

  17. Becks says:

    This is a vain, egotistical blowhard who slaps the name “Trump” on every project he encounters. His name is his brand and his brand is his name – so making this presidential “run” would be akin to getting hundreds of millions of $$$$ of free advertising.

    I don’t think he is completely serious about going deep into the run….I think he will milk the moments, and milk ’em hard, all the while knowing he doesn’t have to answer the tough questions because he will pull out before it gets too far.

    • Anname says:

      He was on MSNBC this morning, and I had to turn it off. I agree wtih you – that man is such a blow hard egomaniac . He is only concerned with TRUMP – does anyone really think he cares at all about the every day American, or issues that non-rich people face? He cares about his money, his name, and his power.

  18. Sister Carrie says:

    This morning I was driving into DC and there was a man standing on the side of 395 holding up a Trump 2016 sign and all I thought was, “I hope they’re paying you well, dude.” Never once did it occur to me that this person might be an actual Trump supporter because, well, are there any actual Trump supporters?

    • MAC says:

      I think there will be. I will not be one of them. I think he will reach some people especially since Hilary is running. At this point it is early but if they put out Hilary I can see a lot of people not voting for her if they are educated enough on her history and don’t vote for the party.

      I have noticed in myself and my friends when I was 20 I voted for a party. I stopped doing that and have learned a lot of other people have done the same thing.

  19. Sam says:

    Well dang, I agree with Donald Trump on something – George Will is a moron of epic proportions. If you haven’t heard it before, Will wrote an entire column arguing that women love to falsely allege rape because of the perks and special privileges that go along with being a rape survivor. Yes, he actually wrote that. Look it up, I’ll wait.

    I don’t think you can put Krauthammer and Will in the same league. Krauthammer is a generally thoughtful guy who I might disagree with a lot, but he always seems to respectfully debate and he will sometimes make a salient point, and he tends to not be hyperbolic. Will is just stupid.

    One thing that will be interesting will be how NBC handles this. Trump is one of their “talents” through the Apprentice. Will the network have a conflict in covering his “campaign” (I use the term loosely)? It will be interesting to me how this plays out.

  20. FingerBinger says:

    I hate to defend Donald Trump but it is possible he didn’t know Charles Krauthammer was in a wheelchair. I’ve watched Krauthammer on fox for years and never knew he was in a wheelchair.

    • jwoolman says:

      I didn’t read the statement as an insult to someone in a wheelchair. I think The Donald just meant that the two men referenced “just sat there”, meaning they didn’t do anything, whatever it was that The Donald expected them to do. So the wheelchair wasn’t relevant, and isn’t in general as far as what the man does for a living. I think you’re right, The Donald may not have even known that the guy had a wheelchair, it’s not obvious. He might even be sitting in a regular chair for the show and just transfer to the wheels when he wants to move around.

  21. lile says:

    HILARIOUS!!!! He will have to pay people to vote for him as well! Does he truly not realize that most Americans see him as a punchline? Seriously, he is a blow hard that NO everyday American takes seriously. Just Stop Donny, kay??

    • jen2 says:

      But that is the joy of a secret ballot. If he wants to PAY me to vote for him, I will take the money, tell him I did and vote for someone else!! WIN-WIN!!

  22. lile says:

    I watched an interesting show on CNN this past weekend regarding immigration. It stated that EVERY developed country in world, by 2050, would have more senior citizens needing support than taxpayers paying into the retirement system. The reason is because families all over the world are having less and less children as the cost of living and raising a child increases and people are more focused on their careers. Women are not getting married and are having children MUCH later in life than before, and they only have one or two. That is EVERY developed country EXCEPT the U.S. because of IMMIGRANTS. It seems, because of our immigrant friendly policies and the opportunities in the U.S., we attract more immigrants, who in turn have more kids than the typical American family, producing more taxpayers. I wonder why this side of the immigration issue is not openly discussed. Here you go Hillary. My gift to you. Hillary 2016!!!!

  23. Nanea says:

    Trump still believes vaccines cause autism – and that’s years after Wakefield has had his approbation revoked.

    He should ask Jenny McWahlberg to veep for him.

  24. lowercaselois says:

    All I have to day about Donald Trump today is, , Donald Trump has finally given America{ Donald Trump} what America { Donald Trump} has always wanted, by running for president of the United States of{ Trump} America.

    • jwoolman says:

      UST! UST! UST!

      The Donald’s first State of the Union address:

      “My fellow Trumpians… I’m still richer than you! Nyah, Nyah, Nyah, Nyah, Nyah!”

  25. Bread and Circuses says:

    I can’t decide whether he’s running because he’s a narcissist and his ego demands it, or because he needs a splashy public profile in order to successfully grift people in his financial endeavours.

    The former implies he’s stupid. The latter implies he’s immoral but smart, like Lindsay Lohan. Bad presidential material, in either case.

  26. The Chaz Gomez says:

    Well… I just know that it’s better to have some crazy billionaire spending money on sign holders than having the current politicians we have taking the Koch brother’s bribes, paychecks or whatever…

  27. ImFlying says:

    Could it be that the goal is to split the votes somehow, more than the reality of winning the Presidency?

  28. Casova says:

    I never leave comments but I’m getting increasingly frustrated at how political CB has become. I read celebrity gossip for escapism…not to hear the writers’ political opinions. Ya’ll are liberal, I get it. I just don’t find political jabs entertaining. I’m sure I could fill a blog with Hillary quips that are much more entertaining than the dribble that has been coming out of here lately. No one is going to change my opinion and I know I’m not going to change yours. Can we please get back to celebrity gossip and leave political opinion out?

    • lou says:

      You don’t have to be liberal to think Trump running is a massive joke.

    • doofus says:

      is anyone forcing you to read the political stories? or visit Celebitchy?

      no? then, there is a simple solution.

      don’t click on the political stories.

      or, if you’re completely offended by any political story on here, don’t visit this website. see how easy that is?…