Then-businessman and TV host Donald Trump told radio legend Howard Stern that he pitched now-deceased O.J. Simpson for his reality show — but NBC shot the idea down.
Simpson’s family announced Thursday morning that the disgraced NFL great had passed away at the age of 76 of prostate cancer.
Trump has yet to comment on the death of his former friend, but thought enough of Simpson during the run of the hit show Celebrity Apprentice to pitch the accused murderer and If I Did It author as a contestant.
Stern interviewed Trump on a fairly regular basis before Trump’s turn to Republican politics, including one 2008 episode during which Trump revealed his plan for an O.J. star turn.
“I do have to tell you about O.J. and The Apprentice … NBC went totally crazy when I wanted to put O.J. on The Apprentice,” Trump told Stern, then explained:
Donald Trump: 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…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 …They could care less about — They care less. The guy who invented the cure for
polio we don’t even know his name anymore.(Artie Lang says “Jonas Salk”)Couple of us remember but not too many.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 was cagey about whether he personally spoke to Simpson, but eventually appeared to admit it:
Howard Stern: So did O.J. Call you and say –Donald Trump: I don’t want to go into it but O.J. would have done it.Howard Stern: Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Don’t leave me hanging like that. What do you mean, you don’t want to go into this?Donald Trump: I can’t go into the details.Howard Stern: Did you talk to O.J.?Donald Trump: I refuse to say.Robin Quivers: Oooh!Howard Stern: Did you speak to O.J.?Donald Trump: I hadn’t spoken to him in years. I don’t like people that kill their wives, okay? Does that make sense?Robin Quivers: You know what I like that about you.Donald Trump: Does that make me a disloyal person?
That interview was 3 months after NBC shot down the idea.
Watch above via Inside Edition.