From creators Christopher Becker and Alan Rand, the acclaimed political drama/ satire The Donald Trump Show is heading towards the Season 10 finale on the LRT Network. Former President Trump (Christopher Becker) simultaneously faces multiple criminal investigations, and even odds of coming back to the White House, with new running mate JD Vance (Andrew McCauley).
At a virtual junket, Be’spoke Politics had the chance to talk to Christopher Becker about playing this character in multiple TV series, his other creative priorities, the lost movie and all the fan-theories. The one thing he won’t say is whether the next season will be a new Trump administration or the fallout of a big loss.
BE’SPOKE POLITICS: It’s a bit weird to imagine that you wrote the book before you did any of the TV appearances.
BECKER: I had the idea of the character in stand-up of, like this self-important real estate magnate, although I was always playing it in the perspective of someone else as if it were his frustrated lawyer, or the supply manager. The name just stuck. “Yes, Mister Trump.” “Are you sure that’s what you want Mister Trump?” Then I worked with Tony Schwartz to cowrite The Art of the Deal, a satire of business advice books; this was the age of Wall Street, and “Greed is good.”
And the publishing company liked it, and wanted someone to play Donald Trump in interviews, and I realized I could pocket the money that they would otherwise use to hire an actor, so I did it. It’s a bit like how Barry Humpries went around as Dane Edna, or Foster Brooks- my comedy hero, a teetotaler in real life- played this alcoholic in comedy roasts. And before I know it, I’m playing Trump in TV shows and had a cameo in Home Alone 2. I started playing Trump in my stand-up sets, and frankly, it was really good for booking.
B.P.: There were a few early attempts to get a movie.
BECKER: I would’ve been satisfied with a live special, and I had built into my act that this guy was suffering financial difficulties; I just liked the idea of this overconfident guy who actually loses money in gambling. We had a great script with The House Lost and it crushed me at the time that nothing came of it. It would have been a decent movie, and probably would have made money, but I can see now that if they had gone with it at the time, we wouldn’t have the hit we have today.
B.P.: Eventually the character got his own show on The Apprentice.
BECKER: NBC wanted to do something with the character, and they were also planning a comedy about people on a game show to get a job- They were also doing the American version of The Office at the same time, so they seemed to like mockumentaries. And then they figured that Donald Trump would make sense for the “host” for their fake reality series, since you could have everyone react to the outrageous things he says. It lasted for 15 seasons and 192 episodes, but it was so completely different from what The Donald Trump Show would become.
B.P.: That show was very meta. Especially the later Celebrity Apprentice seasons.
BECKER: It was fun hanging out with those interesting people and seeing them poke fun at themselves. We were aware that it was ridiculous and it fit the desperation of the character, who saw himself as a rival to the presidents and wanted to impress his much younger model wife. When you have somebody so fundamentally ridiculous, it bleeds into the story.
B.P.: In the later episodes, there were hints that he was suspicious of President Obama’s heritage and planning to run for President. Were you already seeding what the Donald Trump show would become?
BECKER: Nah, these were just character details and something the boys running the Twitter account thought would be fun. I thought we might come back for another season of Celebrity Apprentice, but I got a pitch for a different type of series about his family and the reaction to his run for President.
B.P.: How did that come about?
BECKER: At the time, Alan Rand was one of our script punch-up guys, so he asked us “What if he gets pushback for his political comments, and runs for President?” We were thinking of making it a reality show, but Rand had a script for a prestige drama that could work for premium cable. LRT liked it, and now he’s one of the showrunners.
B.P.: The first season covered the buffoon’s presidential run, with the cliffhanger when he became the clear favorite to win the Republican party’s presidential nomination. Was he always supposed to win?
BECKER: Originally we were thinking he would get humbled. He would lose the nomination and fume about it, and we’d get some mileage out of the idea that he has fans, so all these politicians take him seriously. It would have certainly been cheaper not to have all the White House sets and stuff. But Alan Rand had all these ideas about modern politics that he wanted to explore, and was very persuasive about the question- What if he wins?
B.P.: How did the wrestling connection come about?
BECKER: I had been playing the character for a few years in late night appearances, and I got an offer to play as Trump as a bit of a foil to Vince McMahon, as this wealthy guy who actually likes the fans. Some of them didn’t get the joke, and thought that Trump was a real guy, so that was kind of funny. My agent was telling me these appearances would help the book reach a new audience, and honestly- it did- but my kid was into wrestling, so that’s the main reason I agreed to it.
B.P.: It’s become part of the subtext of the show. How did that come about?
BECKER: One of the writers, Richard Har, is big into wrestling and as a joke he started sprinkling references to a theory that Trump is influenced by the showmanship of wrestling. My grandson’s shown me that this has really taken off on- is it Rabbit?
B.P.: Do you mean Reddit?
BECKER: Yeah yeah, Reddit.
B.P.: This show has a lot of fan theories. I saw a very convincing 40 minute video on Youtube connecting the dots on references to this Jeffrey Epstein character mentioned a few times to suggest some big behind-the-scenes conspiracy. Is anything going to come of those theories?
BECKER: As you know, I love nothing more than revealing what our showrunners have planned before it airs. Truth is some of it’s easter eggs. Some of it’s something they’re seeding that they’re planning to do big things. And sometimes a small reference just takes off, like JD Vance.
B.P.: How did that character come about?
BECKER: Originally, Andrew McCauley had a small role in Season 3 as a young Republican commentator skeptical of Trump. In Season 7, we were auditioning for a new character who was a young Senate candidate, and friend of his son, really eager to kiss Trump’s ring. We remembered Andrew, he had been in some stuff in the years since, and his audition just blew us away. And then (writer) Ethan Rapkin suggested that it could be the same guy. And that just really connected the character.
B.P.: Was he always meant to be the running mate?
BECKER: We figured pretty soon this was a way the story could go. Andrew’s career was taking off, so we wanted an excuse to get him on a contract as a member of the cast going forward.
B.P.: One of the unresolved mysteries is just what Trump was planning on the events of January 6. I know you’re not going to spoil anything planned for future episodes, but do you have an idea of what he thought he was doing?
BECKER: Yeah, I’ve got an idea. But this wouldn’t be the first time I have one idea about what happened and then it just turns out the writers are planning something different.
B.P.: What do you think of Donald Trump’s appeal? Some fans of the show unironically think he would be a decent President.
BECKER: That’s not as clear-cut as you might assume. There’s a lot that this guy does that I can see someone else doing, and I don’t agree with it at all, like the scandal this season on how he talked about his political opponent’s race. That’s gross, that’s not what I would do, but sometimes on other things if you squint, he has a point.
B.P.: Do you think that’s the type of person he is, or was it- as some of the commentators say- an example of his character flailing when the election goes in a different path than expected?
BECKER: I think it’s both. But some of the things he does- I can see the appeal, like why not move the Israeli embassy to Jerusalem? There are sometimes problems with politics as usual, but then again- total outsiders are also going to make mistakes of a different sort.
B.P.: The show took a bit of a hiatus after your character lost his bid for reelection, but then he returned in an effort to be the first President since Grover Cleveland to serve two nonconsecutive terms. Can you walk us through that decision?
BECKER: First, we weren’t ripping off Veep.
B.P.: It was unusual that Veep did the same thing in its last season.
BECKER: It fit the story we wanted to tell.
I know some people said that I wanted to spend time with my family, but that wasn’t quite it. My wife, kids, grandkids- they come first, and the show is the other thing I do. But it was the only other thing I did, so I did want to get some time to explore other creative endeavors- write a book, try some stand-up, see what other acting work I could get.
It was getting exhausting playing this character for so many years, so I did want a bit of a break. And we also convinced the powers that be that if he won reelection, there would be a hard limit on when his presidency ends which would mean that the show would likely end at the same point- We would have no choice but to plan the series finale right now. But the way we did it, whatever decision we make is one that works because of the story we want to tell.
B.P.: Did you consider ending the show?
BECKER: We did, but this is a story we wanted to tell. And the network keeps coming to us with checks that have a lot of digits.
B.P.: During the hiatus, you still had a cameo in Fulton Law. What can you tell us about that?
BECKER: It was a good idea for a spinoff, looking at a different prosecutor’s office than we usually see on TV where it’s always New York, California or maybe Chicago. Obviously, fans of this show are more likely to check it out when they’re investigating my character. But then the romantic drama keeps it going.
B.P.: The drama’s unconventional for a law firm- this woman in a position of power appoints her boyfriend to an important position, but the reactions are realistic.
BECKER: I love that about it.
B.P.: Are they going to keep focusing on Trump going forward?
BECKER: I’m not as involved in the behind the scenes stuff there. I mostly just enjoy watching it as a fan, and filming cameos every now and then.
B.P.: Speaking of spinoffs, there are some references about Cuomo possibly running for mayor. Could that show be coming back for another season?
BECKER: For obvious reasons, I wouldn’t mind. I know some people think there’s a rivalry between me and Tommy Romita (the actor who played Governor Cuomo over the five season series), because he won all those Emmys. But- first- he deserved it. He’s very good at playing the layers of this middle-aged political scion. He also wanted something that wouldn’t go on forever.
That’s why the show started with him well into his second term. But if there’s a new story to tell with this character, I’m all for it. I know what it is to have this character who is so rich, and such a canvas for talking about America right now. And even if I was jealous about all the Emmys, I would be a producer to any follow-up, so if they make another season, I get paid.
B.P.: Did you find the break creatively satisfying?
BECKER: I did. I wrote my memoir. I tried out for some stuff, and even when it didn’t work out, it was useful to learn that. I got some interesting offers; I didn’t think I was the right guy to play Lear and I was worried it might bleed into the character. It was also useful to get an appreciation of just how rich this role is, since many of the other roles I was offered weren’t that good.
B.P.: Not everything was Shakespeare?
BECKER: Obviously, but it was nice to realize the grass is pretty goddamn green on this side. This is a good role, and I’m proud of it.
B.P.: The Coronavirus plotline was pretty much dropped when the show came back. Was this in response to how some critics felt it dominated the series?
BECKER: I thought it was an important arc, just to spend a season showing how he would respond to an actual emergency. But realistically- a few years later, the country’s going to move on.
B.P.: In the most recent episode, Donald Trump basically cosplayed as a McDonalds employee and Sanitation worker and it seems to be helping his campaign. This isn’t really something we’ve seen before him, and not what we’d expect in the tail-end of a presidential election.
BECKER: It’s so rewarding to find these new environments for the character.
B.P.: Do you have any last thoughts on The Donald Trump Show?
BECKER: Thank God it’s not like this in the real world.
THE TOP TEN EPISODES OF THE DONALD TRUMP SHOW (ACCORDING to BE’SPOKE POLITICS)
There are some big fans of The Donald Trump Show at Be’Spoke Politics, so it took us some fighting to determine what the best episodes were. There remains a legitimate divide in the fanbase whether it was a mistake for the show to ever allow Donald Trump to be President.
And internally, there were discussions about whether the list was biased too much towards the experimental episodes at the expense of straightforward storytelling. Don’t get us even started on the pandemic story, which writer Abhishek Amin thinks is the moment the show jumped the shark and made him yell “No More, I’m done!” and which Thomas Mets thinks was the best season of TV since Peter Capaldi’s second year of Doctor Who.
After two hospitalizations, and three ruined friendships, here’s our top ten.
10. TRUMP HAS THE PLAGUE
Season 6/ 2020/ Writer: Christopher Becker
Director: Sam Levitz
The episode that gets the most into Trump’s inner mind, as he tests positive for the Coronavirus, and handles it with the grace and dignity you would expect. It may feature his most iconic meltdown in the series.
9. THE HYPNOTIST
Season 2/ 2016/ Writer: Nicole Woods
Director: Jeff Bolger
Cartoonist Scott Adams (Wesley Spencer) thinks he understands Donald Trump, based on his prior experience as a hypnotist. One of the first “Donald-lite” episodes, these 47 minutes expanded the scope of the series beyond his family and his business, exploring the effect of the campaign on others in America.
8. SCARAMUCCI
Season 3/ 2017/ Writer: Nicole Woods
Director: Matteo Rossi
Actor/ director Matteo Rossi joined the series for a hilarious one-off about an arrogant financier given the job of White House Communications director for eleven days, which was roughly the amount of time Rossi had available to film his scenes and direct the episode.
7. DIRTY POLITICS
Season 4/ 2018/ Writer: Alan Rand
Director: Rebecca Levitz
The Trump administration deals with a scandal involving an EPA administrator, while National Security Advisor John Bolton (John Hunter) meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin (Alexei Terezko.) Terezko was the third actor to play Putin, but you can see why he’s the one they keep hiring back for the villainous role of KGB man turned world leader.
6. GET ME ROGER STONE
Season 3/ 2017/ Writer: Morgan Pehme, Daniel DiMauro, Dylan Bank
Director: Morgan Pehme
The Season three premiere was a double length mockumentary about Trump’s longtime advisor Roger Stone (Dan Kantor), depicting his involvement in decades of campaign politics, as he finds new relevance in the 2016 campaign. One of the boldest swings the show ever took.
5. PHOENIX
Season 8/ 2022/ Writer: Nicole Woods
Director: Sam Levitz
The midterm elections are depicted through the perspective of Kari Lake (Britney Lawless), an Arizona journalist who runs for office with the hopes of being Donald Trump’s running mate. Fans of the show still debate whether she’s a shameless opportunist, or crazy enough to believe the nonsense she says.
4. THE BIRTHER
Season 1/ 2015/ Writer: Alan Rand
Director: Jeff Bolger
The penultimate episode of Season 1 covers Trump’s initially one-sided adversarial relationship with the President of the United States, with a flashback to a White House Correspondents Dinner where he gets slighted and seems to make the decision to show that he can win. Or was he always planning it? And if so, how seriously? The episode offers the biggest hints about Trump’s motives, but never makes it clear.
3. THE SUMMER OF ‘68 Parts 1-2
Season 9/ 2024/ Writer: Alan Rand
Director: Linda Kim
The two hour mid-season finale packed more plot twists than many movies. The debate goes so spectacularly well for Trump that the incumbent President is eventually forced to drop out of the race. Then Trump’s shot during an assassination attempt. With the eyes of the world on him, he has a chance to bring the country together.
2. ACCESS HOLLYWOOD
Season 2/ 2016/ Writer: Ben Rose
Director: Charlie Madison
Candidate Trump faces his biggest scandal, as leaked footage emerges of him saying some very offensive things (a parlor game among fans is figuring out just what’s on the never-seen Access Hollywood tape.) His campaign discovers a serious effort to replace him on the ticket. The satire has never been darker.
- KAVANAUGH
Season 4/ 2018/ Writer: Ben Rose
Director: Ben Rose
The high point of the series is the morality tale of how you deal with ambiguity in very charged times. A candidate for Supreme Court is accused of committing sexual assault as a teenager, and the news comes out a few weeks before the Senate elections. This would be controversial in the best of times, but in this new heightened polarized setting?
