Margaret Cho Details Trump's Persistent Apprentice Casting Efforts
In an exclusive interview with The Daily Mail, comedy legend Margaret Cho has recounted what she describes as Donald Trump's "odd" and insistent campaign to have her join the cast of his reality television show, The Apprentice. This occurred years before Trump entered the political arena, when he was primarily known as the host of the program where ambitious business figures competed for a role at his company.
A Multi-Year Pursuit
Cho, now 57, explained that Trump, 79, was remarkably keen on recruiting her and pursued her over the course of several years. "It was just odd, because he really wouldn't let up over a couple of years, he really wanted me to do it," she told The Daily Mail during the 2026 Queerties event, where she was honoured with the Icon Award. The comedian's reluctance stemmed from a brief appearance on an actual episode to support her friend, singer Cyndi Lauper, who was competing on The Celebrity Apprentice.
Reflecting on that experience, Cho said, "And I just was like, I have a bad feeling. I had gone on briefly for when my friend Cyndi Lauper had done The Apprentice." She visited Lauper during a challenge set in diners, finding the atmosphere "very stressful" and deciding she did not want to place herself in that position. Additionally, Cho admitted she had little knowledge of Trump at the time, noting, "I had no idea who he was. I never really spent that much time in New York, and he's such a New York kind of person. Everybody knew, but I didn't really know."
Repeated Requests and Campaign Outreach
Cho first shared this anecdote during a recent appearance on The Julia Cunningham Show, revealing that she was asked multiple times to join the show season after season. "I was asked several times to be on it, season after season, and they kept saying, 'Well, Donald Trump really loves you. Please come on,'" she recounted. Although she participated in one episode to assist Lauper, she never became a contestant, attributing the repeated invitations to Trump being a fan.
The lifelong Democrat was further astonished when, in 2016, she was approached to support Trump's presidential campaign. "At the beginning of the campaign in 2016, Michael Cohen somehow got my email and was really begging me to become part of the campaign, and I'm like, 'That's insane. I'm a lifelong Democrat,'" Cho said. She expressed confusion over the request, emphasising her lack of familiarity with Trump and his regional New York persona.
Political Commentary and Career Highlights
At the Queerties, Cho also voiced strong opposition to Trump and his administration, stating, "I’m so honored to be here with all of you, I love the Queerties. I’m just proud that we have an award ceremony to acknowledge what we do — we make each other laugh, we make each other survive this terrible administration, we make each other want to revolt even harder."
Cho rose to fame after creating and starring in the short-lived ABC sitcom All-American Girl. She is best known for her stand-up comedy, which often critiques social and political issues, particularly concerning race and sexuality. A consistent supporter of LGBT rights, Cho has received awards for her humanitarian work benefiting women, Asian Americans, and the LGBT community. In 2012, she earned an Emmy nomination for her guest role as Dictator Kim Jong-il on 30 Rock.
The Daily Mail has contacted The White House for comment but has not yet received a response.
