Donald Trump gives me hives

I don't know what it is about Donald Trump that makes my skin crawl, but he does. Maybe, I am simply envious of his wealth. Or maybe it's his shameless pursuit of public adulation. The son of a wealthy real estate developer, Donald is really not the "great American success story," having started from a very comfortable upper middle class. Trump greatly benefited in the 1970s from the willingness of New York City to cut tax deals for those willing to invest in the city. But I cannot fault the guy for taking advantage of someone else's problems. That's the American way.

I think what really rankles is his overweening arrogance and I do wonder what he lacked in childhood that makes him demand that he be the best at everything. There's something about his smugness that makes me want to launch a cream pie in his general direction.

Tonight, Donald and his ridiculous comb over return to television with a celebrity version of The Apprentice. That's right, NBC, which irritated Trump by questioning the future of the reality show because of poor ratings, has been induced by the presence of d-list celebs to give Donald another try. Donald will be the first to remind us that he has been twice nominated for Emmys, for playing himself, and that he has a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame (because he has the bucks to buy one). He has also appeared on wrestle mania, and has another show in the works, a cross between Dr. Phil and Judge Judy, in which he will offer financial advice.

Maybe I wouldn't have such a strong reaction if Donald had not taken his untalented self and put it on television.  I wonder if Donald buys his own PR--and why his current wife is never, and I do mean never, photographed with a smile on her face.

Having said all that, maybe Donald is an example of the modern American success story, whereby the scion of a wealthy family profits from the ills of others and then goes on to produce really awful reality TV.

Donald and his troop of has-beens will be on TV tonight and I will be elsewhere.