Donald Trump wanted O.J. Simpson to be on The Celebrity Apprentice but NBC had a 'heart attack' over the idea 

  • In recently resurfaced audio from the Howard Stern Show, Donald Trump talks about his idea to have O.J. Simpson on Celebrity Apprentice
  • Clip is from 2008, when season one of Celebrity Apprentice was filmed
  • It's unclear when Trump wanted to have Simpson on the show, since O.J. was arrested in 2007 and convicted in 2008 for his role in a robbery 
  • NBC shut down rumors at the time, saying 'they have never' and will never consider Simpson for a role on the show

By Ashley Collman For Dailymail.com

Published: 15:29 EST, 12 October 2016 | Updated: 16:13 EST, 12 October 2016

Recently resurfaced audio reveals how Donald Trump wanted O.J. Simpson to be on The Celebrity Apprentice. 

In a 2008 episode of The Howard Stern Show, Trump said he wanted Simpson to be on the show to boost the ratings.

Trump and Simpson were close friends before Simpson was controversially acquitted of his estranged wife Nicole's murder in 1995. 

The disgraced sports star, who is now behind bars for armed robbery and kidnapping, even attended Trump's 1993 marriage to Marla Maples.

But the Republican nominee he says he cut ties with Simpson when he 'realized he killed his wife'.

Donald Trump (right) said on The Howard Stern Show in 2008 that he wanted O.J. Simpson (left) to be on the Celebrity Apprentice 

'I do have to tell you about O.J. and "The Apprentice,"' Trump said in July 2008 on the Howard Stern Show, in tapes found by CNN Money. 'NBC went totally crazy when I wanted to put O.J. on The Apprentice.'

When asked why he would cast Simpson, Trumps said: '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,' Trump said. '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.'

'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 said. 

Trump demurred when asked how far negotiations got with Simpson. 

'I don't want to go into it, but O.J. would have done it,' Trump said. 'I can't go into the details.'

When rumors started circling about Simpson's possible role on Celebrity Apprentice in 2008, NBC issued a stern response saying he would not be involved. 

'NBC representatives have never considered O.J. Simpson for the next season of "The Apprentice," nor will.' the statement read. 

And it's unclear when Trump thought Simpson could appear on the show, since Simpson was arrested in 2007 for his role in a Las Vegas robbery. The next year he was convicted and sent to prison where he remains to this day.

Trump also spoke about tapping Simpson for Celebrity Apprentice in an appearance on Extra in 2008. But he says NBC had a 'heart attack' at the thought. 

'Let's say that NBC, when I mentioned O.J. Simpson, had a heart attack,' Trump said. 'They weren't thrilled. I'm not saying I would have cast him, either, but it was certainly somebody that would be interesting."'

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