Since I am not a viewer of network television, I have never seen an episode of the show starring Donald J. Trump, et al, called The Apprentice. Just from seeing clips and hearing people talk I can get a rough idea what the show was about — kind of a Survivor for wanna-be executives — with Donald Trump and the Trump organization acting as contestant eliminators — the “You’re fired” bit. Like being voted out of the tribe…

From what I hear, The Apprentice was successful. That being true, then Donald Trump had to be quite a showman. A reason to watch. A reason to stay engaged.

“No wonder your president has got to be an actor, he has to look good on television!” ~ Dr. Emmett L. Brown, Back to the Future

In 2015, Donald Trump announced his candidacy for President of the United States. And, like any showman, he started his campaign off with a bang, being very un-politically correct, using name-calling and insults, and coining nicknames for those who attacked him — Lyin’ Ted, Little Marco, Low Energy Jeb, Crazy Bernie, and so on.

It was all very entertaining — Trump would never win the election. We were going to get another Clinton, so I was going to enjoy the show until November 2016…

In other words, I was in it for the laughs.

In my home state of Illinois (hey, you can’t pick where you’re born), Trump really fired up the student body of University of Illinois Chicago…

…and the great documentary filmmaker himself, Michael Moore, came out for Trump…

Donald Trump’s history with his father Fred Trump was explored…

I got so tired of hearing about Hillary’s emails and her hidden server…

And Trump’s Great Wall. The Wall. The Wall. The Wall…

And no one can forget the moment at Liberty University where Donald J. Trump endorsed God…

That cameo in the latest Disney Star Wars film, I Want to Fly Solo (starring the forgettable Ted Cruz) only added to Trump’s entertainment value…

And Star Trek got in on the act…

But, as for me, I was undeterred by these media antics. I knew when November 2016 rolled around we would all have on our lips a single phrase — “Madam, President.”

“That’s right, Easton, I still feel your pain…” (said in my best Bill Clinton voice)

I bet you do, Mr. President. I bet you do.