Posted on 06/17/2015 9:22:01 PM PDT by SoConPubbie
Donald Trump's big presidential announcement Tuesday was made a little bigger with help from paid actors — at $50 a pop.
New York-based Extra Mile Casting sent an email last Friday to its client list of background actors, seeking extras to beef up attendance at Trump's event.
"We are looking to cast people for the event to wear t-shirts and carry signs and help cheer him in support of his announcement," reads the June 12 email, obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. "We understand this is not a traditional 'background job,' but we believe acting comes in all forms and this is inclusive of that school of thought." (Read the full email at the bottom of the post.)
.@realDonaldTrump staffer not too pumped i took pic of "homemade" signs (passed out to people before event) in trash pic.twitter.com/zLL2ETBI79 — Megan Specia (@meganspecia) June 16, 2015
The pay was listed as $50 for less than three hours of work. According to the email, Extra Mile was reaching out to potential extras in partnership with Gotham Government Relations and Communications, a New York-Based political consulting group that has worked with Trump in the past. Gotham GR had no comment.
Questions as to whether the Trump campaign had hired extras were first raised Wednesday by anti-Trump activist Angelo Carusone, who came across an Instagram photo showing a man he recognized as a background actor posing at the Trump event. Carusone screengrabbed the photo of the actor, Domenico Del Giacco, and published it in a blog post. The photo shows Del Giacco with a woman, identified in the now-deleted Instagram post as actress Courtney Klotz. (Del Giacco has since deleted his entire Instagram account.)
When reached for comment about the Trump casting call, a person who answered the phone at Extra Mile said, "We don't know anything about that." When pressed about whether this response was a denial of the story, the person said she couldn't comment further and hung up. Additional calls to Extra Mile went unanswered.
Asked if Trump paid anyone to attend the event, campaign manager Corey Lewandowski said "no," and that he had never heard of Extra Mile or Gotham GR.
"Mr. Trump draws record crowds at almost every venue at which he is a featured speaker," Lewandowski told The Hollywood Reporter. "The crowds are large, often record-setting and enthusiastic, often with standing ovations. Mr. Trump's message is, 'Make America great again.' "
Del Giacco and Klotz did not respond to a request for comment.
In politics, "astroturfing" is when people are hired to attend a rally or event in order to lend the appearance of grassroots support. They are typically contracted out to political consulting firms, much like Gotham GR. The practice is unsurprisingly considered bad form.
Here's the full email from Extra Mile, with contact information redacted.
Hi there—
We are working helping one of are [sic] associates out at Gotham GR - http://gothamgr.com/ with a big event happening on TUESDAY 6/16/15.
This is an event in support of Donald Trump and an upcoming exciting announcement he will be making at this event.
This event is called “People for a Stronger America.” The entire group is a pro-small business group that is dedicated to encouraging Donald Trump and his latest ventures. This event will be televised.
We are looking to cast people for the event to wear t-shirts and carry signs and help cheer him in support of his announcement.
We understand this is not a traditional “background job,” but we believe acting comes in all forms and this is inclusive of that school of thought.
This event is happening LIVE and will be from 8:45AM-11:30AM. LESS THAN 3 HOURS
This will take place inside / interior.
The rate for this is: $50 CASH at the end of the event.
We would love to book you if you are interested and still available.
Please let us know and we will get back to you with confirmation.
“Apparently almost everyone rents-a-mob these days.”
A person sure would feel foolish attending an event and then finding out others were getting PAID to be there.
Yep. I’ve read - and heard him say himself - about all of his donations.
Everywhere Trump goes he draws big crowds. I’m sure at Trump Plaza he didn’t have to pay anybody.
I am concerned about Trump’s wife , Melania (sp?)
Not an American , Serbian born , model .
Is this an appropriate 1st Lady ?
I know it’s a minor point , but ....
I miss Laura Bush . She was the best
The first lady is not an elected position. She could be from anywhere. If Jeb Bush gets elected his wife is from Mexico and barely speaks English.
He astroturfed his hair, so why not his crowd?
This is silly. This is not the way it is done.
“Apparently almost everyone rents-a-mob these days.”
The lucky RATs don’t have to rent them, they just remind them who operates their dole.
Lol. How pathetic.
I'll bet $10,000 that Melania Trump speaks pretty good English. Donald's wife who is from Serbia
“Not an American , Serbian born , model .
Is this an appropriate 1st Lady ?”
So who’s going to be First Lady is a gut issue at this point in time? Anyway, she’d be a welcome change from the Government Mule we have right now. Trump’s wife wouldn’t have to graze on the front lawn of the WH.
Donald will most likely have changed wives by then.
yep , worse yet
The 1st lady actually does , or should have , an important role . Michelle Obama is an example of the absolutely worst possible job of every 1st Lady role . It’s debatable if she is even a female !
Mexican ? no... Serbian hottie ? no
THIS woman would make a great U.S. 1st Lady
http://www.taubau.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/101022-M-8329S-004.jpg
Annette Conway
That was my first thought when I saw his speech, that this group of idiots on the balcony were actors because they were totally over the top, they wouldn’t shut the hell up. Matter of fact they were yelling out these lines so much you sometimes couldn’t hear what he was saying . But don’t forget, Hitlery did the same thing. She had gay couples making out behind her when she started talking about gays. Gee they are sitting right behind her in line with the cameras, WHAT a coincidence.
nope , not saying ‘gut issue’
but it would become ‘an issue ‘
personally I’d far rather see a Melania on the world’s stage
than a Michelle .
Her and her merry band of free loaders
It’s a democrat tactic warmed over from Bush v. Gore, the Koch brothers, etc.
Somebody is *di-rectly* over the target. I’m sure Mr Trump knew what he was in for. Hopefully, it will rouse more than a few people from their slumber/ delusions (but I’m not holding my breath.)
I miss Laura Bush . She was the best
Laura was beautiful BUT an air-head... like her husband..
brother in law and father in law..
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