In the mid-1990s, one of the most popular sitcoms on TV was The Nanny. Starring Fran Drescher as nanny Fran Fine, the series frequently featured guests such as Ray Charles, Elizabeth Taylor and, in one notable episode, Rosie O’Donnell and Donald Trump. Although Trump’s appearance time in this episode was no more than one minute, he had very specific requirements regarding his appearance.
Trump was famous for his risky business ventures and celebrity status in the 90s, and was sought after for his guest appearances on television and film. Trump appeared in a number of on-screen roles throughout the ’90s and early 2000s, and had a brief full-time stint on The Apprentice before focusing on his real estate business. .
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The Nanny Season 4 episode titled “The Rosie Show” follows nanny Fran Fine as she hosts a weekly childcare show on Rosie O’Donnell’s television show. After her quick rise to fame in the industry, Fran was busy with parties, meet and greets, and dates. One of these dates was none other than Donald Trump, himself.
His scenes are very brief, no more than a minute, with two lines of dialogue. Fran is introducing Trump to her boss, Maxwell Sheffield. When she started introducing them, she suddenly jumped and said, “Oh, all you handsome billionaires know each other.” Originally, the line was “all the handsome millionaires know each other.” It was this initial line that got Trump into trouble.
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In an interview with SheKnows, Drescher explained that after reading the script, Trump’s people sent a note requesting changes so the line read “billionaire” instead of “millionaire.” Instead of agreeing to his request, Drescher changed the line to “zillionaire,” which was the final scene that remained. Nanny co-creator and Drescher’s ex-husband, Peter Marc Jacobson, thought the request was so funny that he kept the note and framed it. That letter still hangs in his office to this day, even as Trump’s wealth and achievements have increased over the past two decades.
In the early 1990s, Trump was dropped from Forbes’ list of billionaires and reports of his actual net worth varied widely. By the early 2000s, he had risen again and was once again accused of being a billionaire. His wealth and influence grew from there. Today, he is estimated to be worth more than two billion dollars. In the two decades since his Nanny debut, Trump has come a long way. He went from claiming the title of “billionaire” on a 90s sitcom to commanding the most powerful office in the world as President of the United States.
