Donald Trump is suing Bill Maher for the $5 million he claims Maher promised if he produced his birth certificate.
Early last month Bill Maher, the liberal comedian and host of HBO’s “Real Time”, told Jay Leno on “The Tonight Show” that he would pay $5 million to Donald Trump’s charity of choice if he would produce a birth certificate that proved he’s not the “spawn of his mother having sex with orangutan.” According to Politico, Trump’s attorney, Scott S. Balber sent a letter to Maher within a few days of the show and attached a copy of Trump’s legal birth certificate. In the letter Balber stated, “Attached hereto is a copy of Mr. Trump’s birth certificate, demonstrating that he is the son of Fred Trump, not an orangutan.” The letter also asked that Maher, “Please remit the $5 million to Mr. Trump immediately and he will ensure that the money be donated to … five charities in equal amounts.”
It appears however, that Maher has yet to respond, and Trump told FOX New’s “Fox & Friends” on Monday that he is now suing Maher for the money. He said, “He promised me $5 million for charity if I provided certain information. Well I provided the information. He didn’t pay. So today I sue Bill Maher for $5 million for charity.”
It was just a joke though, right? many critics have asserted that Maher was simply making Trump an offer similar to that which he made to President Obama during the election last year to release his college transcripts, in part to prove that the President was, in fact, born in America. Trump insists that it was not a joke though. He told FOX, “I don’t think he was joking. He said it with venom. That was venom. That wasn’t a joke. In fact, he was nervous when he said it.”
Trump only provided his short-form birth certificate. He didn’t believe Obama was US-born even after Obama released his long-form certificate. So he must first prove his birth in the US in the same way he wants Obama to prove it – which is impossible.
Exactly. The more Trump presses it, the worse he looks.
Are these serious questions? It was clearly a joke or do people actually believe Maher thought there was a realistic possibility that one of Trump’s parents was an orangutan? The joke is relatively tame, so it’s hardly controversial enough to entertain the thought that it went too far. Maher is a comedian, telling jokes is what he does. He’s also a progressive, at least by American standards, and was clearly belittling Trump’s whole Birther stance. Maher’s credibility on this matter is not in question at all because it was a joke. Trump’s move to ask him to pay up is… Read more »
First, the way the wager is constructed is that the burden of proof is on Trump to prove that Fred Trump was not an orangutan. The truthers’ whole thesis about Obama is that birth records can be altered. So, just saying that Trump’s father’s name is Fred does not prove that Fred is NOT an orangutan. After all, Obama’s records saying he was born in Hawai’i doesn’t prove he was born in Hawai’i, so logically we’d have to say the same about Trump proving he was not fathered by an orangutan. An affidavit from Donald’s mother might help, but even… Read more »
Regardless of if he meant it to be a joke Maher should have been ready to back it up. When you’re talking stakes as high as this you have to be mindful of exactly what kind of checks your mouth is writing because your bank account may not be able to cash it. Many critics have asserted that Maher was simply making Trump an offer similar to that which he made to President Obama during the election last year to release his college transcripts, in part to prove that the President was, in fact, born in America. Regardless of the… Read more »
Danny, buddy, pall, friend… this is the United States of America mmmkay… Comedic satire is well protected under the constitution alright, mmmkay? Donald Trump is only making things more embarrassing on him self. Everyone will be taking turns calling him an orangutan…it’s the code of the school yard mmmkay. Pick on the dumb kid who doesn’t know when to shut up… besides, Me thinks the gentleman doth protest too much.
Well if we must bring analytics and legal precedent to this embarrassing temper tantrum of a debate. Please allow me to introduce the fact that the statement “I’am willing to pay 5 million” is in no way shape or form a binding contract for the actual payment of said 5mil. and ***HOLY SCREAMING INTO YOUR PILLOW EPIC-FACE PALM*** Donald Trump is making us all dumber. I have begun a legal fund on behalf of the orangutan community in hopes of bringing a swift and crushing deformation of character suit against Mr Marher. Orangutans and their human allies will not stand… Read more »
the previous statement was directed @ WELLOKAYTHEN,
Sorry Budmin, but offering to pay $5million in return for something of value can be a legal offer and because Mr Trump did accept that offer and acted in reliance by producing his birth certificate and giving it to Mr Marher, the contract has been made. If Mr Marher had recended his offer by stating that it was a joke BEFORE Mr Trump acted in reliance of Mr Marher’s offer there would not have been a contract. However Mr Marher, failed to clarify that he was joking and did not intend to make a true offfer, therefore there is a… Read more »
@legalease honestly, It would be one thing if they were discussing actual paternity but they weren’t. They’re talking about a man having an orangutan as a father. The burden of proof falls on Donald Trump to show that Bill Maher’s orangutan comments (which btw parroted Trump’s own 5mil offer to President Obama) was made in good faith and couldn’t be mistaken as satire by a reasoned adult mind. Go00od luck with that one. Personally I think Trump is not only humiliating himself, his family, and his lawyers but his country as well. Someone needs to stage an intervention to protect… Read more »
Danny, buddy, pall, friend… this is the United States of America mmmkay… Comedic satire is well protected under the constitution alright, mmmkay? Donald Trump is only making things more embarrassing on him self. Everyone will be taking turns calling him an orangutan…it’s the code of the school yard mmmkay. Pick on the dumb kid who doesn’t know when to shut up… besides, Me thinks the gentleman doth protest too much. Then why doesn’t Maher just say it was a joke? If he did then at the worst there would just be more fuel to keep picking on Trump right? It… Read more »