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EulogyEulogy Posts: 2,463 ✭✭✭✭✭

A casting call was sent out last week "looking to cast people for the event to wear t-shirts and carry signs and help cheer him in support of his announcement."

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."

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.



Comments

  • EulogyEulogy Posts: 2,463 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I wonder who advised Trump this would be a good idea.
  • ExpendableYouthExpendableYouth Posts: 2,105 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The voices in his head that told him he has a shot.
  • SecretSquirrelSecretSquirrel Posts: 864 ✭✭✭✭
    all he ever talks about is how rich he is...
  • The3StogiesThe3Stogies Posts: 2,652 ✭✭✭✭
    Eulogy said:
    I wonder who advised Trump this would be a good idea.
    That's assuming Trump has, or even listens to, adviser's.  I think this goes on a lot, people being paid or bused to events to gin up the cause.  Kinda like the old sitcoms with the laugh tracks to make you think something was funny when usually it wasn't.  Some people buy it, no pun intended.  Personally I don't think he's got a prayer to get elected but if he makes it to the debates a laugh track won't be needed.
  • SM0K3YSM0K3Y Posts: 1,109 ✭✭✭
    I dont want to get political, BUT
    That dude is hilarious....
  • variant2variant2 Posts: 882 ✭✭✭✭
    SM0K3Y said:
    I dont want to get political, BUT
    That dude is hilarious....
    I'm glad he decided to run. The elections just got a big boost in entertainment value and I'm looking forward to the debates and SNL skits. 

    Cнeerѕ! Moтнerғυcĸer
  • EulogyEulogy Posts: 2,463 ✭✭✭✭✭
    all he ever talks about is how rich he is...
    He even mentioned in his speech how rich he is. Seems out of touch with normal people to say "I'm running for president and I'm super rich too". I bet SNL can't wait to start production again.
  • jd50aejd50ae Posts: 7,900 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Eulogy said:
    I wonder who advised Trump this would be a good idea.
    Who advises any of them its a good idea? What bothers me is they all do it, from riots to demonstrations to politics.

    I wonder what any of these "spontaneous" gatherings would really look like if no hired "participants" attended. Would they look like fluke's demonstration with less then a handful of people showing up?
  • SM0K3YSM0K3Y Posts: 1,109 ✭✭✭
    Everything all of them do is 100% money driven, none of them care about you or "us" or America
  • jlmartajlmarta Posts: 7,881 ✭✭✭✭✭
    SM0K3Y said:
    Everything all of them do is 100% money driven, none of them care about you or "us" or America
    I'll drink to that, Pardner. Of course, I'll drink to 'most anything..... :p
  • SleevePlzSleevePlz Posts: 6,249 ✭✭✭✭
    Could be worse, he could be Perry calling the terrorist attack in SC an accident. GOP looking good today.
    LLA - Lancero Lovers of America
  • jarublajarubla Posts: 2,329 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 2015
    so, this may be a 'stirring the shizz' post, but aren't these tactics employed by many in the political limelight?

    I saw something about 'crowd padding' that moms demand action did back during the nra convention:  

    http://www.americas1stfreedom.org/articles/2015/5/25/from-the-editor-misleading-moms/

    So much media is spun these days. Gets tiresome 

    -Jay
    “There’ll be two dates on your tombstone and all your friends will read ’em but all that’s gonna matter is that little dash between ’em.” -Kevin Welch
  • BigshizzaBigshizza Posts: 15,644 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The clown car is over filled with rich egomaniacs
  • pennpenn Posts: 193 ✭✭✭
    I don't disagree with anything anyone has said.  My problem, that I try to rationalize with myself, is I would switch my daily grind life for a seat in the clown car any day.  
  • armyvetarmyvet Posts: 37
    Just how many clowns are common out of that car?
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