How Bob Iger Helped Me Crank Call Donald Trump on Air Force One

Yes, this is a true story.

I've often been known to be the type of person to challenge authority, whether it's been in school or during my time in television. Never one to take things too seriously, I was always fascinated with the idea that you could touch the world.

I never bought into this idea of ‘don't call this person’ or ‘don't bother that person because they're too important.’ I have always felt that we're all human beings on the same level. Irrespective of how much money you have or what kind of power you have, you should always be decent towards other people. Easier said than done, particularly in today's world.

I could tell you 100 stories, and I should probably write a book, about times where I've done things I shouldn't have done.

Separately, as a content creator and a producer, I've always been out there doing things with different people in the name of not just creating content, but trying to maintain a living.

I spent my childhood absorbing lots of different things such as Disney, Jim Henson and Star Wars. However, I was also a huge Howard Stern fan. So when given the opportunity to help produce a podcast for a former member of that show, I was excited purely for the love of the game.

Here we are producing this podcast when another former Stern show member bails at the last minute. It’s only because of my prior knowledge testing the fences that I was able to implement what would happen next.

Since I'm the type of person that challenges authority, even when nobody's looking, I took it upon myself to pick up the phone and call the White House one day during Trump’s first term. I was able to do this by just using a number I googled - the Switchboard number.

It was way too easy to get a call back from none other than Hope Hicks with the President on the line. Sure, I said I was calling from Bob Iger's office but why would he call via the main switchboard?

Now I didn't know what I was going to say, nor did I expect to get through, but this is just one of those things that I like to do without the benefit of an audience.

However, when you realize you've gotten through to the president you're like ‘my gosh I touched it oops, maybe that was too close.’

I kept that ace card in my pocket and it was only till I got the opportunity to produce a podcast for Melendez that I said ‘hey, I know what we can do.’ And boom, we implemented the crank call.

It was really just a matter of storytelling. We needed something to do and there was a history between the guys, they used to party together. Trump was a reoccurring guest on the Howard Stern show. It all made sense. I figured maybe he would pick up.

However it didn’t work. Not at first. Melendez was hung up on multiple times and the thought of “My Cousin Vinny” came to mind. “Menendez not Melendez,” I proclaimed, purely for the sake of comedy. I didn't expect it to work. It turned out Senator Bob Menendez had a relationship with the Trumps and Kushners. This is something the media failed to highlight during the calls coverage.

It was a hurricane from that moment forward, from introducing Michael Avenatti into the equation, to going on a media whirlwind tour, to getting to meet all sorts of people, including Gloria Allred, which is just kind of random and cool. It was really quite the experience and I wouldn't have traded it for anything. Now granted this is before I ever had a following on TikTok. In fact, it may have still been Musical.ly.

I've had many lives as you now know, particularly when it comes to creating content. It's just weird to be in this place in this time to not only feel comfortable enough to share the story with you, but it makes sense to share the story. All of this to say if not for Bob Iger, then that crank call to Donald Trump would have never happened.

I will also say that, at this age and at this point, I'm not afraid to pick up the phone again.

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