As the late music/acting icon, Sammy Davis Jr., was dying, he was also reportedly dealt a huge setback by Donald Trump. Ultimately, Sammy’s Rat Pack partner and close friend, the late Frank Sinatra, had to stand up for him against Trump, according to Sinatra’s former manager.
In his upcoming memoir, “The Way it Was,” Sinatra’s ex-manager, Eliot Weisman, details the time that he damn near choked Trump, and Sinatra told Trump to “Go f**k himself”…in that order. Apparently, just like Trump did during his presidency, Weiss says the beef started between them due to Trump’s offensive tactics and comments.
What Happened Between Trump, Sinatra, and Sammy Davis Jr.?
Weisman said the drama went down in 1990, the same year Sammy Davis Jr. passed away from throat cancer. Although Sammy had terminal cancer, he was still performing to earn money. Sinatra’s manager said Trump blocked Sammy and Sinatra from getting the payment they were already scheduled to receive from their then-upcoming Taj Mahal performance.
According to Weisman, Trump stepped in at the last minute and tried to undercut them by cutting Sammy and their opening act out of the performance altogether. Therefore, the then deathly-ill Sammy Davis Jr. couldn’t earn the much needed money he thought he had coming to him at that time:
According to [Eliot] Weisman, Trump started off the new negotiations by saying that the cost for the 12 dates Sinatra was slated to perform was “a little rich.” The Donald also decided he didn’t need to book the other acts that were part of the original deal, including Sammy Davis Jr…. and Steve and Eydie.
But the reported drama didn’t stop there between Trump, Sinatra, and Sammy Davis Jr….
Via NYDailyNews: According to Weisman, he had a deal in place with the new venue’s operator, Mark Grossinger Etess, who died in a helicopter crash before they could cross the T’s and dot the I’s. That’s when The Donald got involved. Weisman said that Paul Anka warned him at Etess’ funeral that he was about to learn the meaning of “The Art of the Deal,” which is the title of Trump’s how-to book in wheeling and dealing.
The manager says Sinatra then told Trump to ‘go f*&k himself’:
“Who’s Steve and Eydie?” Trump asked, according to Weisman. Weisman said he then tried choking The Donald by his tie, but his son, who was also at the meeting, restrained him. Weisman called Sinatra to tell him what had happened, and Sinatra told him he had two choices: to tell Trump to go f–k himself or give Trump’s phone number to Sinatra so that he could do it himself. Weisman returned to Trump’s office and told The Donald “Sinatra says go f–k yourself!”
After reportedly telling Trump what to do with his disrespect, Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and their supporting act, Steve and Eydie, were lik,e ‘To hell with Trump and his Taj Mahal.’ Then they took their performances to Sands Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas instead. Damn, Donald tried to stick ’em for their paper?