Roy Cohn, "The Apprentice," & his mentorship of Trump

What a Creep

What a Creep: Roy Cohn
(Updated Intro & Replay from Season 4)

Roy Cohn (1927–1986) was a prominent American lawyer known for his involvement in controversial cases. He gained national attention as chief counsel to Senator Joseph McCarthy during the McCarthy hearings in the 1950s. After working with McCarthy, Cohn became a private attorney, representing clients like Donald Trump and mafia bosses. Cohn's manipulative strategies served as a foundation for Trump's later tactics in his political career. Allegations of unethical behavior marked Cohn's career, and he was disbarred in 1986 for professional misconduct. He died of AIDS-related complications shortly after.

The Apprentice (2024), directed by Ali Abbasi, is a controversial film that delves into Trump's (played by Sebastian Stan) early life, focusing on his rise in the 1970s and 1980s. The movie centers around Trump's relationship with his mentor, Cohn, played by Jeremy Strong.

Sources for this episode:

• Roy Cohn Wikipedia
• The Atlantic
• Politico
• Esquire
• Life magazine (1988)
• "Where's My Roy Cohn" trailer (directed by Matt Tyrnauer)
• "Citizen Cohn" (1992) starring James Woods
• The Fixers: by Joe Palazollo & Michael Rothfeld
• The Apprentice (2024 trailer)
• Bully. Coward. Victim. The Story of Roy Cohn (2019)

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