NBC is distancing itself from Mr. Blowhard, POTUS candidate, Donald Trump. Last week they issued a statement saying;

“We do not agree with Mr. Trump on a number of issues…”

And since then they are cutting ties completely…

“… the annual Miss USA and Miss Universe Pageants, which are part of a joint venture between NBC and Trump, will no longer air on NBC. In addition, as Mr. Trump has already indicated, he will not be participating in The Celebrity Apprentice on NBC. Celebrity Apprentice is licensed from Mark Burnett‘s United Artists Media Group and that relationship will continue.”

The controversy started with Trump’s widely criticized June 16 speech announcing his Presidential candidacy as a Republican (surprise!) in which he referred to Mexican immigrants as “rapists.”

“The U.S. has become a dumping ground for everybody else’s problems. … When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”

When speaking at an event Monday in Chicago, Trump said it was HIS decision to end the relationship.

“They did not want me to run. They wanted me to do The Apprentice. And now with my statements on immigration — which happen to be correct — they are going to take a different stance and that’s OK. Whatever they want to do is OK with me. As far as ending the relationship, I have to do that because my view on immigration is much different than the people at NBC.”

The Miss USA pageant was scheduled to air live on NBC from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on July 12. The network had aired Miss USA as well as Miss Universe for the past 11 years and was in the midst of a five-year, $13.5 million contract between NBCUniversal and Trump’s Miss Universe Organization. The pageant has been a modest ratings performer for the network and last year’s show averaged a 1.4 rating among adults 18-49.

Yesterday Trump called NBC “weak” and “foolish,” and said that he told the network “long ago” that he would be stepping down from Celebrity Apprentice because of his campaign. In the statement, he also said that NBC’s “contract violating closure of Miss Universe/Miss USA will be determined in court.”

“The Miss Universe Organization is built on a foundation of inclusion and continues to be a celebration of diversity and of all cultures. This year’s Miss USA contestants represent many different ethnic backgrounds, including six Latinas (four of whom are of Mexican descent).”

Last week Univision also announced that it was ending its business relationship with Trump based on what it deemed

“insulting remarks about Mexican immigrants.”

It’s unclear who will take the reins of Celebrity Apprentice in Trump’s place. He has hosted all seven seasons of both Celebrity Apprentice and The Apprentice. It also remains to be seen what this means for Trump’s children, Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, who have served as advisors on the show for several years.

In case you are wondering, he comes down on the wrong side of marriage equality too. This weekend CNN State of the Union host Jake Tapper asked Trump in a taped interview, which the host said was done before of the Supreme Court’s ruling Friday;

“What do you say to a lesbian who’s married, or a gay man who is married, who says, ‘Donald Trump, what’s traditional about being married three times?'”

Trump didn’t argue with the question, saying the hypothetical lesbian or gay man would

“…have a very good point.”

But I’m sure he’ll double-down now that the ruling has drawn battle lines. Btw, he is not taken seriously by anyone, even his own party, as a POTUS candidate, so this is just for “entertainment purposes”. (via THR)