MSNBC
Penn Jillette on MSNBC.
The Republican presidential candidate Trump wrote on Twitter that he heard Jillette's Broadway show is "terrible" and he wasn't surprised because Jillette is a "boring guy."
He added that the show would have "died long ago" if Jillette hadn't been a contestant on Trump's "Celebrity Apprentice" reality show in 2012 and 2013.
Trump's barbs came after Jillette went on MSNBC's "The Last Word" earlier in the week. Jillette, who said he would be supporting a libertarian candidate in 2016, repeatedly offered Trump backhanded praise.
"The American public prayed for somebody on the political scene who would tell the truth without filters. And like the monkey's paw, it's come back and bitten them in the butt. You like it America? Here's someone without filters. Is this what you want? And it's kind of refreshing except that he's wrong about everything," Jillette said.
Jillette went on to mock Trump's ties for being made in China. He wore a Trump tie for the interview.
"I want you to see that this right here is 100% plastic. The gold is plastic," he told MSNBC host Lawrence O'Donnell, pointing to a gold piece on the back of the tie. "I want to say very clearly: I got this tie for free. If you're on 'Celebrity Apprentice' right until the end, they start giving you wardrobe. They gave this to me free and I sent $20 to China. So I am not guilty of the exploitation this tie represents."
When Macy's canceled its Trump-branded clothing collection, Trump also said he's "never been happy about the fact that the ties and shirts are made in China."
Despite his jabs, Jillette insisted he actually liked Trump.
"I think of everyone who was on 'Celebrity Apprentice,' I'm the one who liked him the most," he said. "Because I actually like that crazy, nutty honesty stuff."
Regarding Trump's criticism of his Broadway show, Jillette responded respectfully on Twitter:
@realDonaldTrump Sorry you couldn't make the opening, but we know you're busy. Would have liked to have seen you. Be well.
- Penn Jillette (@pennjillette) July 16, 2015@JeffreyGuterman @realDonaldTrump He said right in the tweet that he "heard." Some people don't like our show. That's very valid.
- Penn Jillette (@pennjillette) July 16, 2015We are doing wonderfully on Broadway. We're having our best and biggest crowds ever. Man, it's great to be back in NYC. Thanks so much.
- Penn Jillette (@pennjillette) July 16, 2015Trump, though, continued Thursday morning to fire off on Jillette:
I loved firing goofball atheist Penn @pennjillette on The Apprentice. He never had a chance. Wrote letter to me begging for forgiveness.
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 16, 2015