Donald Trump Just Reminded Everyone Melania Trump Was Once In An Aflac Commercial
Stop what you're doing right now. Have you seen Melania Trump's Aflac commercial? If you haven't you need to, because apparently Donald Trump is a big fan. At least, that's what he reportedly told an Aflac employee.
On Jan. 31, Trump reportedly invited employees of the insurance company Aflac to the Oval Office in order to promote his federal Tax Cuts and Job Acts, which he signed in December 2017. During the meeting Trump spoke with Aflac employee and resource manager Michael Porter, and Trump reportedly mentioned knowing Aflac's Chairman Dan Amos. In fact, according to the Ledger Enquirer, Trump bragged to Porter that he had a great relationship with Amos, noting that his wife had been hired to do an Aflac commercial. "I think it was a successful commercial, too," Trump added.
“Your chairman I know very well and he’s done a fantastic job,” Trump said. “He actually a long time ago hired my wife to do a big commercial, an Aflac commercial, and I think it was a successful commercial, too. So say hello to him.”
On behalf of the entire internet, Mr. Amos, we thank you.
So let's get to this commercial, because it's a doozy. Filmed in all back and white, the 30-second ad titled Experiment shows Melania — who is explicitly named as "Mrs. Trump" — strapped down to a table next to the company's Aflac duck mascot, which is also held hostage. A mad scientist extravagantly details his plan to swap Melania and the Aflac duck's voices, in order to "tell the world the benefits of Aflac with sex appeal," according to People. Finally, he pulls the lever and electroshocks are sent between Melania and the Aflac duck.
The commercial ends with Melania quacking out the classic "Aflac" slogan.
This is real, people, and Donald Trump is bragging about it.
According to People, Melania snagged the commercial soon after she and Donald Trump married in January of that year. On April 26, 2005 Adweek released a statement from Melania discussing her excitement about being involved in the commercial. “I am very excited to make my acting debut in the latest Aflac commercial," Melania said. "Donald is known for saying ‘You’re fired’; maybe I will be known for saying ‘Aflac.'”
Oh, Melania. How things have changed.
In addition to Melania's statement, Adweek received a statement at the time from Amos about the goal of the commercial and his pleasure at the end result.
He said,
Following five years of saying only ‘Aflac,’ we believe viewers will enjoy seeing the Aflac duck talk. The commercial gives the duck a voice in a very clever and entertaining way. We were pleased that Melania Trump was available to help the duck talk about the benefits of Aflac with glamorous appeal.
Despite Melania scoring thirty seconds of fame from Trump early in their marriage, he's definitely in the dog house right now. Melania is reportedly pretty salty at Trump after reports surfaced on Jan. 12 that Donald Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen had allegedly paid off an adult film actress, Stephanie Clifford aka Stormy Daniels, to prevent her from talking about an alleged 2006 affair with Trump. Both Cohen and Clifford have denied reports of the payment and alleged affair, while the White House called them "old, recycled reports, which were published and strongly denied prior to the election." But that hasn't stopped Melania from apparently throwing some super passive-aggressive shade at Trump over the past couple of weeks.
It first started when Melania spontaneously announced on Jan. 22 that she wouldn't be traveling to Davos, Switzerland alongside Trump for the World Economic Forum. To make it even juicier? That day marked her and Trump's 13th wedding anniversary.
However, it was the 2018 State of the Union Address that might have proven to be Melania's version of putting her foot down. Leading up to the address, Melania broke tradition and opted to arrive separately from her husband. In addition, during Trump's address, he mentioned a line involving "faith and family" to standing applause. Standing applause from everyone that is, except Melania. Instead, she sat stone-faced in her seat.
Dare I say that seeing her strapped to that laboratory table waiting to have her voiced swapped with the Aflac duck is the most at peace I've seen her in weeks?
We're thinking of you Melania.
Editor's note: A previous version of this article stated that Donald Trump took credit for Melania's casting in the Aflac commercial; it has since been corrected.
