Part 15 of “The Haircut Who Would Be King” by Robert Trebor Blog Tour

Introducing “The Haircut Who Would Be King” by Robert Trebor

This is a satirical portrayal of Donald Trump’s ascent to power and his unconventional alliance with Vladimir Putin. Trump, depicted as egotistical and emotionally stunted since childhood, transitions from real estate to reality TV before entering politics. He recruits shock jock Alex Clamz for his presidential campaign, facing off against the sensible Mallory Claxton. Despite scandal and controversy, Trump wins the presidency with covert support from Putin. The narrative humorously highlights their contrasting personalities, with Putin portrayed as a former KGB agent with unique coping mechanisms. The story unfolds with absurdity and farce, reflecting on contemporary political dynamics through a comedic lens.

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“How did you approach the research process for this book?”

I’m tempted to point to my head and say “It’s all up here.” But that’s too Trumpy, given the nature of the book. After I decided not to be a depressive misanthrope from the 2016 election, I delved deeply into the rabbit hole of Trumpworld. My research went into his upbringing, the family’s racist rental policies (for which they were sued, and lost), and mostly the influence of Roy Cohn on the family’s flexible attitude toward the law. I’m also something of a cable news junkie, and when a nugget would catch my ear, like Trump’s infatuation with Hitler’s Mein Kampf, or his penchant for walking into beauty contestants’ dressing rooms without being announced, I would jot it down for further investigation. I also noted Putin’s rise from the KGB, and extreme despair over the collapse of the USSR. I play Putin off Trump as a counterpoint throughout the book.

“Did you face any challenges while writing a satire based on real-life events?”

The biggest challenge was what to leave out. Trump and Putin offer such a rich banquet of grift, graft, and grungy behavior, it was sometimes hard to pick and choose. I didn’t want to present the reader with a bill of particulars, like a prosecutor before a jury. I wanted incidents to which I could apply a funhouse mirror of distortion, yet discern the real, disturbing image underneath.

“How did your background in acting influence your writing style?

The confidence in trusting and refining my instincts, especially in my comedic view of life was influential. But portraying two specific characters, Salmoneus the wily salesman from Hercules, and David Berkowitz the psychopath, provided the foundation from which to launch my burlesque/satire. Trump has the “qualities” of both. And Putin is certainly in an adjacent neighborhood.

“What was your routine like when writing this book?”

I wouldn’t call it a routine, exactly. With Trump’s every blunder and outrage, rather than throwing a shoe at the television, or tossing my computer out the window, I would jot down the specifics for further development. When something particularly egregious would trigger my imagination. I would spend time working on it and expanding the potential. I wanted the book to be chronological when finished but didn’t write it that way. I also knew I wanted the plot to ping-pong between Trump and Putin. And I knew that somehow their stories would collide at the end of the book.

“How did you decide on the pacing of the story?”

I knew it was going to be an outrageous satire, so it needed to have a brisk pace. Generally, comedy moves faster than drama, and farce is the fastest of all. So the chapters are short, and the story acquires more velocity as we come to the climax. I also wanted the reader to enjoy it in one sitting, if so inclined.

Author Info

Robert Trebor is a character actor with more than 40 years experience on stage, film and television. Two of his noteworthy roles are The Son of Sam in the film Out Of The Darkness, and Salmoneus the Merchant in the Hercules and Xena TV series. Playing both a psychopath and a salesman was enormously helpful in preparing this book. For more information – https://roberttrebor.net/