ROLLING STONES' TOUR PROMOTER SAYS KEITH RICHARDS THREATENED TO FIGHT DONALD TRUMP WITH A KNIFE

[Rob L 3,811]

By Meg Swertlow Wonderwall

10:22am PDT, Mar 19, 2016

MediaPunch/REX Shutterstock/Rex USA1 / 17

NBC isn't the only employer that's fired Donald Trump, apparently the Rolling Stones have too!

The band's tour promoter, Michael Cohl, recounted a story to Pollstar about the Stones' 1989 "Steel Wheels" tour, when he had to fire the loud-mouthed business man, who was sponsoring the final performance of the 115-show European and North American tour at the Boardwalk Hall (f.k.a Convention Center) in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Despite the amazing story being published back in August, the story has only just gone viral. We can only assume that it's resurfaced because of public outcry that the controversial figure is still a front runner in the GOP race.

Cohl explained to the publication that Mick Jagger and the boys' closing show was to be aired on pay-per-view and and was also set to be sponsored by the adjacent Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino. However, the band so strongly disliked Trump that they agreed to the contract on the stipulation that the money man wouldn't be involved in any promotional capacity outside of Atlantic City and also that he would not even be allowed to attend the show.

Needless to say -- all did not go to plan …

Cohl explained that on the night the concert, "I get word that I have to come to the press room in the next building. I run to the press room in the next building and what do you think is happening? There's Donald Trump giving a press conference, in our room!"

According to promoter, Trump told him, "they begged me to go up, Michael."

Cohl said he replied, "Stop it, Don't make a liar of yourself.:

Cohl said he then left to go back to the dressing room, thinking that the the lid on Pandora's box had been secured -- but not so much! Cohl said five minutes after he left, Trump managed to weasel himself back in front of the mic -- perhaps a foreshadowing moment of media-hungry times to come?

Cohl pleaded, "Donald, I don't know if I can control this. Stop it." The exasperated promoter says he thought the situation was handled, went back to the dressing room and then once again heard that Trump was back promoting. At that point, Cohl recounted that guitarist Keith Richards stepped in.

Cohl explained, "Keith pulls out his knife and slams it on the table and says, 'What the hell do I have you for? Do I have to go over there and fire him myself? One of us is leaving the building -- either him, or us.'"

Eventually Cohl set Trump straight, saying, "One of two things is going to happen. You're going to leave the building and, at 6:40, The Rolling Stones are going to speak on CBS News, or you're not going to leave the building and I'm going to go on and do an interview to explain to the world why the pay-per-view was canceled."

As Cohl was firing the celebrity, he says he noticed, "three shtarkers he's with, in trench coats, two of them are putting on gloves and the other one is putting on brass knuckles." Uh oh!

Unfortunately the Donald didn't know whom he was messing with. That's when Cohl says he signaled his head of security, who "got 40 of the crew with tire irons and hockey sticks and screwdrivers" and sent Trump and his trio packing.

Cohl concluded the story with a zinger: "And that was the night I fired Donald Trump."

We love this story -- Michael Cohl for president?!

Edited March 19, 2016 by Rob L