Trump celeb crew awaits his turn in spotlight, and their own

Fabio, the golden-haired model who graced the cover of hundreds of romance novels, was wrapping up Thanksgiving dinner at Donald Trump's South Florida club when the president-elect began making the rounds to greet his guests.

Fabio, who goes by his first name only, said he hit it off with the newly elected Republican, who asked the brawny model how he stays in shape. On a second visit to the Mar-a-Lago club around New Year's, Fabio huddled with incoming White House press secretary Sean Spicer and offered his assistance on veterans' issues.

"I want to help," said Fabio, who plans to be in Washington for Trump's January 20 inauguration.
 

Fabio's embrace of Trump puts him in an exclusive and eclectic club: celebrities who not only support the president-elect, but are willing to do so publicly.

The entertainment industry's liberal bent, combined with election-season outrage over Trump's controversial comments on women and minorities, left Trump persona non grata with many A-listers, particularly those who have rolled in President Barack Obama's circles.

While most modern presidents have had a celebrity clique, Obama's crowd has been especially glitzy. Beyonce performed at both of his inaugurations. Ellen DeGeneres and John Legend hobnobbed at his 55th birthday party.

A slew of famous faces attended the president and first lady Michelle Obama's farewell bash Friday night at the White House, and some shared social media posts about partying with the Obamas well into the morning.

Trump, a celebrity in his own right from his days as a New York tabloid fixture and reality television host, has attracted a motlier crew.

Actors Scott Baio and Antonio Sabato Jr spoke at the Republican National Convention and former Indiana University basketball coach Bob Knight appeared with Trump on the campaign trail.

Actor Stephen Baldwin was among Trump's earliest celebrity endorsers, despite having been twice fired from Trump's reality show "Celebrity Apprentice."

"Let's just say, when he fired me the second time, it was between me or Gary Busey, so I was a little pissed off for a couple of weeks," joked Baldwin, who starred in 1995's "The Usual Suspects" and 1996's "Bio-Dome."

Baldwin took the role of celebrity endorser seriously. Before doing interviews during the election, he said he would contact the campaign and see if there were any talking points he should emphasize.

Baldwin, whose older brother Alec plays a snarling Trump on "Saturday Night Live," also stays in touch with the president-elect's son Eric, who attends the same Manhattan cigar club.

Always image conscious, Trump has bristled at the notion that the entertainment industry's elite has rejected him. In December, he tweeted that "so-called 'A' list celebrities" were all seeking tickets to his inauguration, yet few headline-making stars have been announced for the events surrounding his January 20 swearing in.