How Trump’s Birthdays Went From Golden Ticket to Fool’s Gold

There was a before.

Before the 34 felony convictions. Before those other three pesky ongoing criminal cases. Before he watched an insurrection in his name unfold live on Fox News. Before even the golden escalator ride and the time that Barack Obama made those mean jokes about him. Donald Trump was just a boy. And on one special day of every year, he was something even better—the birthday boy.

A Trump birthday party used to mean something. It meant a night of glitz and glamor, gaudiness and gold. It was a veritable who’s-who of the rich and famous schmoozing it up with the bright young things as the has-beens and also-rans loitered anxiously at the edges, wallflowers waiting to be asked to dance. Regis Philbin used to be there, man.

Read more at The Daily Beast.