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Donald Trump says controversial comments about women were ‘for the purpose of entertainment’

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Trump calls controversial comments about women ‘for the purpose of entertainment’
WATCH: Republican nominee for president Donald Trump tells KSNV Thursday that many of his controversial comments over women were done “for the purpose of entertainment." – Oct 6, 2016

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said that his comments referring to women as things like “pigs” or “slobs” were all in name of “entertainment.”

Trump made the comments in an interview with KSNV TV in Las Vegas Wednesday.

When asked if he understood the “concern from parents of younger girls that some of the wording you’ve used to talk about attractiveness or unattractiveness, might make it more difficult for girls who are struggling with their body image and the pressure to be model-perfect,” Trump replied: “sure I do.”

READ MORE: Newspapers are endorsing Clinton not Trump, but do editorials really sway voters?

He then went on to explain that the comments were from his time in the TV industry when The Apprentice was airing.

“A lot of that was done for the purpose of entertainment… There’s nobody that has more respect for women than I do,” Trump replied.

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WATCH: The US Election’s focal point has turned its spotlight onto Donald Trump’s stance on women. Aarti Pole reports. 
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Spotlight being shone on Donald Trump’s stance on women

“A lot of this is done in the entertainment business, I’m being interviewed for Apprentice, long before I ever thought in terms of running for office.”

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But Trump has also been criticized widely for his comments on women’s appearances made during his presidential campaign.

In the first presidential debate last week, he said Rosie O’Donnell, with whom he has a long standing feud, “deserves [his comments] and no one feels sorry for her.” When rival Hillary Clinton brought up his previous comments about former Miss Universe Alicia Machado (he called her “Miss Piggy”) he later asked his Twitter followers to “check out [Machado’s] sex tape.”
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READ MORE: Donald Trump attacks Miss Universe again, calls on people to check out ‘sex tape’ 

Trump also told KSNV TV that he made the comments for a “different” reason, though he didn’t elaborate on what that reason was.

“When you’re in the entertainment business, you have one of the top shows on television, you say things differently for a reason,” he said in the interview.

An Associated Press report released Monday says Trump’s comments weren’t limited to public interviews, though.

READ MORE:The Apprentice’ cast, crew say Donald Trump rated contestants by size of their breasts

Click to play video: '‘The Apprentice’ producer accuses Trump of identifying women by their physical features'
‘The Apprentice’ producer accuses Trump of identifying women by their physical features

More than 20 people described Trump as “crass;” some said he made lewd comments about a camera woman, and others say he called for female contestants to wear shorter dresses.

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Trump’s campaign manager Hope Hicks denied the allegations saying: “These outlandish, unsubstantiated, and totally false claims fabricated by publicity hungry, opportunistic, disgruntled former employees, have no merit whatsoever.”

 

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