Donald Trump’s remarks about Obama could hurt his businesses

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Updated: August 4, 2011 4:20PM

Even though his team insists Donald Trump’s controversial comments about President Obama’s birth certificate and college transcripts have had no effect on the real estate mogul and TV personality’s businesses, various sources indicate a boycott of all things Trump — being touted by folks including noted presidential historian Douglas Brinkley — could be gaining momentum.

A longtime NBC executive told me he had heard from “more than a few key advertisers,” who indicated they were being inundated by consumers demanding they pull advertising from Trump’s “Celebrity Apprentice.”

Similarly, a veteran hospitality industry pro told me there were rumblings Trump’s political statements — tied to a possible presidential campaign — could affect bookings at the numerous Trump Hotel properties, including the one in Chicago.

The Trump camp is firmly denying that there’s been any indication of a drop in reservations at any Trump property — based on the recent Obama “birther” controversy.

However, Rosie O’Donnell has reportedly pulled back from possibly renting an apartment at the Trump Tower when she’s in Chicago to tape her upcoming talk show on Oprah Winfrey’s OWN network.

BIG BROTHER:

Hoping to make the leap from pop superstar to movie actor, Justin Bieber has turned to new mentor Mark Wahlberg to guide him. It makes sense, as the ex-rapper (and Calvin Klein underwear model) once known as Marky Mark certainly made the transition to respected actor, filmmaker and even one of Time magazine’s Top 100 influence-shapers.

After watching Bieber’s great hoops skills in the celebrity basketball game at the NBA All-Star weekend in February, Wahlberg realized the teen phenom was perfect for his co-star in a basketball drama he has developed — called a cross between “The Color of Money” and “The Karate Kid” by deadline.com.

HELPING HAND: Along with support from his Bon Jovi bandmates, Richie Sambora’s just-announced re-entry into rehab also was strongly encouraged by his ex-wife Heather Locklear — who has gone through that experience herself.

The actress reportedly was one of the major people who counseled the rocker the past few weeks, telling him his very heavy drinking was totally out of control.

† A band rep told TMZ that Bon Jovi’s upcoming tour will go on without Sambora, but “we very much look forward to his healthy return.” Friends say the musician’s last rehab stint in 2007 was just not long enough to ensure a better road to recovery.

FRESHEN UP! My “American Idol” sources tell me that Casey Abrams has a superb musical memory but often forgets to, uh, pay attention to his personal hygiene. “But now — thanks to a few very direct comments from ‘Idol’ staff members and his fellow competitors — Casey is smelling a lot better recently,” an “Idol” insider said.

MOVIE SCHMOOZE: “Ness/Capone” will be a new film based on the old Eliot Ness-Al Capone story. This version will be more historically accurate than “The Untouchables,” the TV series starring the late Robert Stack, or the Chicago-made film starring Kevin Costner. Ness will be depicted as a womanizing, violence-loving publicity hound and not the incorruptible, mythical crime fighter of FBI legend.

† Word has it, “The Social Net­work” co-star Armie Hammer has been tapped for the title role in “The Lone Ranger” — opposite the already-cast Johnny Depp as Tonto.

LOCAL LIGHTS: Chicago’s own Jane Lynch will play the mother superior in the “Three Stooges” film that’s just starting filming in Atlanta. The “Glee” star has been cast as the nun who runs the orphanage where the Stooges grew up.

† Chicago native and StarCaps and StarShape diet guru Nikki Haskell had quite the guest list for the recent Passover seder she put together. With music mogul Clive Davis conducting the seder, Has­kell whipped up eight briskets and more than 100 matzo balls (“You name it, I made it!” he quipped), feeding the likes of philanthropist Barbara Davis, Jacqueline Bisset, Oscar-winning songwriter Diane Warren and L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa — who claimed his political life had likely led him to more seders than everyone else at the party, even though he wasn’t Jewish. Guests Joan Collins and Sharon Osbourne made sure Haskell stocked them up with plenty of her StarShapes — to ensure they’d be in fit form for their duties today as royal wedding contributors for Headline News and “The Insider.”