And that’s was an actual joke candidate who newer took the campaign seriously, an serious candidacy from a known celebrity have a high cance of success at a time when the establishment looks incompetent and corrupt.
He's not saying Trump is just a joke now, I think. But Trump really did start off as a mostly joke candidate- wouldn't it be funny? Can you imagine? Etc. And then he used his racism and psychopathic tendencies to win the race.