The whole "everyone loved Trump before he entered politics" is a load of bullshit. Trump was the butt of the joke. He was someone seen a blowhard who was desperate for love that would bankrupt everything. Just look at any fictional depiction of him. They are not flattering at all. Now the cameo appearances he made were more flattering but he likely paid for those anyway.
Now as for people still obsessing over him, well he is still prominent in politics so it makes sense. The right still obsess over Obama whose been mostly retired for over a decade.