Donald Trump may be our next president, but that doesn’t mean he is cutting ties with his roots. No, turns out that Trump plans to continue to work closely with the reality show that made him a household name – The Apprentice.
Though the President-elect won’t be the next host of The Celebrity Apprentice, he will continue to be an executive producer on the show. According to MGM, Trump’s name will appear in the credits after the creator, Mark Burnett, and before the new host and fellow executive producer, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
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As it turns out, this is just another one of the many “conflict of interest” concerns many people have with Trump becoming president. Like many of his other business ventures, this show could put him in a situation where he would have to choose what is best for the country over what is best for his profits.
Although the exact amount Trump will receive per-episode has yet to be announced, it is likely that it is around the low five-figures. This means that the sitting President will be on the payroll of a current television show, as the payroll for MGM.
In the past, presidents have received royalties for books that have been published while they were in office, so there is that precedent. However, being on the payroll of a popular television show is a little different. None of the parties involved have made any comments about the arrangement.
It’s surprising that the show would want to add Trump to the list of executive producers after it came under scrutiny when past participants came forward with allegations of misconduct against Trump. These allegations were a major talking point during the election, especially after Trump was caught saying that his celebrity status meant he was allowed to grab women without their consent. During the election, Burnett brushed aside requests to release former footage of Trump’s misconduct.
The official press event for the 15th season of The New Celebrity Apprentice – the name change is likely due to the two-year hiatus and the change of host – will be held on Friday in Los Angeles.
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[H/T Variety]
