Celebrity Apprentices Revealed!

You know, I was a little off the last session, but this one will 'suck me in'.

NEW YORK (AP) — At a locked-down news conference in Manhattan last month, the cast for "Celebrity Apprentice" was introduced to members of the press. Everyone was sworn to secrecy. Now the secret can be told, says NBC, which made public Monday the names of the cast members. Not that they needed any introduction. Not all of them, anyway.

Not Omarosa, remembered for making everybody mad as a contestant on the first "Apprentice" season in 2004.

Why did Omarosa agree to come back?

"I did it for redemption," she told reporters.

Vincent Pastore (aka "Big Pussy" from "The Sopranos") was also instantly recognizable.

So was Stephen Baldwin, who explained his participation by noting he already had "done a bunch of reality ... I thought it would be fun to play the game."

Likewise Gene Simmons of Kiss, star of his own reality series and unabashed self-marketer.

"I'm in the Gene Simmons business," he said, so doing "The Apprentice" can only help promote his many other ventures. "Everything helps everything."

But others on hand did need a bit of introduction.

Like Nely Galan, former entertainment president of the Telemundo network and executive producer (and "life coach") of "The Swan," an extreme makeover program that aired on Fox a few years back.

Or the vaguely familiar-looking woman introduced as Marilu Henner, best-known from the sitcom "Taxi" a quarter-century ago.

The 14 celebrities won't be vying for a job with Donald Trump, as in the previous six "Apprentice" seasons, but instead will compete in business-oriented tasks around New York City to raise money for their favorite charities. The official "Celebrity Apprentice" will win a $250,000 bonus to donate.

Tasks will be judged in the boardroom by executive producer-host Trump and his advisers, including, once again, his children/colleagues Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr.

As they met with the press in mid-October, the gathered rivals were set to face their first challenge the next day, when taping began. The show debuts Jan. 3.

Cast members for this rejiggered "Apprentice" — which in the past relied on scrappy, ambitious star-wannabes — were selected from a field of some 125 celebrity applicants, Trump told reporters.

"They were all begging to be on the show," he said. "The hardest thing was breaking it down to these 14."

One deciding factor: Each of the chosen has had experience in business, Trump said. "These people have all done something very dramatic with money."

Can they do it again, with cameras watching every move?

Actress-model Carol Alt acknowledged some initial nervousness.

"They're going to follow us in real time and that's scary, of course," she said. "I think with most all of us, we want control of our image — it's part of the work that we do."

Galan echoed Alt's trepidation.

"I've produced reality shows," Galan said. "To be on the other side is a little creepy. It's my karmic boomerang."

Other cast members include country music star Trace Adkins, Olympic gymnastics gold medalist Nadia Comaneci, Playboy Playmate of the Year Tiffany Fallon, Olympic softball gold medalist Jennie Finch, heavyweight boxing champ Lennox Lewis, "America's Got Talent" judge Piers Morgan and Ultimate Fighting Champion Tito Ortiz.

Piers Morgan!?!

I'm surprised the man is back after his experience on the one-off Comic Relief edition of The Apprentice UK. The celebrity teams raised over 1 or 2 million quid for Comic Relief through their projects.

Somehow I doubt the US celebrity version will be as successful or entertaining. On the UK show, the girls team hired a chef to help set up a menu for their Carnival Day... but the boys literally abducted the chef and tried to use his expertise for their project before the girls intervened. The teams were at each others throats to out-do one another. The US show never has the teams actively competing against one another for clients, suppliers, retail locations, etc.

Add-on: Just read elsewhere that Mark Cuban is one of several rotating judges for the tasks. He must have gagged on his ego before accepting Trump's offer, given the former's failed TV show.

Why do I feel like this is a gimmick?

I hate these celebrity infused shows into a well-established program. There's already a handful of them out there that I can think of..

What I liked about the Apprentice is the real people they used with real flaws and family values (Remember James from last season, I was rooting for him!), not celebrities! What next, Survivor Celebrities? Or Celebrity Bachelor/Bachelorette?

This is clearly a ratings grab, no surprise as the Apprentice has been declining in ratings over the years.

I still watch it but I'm not gonna be as interested in this coming season now that they're injecting celebs into it.

the next few months will all be about Reality Shows...sucks that there's a strike...

the current season is over

hmm ... I was expecting bigger celebrities. Like Paris Hilton or George Foreman whom they mentioned before.

Originally Posted by CSAgent

This is clearly a ratings grab, no surprise as the Apprentice has been declining in ratings over the years.

It's all about the UK Apprentice now. 3 seasons in, and its ratings have been climbing each year. It even won a BAFTA for best non-scripted entertainment (beating Top Gear, Dragon's Den (UK) and Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares no less) while Trump regularly complains about his show being beaten by the Amazing Race at the Emmys.

While Trump bastardized the concept which all his gimmicks, Sir Alan actually focused on the business and entrepreneurial aspects which has made the show continually popular.

Even for the celeb edition, it was only done to aid the annual BBC charity fundraiser. I don't know how this would work for an entire season.

Where can I watch Apprentice in the UK without going to the UK?

Originally Posted by CSAgent

Where can I watch Apprentice in the UK without going to the UK?

lol I don't think anyone bought a plane ticket every week to catch the show

most torrent sites for Season 1, 2, 3