This morning on ‘The Today Show’, Donald Trump announced the new line up for this year’s ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ and it looks like it’s a season for the sci-fi fans to tune in to! Two of the eighteen celebrities announced are none other than famed ‘Star Trek’ alumni George Takei and the former green Hulk himself, Lou Ferrigno.
Takei and Ferrigno will be up against other celebrities for a chance to win $250,000 for their charity. If you’re not familiar with the show, each week celebrity teams will be given a task to complete. Under the scrutiny of Donald Trump, they will undergo the stress of long hours to get the task done, a grueling deadline to meet, and the personality clashes that come when you throw a group of people with nothing in common together. The team leader of the winning team will get a check towards their charity. The losing team leader and one other person from that team will have to defend why they shouldn’t leave the show and be fired by Mr. Trump himself. Ultimately, it will come down to two celebrities that will compete for a check for $250,000 to be given to their charity and the bragging rights to be ‘The Celebrity Apprentice.’ Past winners include Piers Morgan, Joan Rivers, Bret Michaels and John Rich.
But don’t think the show is all peaches and roses. After all, it IS a reality show much like ‘Survivor’ (which by the way Mark Burnett who executive produces that show also is the executive producer for this one). Celebrities can get down and dirty as the competition relies on making alliances, setting other people up for possible failure (did you watch last year with NeNe Leakes and Star Jones?) and just dealing with other people’s egos.
“I just think we have a major group of celebrities, and we have a very iconic group,” says the show’s host, Donald Trump who also states that they will be facing “the biggest tasks” the show’s ever had. “This is the best cast we’ve ever had, the biggest cast, and it’s going to be special… It’s amazing the abuse they take and the kind of work they put in.”
Mark Burnett also commented about the cast saying, “We’ve never seen such a smart and funny group as this year’s lineup of celebrities. ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ is better than ever, and it’s all for a great purpose – raising millions for charity.” Last season alone, the show donated over $3.1 million to charities.
Below is the full list of celebrities and the charities they will be representing:
Clay Aiken (former ‘American Idol’ contestant): The National Inclusion Project
Michael Andretti (retired race car driver): Racing for Cancer
Adam Carolla (talk show host): Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters
Lou Ferrigno (actor, ‘Hulk’, ‘Liberator’): Muscular Dystrophy Association
Arsenio Hall (actor, tv host): Magic Johnson Foundation
Penn Jillette (magician): Opportunity Village
Dee Snider (former Twisted Sister band member): March of Dimes/Bikers for Babies
George Takei (actor ‘Star Trek’, ‘Supah Ninjas’): Japanese American National Museum
Paul Teutul Sr. (‘American Chopper’): Make-A-Wish Foundation
Tia Carrere (actress): After-School All-Stars
Debbie Gibson (singer): Children International
Teresa Giudice (‘Real Housewives of New Jersey’): The NephCure Foundation
Victoria Gotti (‘Growing Up Gotti’): Association to Benefit Children
Lisa Lampanelli (comedian): Gay Men’s Health Crisis
Dayana Mendoza (2008 Miss Universe): Latino Commission on AIDS
Aubrey O’Day (singer/actress/model): Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)
Cheryl Tiegs (model/actress): The Farrah Fawcett Foundation
Patricia Velasquez (model/actress): Wayuu Taya Foundation
With Takei known for being such a nice guy, I’m hoping he won’t be eliminated too early into the show. But I am curious to see what his and Ferrigno’s strategy for the competition will be. Below is a video of Trump talking about ‘The Celebrity Apprentice’ with Ferrigno interviewed at the 1:37 mark.
Will you be watching? And what do you think are the chances of Takei or Ferrigno being crowned ‘The Celebrity Apprentice?”
‘Celebrity Apprentice’ premieres on NBC on February 12 at 9PM ET/PT.
