Visits to Mar-a-Lago from Mark Burnett and Jeff Bezos have paid off.
Starting today, Donald Trump’s original TV series “The Apprentice,” produced by Burnett will stream on Amazon Prime.
Since “The Apprentice” aired on Universal’s NBC it’s notable that Peacock will not be the home for “The Apprentice.”
The series, which ran 7 seasons, has not streamed since it went off the air. It’s considered one of the key reasons Trump was able to make himself famous to a wide audience who then turned around elected him in 2016.
Trump might look like a buffoon now on The Apprentice,” not to mention his adult children who participated in it. It’s unclear if there’s been any editing of the episodes.
It was during the making of “The Apprentice” that Trump, promoting the show, was caught on tape by “Access Hollywood” making his “celebrity can grab pussy” comments. Even though the tape was leaked and widely publicized, his base supported his coarse take on life.
Of course, Trump is the only president who has made money from personal ventures during his administrations. What used to considered taboo, and illegal, is now accepted.
The first season, which drops today, comes down to a contest between Kwame Jackson, who finished second to Bill Rancic, who went on to win the season and work for Trump. He has remained a supporter all this time.
Jackson, however, had harsh words for Trump since the show. Last June, when his 20 year NDA expired, Jackson said Trump was uncomfortable with Black people and that he’d used the “N” word with him.
Trump’s flack denied it.
Season 1 also featured Omarosa Manigault, who variously feuded with him, supported him, worked for him, and then turned against him. After years of making headlines, Manigault finally retreated from the spotlight. If this brings her back, God help us. But she did endorse Kamala Harris last fall.
It’s no surprise that Trump’s show is not on Peacock. He recently railed again NBC Universal chairman Brian Roberts for allowing MNSBC correspondents to be critical of him.
Brendan Carr, Trump’s lapdog FCC chairman, said that the agency’s Enforcement Bureau was opening an investigation into MSNBC over diversity, equity and inclusion practices. Carr said he was “concerned” that Comcast and NBCU are “promoting invidious forms of DEI that do not comply with FCC regulations & civil rights laws.” Comcast, in response, said it would cooperate with the FCC probe and that, “For decades, our company has been built on a foundation of integrity and respect for all of our employees and customers.”
Bezos, meantime, has sucked up to Trump like crazy, paying visits to him at Mar-a-Lago and paying a whopping $40 million for a documentary about Trump’s mostly AWOL wife, Melania. Could this be part of that package? It’s possible.
