Celebrity Apprentice is finally upon us. And while it does extend the life of the franchise, needless to say it’s no longer a relevant part of the Reality TV landscape.
But that doesn’t mean it won’t be a lot of fun. And while Rosie O’Donnell isn’t part of the cast, those who are present an intriguing mix.
The winner won’t get to work for Trump. That’s the good news. The winner gets $250,000 donated to their chosen charity, that’s better news. The best news is that they are back in the public spotlight. And we all know that’s what B, C, and D-listers covet most.
Let’s meet them and make a small guess on how they do.
Carol Alt: Model is best known for being on over 700 magazine covers. Those of us who follow hockey knows she does as well as she was married to former New York Ranger Ron Greschner for 13 years and has been in a relationship with former NHLer Alexei Yashin for the past few. She’s also an actress and author. Not much expected from her here.
Gene Simmons: May be as well known for some of the numbers he has thrown around as to how many women he has slept with as his tongue-wagging personality while Kiss was relevant. However, I think this guy has a chance. He has sold himself very well over the years and Kiss merchandise sales are probably in the top five all time among rock bands. Besides, he is probably the best-known of the celebrities so Donald will be hesitant to fire him early and see ratings drop.
Jennie Finch: Considered the most famous softball player of all time, she has the perfect combination of looks and ability. She currently works for ESPN and is one of the featured personalities on This Week in Baseball. Definitely the eye candy of the group but not much is expected.
Lennox Lewis: During his pro career, the former undisputed heavyweight boxing champ gave Canadians more opportunities to roll their eyes than anyone else in history. A gold medalist at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Lewis turned his back on representing Canada in the pro game and went to England where he developed a fake accent that would make Pirate Master‘s Azmyth proud. He always appreciated his Kitchener, Ontario roots but professionally, he was a Brit through and through. Whatever. In any case, he might fly under the radar and finish mid-season.
Marilu Henner: A veteran actress, she’s best known for her role in Taxi. I was never a fan of the show but when you think about it, she was part of a very impressive cast ensemble that included Judd Hirsch, Danny DeVito, and the late, legendary Andy Kaufman (What about Tony Danza? – Kevin). How she translates her talents to the Apprentice world will be worth watching.
Nadia Comaneci: If you were a nine-year-old boy in 1976, chances are you had a crush on Nadia Comaneci. Or, maybe that was just me. In any case, the 1976 Summer Olympics were Nadia’s. The ultra-cute 14-year-old scored the first perfect 10 in Olympic gymnastics competition. When the games were over, she had scored seven of them. She may have golds for Romania, but she was an athlete of the world. I won’t hide the fact that I will be, 32 years later, cheering for her once again. But how she adapts to Donald’s world in anyone’s guess.
Nely Galan: My spoiler-free pick to win this (and if you did tried to spoil this show, then you really have no life). The former Telemundo executive is one of the most dynamic television production executives in the world. On top of that, she’s a single mother and hot. No doubt the class of the field.
Omarosa: All the message-board chatter has focused on why she’s even here. Why is Omarosa a “celebrity”? In the reality TV world, this lady is royalty, that’s why. The one-name reference is a testament to her place in the reality world that very few achieve. Mention “Sanjaya”, and people know who you’re talking about. Mention “Fairplay”, and people know who you’re talking about. Omarosa has attained that status. Is she a celebrity? Hell yes. And expect her to last a long time here.
Piers Morgan: The British-based editor and judge on America’s Got Talent now gets to be judged himself. It will be fun to see someone who cuts others down to size, get cut down himself. I somehow see him going out early.
Stephen Baldwin: Guess he got the reality bug from Celebrity Mole Yucatan and Celebrity Mole Hawaii. The youngest of the acting Baldwins, best known for his role in The Usual Suspects will at least get that he is in a game and that could keep him in the mix for a few weeks.
Tiffany Fallon: A former Falcons cheerleader and Miss Georgia, Fallon went to the dark side to become the 2005 Playboy Playmate of the Year. O.K. maybe that isn’t necessarily the dark side. She’s married to a member of Rascal Flatts and is a television host. Here for aesthetic purposes only.
Tito Ortiz: Right on the heels of seeing Ashley Massaro do Survivor: China, wrestler and former UFC champ Ortiz comes here. Maybe he and Lewis get into a scuffle, right? Was one of the stars of UFC before UFC became relevant so maybe he has some selling skills that will work here. (FYI: He started his own clothing line, Punishment Athletics, and turned it into a million-dollar brand – Kevin)
Trace Adkins: Country star could do well here. Like Simmons, Adkins has built a fanbase with major talent and high-level promotion. He’s also a big fellow that should be able to handle the tasks well. I see him going far.
Vincent Pastore: Even though The Sopranos ended in darkness, the man who played “Big Pussy” on the show (anyone remember when Marcela has so much trouble saying that on The Apprentice: Martha Stewart?) emerges for this edition. Probably has the skills to last a while but to win this thing? Fuhgeddabadit!
Celebrity Apprentice begins January 3 on NBC. Stay with Inside Pulse for weekly updates and commentary.
