Martha Stewart to Star in "Apprentice" Spin-off
Daniel Fienberg
Issue date: 2/9/05 Section: Entertainment
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"She's looking for somebody's who's creative, but defined broadly, creativity includes marketing, inventing, using technology to sell her brand," explains Burnett. "She's also looking for someone who can think on their feet and can make decisions and be brave."
It's unclear how Stewart's "Apprentice" will set itself apart from the first three installments, which have been characterized by Trump's bombast. Stewart is expected to come up with her own catch phrase to deviate from The Donald's popular "You're fired," and she'll have her own equivalent for the boardroom setting.
"Martha has her own way of dealing with things," is all that Burnett will promise.
One thing that won't be a major part of the new show is Stewart's time behind bars at Alderson Federal Prison Camp in West Virginia, where Burnett has made regular visits.
"The show is not going to be focusing on her walking out of Alderson," he says. "That won't even be in the show, in any of the shows. I'm not interested in that side of it. It happened. It was an experience. She won't avoid it. She may mention it, but in passing. We're not going to try to make a mockery or a game out of a very serious part of her life."
Rumors were flying that Trump was eying Stewart as a possible successor for when his initial "Apprentice" contract ran out this spring, but with a new deal in place for two seasons next year, Trump just wants to warn his friend that she has her work cut out for her.
"The biggest advice is be prepared to work hard, because it is more difficult than anybody would know," says Trump. "It takes more time than you'd think and it's more difficult, but the rewards are great and the psychological rewards are great, of having a top show on television. For me it's been a lot of fun and it's really been a good thing."
Even in the midst of their excitement over the new show, Trump and Burnett are able to poke fun at some less successful imitators.
"It's going to be nothing at all like 'Wickedly Perfect,'" cracks Burnett of CBS' failed domestic diva reality series. "The first difference will be this will be a success. The second difference is that's a parody attempt at comedy which failed, this is a intelligent franchise that deals with real-world business problems that is totally aspirational for millions of people in America who want to make it."
For his part, Trump jokes that Stewart, serving time for obstruction of justice, wasn't their only billionaire candidate for the spin-off.
"We had in mind Richard Branson and Mark Cuban, but we had some free research done by other networks."
___
© 2005, Zap2it.com.
Visit Zap2it.com at http://www.zap2it.com
Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.
It's unclear how Stewart's "Apprentice" will set itself apart from the first three installments, which have been characterized by Trump's bombast. Stewart is expected to come up with her own catch phrase to deviate from The Donald's popular "You're fired," and she'll have her own equivalent for the boardroom setting.
"Martha has her own way of dealing with things," is all that Burnett will promise.
One thing that won't be a major part of the new show is Stewart's time behind bars at Alderson Federal Prison Camp in West Virginia, where Burnett has made regular visits.
"The show is not going to be focusing on her walking out of Alderson," he says. "That won't even be in the show, in any of the shows. I'm not interested in that side of it. It happened. It was an experience. She won't avoid it. She may mention it, but in passing. We're not going to try to make a mockery or a game out of a very serious part of her life."
Rumors were flying that Trump was eying Stewart as a possible successor for when his initial "Apprentice" contract ran out this spring, but with a new deal in place for two seasons next year, Trump just wants to warn his friend that she has her work cut out for her.
"The biggest advice is be prepared to work hard, because it is more difficult than anybody would know," says Trump. "It takes more time than you'd think and it's more difficult, but the rewards are great and the psychological rewards are great, of having a top show on television. For me it's been a lot of fun and it's really been a good thing."
Even in the midst of their excitement over the new show, Trump and Burnett are able to poke fun at some less successful imitators.
"It's going to be nothing at all like 'Wickedly Perfect,'" cracks Burnett of CBS' failed domestic diva reality series. "The first difference will be this will be a success. The second difference is that's a parody attempt at comedy which failed, this is a intelligent franchise that deals with real-world business problems that is totally aspirational for millions of people in America who want to make it."
For his part, Trump jokes that Stewart, serving time for obstruction of justice, wasn't their only billionaire candidate for the spin-off.
"We had in mind Richard Branson and Mark Cuban, but we had some free research done by other networks."
___
© 2005, Zap2it.com.
Visit Zap2it.com at http://www.zap2it.com
Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.