The Apprentice is an American reality television series that judged the business skills of a group of contestants. It ran in various formats across 15 seasons on NBC from 2004 to 2017. The Apprentice was created by British television producer Mark Burnett, and co-produced with Donald Trump, who was the show's host for the first 14 seasons.
Billed as "The Ultimate Job Interview", seven of the show's seasons featured aspiring, but otherwise unknown, businesspeople who would vie for the show's prize, a one-year $250,000 starting contract to promote one of Donald Trump's properties. The show features 14 to 18 such business people who compete over the course of the season, with typically one contestant eliminated per episode. Contestants are split into two "corporations" (teams), with one member from each volunteering as a project manager on each new task. The corporations complete business-related tasks such as selling products, raising money for charity, or creating an advertising campaign, with one corporation selected as the winner based on objective measures and subjective opinions of the host and the host's advisors who monitor the teams' performance on tasks. The losing corporation attends a boardroom meeting with the show's host and their advisors to break down why they lost and determine who contributed the least to the team. Episodes ended with the host eliminating one contestant from the competition, with the words, "You're fired!"
There have also been eight seasons of The Celebrity Apprentice since 2008. In this format, several celebrities would participate to win money for their chosen charities, with the final prize being a large donation to the celebrity's charity and the title of "Apprentice". A reboot of this format, The New Celebrity Apprentice, aired in January 2017. The American series originated an international TV show franchise, counting over 20 local The Apprentice TV series aired.
NBC cut ties with Trump after disagreement with remarks he made about Mexican immigrants during his announcement that he was running for president of the United States on June 16, 2015. It was announced in September 2015 that actor and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger would become the new host of The Celebrity Apprentice, starting January 2017. Lifestyle mogul Martha Stewart hosted a one-season spin-off titled The Apprentice: Martha Stewart in 2005.
Format
The Apprentice is a reality competition show featuring season-long competitions. Each season begins with a new group of contestants vying to earn a place in one of the organizations run by the host. The contestants (who are referred to as "candidates") have come from business backgrounds in various enterprises, the backgrounds including real estate, accounting, restaurant management, management consulting, sales and marketing.
During the show, the contestants live in a communal dwelling, a "penthouse suite", in New York City (save for Season 6 which took place in Los Angeles). The candidates are divided into two teams, treated as "corporations" within the show. These corporations select a name they are subsequently referred to through the rest of the show. Each week, the teams are assigned a task and required to select one of their members to lead the team as "project manager", who is to take responsibility for organizing the team and making executive decisions. Tasks are generally business oriented and tend to highlight one of several business skills. Tasks most commonly revolve around sales (selling the most items or earning the most money) and marketing (producing a specific marketing material or campaign that is judged by a company's executives). During the tasks, the teams are usually visited by one of the host's "advisors" for that week. Tasks typically last for one or two days. After the completion of the task, the teams meet with the host and the two advisers in "the boardroom".
Boardroom meetings on The Apprentice typically unfold in three stages. In the first stage, all remaining candidates from both teams gather in the boardroom, where the host and advisors brief them on the task. The team members discuss how the task went, identifying strong or weak performers, and may be asked to comment on the opposing team's materials or products. At the conclusion of this stage, the host or advisors reveal the task results and announce the winning team, who are rewarded with a luxurious experience and excused from the boardroom. In later seasons, the winning team is allowed to observe the next boardroom stage via a television in their suite.
The second stage focuses on the losing team, who return to the boardroom to face scrutiny over their performance. The team is questioned about the reasons for their loss and which members were responsible. The project manager is then asked to select a certain number of teammates (usually two, but occasionally one or three) to accompany them to the final stage, while the remaining teammates are sent back to the suite. The project manager and selected teammates step out briefly as the host consults with the advisors.
In the final stage, the host and advisors continue interrogating the remaining candidates, often probing the project manager's decision about whom to bring back. Ultimately, at least one person—either the project manager or a teammate—is "fired" or "terminated" at the host's discretion, leaving the show. The host may also exercise the option to fire multiple candidates or dismiss someone on the spot before the final stage. The eliminated contestant is shown leaving the boardroom with their luggage and entering a taxi, reflecting on their elimination during the episode's closing credits.
When only three or four candidates (depending on the season) are left, they are interviewed rather than being assigned a task. Executives from various companies interview the finalists and report their assessments to the host. Based on the interviews, a "boardroom meeting" and firing take place, leaving two candidates.
The final two candidates are then each assigned a different final task. Each is given a support team of previously fired candidates. Final tasks generally require the finalists to organize (to various degrees) an event such as a party or a fundraiser which has multiple planning elements. In a final boardroom meeting following the final task, the host "hires" one of the two candidates to become the host's "apprentice", winning the show's prize of a one-year $250,000 starting contract to manage a business project offered by the host.
History and production
After experiencing a series of financial setbacks in the early 1990s, New York real-estate developer Donald Trump changed his business strategy from borrowing to build and purchase assets, to licensing his name to others. Producer Mark Burnett approached Trump about a new television show. Although Trump was skeptical, stating that reality television "was for the bottom-feeders of society", Burnett proposed that Trump appear as himself, a successful businessman with a luxurious lifestyle.
The show was co-produced by Burnett and Trump, its first season airing in early 2004. The premise of the show, which bills itself as the "ultimate job interview" in the "ultimate jungle", is to conduct a job talent search for a person to head one of Trump's companies. The position starts with an introductory one-year contract with a starting yearly salary of $250,000.
The popularity of the show led to Trump becoming known for his fateful catchphrase, "You're fired!" and for the emergence of "Trumponomics", a "portmanteau of Donald Trump and economics initially spelled 'Trump-Onomics' (2004), [which] started out as a bland managerial concept on cable TV, meant to convey the notion that 'impressing the boss' was the only way to 'climb the corporate ladder'."M. Nicolas J. Firzli : 'Understanding Trumponomics', Revue Analyse Financière, 26 January 2017 – Supplement to Issue N°62
The opening theme music used on the show is "For the Love of Money", a 1973 R&B song by The O'Jays.
For most seasons, the candidates ostensibly live in a communal suite at Trump Tower in Manhattan. This was originally billed as a penthouse suite, and after boardrooms, candidates were told to "go up" to the suite. However, in reality, the suite and the boardroom (and its elevator lobby) are all purpose-built sets within Trump Tower, all on the same floor. Later seasons of The Celebrity Apprentice no longer conceal this.
The Apprentice was so successful that, according to Trump, he earned $214 million from 14 seasons of the show, plus more from related product licensing as his name as a brand became more valuable. As the popularity of the series grew, more and more of the tasks began to be tied to specific companies. For example, sales tasks would require a team to take over a brand-name storefront or restaurant and operate it; and marketing tasks would require teams to prepare marketing material (e.g. a jingle or flyer) or campaign for an established company. In later series, the launches of specific products would be tied to the airing of episodes of the series. Several companies have appeared multiple times on the show.
Trump's original advisors were Carolyn Kepcher, former chief operating officer and general manager for Trump National Golf Club, and George H. Ross, Executive Vice President and Senior Counsel, the Trump Organization. In August 2006, Trump released Kepcher from her duties at the Trump organization, saying only that he "wishes her the best." Kepcher also left The Apprentice at that time. Upon her departure, Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump became a regular advisor, though she was not officially billed as a replacement for Kepcher.People Connection AOL As the series progressed, the advisors were occasionally substituted on a weekly basis with other advisors including two of Trump's other children, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, as well as past winners of the show and other business executives (typically from the company whose product or service was featured in the episode).
During Trump's tenure, the series frequently featured and promoted his properties, products and brand. Trump's wife Melania Trump was also featured on the series several times including in several tasks that have featured her fashion and cosmetic products. Ivanka Trump's fashion products have also been featured in tasks.
Trump's on-screen (and real-life) assistants have each grown in personal fame. Two assistants appeared jointly for the first five seasons: Rhona Graff and Robin Himmler. In season six, Trump elected to have his newest executive assistant, Andi Rowntree, star in the LA-based show. For the Celebrity Apprentice, Annette Dziamba appeared for the seventh season, and Amanda Miller since the eighth season.
Season six, unlike the rest of the series, took place in Los Angeles. The teams resided in a mansion, with the winning team of each challenge occupying the house, and the losing team camping out in tents in the backyard.
On May 14, 2007, the series was left off NBC's schedule, but NBC Entertainment president Kevin Reilly said he was still in discussions with Mark Burnett and Trump.Guthrie, Marisa; "Upfront: NBC Unveils Fall Picks" broadcastingcable.com; May 14, 2007 On May 19, 2007, Trump announced that he was "moving on from The Apprentice to a major new TV venture".'The Apprentice' star Donald Trump to NBC: You can't fire me, I quit Reality TV World On May 22, NBC announced The Apprentice might return next season even though Trump had said he had quit.Dehnart, Andy; "NBC says The Apprentice could return despite Trump's quitting" realityblurred.com; May 22, 2007 However, NBC and Trump resolved their differences, and the first season of The Celebrity Apprentice began production shortly thereafter.