Donald Trump's ratings and ego are up while 'Apprentice' sinks on Sundays

January 22, 2007

Trump may have scored a touchdown on his feud with Rosie, but his show can't compete with weekend football

By Amy Kaufman for Hollywood Today
Hollywood,CA (RUSHPRNEWS) Donald Trump has more important things to worry about than the recent ratings slump of his brainchild, "The Apprentice." Things like, say, the ratings of his arch enemy's talk"'The View's' ratings went up because of me," ego-centric Trump declared at a recent media gathering. But mark his words, Trump says in entertainment newsmagazine Hollywood Today (www.hollywoodtoday.net), the apparently drab program will soon "tank."

"Watch that without all the turmoil," he added, referring to the ratings boost from his recent feud with 'View' co-host Rosie O'Donnell. "It's a very boring show." Website hollywagers.com even has bets on Rosie leaving the show - with odds on her impending departure high.

Trump listed off various excuses for his own show's poor performance - namely the tough competition from shared-time slotters "24" and "Desperate Housewives," as well as the switch from the successful Thursday to its new slot on Sunday.

"Last week was different because even I was watching the Patriots," Trump said of last Sunday's eventful football game. "I was at the game … watching Tom Brady [with] everybody else."
He added that the continuation of this season's NFL might continue to hinder 'Apprentice's' ratings, yet remained optimistic about NBC's Sunday move.

"The early weeks are always the lowest and they build, build, build," he added.
Despite the competition, the show came up number one in its demographic for the hour.
Meanwhile, Mr. Trump's personal stock seems to be rising steadily - recently, a bobble-head doll was even created in his likeliness. "I wish I looked that handsome," the comb-over king said of the doll.

Just last week, he also received an eminent star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It seems it is not Trump's business presence but aggressive personality which is keeping him in the spotlight these days, with the highly publicized O'Donnell argument gracing the likes of endless media outlets.

The tiff - er, warfare - began after Trump allowed Miss USA Tara Conner to keep her crown after the beauty queen's recent stint of partying. Soon after, O'Donnell deemed the entire event a publicity cry on "The View," inciting the Donald to throw a spew of aggressive insults at the talk host. It's been on ever since.

"I have no regrets," he said of the dispute. "She's a terrible, disgusting human being."
And he didn't stop there.

"She's a bully. When you're attacked by a bully, you hit the bully hard right between the eyes. Hard and fast."

Trump's children, son Don and daughter Ivanka, who both appear as judges on this season's installment of 'Apprentice,' said feel an obvious loyalty to their father in the situation.
"I have people stopping me on the streets, in airports, to tell me how they agree with my father," Ivanka said.

"I think ultimately we're always going to defend our father no matter what he does," Don stated. "… He's the guy who's willing to say what everyone else is thinking but is too afraid to say … and I think America respects him for that."

Clearly America does have some respect for Trump. Though it hasn't lived up to its former success-story seasons, 'Apprentice' is still a favorite amongst television audiences.

Trump credited the intelligence of 'Apprentice' contestants - stating that the Ivy League background of many of the show's competitors helped contribute to the show's popularity.

"I think maybe a lot of the viewers get tired of watching a lot of shows that aren't as intelligent-based," he commented.

When asked how living in tents outside of a mansion - this season's new penalty for losing challenges - fit into the show's intellect, Trump said the spin was simply a further incentive to win.

"It's really a mess," Trump said of the outdoor tent camp. "It becomes very disgusting."
"Those people will go above and beyond to work for my father," daughter and this season's new judge Ivanka said. "And tents in beautiful Hollywood. There have been worse situations."

Currently, Trump's organization is involved with 33 major developments throughout the world and the real-estate mogul said nearly 40 more projects are soon to be announced.

Permission to reprint or rebroadcast granted provided Hollywood Today is credited and link is included whenever possible: www.hollywoodtoday.net

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