Donald Trump Felt Competitive With Sylvester Stallone, ‘The Apprentice’ Book Reveals: Trump Told People Stallone ‘Couldn’t Remember His Lines’ and ‘Wasn’t Good at Making TV’

As a film critic who has spent decades dissecting the intricacies of Hollywood and its stars, I find myself both fascinated and appalled by the revelations about Donald Trump’s political persona being forged on “The Apprentice.


At the Mipcom TV market, Ramin Setoodeh, the co-editor-in-chief of EbMaster, discussed on Wednesday how Donald Trump’s current presidential campaign character stems from his reality TV show, “The Apprentice.

In a talk reminiscent of the success that birthed his New York Times bestseller, “Apprentice in Wonderland: How Donald Trump and Mark Burnett Took America Through the Looking Glass,” I found myself captivated by Setoodeh’s insight. He eloquently expressed that ‘The Apprentice’ served as a prelude to the political journey of Donald Trump.

In the process of writing his book, Setoodeh conducted interviews with Trump on no fewer than six occasions post his presidency, and also spoke to over fifty pivotal figures associated with “The Apprentice” television show. Additionally, he utilized previous discussions with Trump prior to his presidency as sources of information.

Setoodeh asserted that Trump’s experiences from his time on the show continue to influence him. “Trump perceives the world as if it were a reality TV production,” Setoodeh explained. “He isn’t a politician, but rather a reality TV personality, and he views the White House, the political sphere, essentially as a stage for gaining attention, creating drama, and garnering ratings, which is extremely significant to him.

A consistent topic in Trump’s interviews is his preoccupation with fame. According to Setoodeh, during his tenure on “The Apprentice,” Trump grew extremely envious of Burnett also producing “The Contender” with Sylvester Stallone as the host. This envy led him to make comments like, “Sylvester Stallone wasn’t as skilled in TV production” and that he “struggled to remember his lines and couldn’t read the prompter correctly.

In conversations after his presidency, Trump often told Setoodeh: “Sylvester Stallone wasn’t as great as me; Mark Burnett stated I surpassed Sylvester Stallone in the realm of reality TV.” Setoodeh commented: “It’s worth pondering this point: Donald Trump, who served as president for four years and led the free world during that time, remains preoccupied with the idea that he was a superior reality TV star to Sylvester Stallone.

Setoodeh observed that Trump’s actions during the show mirrored his behavior as a politician. In other words, his comments, flirtations with female contestants, and crossing boundaries were indicative of the man who would later become president. Essentially, ‘The Apprentice’ provided a glimpse into Trump’s political evolution, showing how his conduct on the show shaped him into the president he ultimately became.

Mark Burnett, the creator of “The Apprentice,” and Jeff Zucker from NBC can be credited or criticized for shaping the persona of Donald Trump. As Setoodeh noted, Trump’s character on the show became an unusual folk hero for working-class individuals. However, the man they believed to be authentic was actually a fabricated image crafted in the editing room by Mark Burnett. This, according to Setoodeh, is what makes Donald Trump so intriguing. He was not a genuine person but rather a character that was brought to life by reality TV.

In essence, Setoodeh stated that Trump’s political influence primarily stems from the American public. He also pointed out a concerning aspect where some individuals might perceive Trump’s portrayal on TV as authentic, and if not for Trump, another reality TV star might have become president instead.

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2024-10-23 18:46