By Barb Oates
Arnold Schwarzenegger epitomizes the American dream. The Austrian bodybuilder turned movie star turned California governor continues to define that dream, now stepping into Donald Trump’s former shoes as boss of The New Celebrity Apprentice (Mondays on NBC beginning Jan. 2).
“I love to challenge myself and step out of my comfort zone, so when I heard Donald was running for president and NBC was looking for a new host, I was interested right away,” says Arnold Schwarzenegger. “I’ve never been one to rest on my laurels — I have always loved climbing the next mountain, taking the next risk, confronting the next challenge. Hosting a reality show was a great challenge for me. I learned every day, and I loved it.”
Advising him in the show’s new Silicon Beach boardroom are Warren Buffett, Tyra Banks, Jessica Alba, former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and attorney Patrick Knapp Schwarzenegger (Arnold’s godson and nephew, and his most trusted confidant).
“I have a great cast of advisers … but it was important to me to also have someone from my inner circle. Patrick isn’t just my nephew — he’s a powerful entertainment lawyer here in L.A. And he and I talk every day, so he understands me incredibly well,” Arnold shares. Patrick was thrilled — and honored — for the opportunity to support his uncle.
“Who wouldn’t want to be an adviser and sit next to Gov. Schwarzenegger and Jessica Alba and watch Laila Ali and Chael Sonnen fight it out in the boardroom?” Patrick adds. “Very few people know him [Arnold] the way I do, in private and in business. I know what he is looking for and he knows he can trust me to give him an honest opinion. For me personally, it also presented a fun new challenge as I for the first time share the stage with one of my clients rather than being the behind-the-scenes powerbroker.”
So who surprised them and was responsible for most of the drama?
“Every single one of them found a way to surprise me. I could go on all day but I don’t want to spoil the show,” Arnold says. “Nicole ‘Snooki’ Polizzi wants to be taken more seriously, and I got to know her and believe she should. I got to watch Eric Dickerson, Ricky Williams and Chael Sonnen teach a crowd about makeup, and I couldn’t be more surprised at how great these burly athletes were at the task. The nature of the show forces everyone out of their comfort zone to rise to each challenge, and that means someone surprises you every week.”
“There is plenty of conflict again this season,” Patrick adds. “Contestants are there to win and not to make friends. Everyone has different ways to navigate these challenges and some contestants play harder than others. I think if you look at the contestant lineup you can spot a few potential hot spots right away. … Gather a group of personalities with egos, some with a certain crazy factor, force them to work together in confined spaces and under extreme time pressures while they’re at risk of getting fired, and you can expect drama. Plus, everyone is competing for their favorite charity with some causes personal to the contestants, and no one wants to let their charity down.”
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