Donald Trump keeps financial ties to NBC reality show 'Celebrity Apprentice'

President-elect Donald Trump is retaining his executive producer credit â€" and financial ties â€" with the NBC reality show “Celebrity Apprentice” as he transitions to his new role in Washington. 

NBC is preparing to launch “The New Celebrity Apprentice” on Jan. 2 with former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger stepping in as the show’s boardroom judge. He replaces Trump as the lead character who decides the fates of various contestants.

Trump’s ongoing financial arrangement with “Celebrity Apprentice” was confirmed late Thursday by a person close to the show who was not authorized to discuss the matter. The Times reported on Trump’s planned ongoing relationship with “Celebrity Apprentice” last week.

It is unclear how much money the president-elect will receive as an executive producer of the show, which was created by producer Mark Burnett. The show for many years was a ratings machine for NBC’s prime-time schedule and a big moneymaker.

Hollywood studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer â€" not NBC â€" owns the “The Celebrity Apprentice” and “The Apprentice” show formats, and thus MGM maintains the financial relationship with Trump. On Thursday, MGM spokespeople did not respond to emails seeking comment. An attorney for the studio declined to comment.

MGM acquired the rights to “Celebrity Apprentice” in recent years. In 2014, MGM paid about $344 million for a 55% stake in Mark Burnett Productions in a bid to bolster its TV slate. Late last year, MGM acquired the remaining stake in Mark Burnett Productions for $234 million and hired Burnett as its head of television.

Burnett reportedly has consulted with Trump on inauguration events and is expected to help orchestrate Trump's Inauguration Day festivities.

The Trump situation once again puts NBC in an awkward spot. The network’s often soft treatment of Trump was source of criticism during the campaign. NBC cut its direct financial ties with Trump 18 months ago after he announced that he was running for president. Nonetheless, by maintaining his producer credit, Trump still will be capitalizing on NBC’s audience. It was the “The Apprentice” that introduced the real estate mogul into the homes of millions of Americans each week, burnishing his image as a business success and catapulting his political career.

NBC is heavily invested in the success of "Celebrity Apprentice." Last week it announced that billionaire Warren Buffett, Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, model and TV producer Tyra Banks, actress Jessica Alba and Patrick Knapp Schwarzenegger, the former governor's nephew, will serve as "boardroom advisors" to Schwarzenegger.

Trump has said he will discuss his plans for his family business holdings in a news conference next week.

Burnett was at the center of a dust-up in October after the leak of a 10-year-old “Access Hollywood” recording that contained the president-elect and former NBC personality Billy Bush making lewd comments about women. After the NBC tapes rocked the campaign, a former “Apprentice” show producer said on Twitter that additional footage existed of Trump making derogatory comments about contestants on “The Apprentice.”

Cameras rolled during the hundreds of hours of boardroom scenes on the reality show’s set, which was constructed at Trump Tower in New York. MGM refused to release the outtakes, citing confidentiality agreements. 

meg.james@latimes.com

@MegJamesLAT

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