Donald Trump's hit reality competition series returns for an all-new season.  The Celebrity Apprentice airs is sixth season (thirteenth overall for The Apprentice franchise) beginning Sunday, March 3.  This latest edition is an All-Star version with fourteen celebrities who have all appeared on previous installments of the series.

The participating celebrities are as follows: from Celebrity Apprentice 1: Trace Adkins, Stephen Baldwin, Marilu Henner, and Omarosa; from Celebrity Apprentice 2: Claudia Jordan, Brande Roderick, and Dennis Rodman; from Celebrity Apprentice 3: winner Bret Michaels; from Celebrity Apprentice 4: Gary Busey, La Toya Jackson, Lil Jon, and Lisa Rinna; from Celebrity Apprentice 5: Penn Jillette and Dee Snider.  Past winners Piers Morgan, Arsenio Hall, John Rich, and Joan Rivers will appear as judges in the boardroom alongside Mr. Trump and one of his children.

USTownhall RealStories speaks with Donald Trump, Bret Michaels, and La Toya Jackson of All-Star Celebrity Apprentice:

USTH: Our thanks to Donald Trump, Bret Michaels, and La Toya Jackson for taking the time to speak with us.  All-Star Celebrity Apprentice airs Sunday nights on NBC at 9pm Eastern beginning March 3, 2013 in two-hour installments.  Beginning March 31, the show becomes an hour version airing at 10pm for a few weeks before returning to its two hour format.

On Wednesday, December 19, the WWE will air the 10th anniversary edition of its annual special, WWE's Tribute to the Troops, on the USA cable network from 9-11pm Eastern.  A one-hour version will air a few days later on Saturday, December 22 at 10pm on NBC.  This event has some of the biggest names from the WWE putting on a special exhibition for the American troops and their families as a way of honoring them for their service in Iraq and Afghanistan.  This year, the show will take place in the Scopes arena in Norfolk, Virginia, and in addition to WWE stars such as John Cena, Sheamus, The Miz, Big Show, and Dolph Ziggler, the Muppets and musical guests Kid Rock and Flo Rida will appear.

USTOWNHALL SPEAKS TO JOHN CENA AND SHEAMUS OF WWE'S TRIBUTE TO THE TROOPS:

USTH: John, on a personal level, what does it mean for you to be able to perform at this event, and do you consider yourself a very patriotic person?

JOHN CENA: I absolutely do.  This is the proudest day on our touring schedule, I've often said that, a lot of the Superstars have said that.  Almost so much so that it becomes cliché – it is not.  This is a very proud day for me, especially.
I take great pride in being able to be put front and center in front of the people that I admire most, and that's the people that defend our freedom. I adopt a lot of my creed – my personality – from military Code of Conduct.
Simple words like "hustle," "loyalty," "respect" are easily translated to honor code and country. It really is an extra special day for me. I'm glad we continued our relationship. I'm glad the folks at the Naval Station in Norfolk and bases around the country and abroad have opened their arms to give us not only a place to entertain, but the hospitality that they've given us over the years.
Like I said, we do in excess of 300 shows a year, and this is the proudest day on our calendar.

USTH: This next question is for both of you, but we'll start with Sheamus. Can you just tell us a little bit about your participation in the show in terms of matches? Is it going to be one-on-one or tag team?

SHEAMUS: Along with all the live acts we actually have – Kid Rock is there, Flo Rida and the Muppets – it's to show a kickoff for the tag match with myself and Randy Orton taking on The Big Show and Dolph Ziggler.
The show itself as well was packed to the brim.  It was exciting, and we want to make sure that all the Naval Officers, Marines, everyone in the arena, everyone from Norfolk got the best show they possibly could get and that's what we did – went out there and gave them everything we had, as much as they deserve.

JOHN CENA: I'll be competing in a match, and the great thing about our Tribute to the Troops show – there is an extended form on USA or its abbreviated form on NBC– it's a great watch.
It's not something that you necessarily have to be up-to-date on all the WWE storylines or all the plots. It really is just a general entertaining program, which is why we have a guest host and the Muppets – that's why we have musical guests.
I myself am in a singles match against our current United States Champion Antonio Cesaro, but it's one show that for the holiday season you can truly sit down, watch, and enjoy.
You don't have to know who's bad, who's good, who's a champion, who's not.  You can really just take in the show for what it is, and it's an entertaining hour or two hours on either NBC or USA, but I'll be doing what I do best.  I'll be in the ring doing what I do.

Above: John Cena with American military personnel [Image credit: NBC, WWE]	Above: Sheamus [Image credit: NBC, WWE]

USTH: Sheamus, do you have any favorite moments from taping this show this past Sunday [December 9]?

SHEAMUS: I think my favorite part of the show – obviously, I don't want too give to much away because of the show itself – but getting to interact with everybody in the Norfolk Scope arena.
I think the most important thing is recognizing all of them. I'll be honest with you, they were probably the best crowd I've ever been in front of and the Officers and the Marines were just off the charts – they were an absolute pleasure to perform in front of.
The interaction and the energy of the fans and the crowd I think makes our job that much easier and that much better.
I think they were the stars tonight, too, because they were into every single minute of it, and they were an absolute joy to perform in front of, and if we could do that every week, that would be awesome.

USTH: John, what are the feelings that you take away from actually meeting the soldiers and their families. You said before that it was sort of backwards that they were happy to meet you. Is it a humbling experience for you?

JOHN CENA: It truly is, and the great thing is you get to meet some of these soldiers and families who can follow you throughout your appearance scheduled over the course of three days.
So, you truly get to talk to these families more than we would when we were in the deployed areas where we were in Fort operating bases literally spanning across the war zone.
So, in the past few years [that the show has been filmed in the United States], you get to know some of these folks, and you do see them at the arena, and there is that personal connection that you very rarely get. It's like seeing a friend or a family member in the audience.
You really pay them a little extra attention – certainly go above and beyond, obviously – for the group you perform in front of. It's a really good feeling being able to socialize with these people for three days and then perform in front of them and let them enjoy what you do best.

Above: The Miz, Kermit the Frog, and Miss Piggy [Image credit: NBC, WWE]	Above: Kid Rock perfoms [Image credit: NBC, WWE]	Above: Flo Rida perfoms {Image credit: NBC, WWE]

USTH: Sheamus, what was it like for you to come to America in the first place? Was it always your dream to wrestle here in America? What is it like for you to live your dream as a wrestler?

SHEAMUS: From a very early age, I was infatuated by WWE and in ways I was infatuated by America, too. I guess a lot of the American cultures were very apparent in Ireland. Like going to movies, watching American films, and I had a lot of relatives over here in America as well – in Chicago and Florida.
But, it was always my dream to come to this country, and I always knew from an early age what I wanted to do. I was enthralled with WWE ever since I was seven or eight years old and I never lost sight of that. I was always very determined to follow that dream, and it took a lot longer than I thought it would.
But, as I said, I finally made it here five years ago. WWE gave me an opportunity, and I jumped on that opportunity, and for me it's been an incredible journey. I've traveled the whole world. I've entertained and performed in front of fans worldwide.
In the last five years, the United States has become my home, and I'm very proud to go home back to Ireland after everything I have achieved, but this country has given me an opportunity to pursue my dream.
Back in Ireland, I always remembered hearing that [America is] the land of opportunity, and that's exactly what it has been for me. It's just been incredible, and getting to meet all the soldiers and the Officers in the Air Force and the people who protect the country where I live – an opportunity to thank them for helping me and letting me live my dream here without any fear is a fantastic opportunity for me.
And it's just to say thank you to all of them because sometimes there's even some heroes [that] don't get the thank you that they deserve, or sometimes it's just nice to hear the word "thank you."
It's not a very common word, but to say the "thank you" to them is just for me a great opportunity, and for the WWE, it's a great opportunity because they keep us safe, and they let all of us live our dreams and live our lives without fear.

USTH: Our thanks to John Cena and Sheamus from the WWE for speaking with us today.  WWE's Tribute to the Troops airs on NBC on Saturday, December 22 at 10pm Eastern time.  An expanded, two-hour version airs a few days earlier on the USA cable network on Wednesday, December 19 at 9pm Eastern time.

On Monday, December 10, NBC airs a limited run game show hosted by Howie Mandel called Take It All.  In this series, contestants are matched up against each other to win ever more elaborate and expensive prizes and then steal the prizes that other contestants have won.  At the end, the final two contestants have the option of going home with their prizes or trying to win both sets of prizes.  The catch?  If both contestants secretly elect to "take it all," then neither contestant wins anything.  It's a battle of wits, will, and bluffing to see which contestant can outmaneuver and outsmart the rest to go home with the most prizes.

USTOWNHALL SPEAKS TO HOWIE MANDEL OF TAKE IT ALL:

USTH: As a host of game shows and talent shows, are you able to maintain a professional distance from the contestants, or do you find yourself getting emotionally involved in what they're going through and secretly root for them?

HOWIE MANDEL: Well, yes. You know, first and foremost I'm a human being, and I'm a father, and I'm a husband. So yes, the professionalism lies in you.  Well, you can tell that I root for people, and you can tell that I care, and it's really hard. The hardest thing is to maintain – and I guess that's what they pay you for – to maintain my professionalism when I see, in my mind, just like you the viewer.  I can go, "Oh, no, no, no, no, this is bad move. This is a bad move," but I'm not allowed to say that.  I can think it, but I can't tell you I'm thinking it because that may sway you. And then again, I could be wrong.
So yes, I am very involved. I can't totally remove myself from it, but, I hope that I maintain a professional stance as the host.  You know, I've seen some parts of it and I think I do a fantastic job.

USTH: What is it about the game show format or competition format that appeals to you in general? And could you ever be a contestant on a game show, like Celebrity Apprentice or something like that?

HOWIE MANDEL: No, I have no interest in being a contestant on any game shows, I don't play games, and [Take it All] is not even the game show genre. I feel that Take It All is in a world on its own. Just like Deal or No Deal, it wasn't really a game. It's more about humanity, so it's not a game, though there is strategy. There is gamesmanship. There is bluffing. Some people just out-and-out lie. And that's fun to watch, and that's what draws me to that, much more than any game.
I'm offered a lot of games where trivia is involved or stunts are involved or whatever, and I haven't said okay to do those. I have no interest in doing those, but I do have interest in this. I'm telling you that if I wasn't the host of this and somebody else came up with the show and it was on, this is the show I would watch. And I'd be watching it because I'm fascinated by how people react, and how people – even though it's playing, this is how they are in life. This is a great example of who we are and how people play the game of life. And that's basically what you're doing in Take It All.

USTH: As far the audience and the contestants, are we all on the same page or does the audience at home know something that the contestants don't know?

HOWIE MANDEL: We're all on the same page. In fact, not only are we all on the same page, I'm on the same page. Maybe it's not like any other host.  I've never gone into the prize room, so I said, "I want to be blown away by these prizes too," so I don't know what's coming up, number one.

So, as the game goes on and a hovercraft appears, I have no idea. I want to guess. I want to have the fun. Is the hovercraft worth more than the Mercedes? Is it worth more than a jet pack? I don't know, so I'm having fun with that. And the other thing is, I know nothing about the contestants until I ask the questions. So, there is a casting process, as far as people showing up and applying to be on the show, and they fill out applications, [but] I don't know anything about it.

So, you may think you know something. I don't want to know something. I don't want to know what their background is, or how they play or what their strategy is. We learn [during the show], and it unfolds in front of you. But, as an audience member it's fun to find out. At home you go, "You know what, I don't trust this guy, or she's lying, or she's bluffing. She's bluffing. She's going to - ," and that's what's fun about it.

USTH: Regarding one of the technical aspects of the show, let's say somebody wins a lot of prizes, but then after the show is over they realize, well, they don't really need a hovercraft or a jet pack or whatever. Are they allowed to exchange the prize for a cash value, or how does that all work?

HOWIE MANDEL: I don't know how that works. You know, that's not my area of expertise. I don't know. I assume that they have to take the prize.

USTH: You're also the Executive Producer of the show, so what are your duties as Executive Producer? What are you responsible for?

HOWIE MANDEL: Mostly hosting and craft service. No, I helped develop the game and I helped reassemble the group that did Deal or No Deal, because I think that there's nobody better in the business. And, I'm really good at delegating – handing off the duties of whatever other people's expertises are to them.
So, beyond that, I'm not involved in the casting, because I don't want to meet anybody until I'm standing on stage with them. I'm not involved with the prizes because I want to be surprised with the prizes. I put my two cents in on the set. I put my two cents in on our staff. But beyond that, we have the best staff, and I'm just focused on hosting.

USTH: Finally, on another topic, do you know anything about a possibility of a Gremlin's sequel or remake of the original movie? And would you be interested in participating in that?

HOWIE MANDEL: I know nothing about it, but if they do, I hope they give me a call. I would love to be part of it.

USTH: Our thanks to Howie Mandel for speaking with us.  Take It All premieres for a limited run on NBC on Monday, December 11, 2012 and will air each night at 9pm until Friday.  The finale will then air Monday, December 17 at 10pm.  If the ratings are good, expect the series to return for another engagement in the future.

More information coming soon, so keep checking back, but in the meantime, enjoy some key art from this fall's new television series!

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