Celebrity Apprentice Cast Revealed, Includes Clay Aiken

By On 01/04/2012 · 95 Comments · In American Idol, Clay Aiken

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Donald Trump stopped by the Today Show to announce the cast of the fifth Season of “Celebrity Apprentice”. As we already knew, Clay Aiken is one of the competitors. The show has already been taped, and according to spoilers, well, Clay isn’t fired in the first couple of weeks.

“The Celebrity Apprentice” premieres Feb. 12 on NBC. We’ll be covering it on the blog, so watch out for that.

  • Clay Aiken, 32: Season 2 runner-up on American Idol
  • Marco Andretti, 24: IndyCar series driver.  Father is Michael Andretti and his grandfather is racing legend Mario Andretti.
  • Tia Carrere, 44: Mike Myers‘ girlfriend in Wayne’s World,  former Dancing With the Stars contestant.
  •  Adam Carolla, 47: DJ,  Dancing With the Stars, cohost Love Line with Dr. Drew Pinsky,
  • Lou Ferrigno, 59: Actor and bodybuilder. Played TV’s The Incredible Hulk.
  • Deborah Gibson, 41: 80′s pop star.
  • Teresa Giudice, 39: The Real Housewives of New Jersey.
  • Victoria Gotti, 48: Growing Up Gotti, Daughter of mobster John Gotti.
  • Arsenio Hall, 55: Former late-night host.
  • Penn Jillette, 56: Comedian and illusionist.  Half of Penn and Teller.
  • Lisa Lampanelli, 50:  Comedian.  Frequent Comedy Central roaster.
  • Dayana Mendoza, 25: Miss Universe in 2008. From Venezuela.
  • Aubrey O’Day, 27: Singer. Former member of Diddy’s Danity Kane.
  • Dee Snider, 56: Twisted Sister frontman.
  • George Takei, 74: Sulu on Star Trek.  Gay rights activist.
  • Paul Teutul, Sr, 62: Star of the Discovery Channel’s  American Chopper
  • Cheryl Tiegs, 64: Actress and former supermodel.
  • Patricia Velásquez, 40: The Mummy and The Mummy Returns. Will Arnett‘s girlfriend Marta on Arrested Development.

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  • Anonymous

    Clay seems like a smart guy.  He’ll probably do well.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1759402889 Natalie Blake

    I heard this news from a friend a few weeks ago, and I’m really looking forward to seeing Clay on CA! I enjoy the show because you get to really see how stars behave and treat other people. You see their true colors, and sometimes end up liking people you didn’t like before (or vice versa!) Clay’s career has definitely stalled, but being on any reality show can bring attention back to a former star. From having seen Clay in concert many times and having been an avid fan in the past, I look forward to his wit. I have my doubts that he will make it very far, however, b/c he is a very nice guy and won’t stoop to backbiting, bickering, and backstabbing ~ which takes you far on this show!

  • Anonymous

    So excited to see Clay on CA. I think he will surprise many people.

  • Anonymous

    I don’t see this as bad for Clay.  His claim to fame is as a reality show contestant.  This is a reality show.  What I have seen of Clay is very cut throat so I am sure he does well.

    But I want Lisa to win LOL

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Lynda-Hanson-Beaugez/100000081366443 Lynda Hanson Beaugez

    I’m anxiously awaiting this show.  I remember Clay had stated he wanted to be a contestant on The Amazing Race, so he’s pretty competitive.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Lynda-Hanson-Beaugez/100000081366443 Lynda Hanson Beaugez

    John Rich and Lil John did very well for themselves, the season they were on.

  • Moria Polonius

    lol, aside from Clay, the only name I recognize is George Takei. 

  • Anonymous

    Clay’s foundation (which he co-founded with the mother of the boy with developmental disabilities he worked with prior to AI) has funded numerous inclusion projects and has championed the people first movement.

    Not sure why you call it sketchy, but I know of agencies which have benefitted from its resources.

  • fuzzywuzzy

    “I have my doubts that he will make it very far, however, b/c he is a
    very nice guy and won’t stoop to backbiting, bickering, and backstabbing
    ~ which takes you far on this show!”

    I think that Clay is very effective at seeming to be a “nice guy”, then the claws come out.  I can imagine him going far by catching the others off guard in this way.  I think that this is why the others on the Today show cited him as “surprising” when they found out how cutthroat he was.

  • fuzzywuzzy

    “Will George Takei and Clay Aiken Speak Out Against Homophobe Donald Trump as ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ Cast Members?”

    http://www.towleroad.com/2012/01/takeiapprentice.html

  • Anonymous

    I know people who personally have benefited from the resources of Clay’s charity. Maybe you should do some actual research before calling something sketchy just because you think it’s a fun little zinger.

    As for the show, I like this mix, names I know but haven’t thought about in awhile.

  • Tess

    Considering many of the really stupid gigs that former Idolettes have done I don’t have any problem with any of them being on a reality show like Celebrity Apprentice.  And since the definition of celebrity is that someone is famous or well known and isn’t about qualifiers like good, or great, or award winning I don’t have a problem with the choice of word.  And, if someone had to put their “career” on hold to be on this type of show…well it ain’t going to happen so the fact that “celebrities” who are in the limelight for other reasons aren’t signing up for the show and that makes it about D listers and has beens may be a stretch.

    I’m not a Clay fan or a fan of the show but I don’t think it will hurt him at all.  People who believe he is diminishing himself by doing the show won’t watch it anywhos (I wouldn’t think) and the peeps who do watch the show may not care a hoot about the careers of the participants, they just seem to like the show (considering its longevity).  And the fact that some peeps don’t know who these new contestants are just means that we all have our own interests and don’t bother to note “well known” people outside of our interests. I actually have heard of 90% of them…but heck, I’m an online geek and well into my dodage and I like trivia.

  • http://twitter.com/OneTwoDoseyDoe Roger Kramjet

    I was a huge Clay fan and definitely had a ticket on the Clay Train way back in the day. He annoyed me when he started talking negatively about other idols and I lost a great deal of respect for him. I can handle wit and southern charm but snark and negativity I am not a big fan of… I hope this show helps him and hope he comes across as the lovable guy that I remember from Idol sans snark. 

  • Anonymous

    I didn’t use the term sketchy for shits and grins and just because a few people might benefit from it doesn’t make it a very effective charity. At it’s onset even mothers with the very children that should have benefitted from the foundation became disillusioned with it. That led to an investigation, that even though nothing egregious was found it was noted that there were issues that should be addressed. Several years ago there was an issue with a grant not being used within the scope which it was received. Currently there is an issue with transparency and it received low rating by some agency that monitors charities. Of course some uber fan will come with really valid seeming explanations but personally I would not rely on or donate to this organization!

  • Anonymous

    Imagine what I would find if I did my research?

  • hcpoirot

    Not all the celebs here is D- LIst. Some of them even raise their career after appearing here. (though some raise only for a while)

    Pierre Morgan after win the first season, have his own talk show.

    Some of them really want to raise the money for their charity. Like Trace Adkins . He is quite famous when he appear in season 1. (already had 9 albums)  So the only reason for him is to raise money for the charity. And after The Apprentice he release 4 more albums, got 5 Grammy nominations and win 1 Grammy.

    Malee Matlin and John Rich form last season raise a combine of more than 1,5 million dollar in two raising fund events. That is a lot.

    So not all the participants are D-Listers, or want to try to get their career back. Though most of them are celebs that try to had a career or try to get their career back. :)

  • http://twitter.com/Miztig Miz

    I think Arsenio Hall is going to get eaten alive, and I hope he doesn’t. He is such a sweet and genuine guy. I remember an old boss telling me not to waste too much time on him since he was going nowhere. I was thrilled when he started getting roles and when he got his own talk show.

  • stargazed

    Your statement shows that you have no clue as to Clay’s humor.  

  • stargazed

    Your statement shows that you have no clue as to Clay’s humor.  

  • stargazed

    Also, Clay himself has said that his mother is going to be sedated when she watches the show, and remarked that some fans may not like him as much afterwards, so I would guess that there’s a possibility for some unpleasant “edits” when it comes to Clay’s behavior on the CA.  His fans should hope that there aren’t.  lol

    The ridiculing happened every concert during two of Clay’s recent tours, and there are lots of videos that prove it The Claymates were quite amused by the ridiculing.(Edited by a moderator)As I said, your comment shows that  you have no clue about Clay’s humor.

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