'The Apprentice' Lawyers Up

[Brian Damage]

LOS ANGELES -- Mark Burnett is injecting a little bit of "Survivor" into the next edition of "The Apprentice."

The sixth edition of the NBC show, which for the first time will have Los Angeles as its home base, will feature the usual array of Type-A go-getters -- including a preponderance of lawyers -- vying for a job with one of Donald Trump's business ventures. The move to the West Coast appears to have caused executive producers Burnett and Trump to shake the show's format up a bit too.

Most dramatically, members of the losing team will have to endure some less-than-ideal living conditions after a defeat. While the winners will get the run of a swank SoCal mansion, the vanquished team will have to camp out in the back yard, sleeping in tents and using outdoor showers and portable toilets.

In addition, winning project managers will get to keep their leadership posts until their team loses. They'll also get to take part in the boardroom sessions for the losing team, advising Trump on who should get the boot that week.

The 18 "Apprentice" contestants range in age from 24 to 37 and include six attorneys -- five practicing lawyers and one who's a vice president for legal and business affairs at a movie studio. There are also a handful of business owners, a couple of sales managers and Angela Ruggiero, a three-time U.S. Olympic hockey player who fans voted onto the show during February's Winter Olympics.

"The Apprentice" premieres at 9:30 p.m. ET Sunday, Jan. 7. It will air 90-minute episodes for its first two weeks, then move into the 9 p.m. timeslot on Jan. 21.

This season's cast is:

Name: Aaron
Age: 25
Hometown: Fredericksburg, Va.
Occupation: Community sales manager

Name: Aimee
Age: 32
Hometown: Chicago
Occupation: Territory manager

Name: Angela
Age: 26
Hometown: Oyster Bay, N.Y.
Occupation: Olympic hockey player

Name: Carey
Age: 25
Hometown: Atlanta
Occupation: Owner of marketing/promotions firm

Name: Derek
Age: 34
Hometown: Los Angeles
Occupation: VP business and legal affairs

Name: Frank
Age: 27
Hometown: Bronx, N.Y.
Occupation: Founder/CEO of contracting firm

Name: Heidi
Age: 26
Hometown: Santa Monica, Calif.
Occupation: National/international sales manager

Name: James
Age: 29
Hometown: Seattle
Occupation: Internet entrepreneur

Name: Jenn
Age: 26
Hometown: Phoenix
Occupation: Publicist

Name: Kristine
Age: 37
Hometown: Los Angeles
Occupation: Attorney

Name: Marisa
Age: 28
Hometown: Wellington, Fla.
Occupation: Attorney

Name: Martin
Age: 37
Hometown: Atlanta
Occupation: Attorney

Name: Michelle
Age: 34
Hometown: Los Angeles
Occupation: Real estate consultant

Name: Muna
Age: 28
Hometown: Matawan, N.J.
Occupation: Attorney

Name: Nicole
Age: 25
Hometown: Chicago
Occupation: Owner/broker for commercial real estate firm

Name: Stefani
Age: 32
Hometown: Los Angeles
Occupation: Attorney

Name: Surya
Age: 24
Hometown: Cincinnati
Occupation: Brand manager

Name: Tim
Age: 24
Hometown: Los Angeles
Occupation: Owner of tutoring company

[EmoJoe]

all of the changes seem REALLY extreme and are obviously a desperate cry for ratings. the show sucks now...its not even realistic anymore.

[Brent88]

I actually think these changes are good. I was debating about whether to even watch this next season before(because I didn't really like last season), but I'll defintely try it. I'm going to be taping it though since it's on against DH.

[HuntingtonM15]

Originally Posted by Brent88

I actually think these changes are good. I was debating about whether to even watch this next season before(because I didn't really like last season), but I'll defintely try it. I'm going to be taping it though since it's on against DH.

Same here. I was unsure if I was going to watch at all, but now I'm also going to try it.

[TVFactFan]

So are Trump's KIDS going to be the JUDGES??

[EmpressDR]

Originally Posted by Joe®

all of the changes seem REALLY extreme and are obviously a desperate cry for ratings. the show sucks now...its not even realistic anymore.

Was it EVER?


But I've been so bored I hadn't watched the last ones. I taped them, but didn't watch. This looks fun, I guess





But Of COURSE Mark Burnett is SO smart, and has SUCH great ideas!