Trump's 'Apprentice' Confronts the Recession
Author: Amy Chozick</br></br>Nothing about Donald Trump's gilded condos, private helicopters or jaunts around the golf course scream recession, but that's exactly what The Donald will focus on in the latest episode of his reality show "The Apprentice."</br></br>"Two years ago it began, an economic crisis that swept the world," Mr. Trump says in the voiceover opening of the 10th season premiere on NBC Sept. 16. This time the Mark Burnett-produced reality contest handpicked 16 contestants all hard hit by the economy.</br></br>A woman who used to be a corporate lawyer now sells cupcakes for $2 a piece out of a hot pink truck. A financial advisor laments that there's no "Plan B" if he doesn't win the prize of becoming Mr. Trump's apprentice. A man who owned a construction company had to sell his house and all his belongings when the housing went bust.</br></br>"The Apprentice" is one of the network's longest-running and best performing reality series, but ratings have sagged. Eight million viewers watched the show each week in the season that ended in May, down from 21 million in 2004, according to Nielsen Co.