The Apprentice, the TV show that made Donald Trump a reality TV star and inspired his "You're fired!" catchphrase—made its streaming debut Monday on Amazon Prime Video. The program aired from 2004 to 2017 on NBC, drawing an average of 20 million viewers a week in the first seasons, per Amazon. Trump left the show in 2015 before launching his first campaign for president. In addition to being the star, Trump was executive producer, meaning he's probably in line to profit from Amazon's acquisition of the series, CNN reports.
"I look forward to watching this show myself—such great memories, and so much fun, but most importantly, it was a learning experience for all of us," Trump said in a statement. It's the second high-profile deal Amazon has made with the Trumps this year. The company announced a $40 million deal in January for a documentary on first lady Melania Trump, plus follow-up shows. She was listed as an executive producer on the project. Amazon was founded by Jeff Bezos, a close ally of the president's.
The Apprentice was created by Mark Burnett, whom Trump has made special envoy to the UK—a position that doesn't always exist. Burnett also expressed enthusiasm for the streaming deal. His political alignment with Trump is an evolution since the president's first campaign, when Burnett released a statement saying he was not a supporter of his former star. "Further, my wife and I reject the hatred, division and misogyny that has been a very unfortunate part of his campaign," Burnett said in 2016, per the Los Angeles Times. (The show reportedly was a mythmaker for the future president.)
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