Like some other returning competitors, the actress/host/author had a tough time in her first attempt at winning Celebrity Apprentice. In season four -- won by John Rich -- she was fired in only the second episode after losing control of her team as project manager and being openly ridiculed by Star Jones. She is playing for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.
Adam Olszewski/NBCLisa Rinna wasn’t so sure about returning for another shot at winning The Celebrity Apprentice when first approached by producers.
The actress, who was fired by Donald Trump in the second episode of season four after losing control of her team as project manager and being openly ridiculed by Star Jones, is one of 14 returning players — including past winner Bret Michaels — taking part in NBC’s All-Star Celebrity Apprentice, which debuts at 9 p.m. Sunday.
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“I had a terrible time [the first time],” Rinna told reporters at last month’s Television Critics Association press tour. “I really failed going in, because I knew I could play this game and I wanted to play and win a lot of money for charity, and I wasn’t able to do that. I came home really feeling badly … It was a thorn in my side that I failed miserably.”
So when producers called her about returning for another shot at competing, she actually thought it was pretty funny.
“Every single one of the producers knew I had the worst time,” she said. “It was not something fun for me. I hated it. I asked them, ‘Are you kidding me? Hell would have to freeze over before I do it again.'”
But her 11-year-old daughter — who was well aware of her unhappiness the first time around — found out she had turned them down and convinced her mom she should do it again.
“She said, ‘You know what, Mom? I really think you should do it, because it would be good for you to fix that,'” Rinna said. “My 11-year-old is very wise … It stuck with me.”
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Rinna said she really didn’t have any sort of game plan going back in, since she had only played two episodes before and wasn’t familiar enough with the game to devise a strategy. However, she did prepare by reading The Art of War for Women, which taught her to be nonreactive as well as “when to sit back and when to attack.”
Asked by The Hollywood Reporter whether viewers will see a lot of drama among the competitors, Rinna said there will, in fact, be fireworks this season.
And, she adds of her fellow players, “These are very successful, smart people, and dealing with that kind of group takes on a totally different life, which for me is just what I needed. We had a lot of fun; the first time, I had zero fun.”
Rinna is playing for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. The winner of All-Star Celebrity Apprentice will receive $250,000 for their charity in addition to money earned during any previous tasks they won as project manager.
