The Apprentice Auction; A Charitable Event Geared Toward The Fans
Envisioned by popular businessman Donald Trump, the NBC show the Apprentice first came on the air in early 2004. Since then the show has followed in the footsteps of many reality TV shows as it has developed into a cultural phenomenon. Many fans have tuned in to NBC to watch the show, making it one of the more popular reality TV shows on the air. At the same time the already very well-known Donald Trump developed into quite a celebrity. While he was previously recognized for his immense wealth, Mr. Trump became equally as renowned for his catch phrase “you’re fired” with the increasing popularity of the show. The involvement of other celebrities in the show has contributed to the rise in popularity of the show as well. What makes the show, or at least the participants of the show, particularly special is the auction held after the season finale. Many people tune in to watch their favorite shows every day. Thus, the characters become celebrities and people become enthralled with them and hope to someday meet their idolized stars. The Apprentice auction allows fans of the show to obtain memorabilia from the show and treasure these mementos. What makes the nearly two week auctioning event so exceptional is the fact that all proceeds from the bidding are donated to a charitable organization, namely the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, afterwards. This charitable organization is the world leader in the fight