In a recent report from The New York Times, behind-the-scenes details about the hit reality show, The Apprentice, have been revealed. Producers of the show explain that they were tasked with creating an image of Donald Trump as a successful billionaire, while downplaying his bankruptcies and failed ventures.

From the moment the producers arrived at Trump Tower in New York City back in 2003, they knew they had to work their television magic to make The Apprentice appear as a big opportunity for contestants and viewers alike. The setting they found was less than impressive - musty carpet, chipped furniture, and dated decor, with fewer than 50 people working at Trump's company headquarters.

Bill Pruitt, one of the producers, confessed that they made it their mission to portray Trump as royalty in every opportunity. Their goal was to convey to the audience that working for him would be a significant accomplishment. Jonathan Braun, another producer, acknowledged that their job was not to produce a documentary, but rather an entertainment primetime network show.

As the show unfolded, the producers had to create challenges for the ambitious contestants vying for a year-long apprenticeship with Trump, whose salary was bankrolled by NBC. Interestingly, Trump himself was not involved in the day-to-day operations of the show and would usually not watch the contestants during the week.

In one memorable challenge, Trump directed the contestants to come up with a new pizza for Domino's. He mentioned his preference for meatballs, and both teams ended up creating meatball pizzas. Unbeknownst to the contestants, Trump had made a side deal with Domino's to be the spokesperson for their new cheeseburger pizza in commercials that would air during that episode. To cover up the incongruence, a script was provided to Trump, who informed the contestants that customers actually preferred cheeseburger pizza, not meatball pizza, based on market research.

To fix Trump's unpredictable and sometimes uninformed decisions, the editors would splice footage to make fired contestants not look good. This reverse engineering ensured that Trump did not appear as a complete moron, according to Braun.

From this revealing insight, it becomes evident that The Apprentice was not merely a straightforward portrayal of Trump's business acumen. Instead, it was a meticulously crafted entertainment show designed to present him as a successful businessman, regardless of the reality behind the scenes.

As the curtain is drawn back, viewers now have a deeper understanding of the efforts made by producers to shape the image of Trump as a powerful figure in the business world. The behind-the-scenes revelations provide a fascinating glimpse into the production process of one of television's most popular reality shows.