Trump, Omarosa reunite for 'Merger'

Mogul, 'Apprentice' villain team for new reality show

Donald Trump is reuniting with his most infamous "The Apprentice" villain to produce a new reality show for TV One.

"Omarosa's Ultimate Merger" will star the now mono-named Omarosa (nee Maingault-Stallworth) as she attempts to choose a mate from a stable of 12 bachelors.

Juma Entertainment is producing the show, along with Trump Prods., for TV One, the Comcast network geared toward African-American audiences. Cabler has picked up eight episodes.

"Omarosa was a great personality on 'The Apprentice' that was watched by over 40 million people as it became the No. 1 show on TV," said the rarely modest Trump. "Omarosa is smart, witty and difficult, but all of those qualities will make for some very interesting entertainment."

Trump added that he thought TV One would "make a huge impression on the cable landscape with this tremendous new show."

"Omarosa's Ultimate Merger" will center on 12 men who compete for the reality star's affection through a series of challenges, both relationship- and business-driven.

"The challenge was coming up with not just your typical dating show," said Robert Horowitz, exec producer for Juma. "This is the biggest show TV One has done in the relationship space. The challenge was creating a primetime-style relationship series on a cable budget."

Despite its smaller size, the budget for the TV One show is comparable to that of similar shows on Bravo or E! Entertainment, he said.

"Omarosa's Ultimate Merger" is being shot in Las Vegas at the Trump Intl. Hotel and Tower.

Trump will exec produce with Trump Prods. prexy Andy Litinsky, as well as Juma's Horowitz and Lewis Fenton.

Trump will also appear on camera as he offers up his advice to Omarosa. In typical reality fashion, one suitor will be eliminated each week until she makes her final choice.

Besides returning to "The Celebrity Apprentice," Omarosa has appeared on several more reality shows, including a revival of "Battle of the Network Stars" that Juma produced for Bravo.

In those shows, Omarosa has played the role of show villain -- but Horowitz said the dating show's producers have taken pains to paint her in a different light.

"We do not want to bill her or portray her as a villain," he said. "That's not what this is. You will like Omarosa; you may not want her for your son or brother, but you will easily see where she has a lot of positives in her life. She's a smart woman, and she knows what she needs to do."

TV One is currently available in just under 50 million homes.

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