&nbsp;&nbsp;Donald Trump: Rich enough, right? &nbsp;Answer is certainly in the affirmative, although a New York Post piece the other day said NBC had handed him and "Celebrity Apprentice" producer a $160 million two-year deal.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; Don't get out the calculators: That's $80 mill a year, and the Post went on to say (I think though admittedly I barely glanced at the story) $65 million a year, and a major raise.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; In any case, NBC has denied it. In a unusual rebuttal of a published story in a major paper, it sent out this:&nbsp; 
&nbsp;"The financial information reported today in regards to The Celebrity Apprentice is grossly inaccurate and has been significantly overstated. While it is our policy to keep financial information strictly confidential, neither the production costs of the show nor what Mr. Trump makes personally is in the realm of reality. Donald Trump and The Apprentice franchise remain a key part of the NBC primetime lineup and we are looking forward to another compelling cycle next season." 
&nbsp; Whom to believe? Honestly, the Post figures do seem disproportionately high for a modest performer that barely scratches out a top 30 position any more, and is long long long past its best days. But what do I know? I'm not signing the checks. But in my opinion - as I've speculated in this space - Trump never had any intention of running for president, but he did have every intention of getting NBC to step up. The network did, and there's lilttle doubt he got some sort of bump.

Donald Trump: Rich enough, right? Answer is certainly in the affirmative, although a New York Post piece the other day said NBC had handed him and "Celebrity Apprentice" producer a $160 million two-year deal. Don't get out the calculators: That's $80 mill a year, and the Post went on to say (I think though admittedly I barely glanced at the story) $65 million a year, and a major raise. In any case, NBC has denied it. In a unusual rebuttal of a published story in a major paper, it sent out this: "The financial information reported today in regards to The Celebrity Apprentice is grossly inaccurate and has been significantly overstated. While it is our policy to keep financial information strictly confidential, neither the production costs of the show nor what Mr. Trump makes personally is in the realm of reality. Donald Trump and The Apprentice franchise remain a key part of the NBC primetime lineup and we are looking forward to another compelling cycle next season." Whom to believe? Honestly, the Post figures do seem disproportionately high for a modest performer that barely scratches out a top 30 position any more, and is long long long past its best days. But what do I know? I'm not signing the checks. But in my opinion - as I've speculated in this space - Trump never had any intention of running for president, but he did have every intention of getting NBC to step up. The network did, and there's lilttle doubt he got some sort of bump.

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