“Survivor” creator Mark Burnett brought his signature grandiose showmanship to meetings about Donald Trump’s inauguration day celebration, according to a new report.
The New York Times reported that the reality TV producer, an old friend of Trump’s form his days producing “Celebrity Apprentice,” pitched an epic entrance for the president-elect, starting with a parade on 5th Avenue in Manhattan and a helicopter ride from New York City to Washington, D.C.
However, don’t expect Trump’s actual inauguration to be quite on that scale. For one thing, every plan needs to be approved by five different security agencies, including the Secret Service and the National Parks Service, which is in charge of the Mall in the capital.
Thomas Barrack, Jr., an adviser to Trump who is also part of the inauguration planning committee, downplayed expectations about the scale of the January 20 celebrations.
“Mark is a genius, and the president-elect loves him,” Barrack told the Times. “This was about throwing stuff out if you are thinking in the frame of mind of what a global audience would see.”
As TheWrap previously reported, the inauguration team might also have trouble securing A-list talent to perform at the event.
The arrival-by-helicopter scenario is one familiar to Burnett, whose “Survivor” used to see host Jeff Probst hike through jungles, take cross-continental flights and parachuting into live finale shows.
See a particularly convoluted Probst “Survivor” arrival below for a taste of what might have been.