BRIANNA KEILAR: Just in, Arnold
Schwarzenegger, moments ago,
making an announcement about
the future of "The Celebrity
Apprentice": I quit.
Firing himself.
He says he will not return
to host another season
of the show, and he's blaming
the president for giving
the show too much baggage.
I want to bring in
CNN's senior media
correspondent, Brian Stelter,
back now with more on this.
Tell us more about what
he's saying, Brian.
BRIAN STELTER: Yeah,
baggage, a very
interesting word
in this statement
from Arnold Schwarzenegger.
This breaking in just
the past few minutes.
Not a total surprise,
though, Brianna,
because this program,
"The Apprentice,"
it became pretty
political this season.
Maybe a victim of
political polarization.
You know, when Trump was the
host many years ago, actually
up until 2015, the
most recent season,
the show was known for that
famous saying, "You're fired."
It seems to me
Arnold's saying, "I
quit" before NBC can fire him.
But but here's the statement.
He says, "I loved every
second working with NBC
and the producer Mark Burnett."
He went on to say,
"I would absolutely
work with all of them
again on a show that
doesn't have this baggage."
Now what is he talking about?
Well, for one thing,
President Trump criticizing
him while hosting the show.
Another thing, there was an
advertiser boycott in the works
from anti-Trump groups.
And the ratings weren't
as strong as they were
back when Trump was the host.
So there were a number
of factors here.
I think when Arnold refers
to baggage, that might
be what he's talking about.
The first season of the
show recently wrapped up,
and there were questions
about whether it
would be renewed at all.
And this would indicate
maybe it's not going to be.
Maybe NBC is ready to go ahead
and retire "The Apprentice."
