In the run-up to the US presidential election, Mipcom Cannes is shining a spotlight on the New York Times bestseller “Apprentice in Wonderland: How Donald Trump and Mark Burnett Put America Through the Looking Glass”.

Written by diversityWritten by the magazine’s co-editor-in-chief, Ramin Setoodeh, the book examines the crucial role of the reality TV series “The Apprentice” in launching Donald Trump’s political career and its impact on pop culture.

The session, scheduled for October 23, will be presented by Setoodeh in the Grand Auditorium at the Palais des Festivals. Setoodeh, who has conducted six lengthy interviews with Trump, will examine how the cult of celebrity and the rise of the reality genre in the early 1990s catapulted Trump to the White House and gave rise to one of the most influential and commercially successful US series of all time.

Setoodeh will also provide behind-the-scenes information on the NBC series and share insights from his official conversations with the former president. The New York-based journalist will talk about what he learned from his conversations with more than fifty key figures from the series “The Apprentice” and “Celebrity Apprentice,” including network executives Jeff Zucker and Mark Burnett, as well as members of the Trump family, crew members, advisers and candidates.

“This is the best example of politics and entertainment colliding in our time,” said Lucy Smith, director of Mipcom Cannes and Mip London. “To learn about the circumstances, conversations and often conflicts that shaped a global figure, became the catalyst for a successful US presidential bid and potentially a second, while simultaneously creating one of the world’s most popular and enduring formats is both fascinating and timely,” Smith continued.

Apprentice In Wonderland is Setoodeh’s second release following the 2019 New York Times bestseller Ladies Who Punch: The Explosive Inside Story of The View, which traces the turbulent history of the various eras of the cult show The View, which revolutionized morning television in the United States and is based on unprecedented access to former hosts and supporting actors.

The 40th edition of Mipcom Cannes will take place from 21 to 24 October and has already registered 300 exhibitors.