The Apprentice's Product Placement Results in a Nasty Lawsuit

Mark Burnett Productions filed suit against Madison Road Entertainment for allegedly misrepresenting itself as the sole company involved in product placement deals for The Apprentice. Madison Road Entertainment is countersuing for $20 million, saying Mark Burnett Productions is simply trying to eliminate the competition.

Mark Burnett Productions claims Madison Road Entertainment overcharged companies like Levi Strauss & Co., Procter & Gamble and M&Ms by 250 percent for their participation in the second season of The Apprentice. Burnett then says the company only gave him a portion of the fee for those brands to be featured on the show.

Madison Road Entertainment says it did mark up the fee but nowhere near the 250 percent Burnett claims. The company also says no company who bought a sponsorship has complained to them about the fee.