TV Lookout: Highlighting Dec. 30-Jan. 5

Saturday, Dec. 29, 2007 | 5 a.m.

They come armed with star power (however dimming), bravado and a favorite charity. They aim to put it all to work as "The Celebrity Apprentice" premieres with its all-star celebrity lineup of candidates.

On this new twist on the "Apprentice," now in its seventh season, the 14 contenders will be competing in business-oriented tasks around New York to raise money for their pet charities, with the final winner being crowned "Celebrity Apprentice" and delivering a $250,000 bonus check to his or her favorite cause.

As usual, the tasks will be judged in the boardroom by Trump and his advisers, who include Trump's children (and colleagues) Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr., alongside Trump Organization veteran George Ross.

The celebrity contestants include: country music star Trace Adkins, model-actress Carol Alt, actor-writer Stephen Baldwin, Olympic gold-medalist Nadia Comaneci, former Playboy Playmate of the Year Tiffany Fallon, Olympic gold medalist Jennie Finch and media magnate Nely Galan.

Also, actress-writer Marilu Henner, heavyweight boxing champ Lennox Lewis, former "Apprentice" star Omarosa, TV personality-writer Piers Morgan, Ultimate Fighting Champion Tito Ortiz, former "Sopranos" regular Vincent Pastore, and rock star-personality Gene Simmons.

"The Celebrity Apprentice" premieres Thursday at 9 p.m. EST on NBC.

Other shows to look out for:

- Time for another diet of "The Biggest Loser," the reality show that challenges overweight contestants to shed pounds through a comprehensive, safe program of diet and exercise, as they compete for a grand prize of $250,000. Same menu, but this, the fifth season, comes in a new flavor. Ten pairs of competitors - including a mother and son, husband and wife, best friends, brothers, a divorced couple, and two strangers - will be playing not only for themselves, but also for their respective teammates. Alison Sweeney (NBC's "Days of our Lives") is host, and contestants work out under the supervision of professional trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels. The two-hour premiere airs Tuesday at 8 p.m. on NBC.

- You gotta give it extra credit for the title: "How to Look Good Naked." This Lifetime reality series sets out to demonstrate that - without shedding (or gaining) - a pound, all women are beautiful, regardless of their shape or size. With the wildly encouraging Carson Kressley ("Queer Eye for the Straight Guy") on the case, women are taught to go from self-loathing to self-loving without interventions like extreme dieting or cosmetic surgery. During each half-hour, Kressley guides a woman through a variety of activities, such as learning to dress appropriately for her body type, choosing the correct undergarments and understanding the right way to style her hair and makeup. Can he succeed in helping her true self come through? Find out when the series premieres at 9 p.m. Friday. Then at 9:30, meet Matt Titus, billed as New York's premiere professional relationship expert, on the premiere of "Matched in Manhattan." Then meet elite party planners on the premieres of "Top This Party: Orange County" (10 p.m.) and "Top This Party: Las Vegas" (10:30).

- When a mysterious force weakens "the Core" (enabling communication among the animals of Animalia), youngsters Alex and Joe and their Animalian friends embark on a journey to restore stability to the land. This marks the start of "Animalia," a new weekly series on PBS Kids Go! targeted at 6- to 9-year-old viewers. As they will discover along with Alex and Joe, this spectacular land is populated with talking animals: zebras in zeppelins, hogs on bikes, mice delivering news bulletins on butterflies' wings, as well as dragons, unicorns and elephants. Based on the best-selling book by Graeme Base, this fantasy-adventure series employs whimsical creatures and 3-D computer animation to tell stories that reinforce language and communication skills. It premieres Saturday on PBS (check local listings).

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EDITOR'S NOTE - Frazier Moore is a national television columnist for The Associated Press. He can be reached at fmoore(at)ap.org