Celebrity Apprentice hires YouTube star iJustine

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Justine Ezarik, a.k.a iJustine, will appear on The New Celebrity Apprentice.
Justine Ezarik, a.k.a iJustine, will appear on The New Celebrity Apprentice.
Photo: iJustine screenshot/YouTube

Justine Ezarik built a successful brand from her home by unboxing the latest Apple gadgets in front of a video camera and sharing her geeky tech enthusiasm with millions of YouTube followers.

Now the internet influencer known as iJustine will reach a new audience as she joins Arnold Schwarzenegger in the “Boardroom” as an adviser on The New Celebrity Apprentice.

Ezarik may not be as familiar as the show’s other business advisers, like Warren Buffett, Tyra Banks, Jessica Alba and Rocco DiSpirito. But as a self-made entrepreneur, she will have solid advice on growing a business through social engagement.

Ezarik is considered one of the web’s most popular “lifecasters,” with a YouTube following of more than 3 million subscribers to her iJustine channel, plus thousands following her on Facebook and Twitter.

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The actress and comedian, who has appeared on shows like Law & Order, The Vampire Diaries and The Bold and the Beautiful, gained notoriety in 2007 when she posted a video of her 300-page iPhone bill. The video reached more than 8 million views, and Ezarik earned a $5,000 payout from the video hosting service, Revver.

Since then, her unboxing videos and gadgets reviews, many of which feature Apple devices, have totaled more than 64 million views. Her net worth reportedly tops $2 million.

One of her more recent videos, below, was a cooking segment where she helps build a Gingerbread Apple Store.

The original head of the Celebrity Apprentice Boardroom, Donald Trump, is gone from the show pursuing other interests, so Ezarik will be alongside Terminator-in-Chief Schwarzenegger when the NBC show starts Jan. 2.

Ezarik’s signing was originally reported by Variety and Tubefilter, a news site devoted to online video.

Those who may benefit from Ezarik’s wisdom on The New Celebrity Apprentice include boxer Laila Ali, pop icon Boy George, comedian Jon Lovitz and Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi of Jersey Shore fame.

Sources: Tubefilter and Variety

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