Tax records reveal how fame gave Donald Trump a $427 million lifeline

By analysing the tax records, The New York Times was able to place a value on Donald Trump’s celebrity.
 
While the returns show that he earned $197 million directly from The Apprentice over 16 years — roughly in line with what he has claimed — they reveal that an additional $230 million flowed from the fame associated with it.
 
The show’s big ratings meant that everyone wanted a piece of the Trump brand, and he grabbed at the opportunity to rent it out. There was $500,000 to pitch Double Stuf Oreos, another half-million to sell Domino’s Pizza and