Mark Burnett and Tom Arnold got into a fight during the Evening Before Emmy party, a fundraiser for the Motion Picture Television Fund.
Arnold posted his accusation on Twitter about The Apprentice producer Burnett allegedly choking him during the pre-Emmy party.
Physical Altercation
Arnold tweeted that Burnett just choked him at the party, and then he ran away with torn shirt and missing chain. He added that he was waiting for LAPD.
Roma Downey, Burnett's wife, also posted a picture showing a bruise on her left hand due to the fight.
"Got this bruise tonight when Tom Arnold tried to ambush my husband Mark and me at a charity event. Is your TV show worth it Tom? Please stop," she said.
Additionally, Arnold responded to Downey's tweet, saying that he is filing a report to the authorities and suing for defamation. Sources say that the two arrived at Lawn at Century Park, the party's venue, at around 9:30 p.m., and they got physical as they were entering the event near the entrance.
An eyewitness said that shoving was involved during the fight. However, it is still unclear who shoved who first. The fight was then stopped, and the two were allowed to attend the party after they calmed down. A witness also heard Arnold challenging the producer about the The Apprentice outtakes.
Arnold also tweeted that Oscar-winning filmmaker Bryan Fogel, who directed Icarus, was able to film the fight.
Tension Between The Two
Notably, Arnold is not a fan of Burnett, and he has been publicly criticizing the producer. The tension between the two started because of Arnold's claim that Burnett is blocking the release of show outtakes where President Donald Trump allegedly made alarming and racial comments.
Arnold had been trying to convince the creator to release the embarrassing footages of the president in an attempt to protect him. He has also said in an interview with TCA in July that he will continue to hammer Burnett until he releases the tapes.
Burnett is also the chairman of MGM Worldwide Television, which is responsible for The Apprentice franchise. Together with the studio, he is insisting that they do not have the legal right to air the show's unused footage. Furthermore, it would take a long time to sort out hundreds of hours of footage to make a compelling episode.
Arnold is the host of The Hunt for the Trump Tapes, a Viceland reality series that will air on Sept. 18.
