When TheArnoldFans was asked to work the red carpet with "The New Celebrity Apprentice" cast, we were especially excited to speak with Arnold, John Lovitz, Laila Ali, Patrick Knapp Schwarzenegger and Tyra Banks but we knew very little about some guy named Matt Iseman. Sure, I am a fan of American Ninja Warrior, his hosting gig, but I don't think I even noticed him before as I was focused more on the Ninja Warrior athletes. But after meeting this very charismatic super-fan, I'd soon discover I have a new favorite "Apprentice."
Matt Iseman, the only apprentice to correctly spell Schwarzenegger, was ready for our barrage of Arnold questions on the red carpet. Iseman will be fighting for the Arthritis Foundation on "The New Celebrity Apprentice" starting January 2nd on NBC.
TheArnoldFans: If American Ninja Warrior was filmed in the '80s, who'd win out of all of Arnold's film characrters?
Matt Iseman: "Conan the barbarian! Oh yeah, remember him just pushing that wheel of pain after Tulsa Doom? He clearly had the core strength and the agility. He was a horse rider and we know he had excellent balance. Grip strength was good because he could probably crush skulls with his hands. He (Conan) would have been very good!"
TheArnoldFans: American Ninja Warrior is very similar to Arnold's The Running Man movie. It's all about surviving through a tough obstacle course. The Running Man takes place in 2017, so would you like to see the future of American Ninja Warrior get a little more brutal?
Matt Iseman: "Are you calling me Richard Dawson? "Who loves you and who do you love?" What, I'm Damon Killian!? You see, you'll get all this. You're a fan! You won't believe how many quotes I've been trying to work into this. So when I took a year off between college and medical school, much of the time off collecting together a tape of quotes, film Schwarzenegger quotes like "I like you Sully, I'm going to kill you last." I am a huge Arnold fan!"
TheArnoldFans: What are your top 3 favorite Arnold films?
Matt Iseman: "I would say Terminator 2, Predator and Commando. I thought Commando was one of those movies where the kills were so creative and the kill total was amazing! It's a great premise and the action started immediately...and he's such a stud. And then Terminator 2, I put way up there. T2 is maybe one of the only sequels I'd sad succeeded the original Terminator."
TheArnoldFans: I have a dilemma. Carnie Wilson is the only Apprentice to follow TheArnoldFans on Twitter so we feel obligated to root for her, however, you are the bigger Arnold fan..."
Saying no more, Matt instantly busted out his cell phone, pulled up Twitter and instantly followed us. Dilemma solved. Sorry Carnie, you're still loved but Matt, being an ultimate Schwarzenegger fan, now gets my vote.
Matt Iseman: "By the way, I fell in love with her (Carnie) when she began playing her farts for me on her phone. She names them. There's a woman who looks at you and when she does it feels like the sun is shinning. She's such a wonderful person."
Iseman even brought up how Schwarzenegger invented "The Apprentice" catch phrase long before Donald Trump.
Matt Iseman: "People may not know, but I am a scholar of Schwarzenegger movies and one of his quotes from True Lies, when the villain is attached to a missile on a F-18 Harrier Jet and he fires it, the Arnold lines is, "You're fired!" That is a Schwarzenegger quote so technically, I think Trump stole it from him (Arnold)."
I know it's too early to really know all of the apprentices and the show doesn't even start until January 2nd, but I feel Matt would be the perfect pick as Arnold's winner. He has the passion, charisma and quick wit to make any boss proud. Not to mention, he knows Arnold Schwarzenegger better than any other Apprentice and could play well to his strengths. If Matt doesn't win the show, we hope to see him costar or cameo in an upcoming Arnold film.
This American Ninja Warrior host was thrilled to learn from his mentor during his time on Apprentice.
Matt Iseman: "He had a genuine interest in giving us his lessons and we were all eager to learn from the man who embodies the American dream."
Matt also said my "Last Action Hero" film crew jacket (with images of magic torn tickets on the inside lining) was awesome. Because Matt is a 10 on the scale of Arnold fandom, I let him hold my authentic "Conan the Barbarian" movie-licensed sword!
We'll be back soon with more interviews from "The New Celebrity Apprentice" including Vince Neil, Patrick Knapp Schwarzenegger, Porsha Williams, Carrie Keagan, Laila Ali, Ricky Williams and John Lovitz. Click HERE if you missed our Schwarzenegger interview.
