Filming for Celebrity Apprentice begins next week and producers have not made an official announcement about the new cast, but it looks like there has been a leak, as a handful of the new contestants were photographed filming promotional shots in New York City.

So far, castmembers indlude: Sharon Osbourne, Rod Blagojevich, Brette Michaels, Cindy Lauper, Holly Robinson Peete and Darryl Strawberry.

Most notable is Blagojevivh, the former Illinois Governor who was caught trying to sell Obama's senate seat. Blagojevich has been trying to pimp out his scandal with some serious media whoring since his impeachment. A judge had previously shot down Blagojevich's reality TV hopes for the NBC show, I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! by not allowing him to travel to Costa Rica for filming. His wife Patti Blagojevich joined the cast instead. Rod Blagojevich was seriously needing the cash with the impending legal fees, however the judge called it "a bad idea" and suggested Blagojevich find another way to earn money. Looks like he didn't take the judge's advice!

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Filming was scheduled to begin in Costa Rica and Blagojevich was seriously needing the cash with the impending legal fees he's facing. According to a defense motion, Blagojevich could have made $123,000 if he'd appeared on the show. However, permission to leave the country was denied for the former politician with the judge saying, "I do not have confidence that things will not go astray if I modify bond conditions."

NBC released a statement: "NBC is disappointed in the court's decision today regarding Rod Blagojevich's participation on I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! but excited about the casting announcement for the show this Friday. There are no plans to move the show to a location in the United States."

Blagojevich has pled not guilty to 17 charges including racketeering and extortion.

Last week, the Illinois Senate convicted Blagojevich of abuse of power. Now, not only is Blagojevich out of a job, but he faces criminal charges that could land him some serious jail time. Rather than going into hiding, Blagojevich has been on an all-out media blitz, prompting rumors that he's sniffing around for a book deal or well, anything he can gain from the whole mess. Since the scandal, the former governor has made appearances on Larry King Live, The View, The Rachel Maddow Show and the Today show.

"Why exactly are you here? Honest to God," asked David Letterman as Blagojevich took his seat.

"Well, you know, I've been wanting to be on your show in the worst way for the longest-"

"Well, you're on in the worst way, believe me," Letterman interrupted.

Letterman also asked Blagojevich what he planned to do with his time leading up to the trial.

"Well, I'm looking for work," Blagojevich said. "Are you hiring?"

Blagojevich also told the talk show host that he is waiting for the day when people wake up and realize this has all been a big misunderstanding.

"I did nothing wrong," he said. "And I'll have an opportunity to be able to go in a court to prove that I did nothing wrong."

Now, the guy at the center of the controversy, Rod Blagojevich, has gone on a media blitz to clear his name. However, his appearance on The View today was a bit of a disappointment, due to the watered-down line of questioning from the show's hosts.

Joy Behar took the time to ask him about his "potty mouth" on the infamous tapes (is he on trial for swearing?) and also wasted precious grilling time asking him to do a Nixon impersonation. However, not shown in the above video was Barbara Walters' interview. Walters was unable to attend the show, but grilled the governor via satellite. She asked Blagojevich about the comments he made about selling the Senate Seat, e.g. “I’ve got this thing, I’m not giving it up for nothing.”

Blagojevich argued that these were private conversations that were taken out of context. He also told the women that he was not given the opportunity to defend himself at his impeachment hearing. Blagojevich will appear tonight on Larry King Live.

The Senate trial is expected to take at least three weeks, and the final action will take place sometime in February. If Blagojevich is thrown out of office, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn would take his spot.

Blagojevich had sole power in choosing Barack Obama's replacement in the U.S. Senate and was attempting to sell the seat to the highest bidder.

Reportedly, there are secret tape recordings of Blagojevich, which recorded him saying the Senate seat is "a fucking valuable thing. You just don't give it away. I've got this thing and it's fucking golden."

Blagojevich had named Roland Burris to take President-elect Barack Obama's place in the U.S. Senate, however the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that the appointment of Burris does not require the signature of the secretary of state who had previously refused to sign off on it.

"It's our duty to clean up the mess and stop the freak show that's become Illinois government," said Democratic Rep. Jack D. Franks.

Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, the Chicago Democrat who headed the special committee, said the impeachment resolution shows, "a public servant who has betrayed his oath of office, who has betrayed the public trust, who is not fit to govern the state of Illinois."

Reportedly, there are secret tape recordings of Blagojevich was attempting "to sell the U.S. Senate seat" that Obama recently vacated. On the tape, Blagojevich was recorded saying the Senate seat is "a fucking valuable thing. You just don't give it away. I've got this thing and it's fucking golden."

U.S. attorney Anthony Fitzgerald said, "The conduct would make Lincoln roll over in his grave."

FBI special agent Robert Grant said he called Blagojevich moments before the arrest and told him his house was surrounded and he was going to be arrested. After asking whether this was a joke, Blagojevich was cooperative.

Grant warned that this arrest should send the message that, "business as usual will no longer be tolerated. That selling your office for personal gain is a thing of the past."