Tom Arnold And ‘Apprentice’ Producer Mark Burnett Brawl At Pre-Emmys Party
Actor Tom Arnold and Apprentice producer Mark Burnett got into a physical altercation while attending a pre-Emmys party Sunday night, with Arnold accusing Burnett of choking him and Burnett’s wife claiming she sustained a bruise in the melee.
Arnold, whose Viceland show The Hunt for the Trump Tapes is set to debut Tuesday, has been trolling Burnett for months now, stating the Hollywood power player is going out of his way to protect President Donald Trump. According to Arnold, Burnett is refusing to release Apprentice tapes of former star Trump using racial slurs and other offensive language, including the long-rumored N-word tape.
Late Sunday evening, Arnold tweeted out that Burnett “went apeshit & choked me” at the party, adding that the producer “ran away with his torn Pink shirt & missing gold chain.” Arnold noted that he was waiting on the LAPD.
Mark Burnett just went apeshit & choked me at this huge Emmy party then he ran away with his torn Pink shirt & missing gold chain. I’m waiting for LAPD
— Tom Arnold (@TomArnold) September 17, 2018
Burnett’s spouse, actress Roma Downey, posted on Twitter that she sustained a bruise in the altercation and that Arnold was the instigator as he “tried to ambush” Burnett.
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 pic.twitter.com/lXvuKjIMI2
— Roma Downey (@RealRomaDowney) September 17, 2018
Arnold responded to Downey’s assertion, calling it “bullshit” and that he would be suing her for defamation. He further noted that his guest, documentary filmmaker Bryan Fogel, had his phone knocked out his hand by Downey after Burnett choked him.
Roma knocked Bryan Fogel’s phone out of his hand after Mark Burnett chocked me. Bryan came with me. He won the Oscar this year for his amazing documentary Icarus. He has tape. https://t.co/nPJyDAarsE
— Tom Arnold (@TomArnold) September 17, 2018
Comedian Patton Oswalt would post a photo of him and Arnold after the scuffle, saying Arnold was “okay” and that we need to “protect this brutal angel.”
I’m with @TomArnold, everyone. He’s okay. We gotta protect this brutal angel. pic.twitter.com/9grT4QTVZK
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) September 17, 2018
Host Billy Eichner also posted a photo of the two of them together post-brawl, stating that everyone “in LA is shaken.”
Here I am with @TomArnold right after the fight with Mark Burnett tonight. Everyone in LA is shaken. Pre-Emmys Madness. Hold your loved ones tight. #ImWithHer pic.twitter.com/lTIuv9DBRc
— billy eichner (@billyeichner) September 17, 2018
Meanwhile, actress Alyson Hannigan tweeted that she was walking behind Arnold and saw him get into a fight with Burnett. She said she thought it was a joke until security jumped in.
Walked n2 party behind Tom Arnold and saw him & Mark Burnett get into a fight!Thought it was a joke until security jumped in! #WhyIstayhome
— alyson hannigan (@alydenisof) September 17, 2018
The Hollywood Reporter’s Matthew Belloni reported that Arnold’s lawyer confirmed the altercation, calling it an “unprovoked attack” by Burnett, and claimed that Arnold has a witness who will back up his description of the fight.
Just spoke with Tom Arnold’s lawyer. He confirmed the altercation (he calls it an “unprovoked attack” by Burnett) and says Tom “has a witness” that will back him up. https://t.co/ILO2lTixxB
— Matthew Belloni (@THRMattBelloni) September 17, 2018
I’m sure we’ll hear more about this in the coming hours and days.
