Shawn Johnson on 'Celebrity Apprentice'

Shawn Johnson, from our own Valley High School in West Des Moines, has taken on another challenging opportunity that both shows her mainstream relevance and puts her out on a limb.

America fell in love with Johnson all over again when she came in second in a controversial ending to “Dancing With the Stars” in 2012. This time, she’s ventured into an environment where celebrities go to raise money for charities and most are eventually fired by Donald Trump.

In the first two episodes of “Celebrity Apprentice” this past week, Johnson had to feel the pressure that the show can bring, but she stayed true to her values that have made Iowans so proud to claim her as their own. Three celebrities, including a Jonas brother, have been fired so far while Johnson survives.

As other stars reach for attention and try to use drama to their advantage, Johnson seems to plan on getting by with her work ethic and ideas. This “midwestern” approach has made her a respectable star and the perfect fit for Iowa organizations such as Character Counts and Iowa Nice.

Some people that aren’t familiar with our fiery competitor might expect the cattiness that this show can bring to be a little much for Johnson. In the first episode, however, she proved that she can take the heat and rise above the drama. She hasn’t had a lot of camera time, as most of the attention has gone to reality TV housewives, actors, and a very rude former Miss USA.

When she was inevitably called out by the show’s “alpha females”, as all participants are, she remained poised and weathered the storm as other teammates supported her and defended the good work she put in.

Over the next several weeks (hopefully), things will undoubtedly heat up even more as the stars develop relationships. It seems that Johnson will have to endure such relationships with actress Vivica A. Fox and model Kenya Moore.

Tune in to NBC Mondays at 7:00 to see Johnson compete with stars such as former NFL star Terrell Owens and news icon Geraldo Rivera.

Photo Credit: File|Patch

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