Bret Michaels, Sharon Osbourne and Cyndi Lauper may all get to hear the words “you’re fired” from Donald Trump on the NBC program’s new season.

Nine others are joining them, including — for now — former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was impeached last year and is facing federal racketeering, extortion and fraud charges. He’s accused of trying to trade state government business for campaign cash and of trying to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama.

Blagojevich was denied the opportunity to compete on last summer’s I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!

News: Rod Blagojevich’s Reality-TV Dream Is Dashed

Blagojevich’s reality show dreams could be dashed again. He was due in court Monday for a hearing in his federal corruption case, and his lawyers could address his upcoming appearance on Celebrity Apprentice.

A photo of the new cast shooting their opening appeared in the New York Post and reveals that actress Holly Robinson Peete and former baseball star Darryl Strawberry will also be facing the Donald this cycle.

Rounding out the competition: wrestlers Goldberg and Maria Kanellis, Take Home Chef Curtis Stone, comedian Sinbad, Olympic swimmer Summer Sanders and writer/comedian Carol Leifer — the inspiration behind Seinfeld’s Elaine.

The selection of this menagerie of people already has taken a hit. Seth Meyers joked on Saturday Night Live’s “Weekend Update” that the new cast of Celebrity Apprentice reduces the meaning of “celebrity” to “mammal.”

Tootie (Kim Fields) turned 40 this week, and besides making us feel really, really old, this milestone got us wondering what the girls and the other personalities from Eastland Academy are up to these days. Here’s the good and the bad on the cast from “The Facts Of Life.”

Kim Fields: Then
Fields played Dorothy Ramsey, better known as Tootie, Eastland’s resident roller-skating gossip. Through her nine years on the show she dealt with racism, prostitution, and, worst of all, braces. As she so often said, “We are in trou-ble!”
Kim Fields: Now
Five years after “Facts” wrapped in 1988, Kim joined Queen Latifah and Kim Coles in the cast of another popular sitcom, “Living Single,” FOX’s African-American answer to “Friends.” It ran from 1993 to 1998. Since then, Fields has participated in reunions for both shows and has made guest appearances on numerous series, including “The Cleaner” and “Miss Match.”

Lisa Whelchel: Then
Although Whelchel herself was nothing like the character she portrayed, it’s hard to imagine anyone else as the stuck-up, rich Blair Warner, who put up with the other “regular” girls despite her natural beauty and “perfect personality.” In the series finale, Blair used daddy’s money to buy Eastland and turn it into a co-ed school.
Lisa Whelchel: Now
After “Facts,” ended, Lisa gave up acting. She did rejoin her castmates for the reunion special but now devotes her time to home-schooling her three children and meeting with members of her MomTime Ministries. She’s also written 12 books, mostly on the subjects of parenting and Bible studies.

Mindy Cohn: Then
Mindy’s role of Natalie Green could very easily have been a stereotype or the butt of easy sitcom jokes. But while many of Natalie’s plot lines indeed revolved around the fact that she wasn’t as thin as the other girls, she had a healthy self-image and for the most part scored all the dudes. She was even the first to sleep with her boyfriend, in a very controversial episode.
Mindy Cohn: Now
These days Mindy’s best known as the Emmy-nominated voice of Velma Dinkley on the cartoon “What’s New Scooby-Doo?” Last year she appeared on screen as Trixie, an assistant to Simon Baker’s fast-food-chain executive Roderick Blank, in “Sex and Death 101,” the latest Daniel Waters (”Heathers”) film.

Nancy McKeon: Then
Joanne “Jo” Polniaczek was Eastland’s resident tomboy and troublemaker. She often got her classmates in hot water by encouraging them to drink or steal the school van. Naturally, she had an adversarial relationship with the spoiled Blair, but the two eventually became best friends by the last season.
Nancy McKeon: Now
Nancy continued acting after Eastland closed its TV doors. Among her credits are three short-lived series: “Can’t Hurry Love” (with a pre-”Law & Order: SVU” Mariska Hargitay), “Style & Substance” (with Jean Smart), and “The Division,” which ran for four seasons and prevented her from appearing on 2001’s “Facts” reunion. Most recently she starred in a Lifetime movie, “Comfort and Joy,” and has a recurring role on the Disney Channel’s “Sonny with a Chance”.

Charlotte Rae: Then
Edna Garrett started as the Drummonds’ housekeeper on “Diff’rent Strokes,” but when she took a job at Kimberly Drummond’s school, Eastland Academy, she left Park Avenue for her own show, “The Facts of Life.” In season one Mrs. Garrett ruled the roost in the dorm and by year two she was running the cafeteria, doling out not only nutritional advice but important life lessons.
Charlotte Rae: Now
As much as she loved her girls, Mrs. Garrett left the school and the series in 1986. Rae was already a long-seasoned film and TV vet by the time “Facts” aired, and she continues working consistently to this day. In recent years she provided the voice of Nanny in “101 Dalmatians: The Series” and guest-starred on “The King of Queens” and “ER.” But her most notable role of late was as one of Adam Sandler’s love interests in 2008’s “You Don’t Mess with the Zohan.”

Cloris Leachman: Then
Mrs. Garrett may have left the academy for a life in the Peace Corps., but she would never leave her charges unsupervised. Enter Cloris Leachman as Beverly Ann Stickle, her divorced sister. Even though the girls were now all grown, Beverly was charged with looking after them, as well as the malt shop and house Mrs. Garrett left behind. After realizing they didn’t need a den mother, Beverly adopted Andy Moffett, a foster kid played by Mackenzie Astin.
Cloris Leachman: Now At the age of 82, Cloris proved she could swing with the best of ‘em by joining the 2008 cast of “Dancing with the Stars.” But that’s just the beginning, really. Cloris is always working. There was a guest spot on NBC’s “The Office,” a Hallmark Channel made-for-TV movie “Love Takes Wing,” and three more films slated for release this year, including the star-studded “New York, I Love You,” an anthology of 11 mini-movies featuring Shia LaBeouf, Natalie Portman, Olando Bloom, Robin Wright Penn, Hayden Christensen, Christina Ricci, Ethan Hawke, Andy Garcia, and James Caan — just to name just a few.

Mackenzie Astin: Then
The 12-year-old son of actors John Astin and Patty Duke (and younger brother of Sean) arrived in the seventh season of “Facts” as Andy Moffett, the “jump the shark” foster kid recruited to add a touch of cute, now that all the girls had blossomed into full-on adulthood.
Mackenzie Astin: Now
Although Mackenzie hasn’t seen his brother Sean’s (who starred in the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy) mainstream success, he’s enjoyed a fulfilling career, with guest spots on “Lost,” “Psych,” and “My Name Is Earl.” His most recent movie role in “The Four Children of Tander Welch” united him for the first time onscreen with his real-life mother, Patty Duke.

George Clooney: Then
In 1985 the unknown George Clooney was hired to play handyman George Burnett. He was contracted to rebuild Mrs. Garrett’s shop and breathe new life into the series, but he only stuck around for one year, leaving to roadie for pop sensation Cinnamon (real-life pop sensation Stacey Q).
George Clooney: Now
We doubt anyone’s unaware of George’s post-”Facts” trajectory. But for those of you thinking, “This can’t be THAT George Clooney,” we assure you it is. It was a slow climb from “Facts” to “Roseanne” to “ER” and superstardom. He’s since achieved leading-man status in such major motion pictures as the “Ocean’s Eleven” trilogy, “Michael Clayton,” and “Syriana.” He’s also made his mark as a director with “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind” and the acclaimed Edward R. Murrow biopic, “Good Night, and Good Luck.” Most recently he joined forces with the Coen Brothers (with whom he worked in “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”) in “Burn After Reading.” Personally, we’re looking forward to seeing him in the upcoming “Up in the Air,” directed by Jason Reitman (”Juno” and “Thank You for Smoking”).

Molly Ringwald: Then
Ringwald’s first two acting gigs (from 1979-1980) were on “Diff’rent Strokes” and “The Facts of Life” as Eastland student Molly Parker. In fact, the first year of “Facts” focused on seven girls, including Molly. In what might have been a case of bad judgment by producers, four of those girls, including Molly, were written out of the show in Season Two.
Molly Ringwald: Now
Four years after leaving Eastland for good, Molly burst onto the big screen in “Sixteen Candles,” becoming the decade’s poster child for teen angst. Her reign lasted through the end of the ’80s, when she disappeared as quickly as she came, moving to France and concentrating on theater. Although she’s made numerous film and TV appearances over the years, we’re hoping she’s back for good as the mother of an angst-ridden high school girl in “The Secret Life of the American Teenager.”
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Priscilla Presley - Presley studied ballet when she was younger which should give her an edge. And maybe she learned a few hip-swiveling moves from her famous ex-husband. She could get the nostalgia vote if Elvis fans are watching.

Kristi Yamaguchi - Ice skating requires grace and fancy footwork, so Olympic medalist Yamaguchi will nail lyrical dances like the waltz as well as the intricate moves of the jive and the quickstep. Skating fans are likely to enjoy “Dancing With The Stars” - and assure Yamaguchi some votes - so she should end up one of the favorites. Several betting sites have already pegged her as the winner (see more odds below.)

Adam Carolla - As a former Golden Gloves boxer and high school football player, Carolla has athletic experience. He just doesn’t look like the kind of guy who would be light on his feet, and on the surface he appears too goofy to take the competition seriously. But, he’s paired with two-time winner Julianne Hough, and might be able to rally his radio listeners.

Marlee Matlin - Matlin says her hearing impairment will help her focus on the dancing, and keep her from becoming distracted by everything going on around her during the competition. In ballroom dancing, the woman must follow the man’s moves, so as long as she follows her partner, she could do well. She is a respected actress, but may not be popular enough to have a built-in fan base.

Shannon Elizabeth - Elizabeth studied dance when she was a girl, and was an athlete in high school. She also studies Krav Maga, the martial art developed by the Israeli Defense Forces. She’s got discipline and her sex appeal puts her at an advantage with fan votes.

Steve Guttenberg - He starred in the notably awful “Don’t Stop The Music,” about disco icons The Village People, so there’s a chance he can at least do the hustle. Other than that, he doesn’t have much going for him.

Monica Seles - Speed and discipline she’s got, but she doesn’t appear particularly graceful. She’s also 5′10″, which doesn’t help, but at least her professional partner is Jonathan Roberts who is around 6′0″. If tennis fans tune in, she’ll have more of a chance.

Penn Jillette - The hulking illusionist/comedian might turn out to be a dark horse. He’s an accomplished juggler and there’s certainly grace to that skill. Many big fellas are known to be much lighter on their feet than expected, so don’t rule him out yet.

Mario - The 21-year-old R&B/pop singer shows off some smooth moves in the music video for his mega-hit “Let Me Love You,” which spent nine weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 chart a couple of years ago. That, along with the fact that he’s paired with the sizzling Karina Smirnoff, should give him a nice advantage. He’s definitely one to watch this season.

Jason Taylor - Emmitt Smith won season 3 and fellow NFL legend Jerry Rice was the runner-up in Season two. Will 6′6,” 255-pound defensive end Taylor be able to have the same success? He towers over his 5′6″ partner, Edyta Sliwinska, which doesn’t help, but he does have his own set of fans and the edge of being a disciplined (and handsome) athlete. The sexy Silwinska ain’t chopped liver either.

Cristian De La Fuente - Cristian says on his MySpace page that he’s “always wanted to learn how to dance,” so it doesn’t seem like he’s had past experience (although he was involved in athletics at school). He’s lucky to be paired with Cheryl Burke, the professional partner who won with Emmitt Smith and Drew Lachey. He’ll earn fan votes for being a hottie - especially if he has an opportunity to take his shirt off.

Marissa Jaret Winokur - She won a Tony award for playing the starring role of Tracy Turnblad in the Broadway production of “Hairspray” and before that she was Jan in the touring company of “Grease.” So she has dance training and - based on the choreography of those two musicals - she’ll probably do really well with the high-energy jive and swing. But, in a competition where fan loyalty can easily trump the judges’ approval rating, Winokur could be at a disadvantage.

And then there were 11.

At the conclusion of Wednesday evening’s “American Idol” results show, 24-year-old contender David Hernandez — who’d been one of the competition’s earliest frontrunners, along with adorable 17-year-old David Archuleta — was banished to the annals of “Idol” lore, in what was one of this season’s first real shockers.

Hernandez, who hails from Glendale, Arizona, became this year’s token sex scandal last week, when it was revealed he used to work at a male strip club. Reports claimed that Hernandez, in addition to dancing at the club, also provided lap dances to its customers.

“Honestly, things happen for a reason,” Hernandez said after host Ryan Seacrest revealed the results of the 29 million votes. Hernandez himself was visibly surprised, even mouthing the word “wow” as he hugged Kristy Lee Cook, who’d just avoided elimination. “I think we all have a plan. This isn’t it for me.”

On Tuesday’s performance show, when contestants were permitted to tackle Beatles tunes for the first time in “Idol” history, Hernandez performed “I Saw Her Standing There,” which the judges characterized as “not strong enough.” Of course, we may never know whether it was Hernandez’s performance or the scandal that ultimately ended his “Idol” run.

As with previous contestants, who’ve seen aspects of their past come back to haunt them (see Frenchie Davis, Antonella Barba), Hernandez didn’t survive the bad press beyond a second week, after being spared during last week’s ouster.

The show’s usual parting montage, chronicling Hernandez’s “American Idol” ride, was capped with an image of Hernandez staring into the camera, saying, “That’s a wrap.”

Wednesday night’s elimination episode featured surprise appearances by season-six finalist Sanjaya Malakar and actor Jim Carrey (on hand to promote his “Horton Hears a Who” flick) and a performance by Katharine McPhee and musician David Foster. It was the first episode during which Seacrest, the judges and the contestants fielded live questions from viewers who called into the show — an experiment that almost worked, but felt more like unnecessary filler.

Joining Hernandez in the bottom three were Kristy Lee Cook, a 24-year-old from Selma, Oregon, and Syesha Mercado, a 21-year-old from Sarasota, Florida. When asked if the viewers got it right, judge Simon Cowell said he believed “America got this absolutely spot on.” When Seacrest told Mercado she’d escaped eradication, she expressed genuine shock.

This week’s best performances were turned in by Carly Smithson (who sang “Come Together”), Brooke White (”Let It Be”), David Cook (”Eleanor Rigby”) and Chikezie (”She’s a Woman”). Favorite Archuleta — whose cover of John Lennon’s “Imagine” drew unadulterated praise two weeks ago — avoided being relegated to the bottom three, despite forgetting the lyrics to “We Can Work It Out” at least three times during the song.

February 29, 2008 — The “other man” who helped destroy a marriage on national TV - getting his ex to admit to 8 million viewers that she’d rather be married to him than her hubby - is “sick” over his role in the scandal and says he made a mistake appearing on the show.

“I really just want all of this to be over,” Frank Nardi Jr. wrote in an e-mail to The Post yesterday about his stomach-churning appearance on the lie-detector reality show “Moment of Truth” Monday.

The fledgling New York actor, who goes by the online nickname “Nardiballs,” also wrote on his MySpace.com page yesterday: “This whole experience was a mistake . . . I haven’t been this sick ever in my life.

“It wasn’t my intention to go out and ruin a marriage.”

But that’s what happened when Nardi, 25, turned up as a surprise guest on the controversial Fox show where his one-time gal pal, Lauren Cleri, 26, made viewers squirm after admitting she’d cheated on her husband.

She then dropped a stunner, confessing she wishes she’d married Nardi instead of her hubby of two years, NYPD rookie cop Frank Cleri, 24.

“I thought it was gonna be fun when the producers from the show invited me out to LA,” Nardi wrote on his blog.

“Quite the contrary . . . It was supposed to be a surprise, a good surprise, but unfortunately it backfired right in my face.”

“As we all know the show was nuts,” added Nardi, who has been labeled on several TV message boards as a homewrecker.

I’m sorry I ever did it.”

Before his small-screen debut, Nardi - who has appeared in the Philadelphia production of the off-Broadway hit “Tony & Tina’s Wedding” and attends acting classes at Manhattan’s William Esper Studio - touted his prime-time appearance to his online friends, and urged them to watch the show.

Lauren Cleri, a New York salon worker and aspiring actress, and Nardi were classmates at New Jersey’s Pennsauken HS, where he was president of the drama club.

They dated before she wed Cleri in 2006.

As the cameras rolled and a visibly shaken Frank Cleri cringed, Nardi boldly asked Lauren: “Do you believe I am the man you should be married to?”

She answered “yes” - and racked up $100,000 when the lie-detector results said she was telling the truth, but wound up with nothing when the machine rejected her answer that she was a good person.