Trace Adkins Challenges ‘Apprentice’ Rival Piers Morgan

Trace Adkins and now-CNN host Piers Morgan went head to head in the board room as the last two finalists during the first season of 'Celebrity Apprentice' in 2007. While Piers ended up winning the competition, Trace would like another crack at him.

"I challenged him, because when he kicked off his CNN gig he said, 'I'm going to do the dangerous interviews,'" Trace tells The Boot. "And I sent him a message: 'Oh, yeah?' [laughs]"

Since his 'Apprentice' stint, Trace has appeared in several films, including 'The Lincoln Lawyer,' which hit theaters last week. Although, he still considers being himself on TV much more difficult than acting. "That was hard," Trace says of the reality competition show. "I've often said, in describing what that experience was like, it was an exercise in restraint everyday. Just to keep from slapping somebody. I told Piers one night, 'You know, if this was the real thing, I'd ... you know.' And he said, 'I know.' He had heard that so many times. It was water off a duck's back."

Trace wishes luck to John Rich, who is starring in the series' current season, and was Trace's recommendation when asked by producers. "After I finished the season that I was on, they asked me, 'Do you have any suggestions for us for somebody else from the country music world?'" Trace told The Boot. "And before they even got it out of their mouth, I said, 'John Rich. You've gotta go for John Rich. Trust me. He'll give you what you want. He'll come in here and take over. He'll probably fire you.' [laughs]"

It took a year, but John is now a member of the cast. "They went after him the second season and for some reason he couldn't do it," Trace explains. "They got him this season, though."

This season has already proven to be just as wildly entertaining as you'd expect, given its cast, which also includes LaToya Jackson, Gary Bussey, Star Jones, NeNe Leakes, Jose Canseco, Lisa Rinna, David Cassidy, Niki Taylor, Richard Hatch, Marlee Matlin, Meatloaf, Mark McGrath, Hope Dworaczyk, Lil Jon and Dionne Warwick.

Among them, though, John seems to be the tamest, but Trace has a warning: "Just wait."