A Fight Broke Out At An Emmys Party Between An Apprentice Producer & A Roseanne Alum

I hope that, in the future, there is a version of the board game Clue that ends with: "It was Tom Arnold and Mark Burnett at an Emmys party with a crucifix." That's who did it!

A fight broke out Sunday night at the (aforementioned) Emmys party when erstwhile Roseanne producer Tom Arnold confronted Apprentice producer Mark Burnett, per TMZ. Arnold has been on a mission to obtain footage of President Donald Trump from the Apprentice staff — footage that will incriminate the President in some capacity. (There have been steady rumors that the production company has access to footage of Trump using a racial epithet.) This is part of Arnold's show called The Hunt for the Trump Tapes, which premieres September 18 on Viceland.

First, Arnold tweeted that Burnett "went ape" and choked him at "this huge Emmy party" Sunday evening. He added that he was waiting for the LAPD to arrive. Later, Arnold's wife Roma Downey tweeted a different story: She claimed that Arnold tried to "ambush" her and Burnett at the party. Per TMZ, Arnold was the first to engage, lunging at Burnett on the staircase at a pre-Emmy party. Arnold also apparently ripped off Burnett's crucifix, which he was wearing around his neck. (Arnold thought it was a gold chain.) Representation for Arnold and Burnett did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Arnold predicted this would happen, sort of. He'd told Salon.com in a phone interview that he'd like to confront Burnett at the Emmys.

"They’re really worried about me being anywhere near him,” Arnold told the outlet. "I'm like, 'What about the country, guys?'" But then, he promised: "I’m definitely going to do something at the Emmys.”

Arnold also said that Burnett had complained the the CEO of Vice Media Nancy Dubuc that Arnold was "badmouthing" Donald Trump.

This morning, Arnold told TMZ that Burnett choked him "violently." He has filed a police report with the Los Angeles Police Department.

Oh, and how does Roseanne fit into all of this? Arnold was previously the executive producer of Roseanne — before it was a 2018 revival. From 1990 to 1994, he was married to comedian Roseanne Barr.

The altercation seems to have been taken in stride for Emmy attendees. Comedian Billy Eichner posted a photo with Arnold Sunday evening — presumably post-incident — joking that everyone should "hold their loved ones tight." Just another day in the Hollywood life.