IRS Releases Latest $10K Video Spoofing The Apprentice

The Internal Revenue Service on Friday released to the House Ways and Means Committee another video spoof to add to their infamous collection, a parody of Donald Trump’s The Apprentice.

The latest video, which joins the IRS’s past nods to Star Trek, Gillian’s Island and line dancing, cost approximately $10,000 to make, based on information provided by the IRS. It was made to be shown at an IRS small business/self-employed division conference, which was later cancelled.

“Another day, another example of abuse and waste at the IRS,” commented Charles Boustany Jr., R-La., chairman of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight.

“Months ago, I demanded the IRS come clean about the time and money it spent to produce these frivolous videos. While we may have no answers, we do have an endless supply of what appears to be the IRS’s idea of entertainment. Whether it is wasteful conferences and videos or the inexcusable targeting of taxpayers based on their personal beliefs, there is nothing amusing about the American people footing the bill for this rogue and out of control agency.”

"These two videos made in 2010 and 2011 are from a prior era and do not reflect the stringent policies IRS now has in place to ensure that all training videos are made at the lowest possible cost and with appropriate content," the IRS said in a statement. "Simply put, these videos would not be made at the IRS today. It’s important to note that video costs by IRS business units are down by 90 percent this year compared to a year ago. In addition, the use of videos provides critical taxpayer information and employee training, which helps the IRS save millions of dollars each year."