The Republican primary officially has become reality television.

In what already is being called " 'The Apprentice' Debate," Donald Trump will pair up with Newsmax, a conservative magazine and news website, to moderate a presidential forum in Des Moines, Iowa, on Dec. 27, one week before the state's first-in-the-nation caucuses.

Trump's role, first reported by The New York Times, is certain to be one of the more memorable moments in a presidential primary season that has delivered its share of circuslike spectacle.

Yet, while Trump is derided by liberals — President Obama likened the real-estate mogul to a "carnival barker" during his brief flirtation with a presidential run for repeated assertions the president was foreign-born — he carries weight with an element of the Republicans' conservative base. That sway seems particularly strong with the party's tea-party wing, which will be a decisive factor in early caucuses and primaries.

"I was asked to do it by a number of people, including some of my friends that are Republicans, strong Republicans," Trump said in an MSNBC interview Friday. "I thought it would certainly be a little change of pace for Donald Trump, so I'll do something I haven't done before."

Having finished referring to himself in the third person, Trump moved on to plugging his NBC reality show when asked if he was "worried this debate could look like an episode of 'The Apprentice.' "

"Well, I hope it does as well as 'The Apprentice,' " he responded. " 'The Apprentice' has been an amazing thing."

Unlike previous debates, this one will not be limited to a specific topic such as national security or the economy. Cable network Ion Television (Comcast, Ch. 3, in Seattle) will broadcast the event.

Newsmax sent candidates the invitation Friday. Jon Huntsman quickly became the first to snub the debate, with his campaign saying Republicans deserve "a serious discussion of the issues."

Of course, Huntsman has little reason to take part beyond any concerns about a circus atmosphere. He is not participating in the Iowa caucuses.

The former Utah governor also is one of the few Republicans who has not trekked to Trump's Manhattan offices for a one-on-one meeting (former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is scheduled for a visit Monday). Huntsman's campaign attacked rival Mitt Romney when he met with Trump in September. That, in turn, drew a counterattack from Trump via Twitter, that Huntsman "has zero chance of getting the nomination. Whoever said I wanted to meet him?"

While Huntsman and other candidates initially may balk at the idea of appearing in a debate where Trump — with his bombast and The Hair — is posing the questions, they ultimately may see it as an invitation they can't refuse.

Newsmax itself is a powerful player, with monthly Web traffic second only to Fox News among sites with conservative-leaning audiences. Trump also has been a popular attraction at the Conservative Political Action Conference, the annual gathering in Washington, D.C.

He was such a successful presence in the eyes of Fox News executives that they added a special weekly segment to their morning show "Fox and Friends" called "Mondays With Trump."

Compiled from The New York Times, the Tribune Washington bureau, The Associated Press and The Washington Post