Donald Trump’s much-publicized tiff with “View” co-host Rosie O’Donnell failed to pump ratings for the sixth-season premiere of “The Apprentice” last night. The show nearly equaled last spring’s series-low bow among adults 18-49, and it sank to its worst-ever premiere among households, according to Media Life records.

“Apprentice” averaged a 4.1 rating among adults 18-49, according to Nielsen overnights, 0.1 better than last year’s season five premiere. It drew a 5.7 among households, down half a point, or 8 percent, from last year.

The 90-minute premiere, which began at 9:30 p.m., built in every half hour in 18-49s but did lose 20 percent of its lead-in, the new show “Grease: You’re the One That I Want,” sinking from the latter’s 4.5 at 9 p.m. to a 3.6 at 9:30 p.m.

“Apprentice” has declined in every season since its 2004 premiere, when it was an instant hit on Thursday night. NBC even held it off the schedule last fall, hoping to build anticipation for the show in a way that has worked for other reality programs like “American Idol” and “The Bachelor.”

But even against the last half of a weaker-than-usual episode of ABC’s hit show “Desperate Housewives” last night, “Apprentice” showed little of its old spark. It finished behind ABC’s “Brothers & Sisters” in 18-49s at 10 p.m. and was third behind that and CBS’s “Without a Trace” in total viewers.

The media-savvy Trump had tried to spur ratings with a recent PR blitz over his feud with O’Donnell, which began last month.

Meanwhile, “Grease” had a solid debut, growing in each half hour.

Fox was first for the night among 18-49s with a 7.0 average rating and a 16 share. ABC was second at 4.8/11, NBC third at 3.8/9, CBS fourth at 2.9/7, Univision fifth at 1.2/3 and CW sixth at 0.9/2.

As a reminder, fast nationals measure timeslot data and not actual program data. Thus Fox’s ratings for its live NFL wild card coverage will adjust when final ratings are out tomorrow.
 
NFL football runover helped Fox to a first place finish during the 7 p.m. hour, as the network averaged an 11.0 rating for the end of the game between the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles. NBC was second that hour with a 2.8 for “Deal or No Deal,” ABC third with a 2.4 for “America’s Funniest Home Videos” and CBS fourth with a 1.9 for “60 Minutes.” CW was fifth with a 1.0 for an hour of “Reba” and Univision sixth with a 0.9 for the awards pre-show “Noche de Estrellas.”
 
At 8 p.m. Fox led again, this time with a 5.4 average for “The Simpsons” (6.2) and “American Dad” (4.7). ABC was second with a 5.1 for “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” NBC third with a 4.3 for the first hour of the premiere of “Grease” and CBS fourth with a 2.5 for a repeat of “Cold Case.” Univision jumped to fifth that hour with a 1.3 for the first hour of “Premios Furia Musical 2007,” with CW falling to sixth with a 0.9 for a repeat of “Beauty & the Geek.”
 
ABC took the lead at 9 p.m. with a 7.3 rating for “Desperate Housewives.” Fox dropped to sixth with a 4.6 average for an hour of “Family Guy” repeats, with NBC third with a 4.0 for the last 30 minutes of “Grease” (4.5) and the first half hour of the season premiere of “Apprentice” (3.6). CBS came in fourth with a 3.5 for “Cold Case,” Univision fifth with a 1.4 for “Premios Furia Musical 2007” and CW sixth with a 0.8 for another “Beauty & the Geek” rerun.
 
At 10 p.m. ABC remained on top with a 4.6 for “Sisters.” NBC moved to second with a 4.3 for the last hour of “Apprentice,” with CBS third with a 3.7 for “Without a Trace” and Univision fourth with a 1.1 for “Premios Furia Musical 2007.”
 
Fox finished first for the night among households, averaging a 9.9 rating and a 15 share. CBS was second at 8.2/12, ABC third at 8.0/12, NBC fourth at 6.2/10, CW fifth at 1.6/2 and Univision sixth at 1.5/2.