The Apprentice

[lemansnsx]

So now we're down to one woman and four guys...

Should be interesting - according to Ereka's claims the remaining female has already slept with one male and is about to ply her charms on another...

As for Omorosa - oh, my God, what a poster child she is! I'll leave the politics out of it but even her hyphenated pretentious last name makes me gag.

 

[nsxtasy]

Reality News Online is a website that has some pretty good commentary about various reality television shows. It is also the home of the Reality TV Hall of Fame, for deservedly famous shows, people, and moments, and of the Reality TV Hall of Shame, for those that are instead characterized not by fame, but by infamy. Guess who has been inducted into the latter?

 

[lemansnsx]

Guess who has been inducted into the latter?

Thanks for the links Ken, especially that last one. I read all 3 pages - no surprises but at least it confirmed my impressions of her.

 

[steveny]

Any guess who will get the AX?

 

[steveny]

Any guess who will get the AX?

OMG those were VERY harsh words. A total slap in the face IMO.

 

[KGP]

I'll stick with my pick back on 1/29, Kwame. He is very methodical, and never speaks without giving thought as to what he is going to say. He might not be the best salesman, but the contest is not to land a spot as Donny's sales boy. It's to fill a position as President of one of the Don's companies. My odds:
Kwame - 40%
<s>Troy - 25%</s>
Amy - 15%
<s>Katrina - 10%</s>
Bill - 10%
Nick - 0%

My revised odds:
Kwame - 55%
Bill - 45%
Amy - 0%
Nick 0%

I have to say that from an entrepreneurial standpoint, Troy would be my hands down choice. He rocks. I'd also hire him in a second over any of the others. No question about it. But, that's not what the game is about.

 

[JAM]

Originally posted by KGP

I have to say that from an entrepreneurial standpoint, Troy would be my hands down choice. He rocks.

I agree ... as an entrepreneur and owner of a few businesses, I like the guy who has a good blend of personality/salesmanship and who shoots from the hip.

 

[steveny]

Anyone care to make a guess as to why Amorosa is "back"?
I am going to guess she may have been set up when the money came up missing. Maybe this is also why two other people get fired in the first half hour?
or
Maybe she is going to sue for damage to her head from the plaster falling?

Anyone care to guess which two people are fired next week and why?
Maybe Nick and Amy for being caught in an indecent situation?

 

[nsxtasy]

My revised odds:
Kwame - 55%
Bill - 45%
Amy - 0%
Nick 0%

I would not count anyone out.

as an entrepreneur and owner of a few businesses, I like the guy who has a good blend of personality/salesmanship and who shoots from the hip.

Good blend of personality/salesmanship, absolutely. Shoots from the hip, no way. A reckless salesperson can get your business into big trouble. Which is why Troy lost this week.

I was troubled by the sudden, magical appearance of the event planners two minutes before Nick and Amy's deadline. This smacks of manipulation - which is not the first time it would have happened on this show. (When they were renting rehabbed apartments, apparently the renter who showed up at the last minute to win for one team was contacted by the show during the contest, and asked to go back there.) These shows are not always as fair as they are made to appear.

I am also troubled by the promo for next week's show, and the fact that Omarosa is returning for some reason. Need I say more?

 

[steveny]

I would not count anyone out.

I was troubled by the sudden, magical appearance of the event planners two minutes before Nick and Amy's deadline. This smacks of manipulation - which is not the first time it would have happened on this show. (When they were renting rehabbed apartments, apparently the renter who showed up at the last minute to win for one team was contacted by the show during the contest, and asked to go back there.) These shows are not always as fair as they are made to appear.

I

Maybe this is the reason two people are being fired next week?Maybe the players set up the last minute return of the renters?

 

[JAM]

Originally posted by nsxtasy

Good blend of personality/salesmanship, absolutely. Shoots from the hip, no way. A reckless salesperson can get your business into big trouble. Which is why Troy lost this week.

Cant agree here. I do not feel someone who "shoots from the hip" so to speak, is always "reckless"... I think the idea is more that they will think outside the box, which is what success revolves around in business. It is important to be creative and take calculated risks, and I think that is what Troy is about. I do feel he is unpolished as of yet, but he has great potential. <br>
Concerning why he was fired... I also disagree with the idea that Troy was fired because he was/is reckless. He was fired because Kwame is a better choice. If you would have seen Troy in there against any of the others... I doubt very strongly that he would have lost to any of them.

 

[KGP]

I would not count anyone out.

I'm just taking a stand like I did on 1/29. Cmon, make yo picks boys! Only two will be left next week.

Good blend of personality/salesmanship, absolutely. Shoots from the hip, no way.

I tend to agree. I don't really think Troy shot from the hip. He was very calculated, although his apperance could lead someone to believe otherwise.

I am also troubled by the promo for next week's show, and the fact that Omarosa is returning for some reason. Need I say more?

Argh, I saw that. I just hope her apperance will be after all the other stuff is over so I can turn it off.

 

[GQ NSX]

The manipulative nature of this show irks me, but maybe it's just poor editing. I was rooting for Troy since day one, and am somewhat shocked he was fired. Omarossa's return is no doubt to stir up more commotion, read: more ratings. EIther way though, I have to agree with NSXTASY here--the whole "last minute thing" may happen every once in a while but come on, twice? To me that is not just "luck," but more or less altered television.

 

[nsxtasy]

Cant agree here. I do not feel someone who "shoots from the hip" so to speak, is always "reckless"... I think the idea is more that they will think outside the box, which is what success revolves around in business. It is important to be creative and take calculated risks, and I think that is what Troy is about.

I guess that's a different interpretation for the phrase "shoots from the hip". I agree that thinking outside the box is a positive trait and indicates creativity. However, that particular phrase more often implies someone who says things without thinking through all the implications and ramifications. In "The Apprentice", think Tammy.

I also disagree with the idea that Troy was fired because he was/is reckless.

That's the reason The Donald gave. I forget the exact words he used but it was something similar.

 

[comquat1]

I'm saying Kwame too. Most polished of everyone there to be a CEO.

 

[Sig]

As far as timing was concerned, Troy's dismissal did not occur at an appropriate time. From a business standpoint, Troy out-did every other player in the last episode. His team also did a far better job than Amy & Nick. Let's assume for a second that they did complete the Hail Mary at the last second and thus were the legitimate winners. Troy made a huge tactical mistake taking Kwame to the board room instead of Bill. Though he has yet to do anything overly impressive, Kwame is probably the most polished of the remaining players. Bill would have been easier to fire than Kwame, and should have been Troy's pick. Troy's departure seems more like a referrendum on him as a person, not his performance in the mission. This of course is fair for Trump to do, but to disguise it as a criticism of his performance that day is a bit off.

That aside, I did find it very difficult to believe the leasor just waltzed back in with 10 minutes to go. You would think Amy or Nick would have received a call to inform them that they were changing their minds and coming back to the building to finalize. To believe Amy just happened to catch the guy walking in the building out of the corner of her eye before he entered the elevator is a tough pill to swallow. Very, very suspicious.

 

[KGP]

My revised odds:
Kwame - 55%
Bill - 45%
Amy - 0%
Nick 0%

Uhhht-uhht-ahhhh [clearing my throat] .... next apprentice, my odds making will cost you guys.

 

[steveny]

Omarosa Just ruined her reputation for life on national TV. Total Liar!!

 

[KGP]

Omarosa Just ruined her reputation for life on national TV. Total Liar!!

I about fell off my chair. What a bold face lie! I honestly am thinking she was put up to it as some type of test for Kwame's authority and decision making skills. I just can't imagine she would tell that big a lie in front of a national audience.

 

[steveny]

I about fell off my chair. What a bold face lie! I honestly am thinking she was put up to it as some type of test for Kwame's authority and decision making skills. I just can't imagine she would tell that big a lie in front of a national audience.

So you are thinking maybe some of the people brought back are "moles" planted on purpose?

 

[KGP]

So you are thinking maybe some of the people brought back are "moles" planted on purpose?

I can't think of any other realistic reason for her to screw this stuff up so bad, and look at the others and lie about it all. I dunno, maybe she is just that big of a moron.

 

[comquat1]

I change my prediction to Bill, Kwame made a huge mistake taking Omarosa..... How anyone would want to hire her for anything is beyond me.

 

[Sig]

Anyone care to write a spoiler summary? I missed it tonight.... and my favorite contestant came back to haunt the show! She was on the Dennis Miller show a few nights ago.... of course listening to her babble was painful as ever.

 

[nsxtasy]

Anyone care to write a spoiler summary?

Well, it's not really a spoiler, since the show has already been broadcast. But here's a summary:

1. Additional Trump executives interview the four remaining candidates.

2. Based on their feedback and additional questioning, Trump fires Nick (because he is "just a salesman") and Amy (because she is an airhead - the words they used were "good teeth" and "nothing interesting to say"). Incidentally, I agree with those assessments and respect those decisions.

3. The two remaining candidates are put in charge of two events as their final task - Bill in charge of a golf tournament, Kwame in charge of a concert by someone named Jessica Simpson, whoever that is.

4. Bill and Kwame alternately choose from the six candidates most recently fired as their staff (employees) for the event planning.

5. They show the first stages of the planning process for each of the two events. The most notable activities shown were the total disrespect for Omarosa expressed by Diane, an existing event planner in the organization, and "the lie" - Diane called Omarosa when the team was having dinner; Omarosa refused to tell anyone on the team what the conversation was about; the next day, when Diane spoke to Kwame, Omarosa then LIED to Kwame by claiming that she hadn't spoken to Diane and had only received a message to call Diane. I, too, almost fell off my chair. (I don't normally talk to my television, but when she said that, I could not help but saying, "You LIAR!") Kwame became aware that Omarosa is not performing her assigned tasks, but is not aware of her lie. I agree that choosing Omarosa could very well turn out to be Kwame's downfall.

That about sums it up.

I would fire any employee on the spot for doing what Omarosa did. You don't lie to the boss - end of story. (For the most part, you don't lie to anyone else, either, but that's tangential to this discussion.)

 

[KGP]

Anyone care to write a spoiler summary?

Nick and Amy get axed after all four are interviewed by the Don's top execs. Typical no win, pressure type interviews.

Bill and Kwame are each given an assigment; Bill is to run one of Don's charity golf tourney's, and Kwame is to run a concert event at the Taj Mahal. Don says now that you have your assignment, you will need some employees to help you. The board room doors open and in walks six of the already fired wannabes. Bill got first pick and chose Amy. Kwame takes Troy. What might end up being the biggest mistake of Kwame's young life is that he chose Amarosa on his second pick when he had two others he could have picked.

Amarosa is tasked with logistics. An event empoyee calls Amarosa while they (the team) were having dinner. Troy repeatadly quizes her as to who called. Her answer - it was nothing important [Troy's facial expressions lead us, or at least me, to believe that he suspects she is hiding something]. In reality, she fell alsleep on the job with one of her main tasks. Later it comes out that she lied about the whole thing as Kwame talks on the phone to the event coordinator who had talked to Amarosa on the phone while they were having dinner.

Like I said, it was such a blatant foopah that I have trouble believing she was not given the task (by the Don) to create some kind of challenge for Kwame to deal with. Any, and I mean ANY, exec worth their salt would have fired her right then and there. Kwame made the comment (when talking to the camera) that he has a team to work with, and it's not like he can fire any of them (or something to that effect). Maybe he can't, but that fact was never discussed (at least to us viewers).

Bottom line: Either I'm right, or she has just assured herself that being a participant on The Apprentice will do her no good in future business opportunities. In fact, she made herself out to be about the most distrustful person anyone could imagine hiring.