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Other Great Reality Shows => Other Reality TV Shows & News => Topic started by: puddin on July 12, 2008, 12:10:12 AM
Title: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: puddin on July 12, 2008, 12:10:12 AM
Joan Rivers To 'Apprentice' Under Donald Trump 7/11/08 :res:
Comedienne Joan Rivers has been enlisted by business tycoon Donald Trump to take part in his hit U.S. TV show The Celebrity Apprentice.
Rivers, 75, admits she has never seen the show - a spin-off of Trump's The Apprentice - but is keen to work under the guidance of her new mentor. She says, "I will be on Celebrity Apprentice... They are going to send me tapes."
The show's new season is set to begin recording in the autumn (08) and is scheduled for a premiere in January (09). Network executives have yet to confirm Rivers' appearance, although the star had been tapped to participate in last year's (07) season before scheduling conflicts forced her to cancel.
A spokesperson for the show says, "We can't confirm any casting until an official announcement closer to the airdate." Former Celebrity Apprentice stars include model/actress Carol Alt, boxing champion Lennox Lewis, rocker Gene Simmons and actor Stephen Baldwin
Title: Re: Joan Rivers To 'Apprentice' Under Donald Trump
Post by: TARAsia Fan on July 12, 2008, 12:06:17 PM
Bring back Piers!
Title: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on August 31, 2008, 09:51:54 PM
The definite cast for Celebrity Apprentice 2 staring in January is Dennis Rodman, Joan Rivers, and Brande Roderick.
The rumored cast is: Tony Danza
Heather Mills
Melissa Rivers- Joan Rivers daughter and partner in red carpet crime.
Petra Nemcova- supermodel
Khloe Kardashian- one of the Kardashian family that has their own reality show
Joe Francis- the founder and proprietor of Girls Gone Wild
If these rumors are correct, then the casting process is just over 50% complete.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on September 01, 2008, 01:03:30 PM
Great news apskip I can't wait. Last season of the celebrity edition was a blast!!
Great to see you again :kuss:
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: TexasLady on September 01, 2008, 02:00:28 PM
I thought it was Joan Rivers not her daughter. (Didn't I read it on here somewhere?) ???
It still this sounds like it will be fun!! :wohoo:
ETA: Yup I did read it here: http://forum.realityfanforum.com/index.php/topic,15750.0.html
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on September 01, 2008, 06:30:10 PM
Texas Lady, if the rumor on Melissa is correct, then it's the dynamic duo of both Joan Rivers and Melissa Rivers.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on September 06, 2008, 12:07:54 PM
.... an interesting article:
OLYMPIC figure skater Scott Hamilton will toil on "Celebrity Apprentice," The Post has learned.
NBC officials won't confirm anything, but sources say Hamilton will compete on the upcoming season, expected to premiere in January after filming this fall.
He'll join "Girls Gone Wild" creator Joe Francis, Joan and Melissa Rivers and Khloe Kardashian, and the rest of the "Celebrity Apprentice" cast yet to be named.
(Dennis Rodman, Tony Danza and Petra Nemcova have been floated as possible contestants.)
The diminutive Hamilton, 50, won the World Figure Skating championship several times before snaring a gold medal at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo.
He's been an ice-skating commentator for CBS and NBC - and hosted Fox's "Skating with Celebrities," which aired in 2006.
Hamilton battled testicular cancer in 1997 and had a benign brain tumor removed in 2004.
He's married to nutritionist Tracie Robinson (they have two kids, Aidan and Maxx).
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on September 09, 2008, 09:29:01 PM
Celebrity Apprentice 2 Update:
Joe Francis is out golfer Natalie Gulbis is in
Girls Gone Wild founder Joe Francis will not compete on Celebrity Apprentice 2, but several other D-list celebrities have confirmed they’re on the show, while others are rumored to be participating.
“Donald Trump and I decided to do a different show. I would have added a lot to ‘Celebrity Apprentice,’ and I would have been excited to do it, but I’m more excited by this other idea,” Joe Francis told the New York Post, which cites, with no sources (surprise) “resistance from sponsors” over his participation.
Before that, however, Francis confirmed to Hollyscoop that he’d be competing against Khloe Kardashian. “I will beat Khloe Kardashian on the Apprentice,” he said.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump revealed at the U.S. Open that golfer Natalie Gulbis will participate. A few other people who’ve confirmed that they’re cast members include Joan Rivers, who may compete with her daughter Melissa Rivers, according to Reality TV World.
In the unsourced rumors department are Tony Danza, according to Newsday; Dennis Rodman and Baywatch’s Brande Roderick, according to the Chicago Sun-Times; Heather Mills, according to Access Hollywood; Scott Hamilton, according to the New York Post; and Petra Nemcova, according to nearly every story about the cast although there doesn’t seem to be an origin to her rumored casting.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on September 10, 2008, 07:12:20 PM
Celebrity Apprentice 2 Update:
Heather Mills 'fired' from The Apprentice
HEATHER MILLS lost a role in the US version of Celebrity Apprentice — after demanding a clause in her contract guaranteeing a place in the final.
Mills, dubbed Mucca and Pornocchio by The Sun for her past as a sex model and liar, was lined up to take part in the reality TV hit — famed in Britain for boss SIR ALAN SUGAR’s catchphrase: “You’re fired.”
But producers at US network NBC got cold feet when she insisted she appear in the final regardless of her success in the show’s tasks.
Producers refused, even though she headed the list of celebrities they wanted for the programme.
And they told 41-year-old Mucca, ex-wife of Beatles legend SIR PAUL MCCARTNEY, that her services were not required.
An NBC source said: “The network were originally very keen on getting her involved.
“They thought it would be a clever move, attracting lots of publicity for the show.
“But her demands were ludicrous and it soon became clear that getting her involved would be a headache.
“It was the final straw when she said she wouldn’t take part unless she was a dead cert for the final — even after it was explained that wasn’t how the show worked.
“She was politely informed that NBC wouldn’t be following up their interest in her appearing.”
The show mirrors The Apprentice in the UK and features billionaire tycoon DONALD TRUMP in Sir Alan’s starring role.
The new series starts filming in a fortnight and will be broadcast next January.
Advertisement
The line-up is still being kept closely under wraps but is rumoured to include US socialite Khloe Kardashian.
Ex-newspaper editor Piers Morgan won last year’s show and went on to bag a judging slot on America’s Got Talent and Britain’s Got Talent.
Mucca appeared on the US equivalent of Strictly Come Dancing, Dancing With the Stars. But she was booted out after six weeks.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on September 13, 2008, 11:59:40 AM
This statement by British THE SUN tabloid editors Gordon Smart and JessRogers
Quote
Ex-newspaper editor Piers Morgan won last year’s show and went on to bag a judging slot on America’s Got Talent and Britain’s Got Talent.
is a perfect example of tabloid journalism. Piers Morgan was an original judge on America's Got Talent. The reference here is that he only earned that after winning Celebrity Apprentice is totally ludicrous and typical of British tabloid journalism. It is ironic that Piers Morgan's profession is tabloid journalist in Britain!
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on September 13, 2008, 03:49:41 PM
This statement by British THE SUN tabloid editors Gordon Smart and JessRogers
Quote
Ex-newspaper editor Piers Morgan won last year’s show and went on to bag a judging slot on America’s Got Talent and Britain’s Got Talent.
is a perfect example of tabloid journalism. Piers Morgan was an original judge on America's Got Talent. The reference here is that he only earned that after winning Celebrity Apprentice is totally ludicrous and typical of British tabloid journalism. It is ironic that Piers Morgan's profession is tabloid journalist in Britain!
I’m sure it would make him laugh to say the least.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on October 03, 2008, 01:19:26 AM
An interesting article:
Khloe Kardashian Granted Absence From DUI Probation Commitment For Work
A judge has granted a request by upcoming “Celebrity Apprentice” star Khloe Kardashian to postpone the due date for the alcohol program she was sentenced to in July 2008.
As previously reported on AccessHollywood.com, Kardashian was sentenced to 30 days in county jail in July after she violated her probation on a DUI charge, for which she served just a few hours. She was also sentenced to six months of probation, CalTrans work and completion of an alcohol program.
But it appears due to “employment purposes,” believed to be Kardashian’s stint on “Celebrity Apprentice,” she was granted an absence from the alcohol program, approved by a judge, according to a minute order, released by Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursdsay.
And it appears Kardashian will have something in common with the sentenced handed down to Lindsay Lohan for the “Ugly Betty” guest star’s DUI. Like Lohan, Kardashian will be visiting the morgue. She will visit a facility on October 15.
Kardashian must return to court on November 17 to show proof of completion of her sentence.
Link to photo list: http://photos.tmz.com/galleries/celeb_apprentice_2#27571 (http://photos.tmz.com/galleries/celeb_apprentice_2#27571)
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on October 03, 2008, 08:14:04 PM
I think it was Marigold (and not the article she cited) who stated '"Celebrity Apprentice," known for Z-listers, has actually climbed up the food chain.'
My response is not really. That list has fewer celebrities than did Celebrity Apprentice 1 with Piers Morgan, Carol Alt, Trace Adkins, Marilu Henner and Gene Simmons all being genuine (out of 14 in the cast) celebrities.
The Celebrity Apprentice 2 cast has Joan Rivers, Dennis Rodman, and Scott Hamilton (out of a cast of 16) as the only real celebrities. That does not mean that it might not end up even more interesting than CA1 because it might.
Editor's Note- Marigold says it wasn't her statement but that of the TMZ article. Celebrity Apprentic 2 is replete with Z-listers, but I don't think Celebrity Apprentice 1 was.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on October 04, 2008, 02:04:24 AM
I think it was Marigold (and not the article she cited) who stated '"Celebrity Apprentice," known for Z-listers, has actually climbed up the food chain.' That does not mean that it might not end up even more interesting than CA1 because it might.
:secret I didn't write that :lol:
It was writen in the artcle I posted: http://www.tmz.com/2008/10/01/celeb-apprentice-gets-real-stars-kinda-sorta/ (http://www.tmz.com/2008/10/01/celeb-apprentice-gets-real-stars-kinda-sorta/)
:tup: I agree it could very well turn out to be a good season
Best news no sign of Omarosa :funny:
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on October 10, 2008, 06:02:29 PM
An interesting article last season's contestant Carol Alt:
Carol Alt Talks Posing Nude For Playboy At 47: ‘I’ve Done A Lot Of Soul-Searching About This’
Legendary supermodel Carol Alt will bare it all for the first time in a Playboy cover story, Access Hollywood has confirmed.
The 47-year-old brunette beauty, who battled it out in the boardroom on Season 1 of Donald Trump’s “Celebrity Apprentice” earlier this year, will pose nude for the magazine’s December issue, a rep for the magazine told Access.
Alt, who credits adhering to a raw foods lifestyle for her physique, said she chose to do the shoot to spotlight the healthy eating program she has been a patron of for over a dozen years.
“I’ve done a lot of soul-searching about this and have spoken extensively with Playboy about it. They have been amazing to work with and are embracing this message that I want to get across, which is eat healthy, look healthy and be healthy,” Alt said in an article for her Web site. “It doesn’t matter what age you are. You can look sexy and feel great, and that doesn’t have to be a gift only for the young. It can be a gift for any age, even the old (whatever that is nowadays).”
The sexy forty-something rose to fame in the 1980s as a fashion model and later a Sports Illustrated cover star, but her Playboy appearance will be her first ever nude pictorial. And though she has been admired for her top shape for almost three decades, Alt said, those early men’s magazine shoots were difficult.
“I’ve never been comfortable with my body,” Carol said on her Web site. “When I had to pose for Sports Illustrated in a bathing suit at the age of 20, it was some of the most difficult work I ever did. I was always a heavy kid; my sister is a plus-size model; and it’s not like I come from a long line of stick figures! I continuously battled with my weight! I always felt uncomfortable with my body — was very shy and really, rather conservative.”
Alt, who has written several books on eating raw, said her food regime helped her achieve a body she was ready to show off.
“In reality, at my age, to know that I have come to such a point, where I am comfortable enough with my own body after 12 years of eating raw — that I actually feel better about my body at 47 than I did at 20 — is an amazing miracle in itself,” she said. “I want to enlighten other people to the fact that as they age, they don’t have to start feeling worse about themselves — getting tired, getting moody, getting fat and becoming ill. There is an alternative, but the only way for people to find it is to educate themselves. One way to get them to do that is to start them talking about it. The only way I know of to encourage that kind of discussion is to do something a little… controversial.”
I have heard a little about most of the non-celebrities on Celebrity Apprentice. However, there are a few I have never heard anything about. Who are: Claudia Jordan? T-Boz Watkins? Jesse James?
Claudia Jordon is an American actress and model. She was primarily known as a Barker's Beauty on CBS's game show The Price Is Right from 2001 to 2003, and is currently a model on the US version of Deal or No Deal. Claudia usually holds case number 1.
T-Boz Watkins is a R&B singer and a member of the group TLC.
Jesse James is an American television personality and CEO of West Coast Choppers, a manufacturer of custom-made motorcycles. James is the host of Motorcycle Mania and the former series Monster Garage on the Discovery Channel. Jesse is married to Sandra Bullock who is a Screen Actors Guild Award-winning and two-time Golden Globe Award-nominated actress.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on October 14, 2008, 05:48:06 PM
Another cast list article:
The Celebrity Apprentice 2: Cast Revealed!
The Celebrity Apprentice 2 is currently filming in New York City. After the surprise success of the first season of Celebrity Apprentice, Donald Trump claimed that season 2 would be an even more star-studded affair. He lied to you. He lied to all of us. TV Guide Magazine spied on the filming of Celebrity Apprentice 2 last week, and have uncovered the cast list for the season. It is not full of famous people. In fact, there are less famous people on the new season then there were on the first. At this point, the professional dancers on Dancing with the Stars are probably more famous than the “celebrities” on The Celebrity Apprentice 2. The success of The Celebrity Apprentice last winter was in part due to the writers' strike. The series aired against little competition and thrived because of it. The show will have no such luck at mid-season this time around. Ratings success for Celebrity Apprentice 2 won't be easy, especially with the cast that NBC and Mr. Trump have assembled.
Here is the cast list for The Celebrity Apprentice 2 and the reasons why they might be considered famous:
Khloe Kardashian: She's famous for being the sister of someone who is famous for being the friend of someone who is famous for being a drunken tramp. Makes sense, right?
Claudia Jordan: A Deal or No Deal model. Really. That's why she's famous. Apparently she also has hosted some unpopular shows. Claudia is this season's Nely Galan.
Brande Roderick: Playboy/Baywatch kind of girl.
Joan Rivers: Is it sad that Joan is the most famous “celebrity” on the upcoming season? Yes. A thousand times yes. I'm excited to see the wonders of plastic surgery in glorious HD.
Melissa Rivers: Do you think Joan demanded that daughter Melissa was also cast on the show? Does Joan have that kind of clout?
Herschel Walker: Formerly awesome NFL running back. Now retired, possessor of a really cool name.
Brian McKnight: R&B singer who hit his prime in about 1996.
Scott Hamilton: Flamboyant gold-medal winning figure skater. Now a figure skating commentator. Member of the bald brotherhood.
Natalie Gulbis: LPGA golfer. This year's Jennie Finch. Attractive.
Annie Duke: Annie is a professional poker player, mother and brother of Howard Lederer, who is also a pro poker player.
Dennis Rodman: NBA rebounding legend, infamously sexually ambiguous, slayer of Madonna and Carmen Electra. Possibly broke.
Andrew Dice Clay: Star of The Adventures of Ford Fairlane. The 1980's version of Dane Cook, only dirtier.
Tom Green: A guy who used to be really, really funny. Has disappeared from public view over the last ten years. Sad, really.
Jesse James: Used to host a little show called Monster Garage. Now he's married to Sandra Bullock (cameo, perhaps?).
Clint Black: Country singer who refuses to age.
Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins: Former member of TLC. The least interesting one.
Despite the lack of true celebrities on The Apprentice: Celebrity Edition II, this is a cast of interesting characters. I'll be watching, and there's enough crazy people in there to make the season fun.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: puddin on November 06, 2008, 11:30:45 AM
I stumbled upon a spoiler ..............
The Celebrity Apprentice 2 Joan Rivers spoils end of Celebrity Apprentice 2
The Celebrity Apprentice 2 has completed production, and one of its cast members has accidentally revealed one of the cast members who makes it to the final episode. Joan Rivers, who’s competing on the show along with her daughter Melissa Rivers and other celebrities, was on Howard Stern’s radio show and talked about her time on the series. In non-spoiler news, she said that she competed with Tom Green, but then revealed one of the cast members who made it to the end. Howard Stern Show recap site MarksFriggin.com reports (highlight the blank part to reveal the name) that “Joan wasn’t going to talk about it but then she let it slip *highlight spoiler>>*that Melissa made it right to the end. She realized her mistake and didn’t say anything else about it.” The show recap on Howard Stern’s own web site doesn’t mention that moment, and instead says, “Joan Rivers refused to comment on the next season of ‘Celebrity Apprentice.’” In other words, Joan Rivers wishes she’d refused to comment on the next season.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on November 25, 2008, 07:10:04 PM
NBC announced a partial midseason schedule with no sign of The Celebrity Apprentice :'(
NBC plans to make a second announcement covering February and March at a later date.
So we wait :funny:
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on December 03, 2008, 11:22:36 AM
An interesting article:
NBC’s Sunday Audible: Supersize ‘Apprentice’
The network has decided to supersize the next edition of “Celebrity Apprentice,” expanding the traditionally hour-long Donald Trump reality show to a two-hour format on Sunday nights, according to two people familiar with the situation. “Apprentice” creator Mark Burnett confirmed the expansion plans.
An announcement of the decision is expected as early as this week as part of the second half of NBC’s winter scheduling release.
Supersizing “Apprentice” gives NBC a way to cut programming costs, since adding an extra hour of an already-produced reality show is much less expensive than airing an original scripted or unscripted hour. With “Biggest Loser: Couples” already slated to fill two hours on Tuesdays, and “Howie Do It” set for an hour on Fridays, NBC’s winter schedule will likely feature at least five hours of unscripted programming each week.
Various movies and specials are set to fill NBC’s Sunday lineup in January. That means the earliest that “Celebrity Apprentice” could premiere is Feb. 8, with 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. as the most likely timeslots, one of the people familiar with the plan said. Mr. Burnett declined to comment on scheduling, deferring to NBC.
Two-hour episodes of reality shows aren’t unprecedented. NBC, in fact, has done well with 90-minute and two-hour editions of “The Biggest Loser,” while ABC and Fox sometimes air two-hour editions of “Dancing with the Stars” and “American Idol,” respectively.
What makes NBC’s decision interesting is that the network only recently officially asked “Apprentice” executive producer Mark Burnett to upsize the show, according to a source with knowledge of the request. Production on the new season of the series had already wrapped, and some sources predicted producers might have to scramble to fill the time.
Mr. Burnett, however, said that NBC officials had actually been talking to him about expanding the show “for weeks.” He said that he and Mr. Trump welcomed the decision.
“It’s great,” he said during a brief telephone conversation from New York. “It wasn’t a sudden call at all. During production, the people at NBC were saying the show was so great and should really be two hours.”
Mr. Burnett said Mr. Trump is particularly pumped by the expansion.
“Donald has always felt the boardrooms were too short, and I think he’s right,” Mr. Burnett said. “Right now, there’s really only about nine minutes of footage that we use and the boardroom (scenes) go on for hours sometimes. The problem has been trying to squeeze it all in. Every season we go through the struggle of cutting the show down.
“This wasn’t a sudden call,” Mr. Burnett added. “It really came from how strongly everyone felt about the show when we were shooting.”
News of the “Apprentice” came the same day CBS scheduled the premiere of the 18th edition of “Survivor” for Feb. 12. The latter franchise remains a tent pole of the CBS lineup, with Mr. Burnett noting that the show hasn’t been beaten by regular series competition since 2001.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on December 03, 2008, 03:25:57 PM
:groan: The Celebrity Apprentice Premiers March 1, 2009 :'(
NBC Press Release
NBC KICKS-OFF A POST-SUPER BOWL PRIMETIME SCHEDULE WITH NEW MID-SEASON SERIES PREMIERES, POPULAR SERIES RETURNS, THE 'ER' SERIES FINALE AND AN ORIGINAL MOVIE EVENT
"Super Bowl XLIII" on February 1 -- Followed by an Hour-long Original Episode of "The Office" -- Will Serve as Launching Platform for Returning Series, Including New Volume of "Heroes" and a Special "3-D" Episode of "Chuck" both on February 2
New Lineup Showcases Premiere of New Drama "Kings" with Two-hour Event on March 19 in Addition to the Returns of "Medium" (February 2) and Two-hour "Celebrity Apprentice" (March 1) as well as Original Episodes of "Heroes" (February 2), "Chuck" (February 2) and "Life" (February 4)
Two-hour Series Finale of "ER" Slated for March 12
NBC Offers Original Movie Event "XIII" on February 8 and 15
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – December 3, 2008 - NBC unveiled today a wide spectrum of its post-January mid-season schedule that features the series premieres of the new drama "Kings" (March 19) with a two-hour event, plus the season debuts of "Medium" (February 2) and a two-hour "Celebrity Apprentice" (March 1) -- as well as original episode returns for "Chuck" (returning with a special "3-D" episode February 2), "Heroes" (which begins "Fugitives," a new volume on February 2) and "Life" (February 4) -- and the movie event "XIII" (February 8 & 15). All the series and movie events will be given a huge promotional boost during "Super Bowl XLIII" on February 1.
Immediately following "Super Bowl XLIII" on February 1, NBC will broadcast an original, hour-long episode of "The Office" (10:30-11:30 p.m. ET; simultaneously to all time zones). Noteworthy announcements regarding this special episode are forthcoming.
In addition, NBC has scheduled the two-hour series finale of "ER" for Thursday, March 12 (9-11 p.m. ET).
The original movie event "XIII," starring Val Kilmer and Stephen Dorff, will air on Sunday, February 8 and 15 (9-11 p.m. ET both nights).
Premieres for additional mid-season shows -- "The Untitled Amy Poehler Project" and "The Philanthropist" – will be announced at a future date.
The announcements were made by Ben Silverman, Co-Chairman, NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios.
"February and March are going to be exciting months on NBC and the Super Bowl is just the beginning," said Silverman. "The biggest event on television will provide the perfect promotional platform as we launch some of the most eagerly anticipated new and returning shows on any schedule."
Beginning February 2, Monday nights will feature original episodes of "Chuck" (8-9 p.m. ET), the latest volume of "Heroes" (9-10 p.m. ET) and the return of "Medium" (10-11 p.m. ET).
The new post-January mid-season additions to NBC's program schedule grid follows (all times ET); new series are capitalized except for "ER":
MONDAYS (beginning February 2)
8-9 p.m. -- "Chuck" (returns with "3-D" episode)
9-10 p.m. -- "Heroes" (new volume "Fugitives" begins)
10-11 p.m. –"Medium"
WEDNESDAYS
8-9 p.m. -- "Knight Rider" (season finale February 25; new show beginning March 4 to be announced soon)
9-10 p.m. – "Life" (beginning February 4)
THURSDAY (March 12)
9-11 p.m. – "ER" Series Finale
THURSDAY
9-11 p.m. – "KINGS" (two-hour series premiere March 19)
10-11 p.m. – "KINGS" (regular day and time beginning March 26)
10:30-11:30 p.m. (ET) – "The Office" (February 1; broadcast simultaneous to all time zones)
9-11 p.m. – "XIII" (February 8 and 15)
From executive producer Michael Green (NBC's "Heroes") comes "Kings," a riveting new drama about a modern-day monarchy. "Kings" is a contemporary retelling of the timeless tale of David and Goliath. This series is an epic story of greed and power, war and romance, forbidden loves and secret alliances -- and a young hero who rises to power in a modern-day kingdom. King Silas Benjamin (Ian McShane, "Deadwood") is the well-entrenched king of Gilboa, with its capital in Shiloh, a clean new city that is unspoiled by time or litter. Silas must deal with the tensions rising between Gilboa and neighboring nation Gath. When several prisoners of war are taken, a young soldier, David Shepard (Chris Egan, "Eragon"), defies orders and crosses enemy lines to save them. Unknown to David, the soldier he saves is Jack Benjamin (Sebastian Stan, "The Covenant"), the son of the king. From that day forth, David's life will never be the same.
Also starring are Susanna Thompson ("Once & Again"), Allison Miller ("Lucy's Piano"), Wes Studi ("Comanche Moon," "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee"), Eamonn Walker ("Oz") and Dylan Baker ("Spiderman 2"). The series is from Universal Media Studios. "Kings" is executive-produced by Green, Erwin Stoff ("I Am Legend") and Francis Lawrence ("I Am Legend"), who also directed the pilot.
"XIII" is a high-stakes cat-and-mouse thriller starring Val Kilmer ("The Doors"), Stephen Dorff ("World Trade Center"), Stephen McHattie ("Watchmen") and Jessalyn Gilsig (NBC's "Heroes"). The adrenaline-charged miniseries begins dramatically as the first female U.S. president is shot dead by a sniper during her Veterans Day speech. Three months later, a wounded man is found tattered in a forest with no memory of his identity. The only clue is a tattoo on his neck -- "XIII." Could his lightning-fast reflexes and killer instincts betray him as the presidential assassin that the U.S. is desperately searching for? Submerged in a far-reaching conspiracy, which threatens to overthrow the entire government, XIII's identity becomes the key to unraveling a complex and dangerous secret that will shock and excite. From the first bullet, this gripping action-thriller will leave audiences gasping for more. Ted Atherton ("Max Payne"), John Bourgeois ("Burn Up"), Greg Bryk ("ReGenesis"), Lucinda Davis ("Wargames: The Dead Code"), and Caterina Murino ("Casino Royale") also star. "XIII" is an official Canada/France co-production, developed and produced by Prodigy Pictures and Cipango in association with Power. Prodigy Pictures' Jay Firestone, Cipango's Edouard Vesinne and Thomas Anargyros and Power's Justin Bodle will serve as executive producers. Directed by Duane Clark ("CSI," "Meadowlands), "XIII" is written by David Wolkove ("La Femme Nikita," "Relic Hunter") and Philippe Lyon ("The Trail," "Alive").
"The Celebrity Apprentice" and host Donald Trump will return with two-hour episodes and a dynamic cast of brilliant celebrity business minds. Last season saw Piers Morgan defeat Trace Adkins to become the first Celebrity Apprentice. This season, 16 new celebrities will be vying for the coveted title, using all their business savvy as they fight for causes close to their hearts. Celebrities will be subjected to long hours, grueling mental challenges, personality clashes, and intense scrutiny -- all without the help of their regular support system of agents, managers, and personal assistants. Ultimately, they will face the judgment of Donald Trump and his advisors in the boardroom, which will include his children (and colleagues), Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on December 03, 2008, 05:18:56 PM
Donald Trump's Blog:
The First Apprentice: Great Managers Work For the Team
Posted by Donald J. Trump on 12/3/2008 at 10:55 AM
It's been almost five years since that first season of The Apprentice appeared on television. The first winner was a young man named Bill Rancic, who has gone on to be a best-selling author, a guest advisor on The Apprentice, a public speaker and the host of his own reality show on the A&E Network.
Bill has done terrifically well since he became a celebrity after winning The Apprentice in 2004. I chose him above the other candidates because I knew he had the intelligence as well as the ability to be a combination of two things: a team player and a leader. He was outstanding in both areas, which is very important when you consider that all of us have to work together while maintaining our individual integrity and interests. Not everyone can find the equilibrium necessary to excel at both.
Shortly after The Apprentice premiered on NBC, it became the #1 rated show and George Steinbrenner had invited me to sit in his box for a Yankees game. Tom Brokaw, the esteemed television journalist and author, was also there and he tapped me on the shoulder and said, "Thanks, Donald, for what you've done for NBC. We really appreciate it." That was a perfect example of team spirit. He saw the success of my show as a success for everyone. He may be famous, but he knows his program isn't just about him, just as my program isn't just about me, either. We each have to be individually excellent, but it is also a team effort which will ultimately affect many people.
While we all work towards developing our unique talents and strengths, which is good and necessary, it's also good to keep the big picture in focus. Be a team player and know that approach will affect everyone in the most positive way possible.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on December 05, 2008, 09:30:20 PM
An interesting article:
DOUBLE THE DONALD TO GET MORE BOARDROOM DRAMA, TWO-HOUR 'CELEBRITY APPRENTICE'
NBC is adding another hour to "Celebrity Appren tice."
The show, hosted by Donald Trump, will be stretched to two hours when it returns early next year.
It's also moving from its Thursday-night perch to a new home on Sunday night.
"Can you believe it? We're just about finished shooting [the season], so that's good," Trump told The Post yesterday.
"The NBC people see all the clips [of the shows], and we were the ones chosen to go to two hours.
"I think it's a great honor and I'm very excited," he said.
The news was first reported yesterday by tvweek.com.
"You're going to see more of the boardroom - NBC always liked the boardroom [scenes] from Day One," Trump said.
"We're going to build that up a lot. The boardroom is where all the drama happens.
"With the one-hour show you don't have the time for that."
NBC is expected to officially announce the programming change when it unveils the second part of its winter schedule.
Adding another hour to "Celebrity Apprentice" will help the struggling NBC cut its programming costs, since reality shows are generally cheaper to produce than one-hour dramas or sitcoms.
The network, which has already cancelled the much-hyped "My Own Worst Enemy," starring Christian Slater, is sorely in need of a prime-time hit.
"Celebrity Apprentice" could premiere as early as Feb. 8, most likely from 9 to 11 p.m., according to tvweek.com.
This season's roster unofficially includes Joan and Melissa Rivers, Dennis Rodman, Khloe Kardashian, Clint Black, Tom Green, Jesse James, Brian McKnight and Andrew "Dice" Clay.
As for the additional hour of Trump, The Donald had a simple reply.
This will put Celebrity Apprentice 2 against Amazing Race 14 whenever there is a sports or other front-end delay.
Right you noticed too huh, glad your on your toes apskip
In that event one of them will have to get recorded
The networks have been shuffling around some of our fav reality shows. Look at HK who had to move to Thursdays because of American Idol.
It’s interesting to see it all unfold from the delay in press releases, the air dates and why they choose to move them to that date and time.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on January 08, 2009, 10:39:00 AM
NBC ANNOUNCES THE 16 ALL-STAR CELEBRITIES READY TO TAKE ON DONALD TRUMP IN THE BOARDROOM WHEN 'THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE' PREMIERES SUNDAY, MARCH 1 (9 P.M. ET)
Released by NBC
Clint Black, Andrew Dice Clay, Annie Duke, Tom Green, Natalie Gulbis, Scott Hamilton, Jesse James, Claudia Jordan, Khloe Kardashian, Brian McKnight, Joan Rivers, Melissa Rivers, Brande Roderick, Dennis Rodman, Herschel Walker and Tionne Watkins Will All Be Competing For Charity
NBC and Donald Trump announced today the all-star celebrity cast for the second sensational season of "The Celebrity Apprentice" premiering on Sunday, March 1 (9-11 p.m. ET/PT).
On the first ever "Celebrity Apprentice" last season, winner Piers Morgan changed the way the game was played, winning millions for charity and setting the bar for all who follow. Now 16 new celebrities will rise to the challenge and once again it will be men versus women. The men include: Clint Black, Andrew Dice Clay, Tom Green, Scott Hamilton, Jesse James, Brian McKnight, Dennis Rodman, and Herschel Walker. The women include: Annie Duke, Natalie Gulbis, Claudia Jordan, Khloe Kardashian, Joan Rivers, Melissa Rivers, Brande Roderick and Tionne Watkins. All the celebrities will be vying for the coveted title as they fight for their respective causes.
"Last season's 'Celebrity Apprentice' became one of the hottest shows on television -- and this season will be even better," said Trump. "We have an amazing cast of celebrities and we are looking forward to some fantastic entertainment."
The 16 celebrities will compete in business-driven tasks around New York City using their fame, rolodexes and their business acumen to win weekly tasks, while ultimately battling with each other to stay out of the boardroom and avoid hearing those dreaded words "You're Fired!" They'll be subjected to long hours, grueling mental challenges, personality clashes and intense scrutiny -- all without the help of their regular support system of agents, managers and personal assistants.
This season the competition is more cut throat than ever with a group of celebrities that will fight, tooth and nail, to win. Such intensity will result in flare-ups that, Piers Morgan says, "make his legendary fights with Omarosa look like a tea party."
Ultimately they will face the judgment of Donald Trump and his advisors in the boardroom, which will include his children (and colleagues), Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr. Also appearing in the boardroom alongside Trump will be his longtime associate and trusted colleague, George Ross.
The boardroom will feature a "rotating seat," allowing a variety of famous business leaders and industry legends to join Trump in spirited judgment of the tasks. As with last season, winning celebrity teams will relish the opportunity to watch the losing team squirm in the boardroom from the comfort of their own war rooms.
When all is said and done, 15 celebrities will be famously fired and only one will emerge to become The Celebrity Apprentice.
"The Celebrity Apprentice" is produced by Mark Burnett Productions in association with Trump Productions LLC. Mark Burnett, Donald Trump, Page Feldman and Eden Gaha are Executive Producers.
ABOUT THE CANDIDATES:
CLINT BLACK has had a profound effect on the music industry, not only through his own recordings, but also through the establishment of his brainchild, Equity Music Group, a record company he co-founded in 2003. He is a profound, not to mention prolific, songwriter. To date, he has written, recorded and released more than 100 songs, a benchmark in any artist's career. An astounding one third of the songs eligible for single release achieved hit song status at Country Radio. He has sold over 20 million albums worldwide. As a musician, he profoundly astounds-he is an accomplished guitarist, and humbly describes himself as proficient on drums, harmonica, bass guitar and any assortment of percussion instruments. Black will be playing for the charity, "International Rett Syndrome Foundation."
ANDREW DICE CLAY is proud to be America's most controversial and outrageous comic of all time. Before Chappelle, before South Park; Clay was shocking audiences and breaking the rules with a never-before-seen style of hardcore comedy. When he released his debut album "DICE" the parental advisory label simply read "Warning: This album is offensive." But despite all the media backlash, Clay has remained a comic icon and the self proclaimed "Undisputed Heavyweight King of Comedy." Clay's rise to fame was meteoric; he was the first comedian to sell out Madison Square Garden two nights in a row plus hundreds of other sports arenas from coast to Coast. And along the way, Clay starred in numerous feature films including "The Adventures of Ford Fairland," released best selling DVDs ("No Apologies," "Dice Rules!") and a string of multi gold and platinum selling CD's ("Day The Laughter Died," "Filth"). In 2007, Clay starred in his own reality show "Dice: Undisputed" for VH1. Clay will be playing for the charity, "Stand Up For Kids."
ANNIE DUKE has established herself as one of the best poker players in the world. In 2004, Duke beat out an assembly of 234 players in the World Series of Poker $2000 buy-in Omaha Hi/Lo Split and won her first WSOP bracelet. In August of the same year, Duke knocked out 8 of the world's greatest poker legends and won $2 million in the No-Limit Texas Hold'em winner-take-all, invitation-only WSOP Tournament of Champions, established by ESPN and Harrah's Entertainment. Duke now serves as a consultant for the online poker site UltimateBet.com to ensure that their rules of poker and tournament structure match those you would find in the famous poker rooms of the Las Vegas strip. Furthermore, she is sought after for her vast poker skills and knowledge, coaching the likes of Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Ashton Kutcher and Charles Barkley on their poker game. Duke regularly offers a private poker lesson with herself as an auction item for charity auctions and has raised funds to benefit numerous charities. Duke is also involved in various charitable organizations such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Ante Up for Africa (a project with Actor Don Cheadle), Children's Hospital, and many others. Duke will be playing for the charity, "Refugees International."
TOM GREEN, who made a name for himself on his MTV hit show, "The Tom Green Show," returned to his talk-show roots with "Tom Green Live!" Not bound by FCC regulations or television executives, this cutting-edge, one-hour talk show breaks the traditional mold and puts Green one-on-one with Hollywood's most well-known and accomplished entertainers. Most known for his roles in feature films "Freddy Got Fingered," "Charlie's Angels," "Stealing Harvard" and "Road Trip," Green has continued writing, producing and directing numerous film projects. Currently in post-production, Green is also editing "Prankstar," a film in which he wrote, directed and starred. Green continues to star in and produce television projects. In 2001, Green wrote, directed and starred in the special "The Tom Green Cancer Special," which focused on his battle with testicular cancer and the importance of health education. In 2005, Green also added bestselling author to his long professional repertoire. In his autobiography "Hollywood Causes Cancer: The Tom Green Story," Green details his professional and personal life. Green opens up about his humble upbringing in Ottawa, his beginnings in comedy, and his transition into television and films. Green will be playing for the charity, "Butch Walts and Donald Skinner Urologic Cancer Research Foundation."
NATALIE GULBIS is an American professional golfer. In 2000-2001, Gulbis attended the University of Arizona where she won three tournaments and was recognized with First Team All-American honors. Gulbis experienced a breakout season in 2005, finishing tied for third at the Michelob ULTRA Open at Kingsmill and the State Farm Classic, earning over $1 million for the first time in her career. She also qualified for her first Solheim Cup and scored three points for the victorious U.S. team. Gulbis' game and confidence strengthened throughout 2006, as she recorded a tie for third at the 2006 Kraft Nabisco Championship (her fourth straight top-ten finish at a major dating back to 2005) and a tie for second at the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic (losing in a playoff). Her first LPGA Tour victory arrived in 2007 at the Evian Masters, where she birdied the first hole of a sudden-death playoff. Her best season to date ended with a team victory at the Solheim Cup and a runner-up finish at the season-ending ADT Championship. She has starred in her own reality television series on the Golf Channel, created her own line of fashion calendars, contributed to numerous charities and graced red carpets for events such as Fashion Week and The Grammys. Gulbis will be playing for the charity, "Boys and Girls Club."
SCOTT HAMILTON is one of the most recognized male figure skating stars in the world. Hamilton has won 70 titles, awards and honors including an Emmy Award nomination, induction into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame and a privileged member of the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame. He captured the attention of the world 25 years ago with his Olympic Gold medal performances in Saravejo and since has shared his love and enthusiasm for the sport as a commentator, performer and best-selling author. Hamilton co-founded, produced and starred in "Stars on Ice" for 15 years. He further inspires others as a speaker, philanthropist and cancer and brain tumor survivor. As an author, Hamilton received notable critical praise for his New York Times best-selling autobiography Landing It (Kensington Books, October 1999) an intimate, candid and insightful look at his professional and personal life on and off the ice. His new inspirational book "The Great Eight" was published by Thomas Nelson Publishing in January 2009. Hamilton will be playing for the charity, "The Cleveland Clinic Foundation."
JESSE JAMES can be called many things: custom bike and car builder, producer, publisher, television host and restaurateur. James is currently in production for his new show "Jesse James Is A Dead Man" which will premiere on Spike TV. This past summer, James hit the road and toured across the United States to talk to the American worker one-on-one to launch his new clothing line Jesse James Industrial Work Wear, which is currently available in Wal-Mart stores nationwide. James also founded West Coast Choppers, which creates custom made motorcycles. In 2000, James was the subject of "Motorcycle Mania" which chronicled his everyday life as a motorcycle builder on the Discovery Channel. James established a loyal following who would tune in for 85 episodes to watch the anti-host in his best known role on the international television hit "Monster Garage," which he produced and starred in. In 2006, he opened the restaurant Cisco Burger, named after his beloved pit bull Cisco. James will be playing for the charity, "Long Beach Education Foundation."
CLAUDIA JORDAN is a model for NBC's "Deal or No Deal" and currently holds the # 1 box, indicative of her rise up in the business. Jordan became Miss Teen Rhode Island and later competed in Miss Teen USA. As an adult, she won Miss Rhode Island USA and competed in the Miss USA pageant. It was only the third time in 46 years that anyone representing Rhode Island made the top ten. East Providence even named May 16th "Claudia Jordan Day." Besides competing in pageants, Jordan was an impressive sprinter and earned all-state honors in track and field. She competed in several Junior Olympics and in college became an All-American sprinter in the 400-meter relay. Jordan is also fluent in Italian - her mom is first generation to come to the United States from Italy. After moving to Los Angeles, she became a model on "The Price is Right." She then went on to co-host a TV show with Carmen Electra called "Livin' Large" and worked as a correspondent for "The Best Damn Sports Show" and "5.4.3.2.1." She even had the opportunity to work with "Entertainment Tonight" for NFL Super Bowl Media day. In 2009, she will be featured alongside Luke Wilson in the new film entitled "Middlemen." Jordan is also a real estate investor. Jordan will be playing for the charity, "NAPSAC Foundation."
KHLOE KARDASHIAN is the youngest of the three sisters introduced to Hollywood with the dramedy "Keeping Up with the Kardashians." The show, which has quickly became one of the highest-rated shows on E!, gives the audience a glimpse into the lives of the Kardashian clan. The hit series rocketed 24-year-old Kardashian into the spotlight, enabling her to develop her own fan base, prove her strengths as a TV personality and initiate a series of projects to keep her busy. Aside from maintaining her daily blog, which reached one million views in its first month of launching, Kardashian now works as a spokesperson for Crest. She contributes to MSN.com and uses her attractive, outgoing personality to host behind-the-scenes and red carpet events for Celebuzz. In addition to dealing with the newfound responsibilities of being a reality star, Kardashian also manages DASH, the high-end women's boutique in Calabasas, California that she owns and runs with her two sisters. Kardashian will be playing for the charity, "The Brent Shapiro Foundation for Alcohol and Drug Awareness."
BRIAN MCKNIGHT has defined the true meaning of American soul man since 1991. In addition to a stellar career as a singer/songwriter, McKnight has conquered all mediums including selling over 16 million albums. From his starring role on Broadway in "Chicago" this past winter to his upcoming gig as host of BET's "Soul Sessions," McKnight can also be heard everyday as the host of 94.7 The Wave's morning program "The Brian McKnight Morning Show." McKnight's most recent album "Ten" can be found in stores now. McKnight will be playing for the charity, "Youthville USA."
JOAN RIVERS is a force of nature, and one of the hardest working celebrities in the world. Comedienne, Tony-nominated actress, best-selling author, Emmy Award-winning television talk-show host, playwright, screenwriter, motion picture director, columnist, lecturer, syndicated radio host, jewelry designer and cosmetic company entrepreneur, red-carpet fashion laureate, businesswoman and, most importantly to her, mother and grandmother. Rivers' career skyrocketed in 1968 when she appeared on "The Tonight Show" starring Johnny Carson. Within three years she was hosting "That Show with Joan Rivers," one of the first syndicated daytime shows, and went on to become the first sole guest host of "The Tonight Show." Her own "The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers" helped launch the Fox Network in 1986. In 1989, she returned to daytime television with "The Joan Rivers Show," winning an Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host the following year, and her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 1990, she launched the Joan Rivers Classics Collection of fashion jewelry on QVC. Along with her daughter Melissa, she hosted E!'s red-carpet events from 1996-2004. From 2004-2007 they continued their "must-see" red-carpet coverage for the TV Guide Channel, garnering the highest ratings ever for the channel. Rivers will be playing for the charity, "God's Love We Deliver."
MELISSA RIVERS, in all of her splendorous glamour on the red carpet, is also an Ivy League graduate, an accomplished equestrian and the mother of a young son. Rivers is also an executive producer and has ample experience behind the camera as well as in front of it. The University of Pennsylvania graduate joined her mother, Joan Rivers, on the red carpet at E! Entertainment where they started the red carpet phenomenon. The acerbic, dynamic duo even made it to celebrate their 1,000th interview on the Emmys red carpet - a huge milestone indeed. During her time at E!, Rivers produced and hosted a number of specials - two of which were the channel's highest rated - "Oh Baby! Melissa's Guide to Pregnancy" and "Oh, Toddler! Surviving the Early Years." When the Rivers women took their red carpet programming over to the TV Guide Channel a few years ago, the ratings soared. Rivers has produced and hosted a number of specials and series including "TV Candy," a weekly series that highlights TV fashion, the annual Mother's Day special, The Stylist Special, the series "Stars First Jobs" (all produced with Steven Jensen) that features celebrities hilariously going back to their first jobs. Rivers and her production company also produce all of the red carpet programs. Rivers will be playing for the charity, "Lili Claire Foundation."
BRANDE RODERICK started her first company in 2000 called She-Ra Productions, a film and television production company. She also manages two other companies including Financiallyhung.com. Financiallyhung.com started out as an idea for a t-shirt, which then grew to the idea of using the name for a professional social network. In addition to "The Celebrity Apprentice," Roderick will be starring in a new reality show with Brooke Burke and Tracy Bingham called "Flirty 30's," a mix between "Sex and the City" and "Desperate Housewives." Most recently, she guest starred in "The Game," on the CW Network. Roderick also hosts a show on the Reelz Channel called, "What I Learned from the Movies." Additionally, Roderick has recently held supporting roles in several movies including "The Nanny Diaries" starring Scarlet Johansen, "Starsky & Hutch," "Dracula II" and "Hood of Horror" starring alongside Snoop Dog. Roderick will be playing for the charity, "CPYC - California Police Youth Charities."
DENNIS RODMAN is a retired NBA player who played for the Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks. Born in Trenton, New Jersey, he was nicknamed "Dennis the Menace" and "The Worm" and was known for his fierce defensive and rebounding ability. Playing small forward in his early years before becoming a power forward, Rodman earned NBA All-Defensive First Team honors seven times and was voted NBA Defensive Player of the Year twice. Rodman also led the NBA in rebounds per game for a record seven consecutive years and won five NBA Championships. Apart from basketball, Rodman is a part-time professional wrestler as well as a restaurateur. He had his own TV show "The Rodman World Tour" and had lead roles in the action films "Simon Sez" and "Double Team" alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme. Rodman was the winner of the $222,000 main prize on the 2005 edition of "The Celebrity Mole." Additionally, he participated in the U.K. "Celebrity Big Brother" and hosted "Geek to Freak" on Mark Cuban's HDNet. He is a long-time vegetarian, and in 2005, he became the first man (and the first sports star) to pose (naked) for PETA's advertisement campaign "Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur." Rodman will be playing for the charity, "CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of New Orleans."
HERSCHEL WALKER's collegiate football career is legendary. As a freshman at the University of Georgia, Walker's performance helped capture the 1980 national football title. He earned consensus All-American honors three consecutive years, set numerous NCAA and SEC records and capped a sensational college career by earning, in his junior year, the 1982 Heisman Trophy. In 2002 he was voted into the Collegiate Football Hall of Fame and was selected as the second greatest player in college football history, just behind the legendary Red Grange. In 1983, Walker gave up his final year of collegiate eligibility and turned professional. During his 15-year pro football career, Walker's accomplishments include a) setting the still standing, single-season, pro football rushing record of 2411 yards, b) leading the NFL in rushing, c) gaining more total yards than anyone in professional football history and d) receiving numerous all-pro and pro Bowl honors. Currently, Walker is founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Renaissance Man Food Service, LLC (RMFS), a certified minority business that produces Herschel's Famous 34, a line of flavorful frozen chicken, beef, pork and seafood entrees and appetizers. Walker will be playing for the charity, "Alternative Community Development Services (dba Project Turnaround)."
TIONNE WATKINS is best known as "T-Boz," the lead singer of the best-selling female group of all time, TLC, with over 18 million albums sold worldwide. In addition to her success as a musician, Watkins is also a successful actress, producer and a tireless fundraiser for many important charities. She has been named one of People Magazine's "50 most beautiful people" twice and appeared as Josephine Baker in revered makeup artist Kevin Aucoin's book "Making Faces." As president of her own entertainment company, Shee Entertainment, Watkins was the executive producer of the hit film, "ATL." As an actress, she received rave reviews for her role in the film "Belly" and guest starred on the long-running sitcom "Living Single." She also had a small role in the feature film "House Party III." Watkins authored the book "Thoughts" in 1999 and is currently working on her own children's clothing line. Watkins is the national spokesperson for the Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation. Her efforts on the group's behalf led her to be named by the Iris Captor-UCLA Women's Health Center as one of the top ten women in health education along with others, such as Katie Couric and Oprah Winfrey. Her charity work and incredible contribution to the entertainment industry have come to define Watkins as one of the most influential and important performers of her generation. Watkins will be playing for the charity, "Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia."
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: TheCinera on January 08, 2009, 12:34:20 PM
Tom Green vs The Trump?! This I have to see.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on January 08, 2009, 01:23:24 PM
lol I agree Green will certainly bring some interesting entertainment to the season
I think that can also be said for the rest of the cast, can't wait!!
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on January 08, 2009, 08:47:37 PM
Celebrity Apprentice Press Conference:
Hollyscoop.com caught up with the stars at the Celebrity Apprentice Press Conference to talk about the upcoming season.
Interviews and Appearances by Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump, Tom Green, Jesse James, Joan and Melissa Rivers, T-Boz, Dennis Rodman.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: RudyRules on January 08, 2009, 11:05:19 PM
Sounds like a super entertaining group! My favs so far are Scott Hamilton, Clint Black & Joan Rivers. Have never seen Joan's daughter, but bet she's also a comedian! :lol3: I know very little of the others.
Really looking forward to this season! :jumpy:
Hey apskip! You gonna do your great recaps each week? Hope so. :tup:
Thanks for all the updates, marigold! :hugs:
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on January 09, 2009, 07:49:30 AM
Yes, RudyRules, I do plan to do recaps of Celebrity Apprentice 2 as long as it is not on against Top Chef or Amazing Race 14, in which case I still may be able to if I get both TVs and 1 VCR working with me.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on January 09, 2009, 11:21:55 AM
Yes, RudyRules, I do plan to do recaps of Celebrity Apprentice 2 as long as it is not on against Top Chef or Amazing Race 14, in which case I still may be able to if I get both TVs and 1 VCR working with me.
:yess: .... screams yay
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on January 09, 2009, 11:25:02 AM
An interesting article:
Donald Trump rounds up celebrities for new 'Apprentice' season
Early last October, NBC unveiled the 16-member cast of "Celebrity Apprentice" to reporters. Everyone on hand at the locked-down news conference swore to keep the participants' identities a secret until NBC said "go."
With NBC now issuing its cue Thursday to go public, the major media can take pride at having kept the lid on names like country music's Clint Black, TV personality Khloe Kardashian and former "Baywatch" babe Brande Roderick.
Those don't-I-know-him-or-her-from-somewhere? stars will be competing for the title of Celebrity Apprentice when the reality series returns for its eighth season March 1.
Others risking the wrath of Donald Trump in the boardroom will include Olympic figure skating gold medalist Scott Hamilton, singer Brian McKnight, comedian Tom Green and former football great Herschel Walker. Also poker champ Annie Duke, pro golfer Natalie Gulbis, "Deal or No Deal" model Claudia Jordan, singer Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and former "Monster Garage" host Jesse James, a custom bike and car builder.
Oddly, the only notable leaks from an otherwise unified media front occurred on late-night TV, within days of the top-secret briefing.
"Joan and Melissa Rivers! Dennis Rodman! Andrew Dice Clay!" cackled David Letterman of CBS' "Late Show," outing four of the contestants in his monologue before he mused, "And the celebrities are ...?"
Even NBC's own Conan O'Brien spilled a few beans during a "Late Night" monologue. After blurting out a couple of the show's semiboldface players, he cracked, "Apparently the new season of the show is called 'Celebrity Apprentice: 1988.'"
Presiding over the news conference last fall, Trump insisted the cast was bigger, better, hotter than ever.
"There are some major superstars in this group," he declared, without getting specific.
The 16 celebrities will not be vying for a job with Trump, as in past civilian "Apprentice" seasons, but instead will compete in business-oriented tasks around Manhattan to raise money for their favorite charities. (McKnight's chosen charity is Youthville USA, while Watkins will be playing for the Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia, and Kardashian has chosen the Brent Shapiro Foundation for Alcohol and Drug Awareness.)
Seated at Trump's elbow, the celebs were happy to anticipate the challenges awaiting them as soon as the next day, when they would start taping.
Hamilton acknowledged having watched the prior season and wondering "if I had the skill set to pull it off, because it was pretty confrontational last year. I'm a pretty easygoing, nice person."
Clay, a one-time scandalous standup comic, said he was doing the show because of his two teenage sons.
As he explained, "When they watched the show, they'd go, 'Dad, you would do great on the show,' and I'd look at them, like: 'Really?'"
"I have a competitive nature," said Walker, who won the Heisman Trophy as a junior at the University of Georgia, "but this (show) is really different, where some people are conniving and cheating. I say, I'm gonna stay true to my morals."
Then he grinned disarmingly and drawled, "I tell 'em, I'm just a little country boy from Georgia."
Link to the article: http://pantagraph.com/articles/2009/01/08/freetime/doc49660b8598863673438558.txt (http://pantagraph.com/articles/2009/01/08/freetime/doc49660b8598863673438558.txt)
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on January 09, 2009, 12:57:17 PM
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on January 09, 2009, 10:22:11 PM
An interesting article:
CELEBRITY APPRENTICE CAST REVEALED!
Celebrity Apprentice has finally revealed the cast competing for their favorite charities on the series’ second season, which returns to NBC March 1.
There are 16 new competitors from several celebrity fields, ranging from country crooner Clint Black and former TLC singer Tionne Watkins to outrageous basketball legend Dennis Rodman. Talk about diverse!
Once again men will be competing against women, but this time, the ladies swear they are ready for the challenge.
“On the men’s side, something’s going to be huge – their egos,” chuckles Deal or No Deal model Claudine Johnson. “We’ll pick them off, one ego at a time.”
The gals don’t plan to stoop to dirty antics to rile their male counterparts, like a certain female player (Omarosa!) did last season.
“When I watched the episode where she was being really brutal about Pierce Morgan’s children, that really hurt me,” says professional poker player and mother of four Annie Duke. “There’s a different between speaking your mind and hitting below the belt."
In the end, all the celeb contestants have the same goal: raising money for a charity they truly care about.
“I’m excited to be playing for the Donald G. Skinner cancer foundation. They saved my life a few years ago,” says comedian Tom Green, who suffered from testicular cancer. “They do a lot of research to help people, and I’m going to try to win some money for them.”
Link to the article: http://www.ok-magazine.com/blog/post/11169/Celebrity-Apprentice-Cast-revealed! (http://www.ok-magazine.com/blog/post/11169/Celebrity-Apprentice-Cast-revealed!)
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on January 09, 2009, 10:26:35 PM
After last year's ratings blockbuster, 'The Celebrity Apprentice' and host Donald Trump are back with a dynamic cast of brilliant Celebrity business minds!
Last season saw Piers Morgan defeat Trace Adkins to become the first Celebrity Apprentice. But the real winners were the 14 charities associated with the entire cast. Millions were raised and Piers Morgan, alone, raised more than $750,000 for his charity, The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund.
This season 16 new celebrities will be vying for the coveted title, using all their business savvy as they fight for causes close to their hearts.
Once again, it's the men versus the women as all 16 celebrities compete in business-driven tasks around New York City. They will use their fame, their rolodexes and their business acumen to win weekly tasks, while ultimately battling with each other to stay out of the boardroom and avoid hearing those dreaded words, "You're Fired!."
Celebrities will be subjected to long hours, grueling mental challenges, personality clashes, and intense scrutiny -- all without the help of their regular support system of agents, managers, and personal assistants.
Ultimately they will face the judgment of Donald Trump and his advisors in the boardroom, which will include his children (and colleagues), Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr. Also appearing in the Boardroom alongside Trump will be his longtime associate and trusted colleague, George Ross.
The Boardroom will feature a "rotating seat," allowing a variety of famous business leaders and industry legends to join Trump in spirited judgment of the tasks. As with last season, winning Celebrity teams will relish the opportunity to watch the losing team squirm in the boardroom from the comfort of their own war rooms.
When all is said and done, 15 celebrities will be famously fired and only one will emerge to become The Celebrity Apprentice!
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: ACN4Liz on January 10, 2009, 01:20:57 AM
ACN and its revolutionary video phone will be featured on an upcoming episode of The Celebrity Apprentice 2. The episode is scheduled to air from 9 to 11 pm (Pacific Time) on March 22, 2009 on NBC.
In choosing ACN to be showcased on the hit prime-time TV show, Mr. Trump said, “ACN’s Video Phones will hopefully be in every one’s home in the future.”
If you would like more information about the Video Phone, please contact me by visiting my website at: www.acn4Liz.acnrep.com
THANKS!
PS. I'm rooting for Brian McNight. He puts his heart and soul into everything he does. Good Luck Brian! :wohoo:
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on January 10, 2009, 01:35:05 AM
ACN and its revolutionary video phone will be featured on an upcoming episode of The Celebrity Apprentice 2. The episode is scheduled to air from 9 to 11 pm (Pacific Time) on March 22, 2009 on NBC.
In choosing ACN to be showcased on the hit prime-time TV show, Mr. Trump said, “ACN’s Video Phones will hopefully be in every one’s home in the future.”
If you would like more information about the Video Phone, please contact me by visiting my website at: www.acn4Liz.acnrep.com
THANKS!
PS. I'm rooting for Brian McNight. He puts his heart and soul into everything he does. Good Luck Brian! :wohoo:
:hithere: Hi ya ACN4LIZ and welcome to Reality Fan Forum
I heard about that and thanks for sharing and I love Brian McNight too what a beautiful voice
.... A video about ACN on Celebrity Apprentice http://www.myacntv.com/www/ (http://www.myacntv.com/www/)
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on January 10, 2009, 01:38:56 AM
An interesting article:
Jesse James to play for LBUSD on Celebrity Apprentice
The television personality and local motorcycle maker will be working to raise money for the Long Beach Unified School District as a contestant on the NBC show.
Television personality and local motorcycle maker Jesse James will be working to raise money for the Long Beach Unified School District as a contestant on the NBC reality show "Celebrity Apprentice."
James, owner of West Coast Choppers, is among 16 celebrities who will be vying to win the approval of real estate mogul Donald Trump on the show, which raises money for charity.
James, who grew up in Long Beach, has selected the Long Beach Education Foundation -- the fundraising arm of the LBUSD -- as his charity on the show, which premieres March 1.
James intends for the charitable funds to assist the district's industrial design classes, such as auto shop, said Judy Seal, executive director of the Long Beach Education Foundation.
"The school district is really excited to have him and his experience, his resources and his dedication to the school district," Seal said.
"Celebrity Apprentice" has celebrities matching wits while completing business tasks in New York City.
At the conclusion of each week's episode, celebrities will gather in the Trump "boardroom," where their performance will be evaluated, and Trump will kick one celebrity off the show by saying, "You're fired."
In 2008, the first season of "Celebrity Apprentice" raised over $1 million for charity.
Link to the article: http://www.presstelegram.com/ci_11418462?source=rss (http://www.presstelegram.com/ci_11418462?source=rss)
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on January 15, 2009, 10:22:57 AM
An interesting article:
RECESSION HITS 'APPRENTICE'
ROCKY ECONOMY IS STAR OF LATEST CELEB BIZ SERIES
DONALD Trump's famed series "The Apprentice" can't escape bad times any better than the rest of us.
The new season of "Celebrity Apprentice," which begins in March, is full of problems and challenges that reflect an economy that is heading down, Trump says.
It was difficult for the celebrities in this year's cast to raise money as quickly and easily as in the past, he says.
And the celebs even started sqaubbling over who was to blame.
"The horrible state of the economy is talked about constantly," Trump told The Post.
"We are in a depression - not a recession - and people don't like to think of 'The Apprentice' as a business show, but it is," he says.
"You can't do a show that relates so strongly to business without mentioning the state of the economy, which is terrible," says Trump.
The new season - which includes Andrew Dice Clay, Tom Green, skater Scott Hamilton, Joan and Melissa Rivers and Herschel Walker in the cast - was taped last October, the relatively early days of the financial meltdown.
The show's producers admit they were caught off-guard by the effect the troubled economy had on contestants trying to get their small businesses off the ground.
"The belt-tightening that we're seeing today was just beginning," says executive producer Eden Gaha. "I daresay that it would be even tougher now than it was in October, when we shot it.
"But, certainly, we were feeling the effects."
Gaha says that the game's outcome relied less on a big check from a rich donor and more on the celebs' ability to collect a lot of small checks.
"They had to work twice as hard," he says.
Trump revealed that the show includes one especially explosive boardroom exchange between Joan Rivers, Dennis Rodman and another contestant he declined to name.
"I said, 'Come on folks, we're in a depression, we have to pull together," Trump says.
Players consistently found themselves in the awkward position of calling in favors from rich friends during fundraising challenges, Gaha says.
"Many of the contestants came with a game plan and a Rolodex full of people they could call for help raising money," he says. "But what you'll see is that, in some of these cases, people wouldn't or couldn't come through for them."
Raising money posed such a difficult chal lenge that the rules were eventually changed mid way through production to allow players more time to hit up their friends for charity.
"We would get them started immediately after we filmed the boardroom," Gaha says. "Where last year, they'd have a day to get rolling, we'd give them an extra 12 or 14 hours."
A major part of the players' strategies was devoted to deciding when to call in favors.
"A lot of it came down to, 'When do I pull out my big guns?' " he says.
"They had to be clever about it because they couldn't keep going back to the same well and they were painfully aware that, in many cases, the favor would have to reciprocated sometime down the track."
Link to the article: http://www.nypost.com/seven/01152009/tv/recession_hits_apprentice_150173.htm (http://www.nypost.com/seven/01152009/tv/recession_hits_apprentice_150173.htm)
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on January 15, 2009, 12:24:36 PM
"The horrible state of the economy is talked about constantly," Trump told The Post.
"We are in a depression - not a recession - and people don't like to think of 'The Apprentice' as a business show, but it is," he says.
This statement is driving me nuts
Wow, Donald I think anyone who lived / survived during the depression would be offended by that statement based on what they went through we currently are not in a depression.
I do not agree!!
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: TexasLady on January 15, 2009, 05:30:19 PM
I don't agree either Marigold. We are NOT in a depression. For someone without a job it isn't pretty, I sympathize with them. My hubby and I have been there and done that, we survived.
I don't want to get too political... we are still buying electronic equipment like HD TV's, digital cameras and computers and using cable to watch our special shows. I could say more but I won't. :js:
Joan Rivers, Dennis Rodman and someone undisclosed person in a big battle? Will Joan be the Omarosa of this season? This should be interesting! :tup:
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on January 15, 2009, 06:05:12 PM
He seems like such a sweet guy I do wonder how well he can argue his way in the boardroom against some of the more vocal outspoken and vicious ones it will be interesting to see him in that kind of situation
I can't wait to see the show
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on January 17, 2009, 05:22:34 PM
An interesting article more about Jesse James:
Jesse James Stars For Schools
An area business owner and celebrity will attempt to raise money in support of local schools on an upcoming reality television show.
Jesse James, owner of West Coast Choppers, a custom motorcycle and car shop in west Long Beach, and its nearby eatery Cisco Burger, is slated to be a contestant on NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice 2,” where he has pledged to raise money for the Long Beach Education Foundation (LBEF).
“Over the years I have watched Long Beach’s Industrial Arts programs go down hill,” James wrote in an e-mail. “The (classes) get less and less money and most are shut down. These are classes that kids want to take. Somebody needed to step up and do something to give these kids the opportunity to learn some skills.”
It was in classes such as these that James said he became aware of his talents. He attributes his success to an encouraging and influential teacher he had in high school.
James, who went to high school at Millikan in Long Beach and La Sierra in Riverside, has already set up an account with the foundation, donating $60,000 to start the fund last month, according to Judy Seal, executive director of the LBEF. This endeavor will be the first of its kind for the foundation, she said.
“He wants to have a hands-on approach where he visits classrooms and meets with students and teachers to discuss how additional funding might help,” she continued. “….Jesse wants to identify the students’ needs and teachers’ desires relative to the goals of the classroom.”
The donation, which LBEF President-Elect Mike Murray said was one of the larger gifts the organization has ever received, will go toward paying for industrial-arts classes such as auto shop and welding at both the middle school and high school level.
“I think in today’s economy, to take kids who are motivated and talented in an area and to take the example of Jesse James and what he has accomplished in a vocational field, couldn’t be better,” Murray said.
In 2008, the LBEF raised more than $1 million for the school district. Its sole purpose, according to Murray, is to ensure that every student in the district receives the education he or she needs to succeed.
“Celebrity Apprentice 2” will air at 9 p.m. Sunday, March 1, on NBC. James, who has cultivated on-camera experience on such shows as “Motorcycle Mania” and “Monster Garage,” currently is shooting episodes of “Jesse James is a Dead Man” for Spike TV.
“He’s such a part of Long Beach,” Murray said. “The synergy of it (the partnership) and the win-win of it is amazing.”
Link to the article: http://www.gazettes.com/articles/2009/01/16/community_news/doc496e33e71894c255634766.txt (http://www.gazettes.com/articles/2009/01/16/community_news/doc496e33e71894c255634766.txt)
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on January 17, 2009, 05:51:21 PM
Joan Rivers dishes about Celebrity Apprentice
at the 2:36 mark
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on January 17, 2009, 10:51:26 PM
Well...it's announced. I am on Celebrity Apprentice. It is true. I can't go into any detail, of course, about how the show goes but whatever happens to me that show always raises a ton for charity so that is why I did the show. Before I decided that I would be on it, I had no idea that the show raised over $1 million for charity last year. When I went to my first meeting with them we were discussing the show and how it worked and then the EP just came out with that million dollar figure and I was like oh wow that is pretty amazing. Regardless of whether or not my charity would benefit, being part of raising a million dollars for any charity would be a pretty amazing experience. So, of course, when they offered me the show I had to agree because that is a crazy amount of money for a bunch of good causes.
Okay...you are going to have to watch the show to find out how I do. Just know I took it really seriously because once I get involved in something I definitely study up on the game and try to play it well. Tha tbeing said, they did divide us into men vs women which was a very bad draw for me because, to be fair, I am a poker player and have spent the greater part of my adult life interacting only with men and men who spend all fo their time needling each other at that. I eman we are not talking about a business where people worry about hurting other peoples' feelings. The people I deal with are direct and blunt and that style of communication does not necessarily go over well in a room full of women. So I go into the season with a very bad draw in terms of the interpersonal thing. There ya go. I don't relate well to girls (except my own daughters but to be fair they really have my type of personality).
Okay...on to some other stuff. Maud and I had a humongous fight this week and I am really struggling with dealing with a 13 yr old girl. Man, I must have really tortured my mom. We have made up now but boy it was a bad one. So bad I had to call her Dad to get him involved. it can be so hard because she is so bright and talented and sweet underneath all that teenage angst and teenage I have to hate my mother obviously. And trying to sit back and be the adult and just understnd what is going on and how hard it is to be a teenager and all that can be so damn hard...so really really hard.
Nelly smashed her face on the cement at school this week and ended up with the hugest fat lip you have ever seen. She would have made Lisa Rinna jealous. She was every insecure LA girl's dream. She knocked a couple of teeth loose but luckily they were all baby teeth. Poor thing. She could only swallow liquids for a few days and she is already the skinniest thing you have ever seen.
All right...getting ready for Sundance this weekend then next week is Leo's 11th birthday!
Link to the site: http://www.annieduke.com/journal.php?journalID=2961 (http://www.annieduke.com/journal.php?journalID=2961)
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on January 17, 2009, 10:52:50 PM
The Celebrity Apprentice cast has been announced. I am excited to be part of this seasons show. The show is now 2 hours and premieres March 1st on NBC. 2 hours? Amazing. That tells you right there, there were some entertaining moments. The show will continue Sundays at 9pm eastern. I am playing to raise money and awareness for the boys and girls club. Each player plays for their charity and has challenges for their team. The team that loses the task goes to the board room. Where Donald Trump fires one of the contestants every week. I will be joined by: R&B singer: Brian McKnight Comedian: Andrew Dice Clay Basketball player: Dennis Rodman Football player: Hersherl Walker Actor: Tom Green Country music artist: Clint Black West Coast Choppers CEO: Jesse James Figure Skater: Scott Hamilton TLC singer: Tionne Watkins TV star: Khloe' Kardashin Comedian: Joan Rivers Comedian: Melissa Rivers Model: Brande Roderick Poker Champ: Annie Duke
Link to her site: http://www.nataliegulbis.com/all_about_natalie/journal.aspx (http://www.nataliegulbis.com/all_about_natalie/journal.aspx)
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on January 17, 2009, 11:16:47 PM
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on January 21, 2009, 07:41:11 PM
An interesting article an interview with Natalie Gulbis:
Q&A: Golfer Natalie Gulbis optimistic for 2009
Sacramento native Natalie Gulbis, 26, has big plans for 2009. Among them: winning an LPGA major championship, surviving the editing process of "Celebrity Apprentice" and getting a pro-am started locally to benefit Boys & Girls Clubs. Coming off a 56th-place finish on the LPGA Tour money list, her worst since turning pro in 2002, she's optimistic about getting her game back on track.
How's your game?
It's good. The last event I played was the Lexus Cup in December, which we won. I got to play in the Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge a week before that, so I ended the year on a good note.
Any specific goals for 2009?
Win a major.
Where will Annika Sorenstam's absence be felt most on the LPGA Tour?
Every single week on tour. Every time she played in an event, she brought something special from a fans' and sponsors' standpoint. She's the best ever to play her sport, and not having that every week means it's just not going to be the same.
What will you miss most about not having her on tour?
She's one of my best friends on tour. I was just at her wedding a week ago. I will miss seeing her and playing practice rounds with her. We have a tradition where we rented a house together for the British Open. It will different this year just not having her around.
What player makes you laugh the most over 18 holes?
Christina Kim. She's very open and honest. She says exactly what she thinks. She and Helen Alfredsson.
Of the other 15 cast members on "Celebrity Apprentice," who were you most surprised by?
Dennis Rodman, by far. When the camera was on him, he was Dennis Rodman the unpredictable entertainer. When the camera was off, we just talked about sports. We talked about the Sacramento Kings all the time.
Any anxiety over the editing process and how you might be portrayed?
Absolutely. It's a wild show. It's not the No. 1 show on NBC because it's conservative. It was wild when they shot it. The way they ended it is wild. It's a very entertaining show, and if it tells you that it's going to be exciting, it's a two-hour show for 2009 so you know they had some pretty good content. I'll be keeping an eye on things and hoping with every episode that things turn out OK.
In a Natalie Gulbis pie chart, what are the major percentages?
The word around Sacramento is that you're interested in hosting a one-day touring pro and celebrity-laden charity tournament here?
Yes. I had no idea how hard it was going to be. I've been working on this for three years. It's so challenging to put it all together, but the chances get better every conversation we have. I have a new team since 2009. I'm with IMG now – they're the largest sports management and marketing firm in the world. I think this team will be able to get it done. We'll have this thing on the calendar, if not in the spring, then maybe the fall in 2009.
On behalf of your Sacramento following, I would be remiss if I didn't give you an opportunity to shed some light on your romantic life. Interested?
No comment. Not interested. Not until the day I get married will it become public knowledge. It's always an ongoing challenge – you're so public as a celebrity and athlete, you work really hard to keep one thing to yourself.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on January 22, 2009, 02:37:32 PM
"CELEBRITY APPRENTICE" WILL AIR ON SATURDAYS FROM MARCH 7TH THROUGH MAY 23RD ON CNBC
Effective March 7th, and continuing through May 23rd, "CELEBRITY APPRENTICE" will air on CNBC on Saturday nights from 7PM-9PM and from 11PM-1AM. Each telecast is 2 hours.
SATURDAY NIGHTS - 3/7 through 4/11
7PM - CELEBRITY APPRENTICE 9PM - THE SUZE ORMAN SHOW 10PM - CELEBRITY APPRENTICE 12AM - THE SUZE ORMAN SHOW 1AM - AMERICAN GREED
SATURDAY NIGHTS - 4/18 through 5/23
7PM - CELEBRITY APPRENTICE 9PM - THE SUZE ORMAN SHOW 10PM - CELEBRITY APPRENTICE 12AM - THE SUZE ORMAN SHOW 1AM - HEADS-UP POKER
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on February 06, 2009, 11:03:32 PM
THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE 2
Season Premiere March 1, 2009
Episode: 1
Donald Trump divides 16 new celebrities into male and female teams, then sends them off to bake and sell cupcakes to raise money for charity. Fierce power struggles erupt on the women’s team, while the men are confident their celebrity power will carry the day. Kitchen disasters plague both teams as they bake their cupcakes, but when they hit streets of New York City, the cash rolls in. A surprise taste test brings yet more conflict for the women, and the men confront one celeb who’s not pulling his weight. In the end, the team that makes the most money wins, and the first celebrity hears Trump’s fateful words, “You’re Fired!”
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on February 07, 2009, 12:23:15 AM
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on February 14, 2009, 06:00:48 PM
Celebrity Apprentice 2 video links for the Contestant Bio's:
Dennis Rodman: http://www.nbc.com/the-celebrity-apprentice/video/clips/dennis-rodman/1007623/ (http://www.nbc.com/the-celebrity-apprentice/video/clips/dennis-rodman/1007623/)
Tom Green: http://www.nbc.com/the-celebrity-apprentice/video/clips/tom-green/1007641/ (http://www.nbc.com/the-celebrity-apprentice/video/clips/tom-green/1007641/)
Brian McKnight: http://www.nbc.com/the-celebrity-apprentice/video/clips/brian-mcknight/1003284/ (http://www.nbc.com/the-celebrity-apprentice/video/clips/brian-mcknight/1003284/)
Scott Hamilton: http://www.nbc.com/the-celebrity-apprentice/video/clips/scott-hamilton/1003321/ (http://www.nbc.com/the-celebrity-apprentice/video/clips/scott-hamilton/1003321/)
Joan Rivers: http://www.nbc.com/the-celebrity-apprentice/video/clips/joan-rivers/1003381/ (http://www.nbc.com/the-celebrity-apprentice/video/clips/joan-rivers/1003381/)
Andrew Dice Clay: http://www.nbc.com/the-celebrity-apprentice/video/clips/andrew-dice-clay/1003063/ (http://www.nbc.com/the-celebrity-apprentice/video/clips/andrew-dice-clay/1003063/)
Herschel Walker: http://www.nbc.com/the-celebrity-apprentice/video/clips/herschel-walker/1003081/ (http://www.nbc.com/the-celebrity-apprentice/video/clips/herschel-walker/1003081/)
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on February 16, 2009, 11:54:48 AM
An interesting article:
DONALD TRUMPS CRANKY COMIC
THERE was barely enough room for the monster-size egos of Donald Trump and Andrew Dice Clay during the taping of the upcoming season of "Celebrity Apprentice."
The cigarette-sucking comic - whose 1980s fame faded after he made the turkey "The Adventures of Ford Fairlane" and was booted off the Howard Stern show - says he was so annoyed by Trump's swaggering personality, he referred to him on the set as "Donald Chump."
Things boiled to a head when Trump had a group meeting with his latest contestants, including Joan Rivers, Dennis Rodman, Jesse James, Brian McKnight, Khloe Kardashian, Clint Black, Tom Green, Herschel Walker, Scott Hamilton and Brande Roderick.
"We're sitting there and Trump goes: 'I'm more famous than all of you,' " Clay told a friend. "And I'm like, 'Really, you think that? You really believe that? One hundred years from now, when people are looking back, you think people will think Trump or Dice?' I get crazy from that [bleep]."
Trump declined to comment, but an insider says Clay got it all wrong - and was actually so enamored by Trump, he was eating out of the developer's hand.
"Donald was going around and kiddingly asking everyone, 'Who's the biggest star in the room?' And they all were laughing, saying, 'You are, Donald.' And then when he asked Clay the question, Clay turns to him with this adoring look and goes, 'You are, sir. Sir, you are by far the biggest star in the room,' " the witness told us. "Dice can say what he wants, but Donald really roughed that [bleep]ing guy up. Clay was like a trained little puppy dog when Donald got through with him."
The new season of "Celebrity Apprentice" premieres on March 1. Clay is expected to riff on his experiences on the show when he plays Caroline's on March 3 and 4.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on February 16, 2009, 01:59:18 PM
The Celebrity Apprentice 2
March 15, 2009
Episode 3:
The teams are each given 125 wedding dresses to sell in an empty retail space they must design and decorate.
For the second time this season the celebrities’ rolodexes are put to the test, and both teams feel the heat as they try to get big sales lined up on short notice.
Celebrities on one team have trouble getting friends to pony up money for charity, while some on the other team have trouble just getting out of bed.
The fundraising goes down to the wire, putting one team over the top and the other team into the boardroom, where Trump fires another celebrity.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on February 27, 2009, 10:08:07 AM
It is now 58 hours to Celebrity Apprentice 2 on NBC Sunday night at 9pm. I have seem some clips of episode 1 and it looks like one celebrity puts the arm on a more famous celebrity to support his or her cupcake sales efforts. This appears to be a return to the "whoever has the fattest Rolodex file" method of determining winning teams.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on March 02, 2009, 04:01:16 PM
Recap of Celebrity Apprentice 2, ep. 1
Wow, this was a barn burner of an episode. Both the women and men's teams are loaded with major conflict. Let's meet the contestants for the title of biggest charity fundraiser on reality television, aka the Apprentice:
Dennis Rodman Tom Green Khloe Kardashian Brian McKnight Melissa Rivers Clint Black Brande Roderick Scott Hamilton Jesse James Joan Rivers Claudia Jordan Annie Duke Andrew Dice Clay Herschel Walker Tionne Watkins Natalie Gulbis
All references from this point on will be to first names only. These are all B-list or C-list celebrities, but the mix of the personalities is absolutely fascinating. Donald Trump picked a winner of a cast!
Trump arrive in a helicopter onto the deck of the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier museum docked in the Hudson River near 42th St. of New York City. Trump makes some remarks about how hard the Intrepid fought and that it never lost a battle. The analogy to the need for the Apprentice to never lose a battle can easily be inferred. He says the Men will compete against the Women, so go develop a good name and choose a Project Manager and let's get going. He does caution that losing Project Managers frequently get fired.
The suspense does not last long on the Men's side. Herschel steps up and says he wants to do it. He stresses teamwork. Joan steps up for the women. She says she is the only contestant without a tampon in her handbag. She wants to lead the Women to their first victory. There are rumors that Joan started herself with a slip (yeah, right) on a talk show that her daughter Melissa will reach the finals of CA2. In this first episode you see Joan trying to help Melissa along with responsibility or tacit non-interference that will advance her on her team.
The team names come out of discussion. One of the men says that Kings of the Universe would be a good name. It's too long, so they use only the initials, KOTU. The women debate alternatives, but Athena is the goddess of wisdom, war, the arts, industry, justice and skill and that wins the day. The teams are ready for their first project after they decide where they will sell the cupcakes. The Men choose Times Square, not very original but almost always a good location for high traffic. Joan wants to go to Macy's but some of the other women on her team tell her that there is a lot of foot traffic but maybe not too many buyers there. Brande, one of the delights of this competition, steps up and says that she can guarantee that a whole building will buy cupcakes if they go to 57th St. and 5th Avenue in front of the Playboy Building. The other task done immediately is that Jesse has experience in creating publicity for his show, so he takes pictures of the Men's teams which will be turned into giant decals for the sides of the mobile unit (read truck). Jesse takes the assignment of creating those with a little help from one of the men. The results the next morning are pretty spectacular. If the decals on a mobile unit were the criteria for victory, the Men would win big as the ones four of the Women create are much less compelling.
Trump says they are to create, make and sell cupcakes. These are not ordinary cupcakes. They are the kind of cupcakes with magic ingredients that people will write checks for thousands of dollars for. First the teams must go to the Institute of Culinary Education to learn how to make cupcakes and also actually make all that they will sell. There is an unstated time limit. So the instructors, a woman for the Men's team and a man for the Women's team, teach them how to make the batter and then how long to bake them and how to put toppings on them. The Men are instructed that precise measurement is the key to success. The Men make huge batches of yellow cupcakes and of chocolate cupcakes and so do the women. Someone on the Men's forgot to put the sugar into the chocolate variety, so they end up coating the tops multiple time with a sugar-based clear syrup. Someone on the women's team put baking soda instead of baking powder into the recipe. They are in danger of not having many dozens of cupcakes to sell, but they expedite another batch through the system and it comes out OK. On the men's side, Andrew opts out of the cupcake making because he considers that his best use is to publicize the sale over Sirius satellite radio. Dennis elects to go with Andrew, as he considers cupcake making to be beneath him.
The next challenge was to make appropriate sauces for the cupcakes. The women decide to go with chocolate ganosh. I have vaguely heard of ganosh without attempting to learn what it is. That is a luxury I cannot afford any longer. Here is the recipe for a ganosh: 8 oz. Heavy Whipping Cream 1 LB Dark or Milk Chocolate Compound 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter 1 Tsp. Vanilla or Flavoring such as Raspberry, Almond or Orange In saucepan bring heavy whipping cream to a boil stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Using a mixer add chocolate and mix until chocolate is melted. Add butter and flavoring. Mix ganosh for approximately 5 to 7 minutes or until mixture has the consistency of pudding. Ganosh can be put into your chocolate shells right away using a pastry bag or you can refrigerate for 24 hours
The women use it as a pudding and put it right on top of their caved in chocolate cupcakes. The men do not appear to have anything special in their sauces and toppings. Teams finish and pack all their cupcakes as it is time to go sell them.
The Men's mobile unit looks really spiffy. Various of the men get busy attracting customers and selling. Somebody brough in Tony Hawk the skateboard champion and he gave $1000. Andrew had promised money from Donnie Deutch of CNBC and $5000 arrived with less than 2 minutes before the clock ran out. The major exception is Dennis, who reluctantly goes out for a minute at a time to have his picture taken with customers. He is a piece of work, as they say, marching to the beat of his own drummer. The same applies to Andrew, who has his notion of what he wants to do and is unwilling to take direction from the Project Manager. I have to admit the Herschel did not appear to be trying hard ot rein these guys in. Doubtless he wanted an insurance policy of two major non-performers who would allow him to stay if he lost. Ivanka is observing the men's team (her dad says he has superior talent as evualuating men) and she is on to the Andrew and Dennis act.
The women's team does some interesting things. Annie had said that she would bring in about $20,000 and I could count $17,000 that was on camera. Brande brought in $5,000 from Hugh Hefner plus most of the occupants of the Playboy New York office. Brande had two high rollers arrive and Annie wanted to minimize the number of cupcakes given to them so they could keep selling. They brought $9000 so Brande's point was that they could have have whatever they wanted for that. The women finish selling 15 minutes earlier when they run out of cupcakes. Don Jr. is observing them.
There is a bonus available to the team with the best cupcake. Each team has to select their best cupcake and deliver it to a cupcake company on 8th St. Andrew is selected for this because he is otherwise useless. Melissa does it for the women and takes one of those concave tops filled with that chocolate ganosh. I think it also has chunks of chocolate on top of that. It looks like a winner while the men's cupcake looks average. The proprietress of that company eats a small piece of each one and makes a decision that will result in the team winning this sub-competition getting $15,000 to supplement their sales. Trump will announce it at the moment of major suspense.
The Boardroom scene gets chaotic quickly. Trump always asks how did you think you did and who were the major contributor and the major loser of each team. The lack of effort and team spirit from Andrew and Dennis is obvious. Herschel's barely passable leadership was put into question. On the women's side Annie's strong personality, resented by several of her teammates, is defended by Trump as the result of playing for decades against men in poker and most the the time beating them. Joan singles out Brande as being the major positive force on their team, but Annie actually brought in more money.
It's time for the tally. The Men have sold $49K. The Women learn that they have won the cupcake challenge and with $15K added to their total of $46K they now have $61K and win. Without the challenge they would have lost. So the Men stay in the Boardroom and the women can watch by closed-circuit TV from their suite. The focus on the Men's team goes to the losing Project Manger Herschel, Andrew and Dennis. The Women's feed is turned off for the final decision. I could have fired either Dennis or Andrew, but Trump (after baiting him with the opportunity to quit) fires Andrew. Trump has historical relationships with Dennis so I think those saved his hide. In any event the key was that Herschel was not fired. He did not deserve it, although he was a too laid-back Project Manager and did nothing to alleviate the cancer of Andrew and Dennis's non-performances.
I am really looking forward to the rest of this season.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on March 04, 2009, 07:59:27 AM
Here is the latest scoop on episode 2, from www.realitywanted.com:
After a heated boardroom debate on last weeks premiere episode of NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice," which saw Joan Rivers emerge victorious raising $126,000 for her charity and Andrew Dice Clay as the first to be fired, the remaining 15 contestants regroup for their next challenge -- to create and costume a comic book character for Zappos.com with the help of Image Comics. The episode airs Sunday, March 8 (9-11 p.m. ET).
In this week's episode, Khloe Kardashian hesitantly takes on the role of project manager for Team ATHENA and Scott Hamilton confidently becomes the project manager for the men, Team KOTU. Khloe surprisingly matures in her leadership role and is able to get the strong-minded women to come together and collaborate on one idea even when one of her member's falls ill at a crucial moment. Scott has trouble getting the egos of Team KOTU to unite, and clashes with Tom Green's energetic personality, but ultimately gets the men together sufficiently to present their concept. In the end, the Zappos.com executive chooses the team that created the best comic book character, and Trump fires another celebrity with counsel from his son Donald Trump Jr. and CNBC's Erin Burnett.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: TexasLady on March 04, 2009, 08:54:26 AM
Shoot! I missed the first episode. There's a repeat on Saturday and I'll catch it then. Thanks for the recap Apskip! :-*
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 07, 2009, 10:57:14 AM
THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE
Episode: 802
03-08-2009 9:00PM
Each team must create and costume a comic book character, and present it to the Zappos.com executive. From the very beginning, the project manager for the men is caught in a battle of wills with one of his teammates. On the women’s side, one celebrity is uncomfortable in her role as the costume model, while another member of the team falls ill. On the men’s team, personalities clash and the creative process is almost derailed. In the end, the executive chooses the best character, and Trump fires another celebrity.
THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE
Episode: 803
03-15-2009 10:00PM The teams are each given 125 wedding dresses to sell in an empty retail space they must design and decorate. For the second time this season the celebrities’ rolodexes are put to the test, and both teams feel the heat as they try to get big sales lined up on short notice. Celebrities on one team have trouble getting friends to pony up money for charity, while some on the other team have trouble just getting out of bed. The fundraising goes down to the wire, putting one team over the top and the other team into the boardroom, where Trump fires another celebrity.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 07, 2009, 12:04:31 PM
Video:
Donald Trump, Ivanka Trump,Donald Trump Jr @ Today Show 2.26.09
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 07, 2009, 01:40:05 PM
Annie Duke's Blog:
Episode 1 of Celebrity Apprentice: This is going to be tough for me… All right. Well I watched the first episode of Celebrity Apprentice and I am really of two minds about it. I mean my first reaction is that it is painful to watch people say mean things about me, of course. That was hard to see people rolling the eyes and whatnot. But my other reaction is that I followed my game plan perfectly so I just kind of have to live with it knowing that I was doing exactly what I intended to do: get noticed and cause some controversy but back it up with incredibly hard work and money raising.
I mean, here is the thing: I was put in charge of that kitchen because Joan Rivers was doing the decorating of the truck (which, apparently, Melissa Rivers was kind of in charge of as it turns out). As the person in charge, I made sure we got 1,000 cupcakes baked and iced, cupcakes that tasted delicious and won the taste test (despite Melissa not consulting the bakers about which cupcakes tasted the best before running off to Crumbs bakery). I raised the most money of anyone on either team. And, yes, Brande Roderick and I got in a tiff but she didn’t tell me how much she was selling the whole flat of cupcakes for! I mean, from a poker player’s standpoint, I knew the people wouldn’t actually walk away if they didn’t get the whole flat. They were donors and they would have taken just one cupcake and given her the check. I knew we were running really low on cupcakes. I mean once she told me it was $9K for the cupcakes I gave her the flat but we did run out of cupcakes before the end of the task! Just like I said!
And just so you know, Brande and I made up right after that fight. I was really stressed out and tired and right after the spat I told her that clearly the stress was showing in me and I was really sorry I snapped at her. We made up right away and were actually watching the episode together at the Spanish Kitchen in LA with other cast members and all the crew members and producers and editors. It was a really fun party and I was totally getting on Brande’s case for being so mean to me! lol! Brande is awesome, by the way. She came off totally amazing on the show, clearly working really hard and raising a ton of money on the cupcake task. She deserved to be called the superstar of the task for sure! Picking the location outside the Playboy building was genius and thank god for that or we would have ended up in the exact location they sold hotdogs at the previous season and got totally criticized for it. Brande is a rock star.
Anyway, back to the show…I feel like I was efficient, I ran the kitchen like clockwork and I raised a bunch of money. I rubbed people the wrong way for sure but, well, I knew that was going to happen. I have that kind of strong and direct personality that takes a while for people to get. The flip side is that I didn’t trash talk anyone (in fact I thought everyone worked really, really hard on the task and did an amazing job), I totally gave kudos to the chefs who were helping us (they were completely awesome! And stopped us from panicking about the fallen chocolate cupcakes), and I worked my freaking ass off non-stop and raised a crap load for charity. My checklist was accomplished since for sure Trump took notice of me which I needed since he had no idea who I was going into that show. I always say that one of the most common things my friends say about me, and these are really my best friends who I would lay down in front of a bus for, is that when they first met me they thought I was a bitch. It takes a while to get my personality I think and I am not one of those people that anyone is lukewarm on. It is either completely love me or completely hate me. I figure that just means that I actually have a personality lol.
As for the boys…Oh…My…..God! How about that Andrew Dice Clay? I mean if you are going to go on a show like the Celebrity Apprentice then you might want to think about doing some work. My opinion is that he didn’t really want to be there in the first place so was probably pretty happy he got fired and could go back to his life. I mean, I don’t think anyone really realizes how tough that show is. You wake up at like 5 am and work till 11 pm then start all over again day after day after day. I actually don’t blame anyone for burning out. I am just suprised someone would want off that quickly. But I think he got what he wanted so good for him.
And how much do you love Jesse James and Herschel Walker? How awesome are they? I think Jesse hilarious. He seems so laid back but did you see that truck he created? That was amazing and completely kickass. It made the girls’ truck look like ass. Jesse seems laid back but that guy can produce some work. And he is the most honest of anyone I think. When he was asked about the cupcakes he didn’t lie or tried to sugar coat anything (literally since the boys actually tried to sugar coat their cupcakes). He just said they tasted like ass and you gotta love that guy for that!
I really felt for Herschel in that episode because I can’t imagine what it was like trying to manage Dennis Rodman and Andrew Dice Clay. Those guys just wanted to do what they wanted to do and I don’t think there was any telling them otherwise, no matter what. Herschel is a really smart guy and runs a really successful business. He did everything he could, I think, to get that team working together and he brought in the most money on his team. But if Dennis won’t even come out of the truck onto the street I mean no one can force Dennis to come out to be visible. Herschel’s hands were tied and I was really glad he didn’t get fired. I don’t think he in any way deserved to be fired.
One last thing…how do you like the boys’ team name? KOTU! OMG! I couldn’t believe that was their name! I kept referring to them as team Kotex, which I think they can’t show on the actual show because it is a product name. but that is what it sounded like to me. Joe has already starting referring to them as team TOFU! lol!
Before I sign off, I guess I need to address the Mussolini comment from Joan. Now, first off let me say that calling me Mussolini is offensive to everyone who was affected by him. We are talking about Celebrity Apprentice here, a relatively insignificant and innocuous blip in the history of this country. To compare anything on Celebrity Apprentice to the atrocities of World War II…well I guess I just think that is over the top to say the least. On a personal note, Joan put me in charge of the kitchen while she went off to do the truck decorating. I made sure, with the incredible hard work of my teammates, especially Natalie Gulbis, that we got those cupcakes done and that they tasted good. I also raised a ton of money, more than anyone else. Between me and Brande we raised enough together to beat the boys’ team just by ourselves. I know that I was barking out orders (although I always said please!). But we had 6 hours to bake those cupcakes and, as far as I am concerned, Joan should have been happy about how that kitchen went. She was project manager. It was her ass on the line. She put me in charge of the kitchen. The kitchen ran like a top. We won the taste test. We raised the most money. Our team won the challenge and she didn’t have to go into the boardroom. I guess in Joan’s eyes that is a bad thing and warrants being compared to one of the most atrocious dictators in recent history. I my eyes that is extremely over the top. But, hey, I guess for the rest of my life I can tell the story of how Joan Rivers compared me to Mussolini. So there is always the bright side!
Well..tune into the show next week. More fun and hilarity will ensue. I am sure I will want to kill myself even more after watching next weeks show because I don’t think the snarky crap said behind Annie’s back is going to get any better in episdoe 2! I am just taking a deep breath, trying to be thick skinned, and reminding myself that this was my game strategy going in and I knew the consequences of that and now I need to live with it!
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 07, 2009, 11:16:24 PM
THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE
Episode: 804
03-22-2009
Both teams are charged with producing a live event launching ACN’s new video phone to hundreds of sales reps. A heated exchange almost comes to blows before the task has even begun, ending with one celebrity walking away from the team. On the other side a previous engagement sends a vital celebrity out of town and their delayed return puts their team in jeopardy. Both project managers are accused of misusing their team members’ talents. An exciting live event ends with one team on top, and in the board room Donald Trump sends another celebrity packing.
THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE
Episode: 805
03-29-2009
Teams are given 5 rooms at the Lowes Regency Hotel and must cater to their guests’ every need. The celebrities don hotel uniforms and run every aspect of the hotel, cleaning rooms, running the concierge, and delivering room service. Each celebrity wears several hats, trying to give the high-end service they are used to getting. One team must contend with disgruntled guests, while the other team faces off with a leader who’s out of control. Guest surveys give one team the edge and, in a powerful, moving boardroom, Trump must fire another celebrity.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 07, 2009, 11:34:40 PM
.... this is interesting
Released by NBC
NBC BREEZES INTO MARCH WITH LINEUP THAT SHOWCASES PREMIERES OF 'KINGS' AND 'THE CHOPPING BLOCK' AS WELL AS CONTINUING 'FUGITIVES' VOLUME OF 'HEROES' AND CHALLENGING NEW EPISODES OF 'THE BIGGEST LOSER: COUPLES' AND 'THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE'
Tensions in the boardroom rise on "The Celebrity Apprentice" with a comic book challenge March 8 and a wedding dress sales mission March 15. Both teams are charged with producing a live event for hundreds of sales reps and one celebrity walks off the task after a heated argument on March 22. And on March 29, a celebrity struggles with alcohol addiction and causes difficulty for their team. It all comes to a head in the boardroom as the teammates form an intervention in hopes of helping the celebrity face their addiction.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 08, 2009, 12:06:32 AM
Here is the latest scoop on episode 2, from www.realitywanted.com:
I'm confused apskip your link does not take me to the "latest scoop" it takes me to the home page for realitywanted?
It's an actual press release from NBC dated March 2, 2009
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 09, 2009, 12:09:09 AM
Of course Donald makes the right choice.
The issue between Scott and Tom was only a personality conflict and not the cause for the team losing the task. EEE was a stupid idea.
Tom was hilarious waving his arms around I’m invisible No one can see me :lol: omg so funny
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 09, 2009, 10:18:16 AM
THE 14 REMAINING CONTESTANTS ON NBC'S "THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE" ARE TASKED WITH DESIGNING A BRIDAL STORE AND SELLING WEDDING DRESSES THIS SUNDAY, MARCH 15 (10-11 P.M. ET)
NBC Press Release
After the men's team lost for the second week in a row which resulted in the firing of Olympian Scott Hamilton, tensions are running high on "The Celebrity Apprentice." In the upcoming episode airing Sunday, March 15 (10-11 p.m. ET) the remaining 14 contestants prepare for their next challenge -- to design a bridal store and sell 125 wedding dresses.
Each team is given 125 wedding dresses and tasked with decorating a retail bridal store. One team almost falls apart after two of its celebrities stay out on an all night binge while Joan Rivers mouthing off is starting to get her in trouble. The celebrities' rolodexes are put to the test, and both teams feel the heat as they try to get big sales lined up on short notice. Celebrities on one team have trouble getting friends to pony up money for charity. The fund-raising goes down to the very last second, putting one team over the top and the other team into the boardroom, where Trump fires another celebrity.
Clint Black, Annie Duke, Tom Green, Natalie Gulbis, Jesse James, Claudia Jordan, Khloe Kardashian, Brian McKnight, Joan Rivers, Melissa Rivers, Brande Roderick, Dennis Rodman, Herschel Walker and Tionne Watkins are the remaining celebrities still vying to be The Celebrity Apprentice.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on March 09, 2009, 01:01:25 PM
Celebrity Apprentice 2 Episode 2 Recap
Last week, I identified the first episode as a barn burner. I wish I could say the same this week, but I found Episode 2 BORING. So let's find out why I concluded that. Scott is the KOTU Project Manger and Khloe is the Athena Proejct Manager. Trump tells them that the winner will get $20,000 for his/her charity (not quite 1/6th of what Joan Rivers got for God's Love We Deliver of New York City, which prepares and delivers fresh, nutritious, high-quality meals to people living with HIV/AIDS who are unable to provide or prepare meals for themselves).
The reason is that the rivalries on the Men's team became almost psychopathic. There were some decent male celebrities trying to do a good job and that even included Dennis this week, but Tom was hell-bent on overtalking anyone with his incessant attempts at humor. I have paraphrased what one of the contestants said: "there's a time for humor and goofing off but it's not when you are desperate to make basic decisions." In addition Clint was being disuptive with his arguing with everyone else. On the Women's team Joan is trying to clear the path for Melissa by getting Annie out of the way. She's so transparent in this, but Trump is supporting it publicly now.
The task is to work with Zappos to create a character, 4 page comic book, costumes and story line to laud its customer service department. Each team gets 2 Zappos creative persons as an artist and an editor. Both teams flounder for what may have been days with little progress. At the last minute both teams work extra hard to pull it out. The women create Ms Z. (Zappos is known to favor names starting with Z) and the men create Eee. That stands for eveything eveywhere everytime, which is a catchy phrase but a horrible name. Stories and costuming decisions are made but who really cares? Tony Hsieh is the President and he will judge the outcome.
Athena makes their presentation, but Claudia Jordan is stumbling with her lines due to serious illness the night before. Natalie Gulbis had been drafted to wear a revealing costume. She is asked how she likes the costume and says that she would not wear it in real life (it's too cheesy). Since KOTU has female characters either some Zappos employees or 2 actresses played their primary characters. Tom is doing the narrative and does an uncharacteristic good job. Tony tells Scott that he does not like the name Eee for the character. Tony tells Trump who wins in private so that it can be revealed at a more strategic time.
The Boardroom is full of the usual hot air from the contestants. Erin Burnett has been filling in for Ivanka and monitoring KOTU and Donald Jr. is there monitoring Athena. Trump asks each one what they think. Erin says that KOTU did very well except for the name, but the hatred of that name should cause KOTU and the person who decided on it (who was Scott) to lose. Before one team is dismissed for winning, Joan who is miffed at being kept out of the writing effort despite her writing 2 Broadway plays gets in a huge shot at Annie. It says more about the pettiness of Joan than it does about Annie. However, I don't think Joan is either as smart or as tough as Annie, so she needs to be careful how vociferous she is.
Trump lets the teams know after the usual crap and unnecessary delays who the winning team is. Athena did not win so much as KOTU lost due to that name. The women are dismissed and the men stay in the Boardroom. the first shot comes from Erin, who says that all 7 of the Men wanted to be in charge and lead the team. This was a difficult environment to function in, and should mitigate Scott's lackluster performance will little focus on the tasks. It was clear from the earlier discussion that the final decision would be Scott vs. Tom. Tom was accused of letting his boredom get out of control in conjunction with his need to perform comedy. He totally undermined that team. However, Scott had personally created and selected that name and that was the basis for the ultimate decision to fire Scott.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 09, 2009, 06:25:01 PM
Melissa Rivers Blogs:
The Gloves Are Off: “I Didn’t Steal Claudia’s Idea”
It’s only taken two weeks for the gloves to start coming off on The Celebrity Apprentice. For viewers, it seems that a stage is being set between Claudia Jordan and me. Our task this week was to create a comic book character for online retailer, Zappos. With the help of some creative editing (which I’m all for btw) you were lead to believe that I was taking credit for Claudia’s concept regarding our character, Mizz Z. This was not the case.
Remember when our team pitched the focus group of comic book readers? With the exception of Claudia’s opening statement, her entire pitch was edited out. And for good reason, it fell completely flat. At that point, what you didn’t see was the rest of our group pushing me to pitch my idea. Now granted, all of us had similar ideas, but the editing absolutely leads to matters being taken out of context. If you watch the show again here on www.fancast.com you’ll see in the boardroom that I’m the first one to come to Claudia’s defense when she’s put on the chopping block regarding her shaky pitch to Donald and the Zappos execs. I’m a team player and said what was right to defend her.
But I also have to tell you that midway through our task I began to realize something troubling about my teammate, that Claudia is only worried about Claudia. I started to get the feeling that Claudia is really out to get me. On CA there are so many strong personalities, clashing is expected. I’ve made new friends from the show, I really like Khloe Kardashian and a few others. You’ve also probably noticed that Clint Black and Annie Duke aren’t winning any popularity contests amongst the rest of us. The unsung hero this week for our team was Tionne. She did a ridiculous amount of hard work and didn’t get nearly enough credit on the show. She had a clear vision designing the costume and a strong sense of how to push the envelope regarding its alluring look. The execs from Zappos loved it so much they said they’re probably going to use Mizz Z, in their marketing.
Over on the other side of the hallway in the men’s office, the wheels appear to be falling off the car. With all their egos walking around, there are major warring factions going on. You’d assume that a group of women would have the problems that they experience, not being able to agree on anything, but the guys’ cannot get past step one. One thing about our team, when we put an idea out there, we discussed it, made a decision, and moved on.
I really felt both teams had the same misstep with their tasks’. Not having Tom Green or my mom write the script for the super hero ad campaigns was just plain dumb. During the episode I spent a lot of time managing my mother’s justified frustration. In the end, Donald was right to fire Scott. The name for their female here, “E”, was horrible and made no sense at all.
During our back to back victory party, you saw Herschel Walker walk in after leaving the boardroom right before Scott got the ax. I was the first person Herschel walked up to and for a huge football player, he was visibly rattled. That final board room is serious pressure. Even for a Heisman Trophy winner.
Before I go, I want to congratulate my mom. Last week she kicked the season off and was the first winner on CA. Her charity, God’s Love We Deliver (www.glwd.org) got a major donation, over 126k. That’s the reason we all do this show, to raise money and bring awareness on a global level to charities most people never heard of. God’s Love We Deliver has been a part of my mom’s life, and mine, since it began.
They deliver meals to anyone who is house bound by an illness that makes them unable to get or even cook food. They’ve grown from meals being delivered on bicycle to now having nutritionally customized meals delivered daily. We’ve got over 14,000 volunteers who deliver over 15,000 meals a week. To this day, God’s Love has delivered over 9 million meals. And thanks to Celebrity Apprentice, their awareness just grew a few more million.
Have a great week and we’ll catch up after the next Celebrity Apprentice…
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 09, 2009, 07:54:04 PM
Annie Duke's Blog:
Episode 2 of Celebrity Apprentice: The Boys Name Their Character after a Drug???
So, on Episode 2 of The Celebrity Apprentice the task was to design a comic character that represented the company culture and great customer service of Zappos.com. We also had to write a marketing plan for how the character would be used (that was not shown on the episode). What was particularly interesting for me to watch last night was the footage of the men’s team because I never really got to see the men’s team in action except in boardrooms. The show is giving me some insight into what was going on on the other side of the aisle for sure. It is so interesting to see how the events during the task express themselves in the boardroom.
Now let me just say that I found the boardrooms to be the most interesting and useful part of my experience on the show from a strategic standpoint. It is in the boardroom that you really get to see the team dynamics, not just of the other team but of your team as well. At some point if you succeed in the game you will have the teams combined and be on a team with some people who are against you at the moment. So, I watched and listened very carefully during the boardrooms, mainly to get Trump’s perspective on the boys, to see who Trump liked and didn’t like. I wanted to get a bead on who was competent, who was causing problems, who was well liked, etc. just in case I made it far enough in the game where it would matter. What seemed clear by this point in the game was that Dennis Rodman was causing problems on the team, Herschel Walker was very competent, and Jesse James seemed to me to be the superstar of the team. I think a bunch of people in the game kind of thought that Jesse was just laying back and trying to fly under the radar. But I was noticing that he never seemed to have a bit of criticism slung his way and that the parts of the task he was responsible for always seemed to come out excellently…I mean that truck was kick ass and, let’s be honest, the design of the boys’ comic character and costume was much, much better than the girls’ and that was Jesse’s part of the task.
The other thing that seemed obvious at this point was that Tom Greene seemed to be causing some problems on his team in terms of having personality conflicts. Scott obviously had a huge problem with Tom and Herschel seemed to have issues with him as well. But, Tom also brought in a ton of money on the first episode and was the most vocal about using a Z in the name of the character for the Zappos challenge. And he was right. Clearly Scott did not want to hear it from him and Scott definitely needs to be faulted for that. Whatever personality issues you have with a person, when they are right you have to be able to acknowledge that they are right and put aside your personal differences in favor of success in the business task. I don’t think there is a place for personal issues in the workplace and that is where Scott really fell down.
Why did Scott Hamilton get fired? Well, the one thing that seemed to be a no brainer is that if you are designing a comic character to market a site called Zappos.com it should have the letter Z in it somewhere. As Tom Greene pointed out, EEE is a bra size not the name of a super hero. Me? I think it sounds like a well known drug and that, well, doesn’t seem like such a good idea for a super hero name. The fact is that I think the boys’ comic looked slicker. The design of the character was kick ass and, frankly, better than ours. I never did see their marketing plan so I can’t compare those but on look and feel alone the boys would have won. But that name. That name killed them. So whoever decided on that name had to be fired. Tom, as disruptive as he might have been, was screaming from the mountaintops that the name should start with a Z. Scott ignored him. Scott named the character EEE. Scott got fired. Exactly the right decision for Donald Trump.
I want to say, though, that I loved Scott Hamilton. During press week (the week before we started filming) and during the first two tasks I really enjoyed hanging with Scott. He is very funny and he is very, very nice. In the mornings before the tasks I always gravitated towards him to chat before we started for the day. So I was sad to see him go because I really enjoyed his company. He is truly an awesome human being.
Anyway, on to an inside view of what was happening on the women’s team on this task. Obviously, Team Athena won in the end but getting there definitely had its bumps. When Khloe was appointed project manager, she did not immediately take the role on well. For the first few hours of the task she did not take control of the room, mainly in the sense that she did not divide us up into smaller groups. There were basically three parts to this task: the first was to design the look and feel of the character, the second was to write the character’s life story and write the comic book itself, and the third was to develop a marketing plan for the character for Zappos.com. Obviously, the first order of business should have been to divide us up into three groups and that was not happening so instead everyone was screaming over each other to try to get their idea to be heard. Ugh. It was total chaos and we had deadlines to meet and time was slipping away bigtime.
One of the issues was that Tony Hseih from Zappos was really clear that the character was supposed to be about customer service and company culture. Zappos is not about shoes just like Amazon.com is not about books even though it started off as a book seller. Hseih could not have been clearer on this issue that he does not think of Zappos as a shoe company but a service company. In fact, their slogan is “Powered by Service.”
Claudia really seemed to understand that and veered away from any story that had to do with magic shoes or anything like that. She suggested a girl who had a drab and dreary life because of bad customer service who is transformed into Mizz Z who’s mission is to deliver great customer service to the world. I felt like Claudia had the best ideas and asked Khloe if she could divide us into groups. I also told her that I thought Claudia really wanted to be on the writing team and that I would love to be on that part of the team as well (since I am not artistic). Khloe agreed that Claudia had the best ideas for the writing, divided us into groups, and everything started to go really smoothly after that, well everything except that Joan got her nose out of joint that she wasn’t doing the writing. The way it ended up was that Joan, Tionne and Natalie did the design stuff. Claudia, Melissa, me and Brande did the writing and then we all worked on the marketing stuff too (obviously, with Khloe contributing to and overseeing all of that).
The design team went off to the costume place in Brooklyn and Me, Brande, Khloe, Melissa and Claudia stayed to do the amrketing materials, write the story and the 4 panels and produce the take away materials. Claudia got sick around 8 pm and, despite what they showed on the show, I was not upset with her going home. What I was usept with was that the desing team went home at 8 pm. They finished the costume stuff and did not come back. Now Khloe told them they didn’t have to come back when they asked her. But still, they asked to go home and I was really pissed about it because we worked right down to the last minute and needed the help. The complaints from me are actually about that.
I think Claudia did a good job on creating the skeleton of the story. Melissa wrote the actual panels and did an amazing job, adding some very funny details like when the girl wakes up after being sucked into the computer she has the Z key from the computer stuck in her hair. Melissa also came up with the new slogan, “It’s not just a Dream. It’s Zappos.com.” I think that slogan is awesome and Zappos should use it.
Brande was a total superstar on this challenge. We had all these marketing materials to create and we were having trouble finding a printer who could produce them. We wanted to provide a mousepad with the character on it, create poster boards of the panels, create a little take away comic book for the presentation and some other ancillary materials like word finds and an example of a blog and such for the Mizz Z blogosphere. We couldn’t do that without a printer and Brande managed to find a printer last minute through her connections who was willing to work through the night to get the job done. That is why you see me and Brande running around the streets of New York to pick up all those materials and put the packets together.
I think after Khloe took control of the room, she ended up doing a fantastic job as project manager and really got the job done. Rough start but great ending.
One thing they didn’t show was hoe amazing Natalie Gulbis was on this challenge. She did amazing research on the company before we went into the meeting with Tony Hseih and was really responsible for us knowing in advance that the shoes were not what he wanted to hear about. She worked her ass off on the previous challenge as well and I am kind of sad that that is not coming through on the show yet. She really was very committed and did an amazing job on both challenges and I wish that was showing through more.
Now, on a closing note, I guess I have to address the fact that Joan Rivers called me an idiot. I don’t really have a response except to say that it was not my decision who did the writing in the room. It was Khloe’s. I asked Khloe if Claudia and I could write. Khloe could have said no. khloe made the decision based on the ideas that were being expressed in the room, not based on past writing credits or Emmy nominations or whatever. I understand that joan wanted to write. I get that she thinks I am an idiot. But her ideas about the character were not as good as Claudia;s at the point that the decision had to be made. Did I nudge Khloe to make a decision and get that room divided up? Absolutely. It was necessary to stop the chaos. Did I in any way insist that Joan not be writing, as Joan clamed in the boardroom? Of course not.
They really didn’t show the full force of the attack on me in the board room. Joan really jumped on me in that room and was clearly very upset that she did not get to write anything and blamed it firmly on me. I was shocked by that since I did not know prior to that how upset she was. When Khloe had divided people up Joan did not speak up then. She saved it for the boardroom. The other thing they did not show was that Brande Roderick defended me in that boardroom. She was upset that I was being attacked when Joan had gone home at 8 pm and we had stayed right up until that 11 pm deadline and Brande and I had been running around to get the printing finished earlier than the other people on the team in the morning. It was nice to know that at least one women on that team liked me because I was really feeling at that point that no one liked me on that team at all. I felt like I had no idea how to talk to these women and it was not going to get better and that no one on that team was getting me, was getting that I just really wanted our team to win.
I remember that after that boardroom, when I got back to my hotel room, I called up Joe and was just practically in tears. I told him that I didn’t care at that point if I got fired because the women all hated me and I didn’t know how to fix it. I told him I thought I would do better on the boys’ team (remember I hadn’t seen any of the footage of what a mess they were!) because maybe I could talk to the men better and they might understand me better. To Joe’s credit, he calmed me down by the end of the talk, assured me I would figure it out and got me back into the mindset of wanting to win the game. I had my brief meltdown and then Joe got me over it
So watch next week to see if I figure out how to get along with everyone better. Sunday will be a one hour episode but then the following Saturday they are going to show a two hour version of the episode which I hear is really funny so definitely try to check out the extended version!
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 09, 2009, 10:12:09 PM
An interview with Scott Hamilton:
Apprentice Castoff Scott Hamilton: I'm "Absolutely Grateful" for the Experience
Scott Hamilton has no regrets about participating in NBC's Celebrity Apprentice (Sundays, 9pm/ET). Although his elimination came early, in week two, Hamilton called it a life experience he's "absolutely grateful for." TVGuide.com checked in with the Olympic gold medalist to find out how it was to work with some interesting personalities, who should've been fired, and why he decided to take on Trump's tasks on television.
TVGuide.com: What happened? Scott Hamilton: My strategy was never to be project manager, especially on a marketing task, so early in the game. When your name comes up from your team and they're looking at you, if you say no, there's blood in the water. They're going to smell it and jump all over you. I felt somewhat trapped, so I did it and I thought I'd make the most of it, and I tried to pull these guys together as a team. I did the best that I could, I made the error that cost our team the win, but when I look back on everything, we were really close.
TVGuide.com: Why didn't you use the letter Z for your Zappos comic character? Hamilton: It was a typo. [Laughs] No, we should've and looking back on it, we were in the throes of everything, you're tired, you're trying to make these deadlines, you're worn out and I made this goofy decision. It was my decision to go with the whole E thing, but, except for Tom, anyone could've stood up and said, "Why don't we put a Z in front of it?" We were over an hour late and they said we're not leaving the room until we have a name. I looked at my notes from Mr. Shea and it's like, you can get everything, they'll go everywhere to get it, and they'll do it every time. That's what they're trying to get across. So we're staring at all the Es and we had a little tagline at the end — Because E puts the ease in E-commerce — and I thought that was kind of cool. But without the Z to support Zappos, I was hung out to dry.
TVGuide.com: How hard was it managing Tom Green? Hamilton: Tom was putting on a show and from the second we got into that war room, he was working me. It's his comedy, he makes people uncomfortable. I like Tom, I have nothing but love for Tom, it's just in that particular case, I wish they would have shown how he kept going back to his same idea ad nauseum, to the point where I couldn't listen to him anymore. By the time he started coming up with suggestions that were probably something I should've listened to, it was over. He wore me out. If you're familiar with Tom's style of comedy, you know he creates chaos, creates discomfort, creates nuttiness.
TVGuide.com: And what about Dennis Rodman? Hamilton: Dennis was with me the whole time, helped me come up with the schedule and was very helpful. The first episode they showed him laying on the couch, they showed Dennis going off. He worked his tail off, they never showed that. They didn't really tell the tale of Dennis as well as they could have.
TVGuide.com: What made you want to do Celebrity Apprentice in the first place? Hamilton: They ask Bill Cosby why he had children and he said, "Because it seemed like a really good idea at the time." I thought I can bring a sense of kindness, it would be fun and I could get my charity out in front of people, talk about cancer, and hopefully drive some funds toward cancer research through the Cleveland Clinic.
TVGuide.com: So no regrets? Hamilton: Why have regrets? I didn't stab anybody in the back, my issues with Tom were upfront, and I spoke about them from my perspective as best I could. I'm still here, I'm really happy, I've got a great life and I'm okay. How many people get the opportunity to get fired by Donald Trump? So that's one I can put on my list of life experiences I'm absolutely grateful for.
TVGuide.com: What's up next for you? Hamilton: I have a book, The Great Eight. I've been trying to be 100 percent dad, I got a 14-month-old and 5-year-old, they're unbelievable kids, and I've got a great wife, so life's good. I'm raising a lot of money for cancer. Another thing about my early dismissal was that my cancer benefit was scheduled to be five days after the final episode was shot in New York. We raised over a million dollars for cancer research, so ultimately [if I had stayed, I would have won] $250,000. Or... I could raise over a million by being engaged in my event. So it all kind of worked out perfectly.
TVGuide.com: Will you be heading over to the Winter Olympics? Hamilton: Yes, I'll be doing Vancouver 2010. It will be my sixth Olympics as a broadcaster. Torino was my favorite Olympics by far and we have pretty much the same crew coming back to Vancouver. I can't wait.
TVGuide.com: Anyone you're rooting for? Hamilton: Honestly, it's a crazy sport right now with the new scoring system and it's hard to wrap your head around who's going to be dominant this time. All you can do is see where the momentum is headed and see who's having a great year. I don't really love the new scoring system but the performances and the athletes and their stories are wonderful, so that really gets great coverage.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 13, 2009, 03:15:00 PM
An interview with Scott Hamilton:
CELEBRITY APPRENTICE OUSTER: SCOTT HAMILTON SPEAKS
Can you believe you were out of the game so early? I would have liked to have stayed longer. It was totally against my strategy to be a project manager that early, and I would have never taken on a marketing task. You’re so vulnerable to the client and opinions, not like a fundraising task.
You were assigned to create a superhero for Zappos.com. How did you wind up naming yours “EEE?” We were over an hour late presenting a name, and the producers told us they weren't leaving the room until we did. And we had nothing. I kind of went with knowing it was quirky and weird, but thinking e-commerce, you’ve got the E in there. All I needed to do was put a “Z” in front of those three “E”s and we would have won, I truly believe that.
Do you think Tom was really the downfall of your task? He was performing. Look at the way he is in the billboards, he’s in a devil’s costume; he’ll do anything to win this game. He’s known for being out of control, and he pretty much was. We were all pretty much in agreement that the hero should be a female character, and he kept presenting the same idea, this Zorro character on a horse. He pretty much wore me out with that.
Have you and Tom made up? I have nothing but love for Tom Green. As we came out of the boardroom, I told him, “Please tell the guys I’m sorry I let them down, and I’ll see you in L.A.” when it was over, it was over. I harbor no ill feelings.
Will you still shop at Zappos.com? I never have, but now that I know the brand is out there, it’s really cool, I think I’ll check it out.
Who do you think will win? Hard to say. Just on who won last year, Piers Morgan, the way he won was being kind of mean. In that regard, I think Joan Rivers has set herself up for that role. Joan being a tough New Yorker, I think she’ll go really far in the game.
Celebrity Apprentice airs Sunday at 9 p.m. on NBC.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 13, 2009, 03:20:43 PM
Claudia Jordan's Blog:
CLAUDIA JORDAN'S CELEB APPRENTICE BLOG!
The Celebrity Apprentice's Claudia Jordan is taking over Monday's columns to recap the show. Claudia, fire away!
"Just finished watching the second episode of Celebrity Apprentice, and I must say it was so interesting to see how the editors and producers put it all together.
I was on Team Athena with the rest of the women. After winning last week’s task we wanted to show that it was more than just a fluke – we’re a force to be reckoned with!
Creating that comic book character and a costume for the online shopping site Zappos.com. should have been easy, but when you gather eight different personalities in a room with super egos, something that should take an hour took about eight with six hours spent talking about nothing.
I then had an epiphany and shared my idea with my group.
As we fleshed out the character, Donald Trump Jr. came in our room to check on our team and asked who came up with the idea for our character. Melissa Rivers immediately claimed credit and said "It was me!"
I was shocked, but bit my tongue. While I did want Mr. Trump to be aware that I was working hard and contributing creatively, I had to chose my battles. At one point Joan Rivers leaned over to me and whispered, "You better speak up, they are trying to steal your idea," they being Annie Duke and Melissa.
At the end of the night I started to get severe chills. My throat closed up and I could barely swallow. I held back the tears and kept working; I did NOT want to leave my team.
With an hour or two left before quitting time, several of my teammates demanded that I go home and get rest so I would be okay to deliver the presentation the next morning.
I kept pleading that I still wanted to work – I didn't want to later be accused of not being a team player. At one point a prescription had to be called in for me and I had to take antibiotics because doctors thought I had some sort of infection in my chest.
I was stuffed up and had a fever, chills, sore throat and a huge swollen gland in my throat.
My teammates were concerned that I was contagious and I was sent home. I said I didn't want to but that I also didn't want to infect my team as well. I hated to leave my team, but they insisted.
What you didn't see on television was that I had made bets and told the girls that we were going to win three challenges in a row. So even though I left, I felt that we were going to be okay.
But once again, Annie was very overbearing and bossy. She can't possibly be listening to others if she is talking that much!
In my opinion, she's very immature in the way she relates to other women. It was a constant battle with her and that was energy wasted where we could have used it elsewhere.
Good communication is so vital to being successful when it comes to dealing with others, and I’m proud that I can talk to people without disrespecting them.
I got myself together so I didn't look too sick the day of the presentation, but I absolutely was.
I was light-headed, dizzy, weak and nauseous from all the cold medicine and antibiotics in my system.
Joan and Melissa were absent on the day of our presentation. They had prior engagements and had the day off, so I really felt the added pressure.
There were quite a few times that team members were absent for various reasons. When this would happen the rest of us had to do our best to step up.
I definitely stumbled a bit during the presentation, but made a few jokes to clean it up a bit.
I was pretty relieved when it was over, but was also disappointed by my performance and wished I hadn't gotten sick.
I am radio host and I have done stand up comedy a couple times and I knew if I had been 100% I could have really knocked the ball out of the park.
But there was nothing else I could do at that point but sit and wait for the results.
Tensions were building between Melissa and I because I felt she blatantly disrespected the others and I by outright stealing credit for my idea and constantly talking over everyone else. I’m really big on respect. My mother raised me to show that to others, so I’m constantly conscious of it.
Luckily, Khloe Kardashian spoke up and said, "Actually it was Claudia who came up with the skeleton, and we built from that." Redemption! And I didn't have to be the bad guy, nice!
Joan and Annie started to not be on the best of terms in this episode as well. Annie really rubbed Joan the wrong way by shunning her out of writing the script. Annie was behaving like the project manager, again, when she wasn't. That started a real rift between the two.
My team doesn’t always pay attention to some of our members who had lots of life experience to draw from. T-Boz owns a successful store in Atlanta. At times I felt I was sticking up for her. You really have to fight to get heard.
But in the boardroom the men clearly weren't getting along. They had some serious teamwork issues, and it made our tension seem almost civil in comparison.
My team won and avoided having to go to the boardroom and tear each other apart. Then men went at it and in the end Scott Hamilton was fired. It was pretty obvious he and Tom Green did not like each other.
Thanks for visiting, and please check back next Monday for more behind the scenes of the show!"
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 13, 2009, 05:10:08 PM
THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE 2
Episode: 6
04-05-2009
The talents of the celebrities are put to the test as they write, produce and edit a viral video for ALL Small and Mighty Laundry Detergent. Both teams push the boundaries, despite the ALL executives’ warnings. Egos clash as a renegade project manager shuns their team and goes it alone. Harmony prevails on the other team, but a last-second decision puts their video in jeopardy as they blur the lines of good taste. A heated boardroom concludes with a shocking result, and Trump’s decision surprises everyone.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 13, 2009, 06:06:38 PM
An interview with Scott Hamilton:
Hamilton green with envy that Green’s still on ‘Apprentice’
Not that he’s still carrying a grudge or anything, but it only took one question about Tom Green for Scott Hamilton to talk about his bearded foe on The Celebrity Apprentice for six minutes.
The Olympic gold medal figure skater was ousted from The Donald’s show for his lack of imagination in the comic book challenge, and was quick to blame Green – as he did on the show – for his own misfortunes.
TVGuide.ca: What was harder for you, competing in the Olympics for a gold medal, or working with Tom Green? Scott Hamilton: [Laughs.] The stakes are higher at the Olympics, so I’ll go with the Olympics. I’ve got nothing but love for Tom. We definitely butted heads on that task, and I was hoping that the final edit…I think that the editing is done to support Mr. Trump’s decision. I knew then that my position would come off to the TV audience as much weaker than Tom’s.
Tom’s great. We sat next to each other next in the initial production meeting, we have shared ailment, and I found him to be a very entertaining and sweet guy.
TVG: Did you really feel as though he didn’t bring anything helpful to the table? SH: He kept coming back to this Zorro character on a horse or on a motorcycle, and he’s running around the room putting on this show for everybody. And he just kept coming back to it. And we’d laugh, because it was funny. Maybe we shouldn’t have laughed. Then we would go around the room again for ideas, and Tom would pitch Zorro again! He was just so full of energy that he was shaking.
Tom, I think, was there to play a game and not work. I got that from his sound bites and interviews, where he said he would say or do anything. I felt that he was putting on a show to draw attention to himself.
Some people were really working hard, and I just became very suspicious of everything that he did.
There were two things that Tom said in the boardroom that really bothered me. One was that I asked to be the Project Manager. Not true. They suggested that I do it. The other thing that he said that bothered me was… that we had 15 minutes to come up with a name and that I wouldn’t listen to him. Well, that wasn’t true.
We presented half a dozen names [for the Zappo character] and none of them could get cleared. We were an hour over the time limit to put our name in and we had NOTHING. The only thing I had in front of me were the E’s for Everything, Everytime, Everywhere. They wanted quirky, and it was quirky.
TVG: Who do you think has a chance to win on the guy’s side? SH: The most talented guys, I think, are Jesse and Clint. Clint’s been my friend for a long time, and I love him to death. When I looked at Jesse, and saw all of the creative stuff that he could do with regard to wrapping the cupcake truck, and the comic book character costume, and with Photoshop, I was like, “What don’t you know a little bit about?”
TVG: Tell me a little bit about the charity you were playing for. SH: It’s the Cleveland Clinic, the Taussig Cancer Institute. I’ve raised, to date, $10.5 million for the clinic.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 14, 2009, 01:32:18 PM
An interview with Annie:
For Annie Duke, ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ Is Business, Not Personal
Melissa Rivers doesn’t like her. Nor does Khloe Kardashian. But Donald Trump likes Annie Duke - and that’s all that really matters on The Celebrity Apprentice. What’s the deal with Duke, a busy mother of four as well as the number one female poker player in the world with close to 4 million in tournament winnings? I caught up with Annie to talk about the show before the next round Sunday night on NBC at 8 pm.
In a high stakes poker tournament, words don’t usually make or break the game. Are you surprised by some of the exchanges in the boardroom? I was definitely surprised by Joan Rivers. If you saw the boardroom last week, she just went off on me. I wouldn’t call someone an idiot, like she did. That’s a personal attack. And if that’s what she wants to do, I can’t stop her. I know my work will speak for itself. I feel it’s very much a business game. Not a personal game.
Do you think mixing it up with you was part of her strategy? I do. Joan was trying to create drama and tension, which make for great television. Joan is really smart. Obviously. You have to be really smart in order to be successful in the entertainment industry for over 40 years. And for that, I completely admire her. On the other hand, in order for her to do well I think that she’s willing to do and say things that I won’t. After Joan attacked me in the boardroom, I mean really attacked me verbally, I went into episode three with a different plan.
What was that? To be as quiet as I possibly can. At the poker table in order to win you have to be able to change gears. You can start out aggressive, and then when you change gears and quiet down, people still feel you’re playing aggressive because you’ve set a tone. In the first episode I was portrayed as the antagonist, and I really wasn’t. If you noticed, they never had any clips of me saying bad things about anybody else.
Do you feel that sometimes the players get into each other’s faces a little too much? Definitely. Last season I was horrified by the way Omarosa behaved. She was trying to create controversy by attacking people personally. Watching her put a knot in my stomach. I went in with the goal of never doing that and hope I’ve succeeded. One thing about Joan is that she started making it personal with me from episode one. And that’s the only thing I find upsetting.
What are your feelings about Melissa? I read some comments she had about me, and I’m not bothered by them. I definitely had a different approach to this game than most. Melissa did a remarkable job with the comic book and gave us a great slogan. I separate personal feelings from the “business” that is the game we’re playing. I would never allow somebody’s personal feelings to get in the way of the work. That’s what I think did Scott Hamilton in.
How so? Scott didn’t listen to Tom Green’s ideas, which were good. Instead Scott’s personal feelings got in the way of accepting Tom’s good ideas. Scott’s really nice and with his group, and being the project manager, one would have to create some waves in order to gain control of them, and he couldn’t do that.
While we’re on the topic of “You’re Fired”, did you think Donald made the right decision in episode one when he fired Dice instead of Herschel? Trump definitely made the right decision, and to tell you the truth, I think that was the decision Dice Clay wanted. I don’t think his goal was to win the game. I think his goal was to be in that room, make some noise and be “Dice Clay.” People are being much too harsh on him. I’ve read where he’s been called a “buffoon” or “being delusional” and I don’t think that’s true at all. He accomplished exactly the goal he set out to on the show. He did a brilliant job; he got the maximum amount of people talking about him for the minimum amount of time he was there. I have a very different view of him than most people. He made things compelling, not a lot of people are going to complain on television to Donald Trump that there are no bagels and coffee being served.
Being the number one poker player in the world, you assess people for a living. Going into the game, who did you think the main competition would be? I thought Scott would do well. But it just goes to show that until you see someone play the game, you can’t assess them. By the time episode two is done, it was really obvious to me that on the boys’ team, I needed to worry about Herschel Walker and Jesse James. It was clear that as quiet as Jesse was, he was getting the job done. That look he created with the comic book character was amazing. If the task had been judged solely on look and feel, they would have won easily. I worried about Herschel because he runs a successful business and he obviously knows how, as seen in episode one, to raise money.
Who did you think would bring the competition on the ladies’ team? Pretty quickly I had my eye on Brande and Joan. I felt they were going to do well. Joan, obviously because she’s Joan Rivers. And Brande because I thought, “What a good story she is.” Here’s this woman who is drop-dead gorgeous, and then you find out she’s super-smart, super-confident and a kick ass chick. It’s completely anachronistic. But that’s my opinion now that I know her. If I had judged her on first impression only, I would have thought, “Playboy bunny, model, whatever…” On Apprentice it’s important to figure out their strengths and weaknesses as you see them doing the task. That’s why it’s a huge disadvantage to be Project Manager in the early stages. You haven’t had time to figure out people’s strengths and weaknesses.
In your eyes, who isn’t bringing the competition? After two weeks I’d have to say Dennis. I’m not saying he’s doing bad work or he’s a weak player; it’s more that he’s disrupting his team and not contributing a lot. But let me make it clear, that’s who Dennis Rodman is. I’m not slamming him, it’s just who he is. He’s a controversial guy, highly recognizable, and he’s very interesting to watch on TV.
Last week some of your team thought you were trying to take control, what really happened? I was being realistic. Last week when I suggested to Khloe that we break up into groups, it was because nothing was getting done and I thought breaking us up would help move things faster. I wasn’t trying to take control, just win our task. I’m a focused person and that can lead to problems sometimes. That’s why I said in my private interview I wanted to be on the men’s team. I thought they had it all together. In the beginning I had a really hard time communicating with my team. In my job that I do every day, which is poker, everybody that I deal with is male. I think that men are very direct with each other and women go sideways at each other. I thought I would relate better to the men. But – that was before I saw them in action.
What did you think after you saw the men? Train wreck. A complete train wreck. Watching the episode I was thinking, “Thank God I’m not on that team.”
How did you deal with the conflicting personalities on you team? After the first task, I spoke to my boyfriend (actor and professional poker player; Joe Reitman) on the phone and he really calmed me down. I was saying to him, “Outside of Brande, all these women hate me and I don’t know how to talk to them. We don’t communicate right; I just don’t know what to do.”
What advice did he give? He told me, “Look, you play games for a living. When you’re at a poker table and things aren’t going your way, you figure out a way to fix it.” That helped, along with him saying that he was going to get on a plane and come to New York. I was thinking “Well, if things keep going this way with me and my team, at least Ican go home at night and hug my boyfriend.”
With the way you rule the card table, I assume there was some preparation on your part before filming began. When I found out I was going to be on, I got copies of every episode from last year. I’m a games player and when you present me with a game, I’m going to come up with a strategy to try and beat the game. I watched every episode, pausing and analyzing what had just happened. I also looked carefully at the errors people made while doing their tasks, the way they talked to Trump, and how they treated their Project Managers.
That’s incredibly detailed preparation. It’s who I am. I remember making a mathematical analysis of how much money I felt was needed to be raised - based on how much money got raised the previous season - and then saying to Joe, “I’m nervous, do you think I’m going to do well on the show?” He said, “Are you kidding me? Do you really think the other people are doing anything at all like this?”
No wonder you’re the number one female poker player in the world. And while we’re on the subject, I’d be remiss if I didn’t ask you which poker game you’d recommend for a beginner? That would be Limit Hold ‘Em. Simply because you can’t lose your whole stack, it’s a great way to learn the flow of Hold ‘Em, which is the most popular game. The rules aren’t very complicated and it’s easy to learn and follow. Also, with Limit Hold ‘Em, the bets are less and for a small investment it’s the best game to learn from. And - it’s the game I started on.
Lastly, you make a lot of money gambling with cards, but what do you know about sports gambling? Like, which team does Annie Duke think will win the NBA finals this year? Boston Celtics. Growing up in New Hampshire you become forever loyal to a team when Larry Bird is on it. I live in Los Angeles now and L.A. is a Laker town, for sure. But don’t forget that the Celtics kicked the Lakers ass last year!
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: TexasLady on March 16, 2009, 07:17:15 AM
What an episode last night!!! I was shocked...
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 16, 2009, 09:45:20 AM
THE 13 REMAINING CONTESTANTS ON NBC'S "THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE" ARE TASKED WITH CREATING A LIVE EVENT IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS THIS SUNDAY, MARCH 22 (9-11 P.M. ET)
NBC Press Release
After the men's team lost for the third week in a row which resulted in the firing of comedian Tom Green, the pressure builds and the celebrities are losing their cool on "The Celebrity Apprentice." In the upcoming episode airing Sunday, March 22 (9-11 p.m. ET) the remaining 13 contestants prepare for their next challenge -- to create a live event in less than 24 hours -- launching a new video-phone to sales representatives.
The teams are charged with launching ACN's new video-phone to hundreds of sales representatives. Before the task even begins, a heated exchange on the men's team almost comes to blows, ending with one celebrity ripping their microphone off and walking away from the team. On the women's side, a previous engagement sends a vital celebrity out of town and their delayed return puts their team in jeopardy. Both project managers are accused of misusing their team members' talents. An exciting live event ends with one team on top, and in the board room Donald Trump sends another celebrity packing.
Clint Black, Annie Duke, Natalie Gulbis, Jesse James, Claudia Jordan, Khloe Kardashian, Brian McKnight, Joan Rivers, Melissa Rivers, Brande Roderick, Dennis Rodman, Herschel Walker and Tionne Watkins are the remaining celebrities still vying to be The Celebrity Apprentice.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 16, 2009, 09:47:43 AM
Annie Duke's Blog:
Episode 3 of Celebrity Apprentice: Changing Gears
I am at San Jose playing the Bay 101 WPT Shooting Stars event. I finished the WSOP Academy this weekend and then got a plane with Andy Bloch, John Juanda, The Bingers, Mike Matusow and Chad Brown. I rushed to my hotel after we landed, met Joe at my hotel (he met me here from LA yay!) and then we ran out to dinner since we were both super hungry. The service was so slow that it took us forever to get our food so I actually missed the first 20 minutes of Apprentice tonight…grrrrrrrrrrrrr. But I blog on anyway like the tropper I am, lol.
So, I want to talk about the boys’ team first because they were much, much more interesting this week than the girls.
Holy crap! There…that is my whole blog about the men’s team on this challenge. Seriously. Holy crap!
Okay…so obviously we don’t get to see what is happening over on the KOTU side during the actual taping of the show so imagine our surprise when we got in the boardroom and found out Rodman hadn’t even shown up for the day of the selling and that Tom Green, as project manager, had gone out drinking the night before with Rodman and was late to his own challenge. Watching it on TV I felt really bad for Herschel having to wander from bar to bar with Rodman when Herschel doesn’t even drink. That look nightmarish and I think there is going to more footage of that in the 2 hour version on Saturday. I am definitely going to watch that longer episode with rapt interest.
So, Rodman doesn’t even show up the day of, claiming a dog allergy or a cat allergy or something (he kept changing the story) but I am pretty sure it was just a hangover or an allergy to vodka cranberry lol. I am not even sure if Rodman raised any dough for the men. It seemed like a logical firing to me (obviously since I bet Brande) but I was wrong because I didn’t know till right at the end that Tom had not even raised any money as PM. I think it was a big mistake to to be PM on a money raising challenge and not raise money yourself. From last season I had seen that was an almost sure way to get fired. I was so surprised Tom raised no money because he had raised a ton of money on the first challenge. But he may have blown all his resources right away. Tom said, as a defense in the boardroom, that he was taking a non-traditional approach to being project manager. I guess by non-traditional he meant letting Rodman wander around the NYC bar scene, then joining him late into the night the day of your challenge and not raising any money on a money raising challenge. Yes, non-traditional, but not the perfect recipe for sticking aorund in the game.
I think Trump had a tough choice between Rodman and Tom. Do you fire the guy who doesn’t even show up? Who should have been put in a wedding dress to promote the event and bring in business since that is what he is already famous for? The guy who refuses to answer the door when his PM is trying to get him up in the morning? Or do you fire the project manager who defends that guy? Who enables the behavior by going out and drinking late into the night? Who shows up late himself, hungover? And who raises no money? I think that whichever way Trump had gone on this one he would not have been wrong. I mean who else on the men’s team would you fire? Clint who brought in $35K? Herschel who not only raised a ton of money but was forced into the baby sitting role for Rodman? Brian and Jesse who did nothing wrong and worked hard the whole challenge? I mean, just the fact that they showed up should save them from being fired. So Tom or Dennis. Flip a coin. Trump chose Tom. Right choice. But I would say the same thing about Rodman too.
So, Team Athena.
Okay. So I am hardly in this show…yay! After the last two shows I was really happy to be in the background. That was actually part of my strategy. I wanted to come out early and get noticed by Trump which I felt was very important since I am definitely one of the least well-known people on the show. Because of that I wanted to make a little noise, backed up with hard work and fundraising of course, right away. But I also planned ahead of time to change gears after accomplishing that goal and lay back for a while. I mean work hard, raise money, but put my head down. In poker changing gears is a very important concept. If you establish a loose, crazy image you can leverage that to your advantage by changing gears for a bit and playing tighter. Or vice-versa. Players at the table will still give you credit for being wild and will misplay you because of it since it takes them a while to see the gear change. In most games changing gears is a very important strategic play and this was my first chance to execute that. I was planning to do that on the Zappos challenge but the chaos in the room really forced me to make the choice between risking losing the task or sticking my nexk out to get Khloe to step up and divide up the room. I chose the latter, pissed people off in the process (particular Joan) but Athene won the challenge so I feel like I made the right choice there. But now I had a chance to do what I meant to do in task 2 and lay back.
First, I was really happy Brande was project manager on this one because she and I had really bonded by this point and were good friends. I might have even nudged her a little in the direction of PM (wink wink) but in doing so I promsied her a would raise a ton of money for her. Having Brande as PM was really going to help with with my no conflict strategy for the episode. Plus, I just really wanted Brande to get the W because I was very much rooting for her by that point.
Natalie Gulbis (another player I was totally rooting for) and I spent most of this challenge together. I had lunch with Natalie this weekend and she told me that Brande had asked her to go off with me to do the task of geting the flyers designed, printed up and handed out around NYC because, as Brande put it, Natalie was the only one who didn’t hate me! Ha ha! Very smart move, Brande, because that was true at that point. I think Natalie and Brande WERE the only ones who thought I had some redeeming qualities! That I was just too direct and too tough and too head strong for my own good but that I also worked hard and really cared about keeping my team out of the boardroom and had no ill intentions or mean spiritedness to what I was doing. I love those chicks and I love that Brande saw what was happening and sent me off with someone who I had a good relationship with.
Natalie and I went off as a team and took care of the flyers and the printing and what not (of course fundraising all the while by making phone calls). When we first went off to go to the printer Natalie and I had a great chat where I was talking about how most of my team hated me. I said at the time that my main goal right then was to figure out how to not piss everyone off (particularly because I actually liked the people on my team at that point in the game). I wanted to be a TEAM. It was hard (even if it was part of my strategy) to feel such animosity and I really worked this whole episode on just trying to repair relationships. It was a good lesson for me to learn how to soften up my communication and learn to come at people a little more sideways rather than right directly in their faces and I think I really grew a lot in that way. Changing gears really worked out well for me here. Not only was it personally important to me but also strategically key.
Natalie and I also had some amazing personal conversations about being women sports figures. I mean, obviously, she plays an actual sport and I play a “sport” but we have a lot in common in that way in terms of that and it was really nice to talk with someone who lived a similar life. Natalie is a really sweet girl but she is also really together on her career and how she manages that and her business life. She is so sharp about that. Impressive, really. I also got to learn about how she started playing golf. Her family didn’t have money and her dad used to work nights. He was an avid golfer so the only way that Natalie really got to spend quality time with him was to go out and play golf with him whenever she could. It became clear pretty early that she was super talented and her family started focusing on nurturing her golf. She played her first pro event as a teenager! So crazy.
Anyway.
Phew! Because this week was just about fundraising, I knew I could lay back more this episode because I had no opinion about how to sell wedding dresses and I knew this episode was just about making phone calls to raise money. That I knew I could do…quietly and with my head down. So I immediately called my friend, Perry Friedman. He is in a really serious relationship with his girlfriend, Robyn, and I thought now there is a guy who needs a wedding dress! Perry lives on the west coast so I called him and he booked the red eye to get there in time to by a $10K dress for Robyn (who looked beautiful!). Perry also tried a dress on because he was acting as proxy for my friends Rafe Furst and his fiance Laura (who just got married in March. Congratulations!) so he needed to buy them a dress too. Rafe was traveling around Europe but he agreed to buy a $5K wedding dress and Perry was nice enough to front him the dough (they are good friends). Perry looked ravishing, by the way. I brought in another $20K on top of that for a total of $35K…Mission accomplished! No arguments. Raised lots of money. Done.
Brande Raised a ton of money herself and did a great job as project manager. Unlike the chaos of the beginning of the previous Zappos task, Brande assigned jobs right away (I was her secretary to start!) and that made the task so calm. Joan missed the first day but she and Melissa got Preston Bailey to come and fix up our space to great effect. The space was really pretty (particularly compared to the boys’ space which looked like a warehouse). Everything was just super calm leading up to the actual sales day.
On the sales day, Melissa and Tionne were total superstars, working with all the girls who came in to try on the dresses. they were in the dressing rooms, kneeling on the floor, as these brides to be tried on like 10 or 20 dresses each. They were both exhausted from doing that all day and they were both superstars with that. Natalie got Judith Ripka (the jewelry company) to come donate a jewelry display so the brides could try on jewelry with their dresses. She also got them to make a pretty nice donation as well. Khloe brought in really good money, too, by getting her sister Kourtney to come down with a donation. She obviously was also really good at wrangling the people to come in our store.
Joan and Melissa brought in a $25K check from QVC but I always had a bone of contention with that check. I mean, don’t get me wrong, totally awesome that Athena got that huge donation. Amazing for Brande’s charity and I am very grateful to QVC for the check. It was incredibly generous. My problem was that both Joan and Melissa took credit for it. So Joan said she raised $25K AND Melissa said the same thing. But that adds up to $50K. They can’t both take credit for the whole thing, right? Either Joan raised $25K or Melissa raised $25K or they both raised $12.5K a piece. I never did figure out which it was because both kept taking credit for it.
One thing that was really interesting for me was to see how much the girls on my team loved this challenge. I was actually kind of bored to tell you the truth. Bored because I didn’t see this task as intellectually challenging at all. I mean it really didn’t matter if we were selling wedding dresses or engine blocks or cupcakes or unicycles. It was not about promoting the product. It was about fundraising. Calling people and getting them to come and donate to charity (which, luckily, my friends are all very eager to do because they are so committed to giving). But it was irrelevent what the rest of the task was or what specifically we were selling. That was just window dressing. Or wedding dressing I guess. So when I was asked about whether or not I liked this challenge in my private interview I said no. That I had not found it intellectually stimulating at all and was a bit bored (except for the great time I had Natalie).
Now…when we got in the boardroom Trump asked the women what they thought of the challenge and they all declared it was their very favorite one. I thought, “**** I am in trouble. I am so weird.” I mean I realized right then and there that I am not your normal kind of chick…but it takes a pretty weird lady to play poker for a living so no surprises there anyway. I just thought it was so funny that I had spent my whole interview complaining about the challenge and it turned out everyone on my team loved loved loved it (I liked the Zappos challenge much better despite the chaos because it was so intellectually satisfying).
Anyway…made it through another week and repaired some relationships in the process! I am looking forward to watching the longer version of this episode on Saturday to see more of the Rodman/Greene show. I’ll be back Sunday to give my two cents on the longer version.
As a closing note…yay Perry, Robyn, Rafe and Laura. I love you guys! xoxo
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 16, 2009, 11:30:32 AM
Claudia Jordan's Blog:
CELEBRITY APPRENTICE RECAP: EPISODE 3!
She’s back! Guest blogger Claudia Jordan breaks down episode three of Celebrity Apprentice."
"Last night’s episode makes three victories in a row for the ladies.
Tom Green, who jumped at the opportunity to put on a wedding dress, as the task was to raise the most cash selling gowns, led the men’s team.
Thirty-second-summary: Dennis Rodman and Herschel Walker went missing-in-action, and I believe Dennis was hung over after a night at the bar, but he did say that he touched a dog – or a cat – and had an allergic reaction.
Tom was accused of being late to task when he was the leader. It seemed after last week’s loss the team had it out for him.
Once again, then men seemed to let super egos take priority over success. That’s clearly why they are falling apart.
Team Athena had thousands of dollars coming in, and I felt there was no way we could lose unless something really incredible happened on the men’s side.
We raised a whopping $103,000 compared to the men’s team, which raised $61,000. We win, again!
I was still very under the weather, so I was really happy to get back to our room to relax and celebrate!
Okay, here’s what bothered me about this episode: They edited so much footage out!
I worked my butt off and so did Tione (T-Boz of TLC), and they really didn't show us at all.
I worked with the designer to make the outside of our store appealing and inviting. I called in a favor and got an actual red carpet to be rolled out in front of our store.
I pulled another favor and got a store to donate six mannequins for us to use, and I also got a friend to get a couple models to come down and model gowns for us. None of that was shown.
When the foot traffic got low, Khloe Kardashian and I walked up and down the street solicit customers.
I had a New York publicist Marvet Britto send some of her socialite friends down, and they spent thousands.
I even went to the men’s store and tried to steal some of their customers. It was a lot of work. I tried gowns on for customers!
But at the end of the day, the important thing is that we came together as a team and did very well.
Brande Roderick was a great project manager. She got the job done without being bossy or mean, and she brought in a lot of cash.
Joan Rivers got QVC to bring in a nice amount of money, $25,000.
And Annie Duke, who never fails to get the bug bucks, didn't let us down one bit. She got one of her friends to fly in and spend $10,000 for one dress.
This week we all got along much more. We were so busy with the task there was really no time for bickering.
Joan was gone again for the first day. It was only our third task and this was the second time she was gone! But we still kicked butt.
Please come back next week as I step up and become Project Manager. Can the ladies continue the winning streak? Stay tuned and find out!"
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 16, 2009, 12:03:36 PM
THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE 2
Episode: 7
April 12, 2009
Teams must design and build an in-store display unit and packaging for LifeLock, a company that provides identity theft protection. One team is pushed to the brink as deadlines loom, and one of their celebrities falls ill. A mounting feud between two teammates finds the other team struggling to get along. In the end the executives choose a winning presentation and Trump fires another celebrity, leaving the final eight to reveal the strategies that got them this far on the road to becoming The Celebrity Apprentice.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on March 16, 2009, 12:48:13 PM
Celebrity Apprentice 2 Recap
As the episode opens, George Ross steps out of the limo. As this challenge progresses, he is questioning both teams. That means that his value is increased by having a perspective on both teams and able to make judgments on all aspects. I am glad to see George back, as he demonstrates that he can ask the really tough questions. Joan Rivers is away for the day 1 planning of the task for Athena. Tom and Brande are chosen as Project Managers. Tom is motivated by the fuss he caused last week. Brande just wants to showcase her leadership talents. Khloe is shown delivering a check for $20,000 to her charity.
The task is to sell 125 bridal dresses each donated by RK Bridal (what a fine thing for them to do to raise big money for charity). However, when the counting is finished it is clear that the big money is not selling dresses but mining corporate and individual contributions. The heavy hitters there prove to be Joan Rivers with $25,000 from QVC, Annie Duke with $10,000 from an unnamed Las Vegas gambler, amounts unshown from Melissa and Brande, Herschel Walker with over $10,000 and Clint Black with $35,000. It's good for the charities benefitting for the major focus to be on calling in IOUs, but I think that this has gone way overboard and is harming the Celebrity Apprentice as a competition. Donald Trump is driving this absurdity and he should stop it for all future Celebrity Apprentice seasons.
The actual preparation of selling spaces for the task highlighted critical differences in approach. Brande wanted it to look inviting and welcoming, with flowers and other classy decorations. Tom wanted it to look bare and like a fire sale. Several of the men focused on who they could tap and were not asked to really do much else. Dennis Rodman went out with Herschel for an evening of carousing and was so hung over that he concocted story of being allergic to a cat (yeah, and there's a bridge in Brooklyn for sale). Tom apparently felt that the team could perform without him present as he did not arrive until 840am. The excuse of knocking on Rodman's door for 30 minutes was later reduced to 20 minutes. He tried to get Dennis involved, but should have given up on it sooner. Athena was smooth and cohesive and when the sale opened they had a line waiting to get in. However, before the end of the 3 hour sale things had reversed and the men had the traffic and the women's store was empty. The sale ends and the teams head to the Boardroom.
There is the usual asking questions by Trump of who did the best and worst. The best according to Brande are Melissa and Annie. On the men's side it's Herschel and Clint. The worst was not addressed on the women's side and on the men's side it was between Dennis and Tom. The money raised tells the tale. KOTU did very well at $63,000 but they are far outclassed by Athena at $103,000. Trump says Athena wins and Brande as the winning project manager will get to give $127,000 to her charity. The women are excused but get to watch the entire rest of the Boardroom action (a first for this season) on the closed-circuit TV in their suite.
So it is down to who will be eliminated from KOTU. It is clear that Dennis is in trouble once again for a non-caring, non-participating attitude. Tom gets low marks for the performance of the Men's team on many different dimensions, particularly the sales spaces' ambience not being attractive to brides. Trump will only go so far in coming after Dennis. He has no such self-restrictions in going after Tom. however, I think it was the insights of George Ross which were the most damaging. He said KOTU was missing key players and Tom appeared unconcerned about that. Trump said that Tom brought in no money and really didn't accomplish much.
The way I look at it, Dennis is a cancer who needs to get excised, as he brings down the men's team by setting a poor example and actively resisting any attempts to manage him. I am afraid that it will take him being eliminated before KOTU can find any cohesion. Is that about to happen? No such luck, as Trump elects to ax Tom instead. Until Trump stops protecting Dennis (who is not adding anything positive to this show), this show will be less than it should be. It looks like KOTU members will be picked off until just Herschel and Clint remain.
This was a one hour episode. I think that was an excellent decision. To string this out for 2 hours would have allowed showing more detail and that's the only positive aspect. Otherwise it would be a waste ot time to view.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: TexasLady on March 16, 2009, 01:18:30 PM
Quote
apskip:
So it is down to who will be eliminated from KOTU. It is clear that Dennis is in trouble once again for a non-caring, non-participating attitude. Tom gets low marks for the performance of the Men's team on many different dimensions, particularly the sales spaces' ambience not being attractive to brides. Trump will only go so far in coming after Dennis. He has no such self-restrictions in going after Tom. however, I think it was the insights of George Ross which were the most damaging. He said KOTU was missing key players and Tom appeared unconcerned about that. Trump said that Tom brought in no money and really didn't accomplish much.
The way I look at it, Dennis is a cancer who needs to get excised, as he brings down the men's team by setting a poor example and actively resisting any attempts to manage him. I am afraid that it will take him being eliminated before KOTU can find any cohesion. Is that about to happen? No such luck, as Trump elects to ax Tom instead. Until Trump stops protecting Dennis (who is not adding anything positive to this show), this show will be less than it should be. It looks like KOTU members will be picked off until just Herschel and Clint remain.
Thanks for another excellent recap apskip. You are a RFF gem! He has to go, the show is sliding down into something close to nasty with the Russian "model" and some of the participants who obviously are not really there in a serious way.
I also agree with you about the charitable aspect, it's overdone. One of the things that hit me last night was the lack of marketing, no fliers, no publicity... and it just goes back to your comment about raising money. It has gone overboard and can hardly be considered a competition and it is ruining the show.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 16, 2009, 02:42:33 PM
LAST CALL WITH CARSON DALY SCHEDULED GUEST
**Wednesday, March 18 – Tom Green
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: TexasLady on March 16, 2009, 07:00:35 PM
Intense unkindness!
Celebrity Apprentice: No More Reality TV For Clint Black
March 14, 2009 09:00:36 by Paulene Hinds
Clink Black is one star that you are not likely to ever see on Reality TV once his stint on Celebrity Apprentice is over. The country singer says he has had enough.
In an interview with The Houston Chronicle he says that, after his experience on the hit NBC show, he “will never do any reality show ever again.”
Clint Black is not accustomed to experiencing “intense unkindness,” which he said many of the Celebrity Apprentice contestants displayed. He says the contestants rude behavior was difficult to deal with, even when it wasn’t directed at him and says it “was hard to be around.”
Clint Black even called his wife Lisa Hartman Black at one point and said, “I don’t belong here.”
This is the third week of the previously taped show and Clint Black has found himself the victim of producer editing. He said that last week’s show was heavily edited to make it look like he was arguing with everyone.
So far Clint Black hasn’t been fired from the Celebrity Apprentice and viewers are going to have to wait an extra week to find out if he is headed out of the boardroom. The show will not return until March 22 on NBC. Clint Black appears on Celebrity Apprentice to benefit the charity International Rett Syndrome Foundation.
Catch the next episode of Celebrity Apprentice March 22 at 9PM ET on NBC.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 18, 2009, 05:45:55 PM
Melissa Rivers Blog:
Melissa Rivers: “Jesse James is the Smartest Player on the Men’s Side”
Last week on Celebrity Apprentice it all came down to the boardroom. Watching the broadcast I wished they had shown more. Dennis Rodman minced some testy words with Ivanka and Donald in the closing boardroom. Donald was frustrated; he felt Dennis wasn’t really putting in an effort for his team. They exchanged some heated words and at one point Dennis said to Donald, “Do you think you’re better than me because you have money?” Maybe not the best choice of words… By the look of things, Dennis might appear to not be trying. But let me tell you, he absolutely is. What he doesn’t like is how his teammates treat him sometimes. He has a mindset; If you’re going to treat me like an idiot, I’ll act like one. He just wants respect from his guys.
At this stage of the game, the boys’ team has fractured into four camps:
1) Brian and Jesse. 2) Herschel and anyone, he gets along with his whole team. Except Dennis that is. 3) Dennis and Tom. (But now that Tom’s gone, Dennis needs a new partner) 4) Clint. Who is an island all unto himself…
Jesse James is the only one on their team who has his total act together. I think he’s the smartest player on the men’s side.
Our team had a great time in winning. It was a fun task, and a real team effort that required all of us to be on the same page. But, there was one person on our team that disappointed me this week, Claudia. Yes, she did get us models to wear the wedding dresses, but what you didn’t see was the models sitting around drinking champagne with Claudia and just having fun. Which is fine, I suppose… She contributed somewhat, but we all need to complete the task as a team till the end. I was definitely surprised by her lackadaisical attitude. Especially after working with her and seeing what she can pull of when she’s properly motivated.
And again, Tionne is the unsung hero for Athena. In our shop, Tionne was on her knees, pinning and adjusting the wedding dresses and did an overall remarkable job. What you might not know is that Tionne owns an exclusive children’s boutique in Houston (named after her daughter) called Chase’s Closet. So she knows how to sell and that footage was left out. This Saturday, there’s a two hour encore version of last week’s episode. I hope they put all that stuff in and also show when our team was let loose in the wedding store. It was hilarious. I know my friend Jacqueline is hoping they show it. She’s getting married and wants to know everything there is about wedding dresses.
While it looks like our team operates quite smoothly, there are bumps. Without giving anything away, coming up in a new episode two of our best players get into it with each other and one, how can I put this nicely? One manages to verbally and mentally eat away what’s left of another player’s brain. You don’t want to miss it.
Big thanks out to QVC for bringing in a 25k donation for our team. I also want to thank Preston Bailey for helping us. Preston is probably the most famous wedding and gala event planner out there. I met him Preston when he was just starting in the business. He designed my wedding and did an amazing job. Then he appeared on Oprah (who also became a client) and his career skyrocketed. I called him and only had to say, “I’m doing a charity event and I need your help.” He instantly said, “What time and where?” What he did with our space was incredible, he’s beyond talented. I know the guys complained about having to sell wedding dresses, but it really came down to just setting up a good store and making it appealing for the customer. It had nothing to do with the product, we could have been selling widgets. It was about creating the perfect environment for the task. We had makeup consultation, food, champagne, and to top it off, Klohe called her contact at Jimmy Choo who brought 15 of the most incredible pairs of wedding shoes for the ladies to use when they tried on the wedding dresses.
In the final boardroom, Tom Green’s firing was just brutal. I love Tom, but seriously, you don’t oversleep when you’re the project manager. While Tom looked disheveled and tired during the actual task and especially in the boardroom, given the circumstances after a night of drinking with Dennis at the hotel bar, he looked fantastic. As far as Dennis and his mystery eye infection go, he and Tom needed to get their stories straight. It kept changing before our uninfected eyes, first Dennis is allergic to cats, then to dogs, then why is a cat in the hotel, or a dog, and then why are pets at the hotel bar for that matter? It was rough watching Trump basically scold them. On the men’s team, they are the two I was the closest with. I was sad to see Tom go, but there was no way out for him on that one. He was getting fired.
One last note about Dennis, at the end of the episode Trump says to him, “Dennis, can you try a little harder, please?” That’s because Trump knows Dennis is quite smart and can contribute plenty to his team..if he wants to apply himself that is…
Also remember, three weeks into the broadcasts translates for us as six straight days of working and filming that are 16 hours each at a minimum. Dennis needed to blow off some steam and took Tom along for the ride. Sadly, Tom had to take a ride home alone because of it. See you next week!
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 20, 2009, 10:08:24 PM
An interesting article:
'Celebrity Apprentice' exclusive: Piers Morgan to visit for two episodes
Celebrity Apprentice season 1 winner Piers Morgan has told EW exclusively that he'll be stopping by the latest installment to be "Donald's eyes and ears" for two episodes starting April 19. Morgan, who is currently filming auditions for the fourth season of America's Got Talent, boasted, "I am and remain the only Celebrity Apprentice. Nothing I've seen so far lives up to my mantle."
So what will it be like when Morgan -- who says he's "not massively impressed" with Celebrity Apprentice's second season thus far -- drops by? He tells EW, "It all gets very, very heated."
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on March 22, 2009, 10:54:30 PM
I have strong feelings about the judging of tonight's presentations by the ACN sales reps. I was amazed that they fell for the non-product oriented presentation by the Men, particularly heavy on singing by Brian Mcknight and bringing those sales reps to an emotional high. However, that content-free presentation, except for the solider video, was a huge preference. I think the women's presentation was better and should have won.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: TexasLady on March 23, 2009, 07:14:14 AM
Apskip, because of the TAR delay, we missed the first hour. I'm not sure what the challenge was, were they supposed to have a concert or have a sales presentation for the sales reps? If they had stopped with the soldier or had more clips of people using the phone I think it would have been more effective.
(I'll try to watch it today so I can catch up.)
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 23, 2009, 10:25:15 AM
THE 12 REMAINING CONTESTANTS ON NBC'S "THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE" HAVE THE TABLES TURNED ON THEM WHEN TASKED WITH MANAGING A PROMINENT NYC HOTEL THIS SUNDAY, MARCH 29
NBC Press Release
After the women experience their first loss, which resulted in the firing of Claudia Jordan, the women begin to feel the heat and tensions rise on "The Celebrity Apprentice." In the upcoming episode airing Sunday, March 29 (9-11 p.m. ET), the remaining 12 contestants prepare for their next challenge -- to manage and run a Loews Regency Hotel – catering to the guests' every need.
Teams Athena and Kotu must manage five rooms each at the Loews Regency Hotel and accommodate all of their guests' wishes. The celebrities don hotel uniforms and run every aspect of the hotel, cleaning rooms, running the concierge, and delivering room service. Each celebrity wears several hats, and the tables are turned on them as they try to deliver the high-end service they would request. One team must contend with a disgruntled celebrity guest, while the other team faces off with a leader who's out of control and an explosive meltdown follows. Guest surveys give one team the edge and in one of the most powerful boardroom confrontations yet, competition is set aside to confront one celebrity about their harmful addiction.
Clint Black, Annie Duke, Natalie Gulbis, Jesse James, Khloe Kardashian, Brian McKnight, Joan Rivers, Melissa Rivers, Brande Roderick, Dennis Rodman, Herschel Walker and Tionne Watkins are the remaining celebrities still vying to be The Celebrity Apprentice.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 23, 2009, 10:48:29 AM
Annie Duke's Blog:
Episode 4 of Celebrity Apprentice: Claudia Goes Home. The Rodman Meltdown Continues.
Well, I survived another week…yay! Tonight I watched the show while commenting on Twitter. I tweeted on the @CelebApprentice account. Really fun and Joe was replying to some of my tweets. I mean he was sitting right next to me but he wasn’t telling me what he was tweeting and I just kept bursting in to laughter during the show whenever I saw one of his replies. One great example of a Joe tweet tonight was something like: Next week the task is who can drink the most in gay bars while wearing a wedding dress. Rodman project manages. I love my man. He is freaking funny.
Anyway, on to my analysis of the episode. I was pretty sure going into this challenge that from a strategic standpoint the women winning could be bad. Here is why. Personally, I really knew my team at this point. I had a good understanding of what everyone’s strengths and weaknesses were. I was finally getting along with them (well most of them). The men’s team was a bit of a mess. I had no idea what any of their strengths or weaknesses were. I knew Rodman was a complete, disruptive mess. I also understood that if the women won this challenge the teams would be reshuffled. They can’t have the teams be 8 on 4 and I did not want a reshuffle. I was comfortable where I was… that on my team I was unlikely to be brought into a boardroom and I wanted to keep it that way and avoid the reshuffle.
In poker we call this a freeroll. I figured if we won the challenge then I would avoid the boardroom which is always good. It is always good to not even fade the possibility. But I also figured that if we lost the challenge I could keep myself out of the boardroom and then not fade the reshuffle of the teams. Two weeks ago I was begging for a reshuffle of the teams. Now I was going to be happy staying put where I was. Two weeks can change a lot. Because I considered it a win either way and the only sure way to stay out of the boardroom was to win the task, I was going to work my ass off to try to make sure we won. But if we lost I was probably okay with it, too.
When I heard the task I knew that I could not contribute much to the show itself. Putting on a stage production for a product launch is definitely completely outside the realm of what a poker player’s skills are! I assumed Melissa was going to step up since it sounded like a big production thing which is what Melissa says her skill set is. I definitely didn’t think it was a good task for Claudia. It seemed like something someone who has experience mounting live shows should take on and that would be Melissa or Tionne. But Claudia seemed really excited about it so I guess the group let her take it.
The men did not make the same mistake. Brian McKnight stepped up to the plate and he has put on tons of live stage shows. It is what he does. It is completely in his wheelhouse. That being said, even with all that experience, the volatility of he men’s team might get in the way anyway. And the fireworks started right away. When Clint and I were negotiating for the order in which the shows went on Rodman was sitting away from his team and there was clearly tension. But then that tension erupted with Rodman completely getting in Clint’s face in a very threatening way. I thought it was a joke at first so I wasn’t really scared about it but then I figured out it was real and was completely freaked out. Dennis is a huge dude in person. His hands alone are bigger than my head. And to see that kind of anger erupting from that body is, frankly, scary. It was very uncomfortable. And then Dennis stormed off and quit.
But I am going to talk about Athena first because I think the dynamics on Athena were the most interesting this week, despite the Rodman meltdown.
After the Rodman scene, the girls went on our way to start working out the details of our presentation and two things were clear right away: Claudia was not a great leader and Melissa and Claudia really, really did not like each other. Talk about a personality conflict on steroids. Holy cow. Now interestingly, early in the day that conflict really did come from Melissa. Melissa was pushy and aggressive with Claudia and, as Claudia said, Melissa was somewhat obnoxious in the way she was dealing with people. Melissa was essentially trying to be project manager and completely stepped out of bounds. If she wanted to project manage, she should have stepped up to the plate. But letting Claudia take it and then totally stepping on Claudia’s toes was really not okay and it was obnoxious. However, once Claudia snapped at her about it, Melissa stormed off for a cigarette and when she came back she completely transformed…to her credit. She apologized to Claudia and basically just said I will do whatever you tell me to do. That was the right move by Melissa. She made it clear she would completely defer to her PM. But by that time Claudia had made this whole thing personal and did not see what Melissa was trying to offer at this point.
This whole thing reminded me of what happened with Scott and Tom on the Zappos.com task. Yes, Tom was annoying. That was clear. But Tom had the best ideas and Scott allowed his personal feelings for Tom to get in the way of seeing that Tom’s ideas were actually the best ideas on the task. That is why Scott got fired. You sometimes have to work with people you don’t like (as Khloe said in the boardroom). But just because you don’t like them does not mean you should close your mind to what they have to offer. To do that is a fatal error. Don jr. said so. Trump said so. Ivanka said so. They are spot on there. Claudia was the Scott Hamilton of this task for sure. Melissa was the Tom Green.
So, Claudia ran the creative on this and decided to do these three little scenes or vignettes live on stage. Natalie and I were sent out to get props for the stage show. This was the second task in a row that we spent together and we had a great time, as usual. At this point, while we were out, we were still under the impression that Melissa was really causing all the problems. If you had asked us at that point in the day who should be fired if we lose I know I would have said Melissa, hands down, and I think that Natalie would have as well.
When we returned, I was tasked with writing a marketing brochure for the phone to hand out to the sales reps. But I couldn’t even think or concentrate because the room was complete chaos. There was a screaming baby, people just yelling over each other. I mean, as I said on the show, it was like the 7th rung of hell. At this point, Natalie and I both heard what the structure of the show was and I felt like it was too much like a high school talent show with all the skits. So I asked if I could talk to Claudia in private. We went to a room alone (I thought it would be disrespectful to the project manager to discuss it in public) and I told her that I thought the skits were too much, they were cheesy and that she should edit the show down. Let Joan do her thing and maybe do one great skit. 2 max. Claudia just kind of smiled and dismissed my input. Fine by me. I said my peace and just hoped I was wrong.
Finally, everyone left and Khloe stayed behind with me while I wrote the marketing brochure in a quiet room. It was so great to have some peace again. Khloe was a great sounding board for the writing as well. At that point, Claudia and Brande and Tionne went off to edit the videos and Melissa and Natalie came back to the war room and we all started timing the show out. Now I heard what was happening during the rehearsals and all the reports were that Claudia was refusing to listen to Melissa, that Melissa was being completely shut out. I mean Melissa actually knew how to stage the show. Cutting her out of the process was not smart and it was clear that everyone who came back to the war room felt like Claudia was not managing the task well because she was letting personal feelings cloud her judgment. The person whose input I trusted the most on this was Natalie. Natalie was 100% that Claudia was at fault. She was clear on that. Natalie is a very fair person and I really trusted her judgment on this so at that point I was very sure where to place the blame but I did want to see for myself. I had that opportunity the next day.
When we went in to rehearse the next morning it was a total disaster. The show was horrid. Joan Rivers was very funny but the timing was off, the skits were horrid and cheesy and Claudia was, frankly, dismissive and rude to Melissa. Claudia just could not see how bad this show was despite tons of input the day before and the morning of to that effect. I was doubtful the show would even get mounted at all that morning. When I was asked to rate how bad I thought it was on a scale of 1 to 10 my answer was “A Billion!”
In the meantime, Claudia had snuck a peak at the boys’ rehearsal and was very sniping about it. One thing I did not like from watching the show was that Claudia’s comments always seemed so personal about everyone…personally insulting. I think comments on this show should be kept to business and to make fun of someone’s face (as she did in commenting about Melissa), whether you like them or not, is below the belt…in my opinion. Claudia should not have been so sniping about the boys’ show. She should have been quivering because their show rocked. Sometimes, overconfidence can really hurt. And she was overconfident. And dismissive of anyone trying to give her any warnings that the show might be failing.
Okay…so we get to the boardroom. I am not really confident. There was a moment where I thought Joan really pulled it out…they caught that on tape. I think it was just the exhilaration that we had a show at all. But by the time we got to the boardroom I was feeling like we had lost. In fact, Trump asked me how I thought we did and my answer was something like: If we won it is only because of Joan Rivers. The rest of the show was just so bad. So, immediately the fighting starts between Melissa and Claudia. But what is also clear is that the whole team is backing up Melissa on this one. Regardless of whether Melissa was obnoxious or rude or whatever, she was the one who pulled the show together so we could stage anything at all. Everyone on the team knew Melissa had come through. And no one was going to throw her under the bus.
After we found out we lost, Trump asked me a lot of questions about it. I think I was really fair. I didn’t want to get personal. I wanted to keep it to business. And I believe I did that. My point was that both Melissa and Claudia had been obnoxious to each other to begin with but Melissa had put her head down and decided to just work hard and not make waves that first morning but Claudia had refused to accept that, continuing to be rude and completely closed off to Melissa’s input (or mine or Natalie’s for that matter). Claudia, as everyone pointed out, had allowed her personal dislike of Melissa to completely get in the way of making good business decisions. I also said of Khloe, when asked, that she was at loose ends, waiting for a job to do. But I said it was Trump’s decision whether that was Claudia’s fault for not managing Khloe well or Khloe’s fault for not stepping up and volunteering. I personally think both are at fault but the bigger fault there lies with Claudia.
Interstingly enough, Claudia really allowed her personal feelings to get in the way of making a good decision about who to bring in the board room. There was no question that Melissa was not getting fired. Claudia should have heard that loud and clear and not brought Melissa into the boardroom. Trump basically told her to bring Khloe in. Claudia heard that. But Trump also told her loud and clear to bring in Tionne. Trump felt Tionne should have performed. I think he might very well have fired her for not stepping up to the plate and doing so. We will never know because Claudia’s friendship with Tionne stopped her from hearing the advice from Trump. Claudia’s hatred of Melissa drove her to bring Melissa in with her instead. Big mistake because now Claudia had to hope Trump would fire Khloe. She only had one out instead of two.
In the end, Trump fired Claudia and I believe it was the right decision. As I said in the boardroom, Claudia made a lot of noise, and I think was kind of mean about her team members, but she didn’t really produce. If you are going to be that loud, you need to produce. Period. She didn’t. So she was the first to go.
Now onto KOTU.
The men did an amazing job this week. There is actually not that much to say. Jesse James, as usual, hit one out of the park with his video. He always just produces in such a big way. Brian was great and put on a great show. There were only two interesting things about the boys this week. First, the dynamic between Clint and Brian was quite amusing with Clint clearly getting pissed that his expertise as a performer was not being utilized. That being said, Clint really acted like a team player and subordinated himself to Brian well. Kudos to him for that because I imagine that for someone with his performance experience that must have been really hard to sit back like he did.
Now on to Rodman. Obviously, the blow up was very out of the blue and crazy. But what I found more interesting were his comments when he came back to the war room to try to work and Brian wouldn’t let him be involved. First, I don’t really blame Brian for that. Rodman has been nothing but a disruptive force on his team and I don’t blame Brian for wanting him out of the way (I would have taken the free monitors, though). Second, I find it interesting that Rodman just complains and complains about how unfairly he is treated, how everyone is persecuting him for no reason. He was disruptive on the first two tasks, spent the whole third task either drinking, drunk or too hungover to even show up, then blows up the morning of the 4th task delivery and quits the show briefly. Is he not able to take any personal repsonsiblity for his behavior, take any responsibility for why people treat him the way they do? I mean say what you want about me, but I take full responsibility for why some people really don’t like me. I totally understand the things I do that get under people’s skin, that rub people the wrong way. Dennis’ behavior is so outrageous and yet if you listen to him he is as meek and quiet as a lamb and never does anything that might piss people off (or scare them for that matter). A little more self awareness would go a long way with that guy.
On a closing note, I was asked a very interesting question tonight. Someone asked me why I defended Melissa so vehemently in the boardroom tonight and gave Joan big props when they had been mean to me on the previous tasks. First, I want to say that Melissa and I had no problems up until this point. We were actually getting along. Joan, obviously, is another story. But even so, even if Melissa had been asshole to me, it shouldn’y matter and I found the question a but confusing. The answer is that they did the best job on this task. Period. How they feel about me as a person, whether they like me or are nice to me, has nothing to do with my judgment of who performed on a task. They did the best job. If I don’t say so then that is dishonest. I think the person who gets fired should be based on merit and not personal like or dislike. Claudia would have done well to take that to heart herself.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 23, 2009, 11:31:09 AM
Claudia Jordan's Blog:
CELEBRITY APPRENTICE RECAP: CLAUDIA'S OUT!
Our Celebrity Apprentice celeb blogger Claudia Jordan explains why her head was on the chopping block this week.
“For the fourth project I decided to step up and volunteer to be Project Manager.
It seemed like no one else was anxious to step up for such a daunting project, which surprised me.
As bossy as a few of my teammates were, I was actually shocked that they weren't dying to be boss.
But I suppose some would rather boss from the back seat than to actually step up, take the wheel and drive.
We had a huge challenge to promote and launch the ACN videophone. I had never heard of it but was informed they did a half billion dollars in business in a year. In a recession. Sweet!
We were struggling at first to come up with direction for this project.
I was sort of amazed by my team that on all the other tasks they seemed to be so eager to step up, take initiative and do things without being told.
But soon as I was PM I felt that they needed to be micro-managed in every aspect of the challenge. And if they weren't, they would criticize me.
Joan Rivers was absent for yet another task. I was amazed that it was okay for her not to be with her team again!
I had a gig that I had to just lose on a weekend because I didn't want to leave the city on my day off, and she was off and about several times during our taping!
But I really like Joan. I knew she was a professional and would be able to step up when I needed her. Still would have been nice to have her in the brain storming sessions.
Joan was stuck in Texas with no late night flights, and Natalie Gulbis took some initiative to arrange for that private jet that brought Joan back in time.
I worked hard as I possibly could, and I got to tell you, after our run thru, it wasn’t looking good. Our show was a mess. I saw the doubt in everyone's eyes.
But I am never good in rehearsal, so I wasn't as worried. I knew we were going to be fine. By show time everything went off without a hitch.
I really thought we had won and all of a sudden all my doubtful teammates were friendly to me again, wow! I was nervous but I thought we had pulled it off.
In the boardroom, we were informed that the ladies had lost our first challenge. I saw how quickly people change and will say and do just about anything to not jeopardize themselves.
A few times I heard some of my team speaking negatively about Tionne from TLC. And I quickly defended her. I thought for sure when I needed her, she would come to my defense.
Or my girl Brande Roderick or Natalie… Anyone? Nothing! This was the most hurtful part of the show, to watch them one by one not want to stand up to Melissa Rivers because they knew they would have the wrath of Joan as well.
In the end, I asked Khloe Kardashian and Melissa back into the boardroom. Khloe was stressed because she had a plane to catch to get back to court for her infamous DUI. I didn't know that before I asked her back.
I think she took it extra personally, and in the lobby the very fake Melissa was consoling Khloe, which was hilarious since that was the most I saw them talk the entire time.
It was clear I was out numbered and I prepared for those two words: “You’re fired!”
In the end I was sent packing. It didn't hurt being fired by Trump, but it did hurt being disappointed by women I thought cared a little bit more.
Trump told me if one person had spoken up for me, I would have not been fired. But since it was unanimous...he couldn't justify not firing me.
At the end of the day, Trump has integrity and for that he has my respect.
Boy, I can't wait to come back for the finale in May!”
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: Texan on March 23, 2009, 12:15:17 PM
They really showed claudia to be the bad person on this episode. Funny I thought even when Melissa was apologising she still talked over Claudia.
I have also foung it strange that they have both Melissa and Joan on the same show as they obviously were going to defend each other. And we saw that with Melissa telling her mom to defend her. Funny Joan was not there to defend on the issue they were talking about.
I think Claudia did take it personally and Melissa did too. But I have to agree with Claudia if this was about producing why was melissa not the project manager. And I do think the ladies are worried about standing up to the tag team of the Rivers.
I missed the blow up... but if Clint could get over it and be a man about is so should Brian. he should have taken the monitors as his contributions to help. I really think Brian would have been fired if they lost for it. I also think, from what they showed Brian was not friendly to Clint and almost rude.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: tory on March 23, 2009, 12:29:20 PM
ty for the blog and vid mg.. i watched the show this morni, online i coudn't dvr it bc 60 min ran over and amzing race and desprat hw take presadet lol..i was glade brian did what he did to dennis r. don]t let him in and he can screw things up. i was sad to see clauda go like that i liked her but she wasn;t a good pj mg jmo. she needed to rein in those big mouths and there might have been better ideas come out. :meow: :meow: but i am sure the girls r glade they don't have a dennis on there team..omg i would hope i could pull off what brian did love him..
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: tory on March 23, 2009, 12:37:18 PM
if u go to hulu.com u can watch the show online texan..dennis was way over the edge he has been the last two weeks. it is like he might be bipolar, i don't mean that in a mean way bcause i get what u r saying he can come off sooo sweet.
but not so sweet the last 2 weeks and i am sure they r trying to give him a good edit or he would b gone by now, trump like dennis. but dennis is out of control..i love the way the guys handeled it i the board room i love jessy saying i beat u up lol they were all adorable. jmo there real men!!! :flirt: :flirt:
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on March 23, 2009, 01:31:48 PM
THE 12 REMAINING CONTESTANTS ON NBC'S "THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE" HAVE THE TABLES TURNED ON THEM WHEN TASKED WITH MANAGING A PROMINENT NYC HOTEL THIS SUNDAY, MARCH 29
NBC Press Release
After the women experience their first loss, which resulted in the firing of Claudia Jordan, the women begin to feel the heat and tensions rise on "The Celebrity Apprentice." In the upcoming episode airing Sunday, March 29 (9-11 p.m. ET), the remaining 12 contestants prepare for their next challenge -- to manage and run a Loews Regency Hotel – catering to the guests' every need.
Teams Athena and Kotu must manage five rooms each at the Loews Regency Hotel and accommodate all of their guests' wishes. The celebrities don hotel uniforms and run every aspect of the hotel, cleaning rooms, running the concierge, and delivering room service. Each celebrity wears several hats, and the tables are turned on them as they try to deliver the high-end service they would request. One team must contend with a disgruntled celebrity guest, while the other team faces off with a leader who's out of control and an explosive meltdown follows. Guest surveys give one team the edge and in one of the most powerful boardroom confrontations yet, competition is set aside to confront one celebrity about their harmful addiction.
Clint Black, Annie Duke, Natalie Gulbis, Jesse James, Khloe Kardashian, Brian McKnight, Joan Rivers, Melissa Rivers, Brande Roderick, Dennis Rodman, Herschel Walker and Tionne Watkins are the remaining celebrities still vying to be The Celebrity Apprentice.
What kind of a challenge has Donald Trump developed. Loews Regency Hotel has 353 guest rooms, including 74 suites and 12 specialty suites. So what are 12 individuals still in the running for Celebrity Apprentice 2 going to accomplish taking care of only 10 of them. That is 3% of the total rooms in that hotel. If the staff is in proportion, then there would be a staff of 400 at the hotel. I have tried online to develop that information without success. However, I will venture a guess that the staff is less than 400. I expect the Celebrity Apprentice 2 competitors are being given what it is believed they can handle rather than what normal staff does.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on March 23, 2009, 02:13:15 PM
I want to offer a mini version of a recap for this episode 4. Brian McKnight was the KOTU Project Manager and Claudia Jordan the Athena Project Manager. I missed most (but not all of the first 46 minutes of CA2) but started viewing full-time when the Women's presentation to ACN started. Joan Rivers was clearly about 80% of the show and if you like schtick, then she is the ideal comedienne to use. I don't like schtick so I was not totally amused, but at least the women put significant content into their show. The video was OK and the video transforming into live action skit was very good. I give the Women a grade of solid B for their efforts.
The Men had a super video of the Soldier, but otherwise it was totally the Biran McKnight show. Now he's a good singer and rabble rouser, but there was no content about the videophone other than the solider. I would find Brian McKnight's tour de force performance entertaining on the stage in Atlantic City or Las Vegas, but what did that type of singing( designed to make people emotional and start clapping) have to do with ACN or its products? I give the Men an A for the soldier video and a D for eveything else. My combined rating of them would be C.
So I thought a mistake was made when there were no limits placed on the performances to force teams to stick to the topic. A professional panel of judges would not make the mistake that I think the ACN salespeople did in selecting the slick emotional content over the real content. Their actual vote was 386 to 61 or the 85% that Trump reported.
There were no significant decisions on the KOTU side after they discovered they won. They trotted on back to the suite and watched how Athena was hemorrhaging. It was pretty clearly Claudia vs. Melissa. Usually, the Project Manager is fired when his/her side loses. In this case two alternatives developed, Melissa and Khloe. Melissa had been disruptive, but she reformed and did a decent job of producing the Athena presentation. The problems with it were on the creative side, which Claudia was pretty much responsible for. Annie was asked her opinion and, although you could expect her to support Claudia she surprisingly did not, focusing on the chaos that was Claudia's fault. In spite of her missing the first nearly 24 hours of this challenge, Joan Rivers flew in from Dallas ona redeye arriving at 4am to be part of it. Joan of course was supportive of her daughter. I have believed from the beginning that Joan will fall on her sword at the proper time to help Melissa get ahead. Joan did bail out the women's presentation with just hours to spare before it happened. The other possibility was that Khloe would be fired for being useless, doing little and just marking time. I am sure Trump considered that, but he was not going to override the ultimate responsibility of the Project Manager.
So Claudia was fired.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 23, 2009, 03:16:14 PM
THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE 2
Episode: 8
Air Date: April 19, 2009
Teams are tasked to pick jewelry from Ivanka Trump’s boutique to be auctioned off later that night. The winner will be determined by the profit from the auction. Fallout from the previous boardroom spills over and one celebrity is shunned by their team. An attempted sabotage puts thousands of dollars up for grabs, a sum that could determine a winner. Last season’s winner, Piers Morgan, joins Ivanka Trump as Trump’s eyes and ears. In the boardroom Piers witnesses a battle that eclipses his own with Omarosa from last season. While substantial profits are raised on both sides, only one team leaves the boardroom victorious and the other team loses another celebrity.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: tory on March 23, 2009, 03:44:02 PM
i am confused askip do u thnk a hotel stafe is one stafe member for evey room??
i live in a resort town and i think i have stayed at the hotel they r going to flim at in ny if it is 32and and lexington? any way wth that said they have like 4 ppl at the desk checking ppl in and out a manager and concer allso the kitchen staff is a whole other part of the hotel and so is maide servace. oh and even on the crues i went on we only had one person per like 20 rooms to clean up 2 x's a day. thease ppl can easyaly handel 10 rm's each..they need to put the right person in the right job and wk as a team..
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on March 23, 2009, 03:55:40 PM
i am confused askip do u thnk a hotel stafe is one stafe member for evey room??
i live in a resort town and i think i have stayed at the hotel they r going to flim at in ny if it is 32and and lexington? any way wth that said they have like 4 ppl at the desk checking ppl in and out a manager and concer allso the kitchen staff is a whole other part of the hotel and so is maide servace. oh and even on the crues i went on we only had one person per like 20 rooms to clean up 2 x's a day. thease ppl can easyaly handel 10 rm's each..they need to put the right person in the right job and wk as a team..
tory, it doesn't sound like you are confused. It sounds like you agree with me that the staffing of Athena and KOTU at 7 and 5 members each for 5 rooms is excessive and there should have been many more rooms included.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: TexasLady on March 23, 2009, 06:46:11 PM
They really showed claudia to be the bad person on this episode. Funny I thought even when Melissa was apologising she still talked over Claudia.
I have also foung it strange that they have both Melissa and Joan on the same show as they obviously were going to defend each other. And we saw that with Melissa telling her mom to defend her. Funny Joan was not there to defend on the issue they were talking about.
I think Claudia did take it personally and Melissa did too. But I have to agree with Claudia if this was about producing why was melissa not the project manager. And I do think the ladies are worried about standing up to the tag team of the Rivers.
I missed the blow up... but if Clint could get over it and be a man about is so should Brian. he should have taken the monitors as his contributions to help. I really think Brian would have been fired if they lost for it. I also think, from what they showed Brian was not friendly to Clint and almost rude.
Hi Texan!! The blow up was a bit strange. All of a sudden Dennis went ballistic on Clint Black for no discernible reason but perhaps we didn't see it because of editing. It was sort of funny because Clint was so small compared to Rodman towering over him. I'm liking Clint more and more, he tries to help, he does the menial jobs and says nothing to the others about it. He went out of his way to talk to Rodman and try to get some camaraderie on the team.
I do agree, Brian should have accepted the offers of the monitors. It was a small petty action.
My hubby and I laughed when Melissa whispered to her mother to jump in and help her.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: TexasLady on March 23, 2009, 06:55:33 PM
i am confused askip do u thnk a hotel stafe is one stafe member for evey room??
i live in a resort town and i think i have stayed at the hotel they r going to flim at in ny if it is 32and and lexington? any way wth that said they have like 4 ppl at the desk checking ppl in and out a manager and concer allso the kitchen staff is a whole other part of the hotel and so is maide servace. oh and even on the crues i went on we only had one person per like 20 rooms to clean up 2 x's a day. thease ppl can easyaly handel 10 rm's each..they need to put the right person in the right job and wk as a team..
tory, it doesn't sound like you are confused. It sounds like you agree with me that the staffing of Athena and KOTU at 7 and 5 members each for 5 rooms is excessive and there should have been many more rooms included.
Tory and apskip, it sounds like Trump knows they won't be able to handle the full duties of a real staff person particularly cleaning a room so they will be able to double up on the chores. (Can you imagine Dennis Rodman cleaning a room?) Not happening! :lol:
Thanks as always for the recap apskip. I thought both presentations were lacking showing off the features of the phone. The soldier talking to his wife was superb but the music portion was overdone for me. Athena's presentation was a bit weak as well. It was all over the place, they had the mother with the child and the father on stage. I think it would have been much better if we had seen it filmed for use as an ad. The part with Brande was also weak because the focus became her "engagement" instead of the phone.
It helped the guys that they went second and they probably won because the crowd got enthused with Brian's performance, it still wasn't what I would consider a sales presentation.
For the drama of it all, Trump was brilliant. He got the men and women arguing even before they knew who won or lost.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 23, 2009, 08:12:21 PM
An interview with Claudia:
Celebrity Apprentice Castoff: Melissa Rivers Is "Obnoxious"
The promos for Week 4 of Celebrity Apprentice touted the Dennis Rodman meltdown, but that was just the tip of the drama-berg. TVGuide.com spoke to Deal or No Deal model Claudia Jordan, the latest casualty of The Donald, to get the dirt on her battle royale with Melissa Rivers and and her mouthy mommy.
TVGuide.com: Why did you step up as project manager for this challenge? Claudia Jordan: I felt some people on the team were sitting back under the radar and waiting, and I don't really like that. I wanted to let Donald know right away that I'm one who is going to take initiative and step up to the plate and not wait for someone else to tell me what to do. Something just told me it was time, and I'm not afraid of a challenge.
TVGuide.com: Why do you think you lost even though you guys managed to pull your show together at the last minute? Jordan: It was subjective. Another group of people could have thought we did a better job. It was like Brian McKnight or Joan Rivers making jokes about her gynecologist — which visual do you want to stay with longer? [Laughs] They liked it, and I think we did what we were supposed to do as far as creating some sort of emotional feel for the product. Plus, we were at a disadvantage going first. We warmed up the crowd and then the guys went.
TVGuide.com: Do you think Melissa Rivers should have gone home instead? Jordan: Well, I don't like to put blame on other people. I was project manager and could have been sterner with Melissa, but at the end of the day, I don't know if anyone could control her. If it was a real job, Melissa would have been fired, but we were forced to work together. The project manager often gets the blame. But there were certain people that refused to be told what to do, and she had her mommy with her as well — so it was going against two people.
TVGuide.com: But Joan wasn't even there during all this. Jordan: I know and I was like, "Really? You don't even know how bad your daughter was being." But I am proud I kept my cool with her. I did make my little comments off camera, but when it was in front of my team, I wasn't going to make a scene. It takes a lot of sense to bite your tongue when someone's that obnoxious. I don't hate her, her voice is just... I don't like spoiled brats. I feel like every sentence is "me" or "I" or "my mom." But Joan knows the deal — she knows her daughter is annoying. But at the end of the day, it's mother-daughter, you've got to stick up for your family.
TVGuide.com: And besides your drama, Dennis Rodman had his share of contention when he got up in Clint Black's face. Jordan: Yeah, I kept hearing from the others that Clint was nice on the outside but sneaky, so I was waiting for something to happen. But I didn't know Dennis had such a problem with him. I guess Dennis felt like he wasn't being utilized, but he also wasn't making it easy for his team either. He was a little baby-ish as well. Sometimes I asked myself, "Why are you here? It feels like you hate everyone, so why bother? You're rich already." But he was one of the people I was most excited to see on the show — he definitely makes the show interesting.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 24, 2009, 09:26:59 AM
Melissa Rivers Blog:
Melissa Rivers: “Claudia Is Nothing More Than A Beauty Bully”
Episode number 4 of ‘The Celebrity Apprentice‘ is in the books and so is Claudia. As our project manager this week, Claudia was in way over her head. Everyone on the team had to rescue her, me the most. Which also explains her lashing out at me. She was trying to cover up for a poor job as our P.M.
Claudia decided to use the show as an excuse to get away with character assassination. She had some pretty harsh remarks about me and I’d like to clarify her thoughts…
Yes, I’ve had my nose done.
Yes, I’ve had my boobs done.
Yes, I’ve had botox in my forehead because I furrow my brow a lot.
But you know, looking around the boardroom at the men and women on both teams, I was thinking, who here hasn’t used botox? Next week look closely at the men and the women. Several of them have hair extensions and I’m proud to say, I’m not one of them. Claudia also commented that my face is “frozen.” Technically, I wouldn’t say that since at least 90% of the shots of me are my full-on reactions.
As for Claudia, the reality is that she’s nothing more than a beauty bully. Once I realized that Claudia was on the attack for me, I figured out how to handle the situation. And that’s by not reacting to her. Which is the only way to treat a bully.
For whatever reason that day, Claudia woke up angry with the sole intention to get me fired. Winning seemed second to her. Interestingly enough, a similar thing happened that day with Dennis Rodman. He came in hating Clint Black. Their morning confrontation completely caught our team by surprise. Watching the explosion I had two thoughts. First: Dennis is going to beat up Clint. Second: Do it Dennis! As everyone will see in the upcoming episodes, Clint is the biggest diva on the show. It’s his way or the highway. If you don’t go his way, he just sits down and that’s that.
The reality is for this task Claudia just didn’t have a legitimate handle on producing, and I did. That’s what I do for a living and she fought me every step of the way. It’s an easy rule on Celebrity Apprentice; know what the people who you’re working with do at their job. We all do something unique, that’s why we’re on the show in the first place.
While I’ve produced a countless numbers of television shows, I’ve never put on a huge live show like the one we did for our task featuring the ACN Video Phone. Our team could have really used the help of Tionne with this one. I kept trying to get her involved, but that wasn’t aired in the episode. I thought, “If the men are coming at us with a live performance from Brian McKnight, we need to come at them with a performance from Tionne.” But Claudia refused. She flat out said, “I don’t think Tionne’s voice is up to it.” We all looked at Claudia with the same expression, “Are you kidding me???”
As for not pulling out victory number four in as many weeks, there’s a simple answer. You can work your hardest but you can’t win them all.
The sad thing is that at the end of the day, our loss helped the women’s team dissolve into some bad high school lunchroom drama. Athena lost a player this week and as they say in one of my favorite movies, Heathers, “My teen-angst now has a body count.”
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: tory on March 24, 2009, 08:23:23 PM
ty mg for those interviews. i liked clauda it does take a lot to bite u r toung, and joan and mellisa r out of freeken control, they r like 2 control freeks on steriods, jmo..i wish some one had had the guts to stand up for clauda but i think cloie would have been fired and i like cloie soo..what ever..
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: RealityFreakWill on March 25, 2009, 09:26:46 AM
CELEBRITY APPRENTICE: 'It’s on like the break of dawn!'
This season of Donald Trump’s CELEBRITY APPRENTICE is proving to be even better than previous seasons. His staff has done a great job in casting and it is starting to heat up among the celebrity contestants. Last week Project Manager of the women’s team, ATHENA was Brande Roderick and as the show opened she presented her charity, CALIFORNIA POLICE YOUTH CHARITIES with a check for $167,000.00 which is the highest amount earned by any celebrity in the history of the show. Canadian PM, Tom Green was ousted by The Donald after their loss, bringing team KOTU down to five men.
The group gathers in front of Capitale, which is a luxury event space in New York City where each team will be planning an event for a telecommunications company called ACN. Two members of their upper management explain to the celebrities that they are looking for the teams to produce a high energy event to launch their newest product, the CAN-3000 Hi-Def Video Phone to a group of 500 of their top sales representatives. This group will vote after the productions and determine who wins the task. Two people volunteer as Project Managers, Brian McKnight (singer & Broadway star) and Claudia Jordan (a model on Deal or No Deal).
Before work can begin the teams need to negotiate in which order the teams will present. Obviously being the closing act has more prestige and with both teams holding firm on their preference to go on last a coin toss between Anne Duke & Clint Black ensues. Clint wins the toss and for some reason this sets Dennis Rodman off. Some miss directed anger brings him to aggressively get in Clint’s short little face, ending with Dennis ripping off his microphone and storming off the set. Team KOTU shake their heads, hop into their van and head out deciding that none of them have time to deal with the tantrums of a grown man. They go straight to work utilizing Brian’s ability to create a performance as the celebration for the launch and Jesse James who is the obvious creative genius of the group, to produce a spot using the new phone to connect real military personnel with their families. He enlists cadets from the nearby West Pointe Academy. Dennis Rodman is left completely out of the group and PM, Brian tells team KOTU that this is a dictatorship and he will tell everyone what to do…which he does!
The women start out on the rough side. Joan Rivers has a previous engagement so she will be gone during the planning process of the task. The women attempt to brain storm ideas for a series of vignettes to be played out on the stage as well as on the video phones but between Melissa Rivers and the other women there are too many ideas and nothing that can be nailed down. Melissa tries to corral everyone having been a producer for 15 years. PM Claudia feels utterly inadequate, and bristles feeling that her authority is being usurped. She calls out Melissa in a rude, combative way then proceeds to trash talk her to the camera. Melissa backs down and gives Claudia all the rope she’ll need to hang herself later. The rest of the team sits back in bewilderment waiting for their leader to give them direction, which she never does.
The day of the event the women lean heavily on Joan Rivers. Joan who has been transported via the clout of Natalie Gulbis who scored her a private plane to get her back to NYC in time for the show arrives under slept and cranky. The dress rehearsal is disastrous until Melissa take control of the situation to insure that her mother is not put in an embarrassing mess on stage. The product placement and Joan’s professional pitching of the ACN 3000 blended with her comedic elements proves to save the team.
The men’s production is over the top. Dancers holding the new video phones, strobe lights, a full band and a free one song concert from Brian McKnight added to a touching use of the phones by the cadets of West Pointe…….what more could these 500 sales reps want? The show…and I do mean show closed with the Reps chanting ACN! ACN! ACN! No need for a motivational speaker for this staff!
The Board room served to reconfirm that team KOTU (with all it’s drama) put on a better show by over 80% of the sales reps voting for them. Delighted, they are dismissed. The women go straight to bitch mode with Claudia being the least professional of the bunch. She had a personal dislike for Melissa who actually saved her ass by knowing what to do and taking charge. She just couldn’t let her personal feelings be put aside and in the end it didn’t matter that she dragged Melissa & poor Chloe into the Boardroom with her, her unprofessional behavior and lack of leadership abilities cost her, and she was indeed…..Fired! Finally, a case where celebrity good looks were of no use or value.
Next week Dennis Rodman goes into final melt down and this crazy Diva unravels like a cheap boa...you gotta watch!
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: TexasLady on March 25, 2009, 09:48:59 AM
Quote
Next week Dennis Rodman goes into final melt down and this crazy Diva unravels like a cheap boa...you gotta watch!
OHHHHHHHHHH!! Something interesting about to happen?? :lol:
(Probably not.. LOL)
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on March 25, 2009, 12:38:37 PM
TexasLady, The previews from Sunday night make is clear that Rodman has a very serious addiction to alcohol that he is unable to control. It appears that the entire group of both teams are trying to get him to either go cold turkey or go into alcohol rehab. I would expect Rodman to react strongly to that, but I have no idea how that will be. There is likely to be some NBC hype over this incident, but I have to believe that the episode ends with Dennis Rodman fired. He has been on borrowed time for weeks and I expect this will be the week it catches up to him.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: TexasLady on March 25, 2009, 01:35:48 PM
TexasLady, The previews from Sunday night make is clear that Rodman has a very serious addiction to alcohol that he is unable to control. It appears that the entire group of both teams are trying to get him to either go cold turkey or go into alcohol rehab. I would expect Rodman to react strongly to that, but I have no idea how that will be. There is likely to be some NBC hype over this incident, but I have to believe that the episode ends with Dennis Rodman fired. He has been on borrowed time for weeks and I expect this will be the week it catches up to him.
Aw.. I haven't seen the previews, so I'm sorry for my dumb comments. :( It is a shame that something so serious has to be confronted on a television show, maybe it will help him get into rehab. I really hope so.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 27, 2009, 05:29:59 AM
THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE 2
Episode: 9
Air Date: April 26, 2009
For their next task, each team must create a new meal for Schwan’s LiveSmart frozen food line. In their test kitchen, one team creates 3 different meals, and butt heads when it comes time to choose one to present to the Schwan’s executives. The other team banks on a single traditional dish, but a leadership conflict erupts and a last-minute change to the recipe throws success into doubt. The teams present their meals to the Schwan’s executives, who choose a winner. And once again, Trump sends another celebrity packing.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 30, 2009, 10:07:37 AM
Annie Duke Blogs:
Episode 4 of Celebrity Apprentice: Celebrity Intervention
This week on Celebrity Apprentice our task was to run a hotel. each team was given a floor of the Loews Regency and we had to provide room service, housekeeping, bell service, concierge, everything you need to run a hotel well. We would be rated on the overall service experience provided to the guests. So this challenge was right up my Type A alley. Hands down, my favorite task of all in terms of my own experience. But at the same time, the most painful to recall because of what happened with Rodman. So, I think I will start with Athena and just briefly go over our experience then really focus on the KOTU team this week since, obviously, they were really the meat of this episode.
So, when we got this challenge Melissa suggested Tionne as project manager and Tionne took on the task. We were missing Khloe because she had to be in LA on a personal matter. But Tionne assigned the rest of us our jobs right away so there was no confusion. That was a relief because one of the issues the previous weeks was that the PM did not assign tasks right away. Joan was assigned concierge since she had the most NYC connections. Brande and Tionne mainly did housekeeping. Natalie was on room service. Melissa was supposed to help anyone who needed help and also man the front desk when it was too busy for one person to handle. And Tionne assigned me bellman and room service. I was concerned at first when Tionne gave me a job that involved communicating to the customer. I felt that my biggest downfall in the game was communication and that that was the worst place for me to be. I wanted to be on housekeeping where I didn’t have to talk to anyone because I felt like communication was my weak suit. But I am really glad, in retrospect, that Tionne assigned me those jobs because I LOVED them. I mean I really, really got a kick out of this whole task and said right after we were done that if poker playing stopped working out I was going to do room service in a hotel as my next job. I couldn’t have been happier this whole challenge with the jobs I was given!
So, really quickly, strong and weak points to our team. I think Tionne did an amazing job organizing us. Brande was great on housekeeping. I think Natalie got a bad rap on this episode. She got those amazing free baskets and cases of free water for us to hand out to the desks. I got free champagne and wine and flowers for their rooms as well so between the two of us we had some rocking ammenitites. On the whole I think Natalie did a great job on room service. I understand that 702 wasn’t happy with her but everything else she did on this task was great so it is too bad that got focused on so much. I think that Joan was both a star on this task and the weakest link at the same time. I know it seems weird to say that but she did amazing work and some sloppy work too. You saw some of the mistakes she made on the episode in terms of not quoting costs in advance to the guests and that was a pervasive problem. That being said, she did take responsibility for those mistakes and rectified them by removing the offensive charges. She also was not thorough in taking the room service orders and room service found themselves having to keep calling back the guests to clarify the orders…things like not asking what kind of bread on a sandwich or what kind of cheese…that kind of thing. But she did get every reservation and every show ticket we needed so in that sense she rocked it. Lots of good from her, some bad. But most of the bad she took immediately responsibility for which is a nice side to see from Joan. Less brash and softer and more vulnerable.
I think I enjoyed this task much more than the rest of my team did (just as I disliked the wedding dress challenge while my team lvoes that one). I really enjoyed the whole experience immensely and I particularly loved the guys in room 702, Matthew Garber and friends. It was the night of one of the presidential debates and they were having a debate party and I just thought they were a hoot. I thought it was interesting that everyone complained about those guys so much in the boardroom in terms of them being difficult. From my perspective the producers clearly coached all the guests to be difficult and I figured that is what we signed up for when we agreed to do Celebrity Apprentice. Celebrities geting abused, right? So, I would expect nothing less than trying to be ridiculously difficult from our guests. So I guess because of that expectation I just thought that 702 was hilarious in the way they were executing the producers’ directive to be difficult guests and so had a great time with them. Anyway, fun fun challenge for me personally. I want to run a hotel full time now!
Interestingly, depsite the fact that we could see Dennis being totally wild and erratic the whole challenge, I did not think that meant we were a lock to win. I also could see clearly that Jesse, Herschel, Brian and Clint were doing an incredible job. And the fact is that this was a subjective task. Juat because I would not want to be served by Rodman does not mean there aren’t others who would love to have that kind of interaction with him. And clearly that was the case with the guests Rodman went off to dinner with. They loved this crazy, rambling drunk guy just hanging out with them and many times that is the case with bigger than life celebs. And that was a scary thought to me that the KOTU guests might actually like the Rodman show. Tough because I really didn’t want to see anyone get fired from our team here. If we lost the task but had we I would have thought Tionne would bring in two of these three: Joan, Natalie and Khloe. Joan was criticized in the boardroom for some of her mistakes but also praised for her high points at the same time so I am not sure she would have been the right choice. The question with Joan would be whether or not the good things she did outweighed the bad and I believe the answer there is yes. Natalie was openly criticized for her handling of 702 so I think Tionne would have had to bring her in despite her shining in getting all the baskets and ammenities for the guests. Khloe would be a choice because Trump clearly criticized her for not being there the first day. I don’t personally think she should be fired for that because Joan missed 3 days herself during the previous 3 challenges so in fairness to that Khloe should be given a pass on that too. But Trump was obviously irked by it and you have to listen to him very clearly in who to bring in so I think Khloe would have been a strong candidate.
Luckily, Athena won the challenge so none of that was an issue. But the win was by a very narrow margin which is a testament to how amazing Brian, Clint, Herschel and Jesse were during the challenge since they obviously compensated well for the disruption Rodman was causing. And, the narrow margin is also a testament to how much slack larger than life celebrities like Rodman get cut in terms of their behavior by the peope who interact with them. Because I think some of the guests really enjoyed him even though they would have been appalled if a “normal” hotel employee acted that way.
Which brings us naturally to KOTU and the boardroom. I am so sad for Dennis Rodman. And so sad for the other members of his team. First, it is difficult just from a game perspective to feel sabotaged by a member of your team, no doubt. Particularly one who is taking no responsibility for the failures. But on a personal level that must be even more horrific. I know that Jesse James has personal experience with alcohol abuse and that his experiences with Dennis were painful for him. Brian, Clint and Herschel all were also frustrated with Dennis but you could tell they wanted him to just get help because everyone could see that deep down inside there was a good guy in Dennis that just was destroyed by the alcohol abuse.
I don’t think anyone thought when they signed on to the show that they would be doing what ended up as an intervention in the boardroom. I mean that is truly what it was. An intervention. And a tough one to watch and participate in. From a personal perspective, I grew up with an alcoholic mother. She has been sober since I was 17 years old but much of my childhood was very difficult because of the alcohol abuse. I understand how alcohol can change someone. My mother is the most amazing individual I have ever known. She is intelligent, incredibly funny, perceptive, and her mind just works in such a fascinating way. She is astonshingly unique and inspiring. But when she was drinking, well, I would not have used the same words to decribe her. And I think Dennis is much the same. Sober he is almost painfully shy, sweet, intelligent and perceptive. Drunk. Well you saw for your own eyes what he is like drunk and that is an awful transformation to bear witness to.
I think all of KOTU really just wanted to see Dennis get help but I think Jesse felt that the most keenly of all of them. And to see the sadness in Jesse during that boardroom was so hard. When Dennis was talking about his past achievements in sports and Jesse just pointed to Herschel and said look at the difference between these two great athletes, that just said so much and hit the nail right on the head. What else can you say? You can see where Dennis’ life has been and you can see so clearly where it is heading if Dennis doesn’t change and that path is not a path you want to see anyone go down.
I just truly, truly hope Dennis gets the help he needs. He can be so much more than he is right now.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on March 30, 2009, 01:25:24 PM
I will read Annie Duke's blog after I write my own recap. I found the first 90 minutes of last night's show, the time at the hotel, scintillating. The last 30 minutes in the Boardroom was torture for both Dennis Rodman and viewers. It should have been shortened by 15 minutes so it had less angst and repetition.
So the task is for each team to run 5 concierge-level rooms at the Loew's Regency Hotel on the Upper East Side in Manhattan. The project managers are Tionne for Athena and Dennis for KOTU. The teams will need to be trained in each important hotel function that they need to perform. That includes: 1. how to clean a carpet 2. how to clean a bathroom 3. presentation of pillows and stuff like that 4. how to provide room service food and beverages and most importantly, 5. how to provide concierge service for highly demanding guests
The right and left hand of God last night were John Tish, president of the Loew's Regency Hotels, and Ivanka. Before the boardroom they were each seen once, John defending his hotel chain when it wasn't necessary and Ivanka talking to a space-cadet Dennis. As Clint put it, "Dennis turns into a different person when he has a drink."
So 30 minute training sessions in the major functions (Houskeeping, room service, concierge) were available for the apprentice Apprentices. Teams huddled before their responsiblities started and tried to dream up every auxiliary service known to mankind that they could offer free to bias the judges. Some individuals contacted companies they knew in New York City to obtain donations of filled gift baskets, wine, alcohol, food and who knows what else. Athena gave away complimentary breakfasts of anything a guest wanted. At least the guests when they arrived and later appreciate it.
KOTU was slow to finish cleaning the rooms and their first guest was at the concierge station (presumably after having been directed there and possibly even checked in below by normal hotel personnel. Athena had all their team except Khloe on day 1 (day 2 was just breakfast and she was back for working then). So other guests come and check in. Stephen Baldwin and Vicnent Pastore make special appearances by acting like normal concierge-level guests, that is greedy and very demanding. Many guests tested the skills of the concierges (Brian for KOTU and Joan for Athena) by asking for ridiculous things in theatre tickets, shows, dinner reservations, etc. They got almost all of what thye asked for no matter how difficult it was. The guests did have to pay for these tickets, but when Stephen Baldwin was sent to Joan Rivers to the floor show at the hotel, he had a cover charge of $400 that he was angrey about and Joan apologized for not having informed him. The same thing happened with two men who asked for a pedicure but when they found the charge for men was twice that for women they strongly protested. Again, Joan knew it in advance and did not inform them. Otherwise her work was exemplary and Brian's was almost perfect.
The only major comment against anyone was 2 male guests had a party in their room and complained that Natalie did not give them good service; I saw what was telecast and I do not agree with them. Annie, Natalie, Tionne, Melissa, Brande and Joan all worked their butts off to please the customers who were grading them to determine which team wins. Khloe was not there except for a very short period. On the Men's side Brian, Jesse, Clint and Herschel were working together as a well-oiled maching but Dennis was off on major tangents, usually started by him drinking cranberry juice mixed with some unnamed alocholic beverage. He took away for-the-guests cookies that Clint had gotten at Carnegie Deli (unclear whether complimentary or not) and when he brought them back almost 24 hours later he walked off in a snit. He elected to go out with two of the guests for a memorable evening of drinking, carousing and eating while the rest of the team was running their desiganted hotel space. At checkout, the guests were required to fill out comment cards, which were turned into "points" by Ivanka and John. The feedback (except none was requested from Stephen Baldwin and Vincent Pastore) was generally favorable, with the major screwup Khloe arriving 40 minutes early. The way that incident was handled, the dialogue between the couple, left me with the distinct impression that the guests were either real actors or they were real people who were asked to play a role and be demanding in specific ways that would test the metal of the apprentice Apprentices.
The feedback resulted in a 85 for KOTU and 91 for Athena. I think that was fair. It should be noted that the women had a manpower advantage of 1 Day 1 and 2 morning 2, although it could be viewed was one more for the women since Dennis was missing-in-action most of the time. So the women win and the men lose. The women are asked to stick around in the Board Room. It is completely clear who should be fired since the other 4 KOTU members worked well and hard. Dennis is the only possiblity and this time even his friendship with Donald Trump san't save him. A beat-up-Dennis session ensued to make the case for his firing air-tight. I did not enjoy seeing this. Trump should have just cut it short with a "Dennis, you're fired" much earlier than he did.
I have a theory for why the women were kept around. Trump did not intend it to beat up dennis for long AND he wanted them there to announce the restructuring of the teams that was to take place immediately. We saw the a tiny sliver of the results of that in the previews of next week's episodes. I will welcome mixed teams, particularly the splitting up of Joan and Melissa Rivers. I think that everyone still competing except Khloe has the skill set to make it all the way. It's just a question of situations in future episodes as to which one does.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 30, 2009, 02:54:10 PM
I agree and thanks for taking the time for writing us a recap
My 2 cents, these kind of situations are normally handled behind closed doors and I think they didn’t need to air the intervention as we saw Rodman walking around with a vodka cranberry since like episode 1 and it should have been dealt with then. How sad.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 30, 2009, 03:41:34 PM
DONALD TRUMP SWITCHES UP THE TEAMS LEAVING JOAN AND MELISSA RIVERS ON OPPOSING SIDES; THE REMAINING CELEBRITIES PRODUCE A VIRAL VIDEO FOR ALL DETERGENT IN THE NEXT EPISODE OF NBC'S "THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE" SUNDAY, APRIL 5 (9-11 P.M. ET)
NBC Press Release
After a powerful boardroom last night where the men's team set the competition aside to confront Dennis Rodman about his harmful addiction, which resulted in him being fired, the remaining celebrities are split up for the first time. In the episode airing this Sunday, April 5 (9-11 p.m. ET), Trump switches the teams and it's no longer men vs. women leaving mother daughter duo Joan and Melissa Rivers on opposing sides. With their new teams in place, the celebrities' next challenge is to write, produce and edit a viral video for ALL Small and Mighty Laundry Detergent with the videos being judged by the ALL executives along with a very special celebrity guest judge Perez Hilton.
Both teams push the boundaries, despite the ALL executives' warnings. Egos clash as a renegade project manager Clint Black shuns his team and goes it alone. Harmony prevails on the other team, but a last-second decision puts their video in jeopardy as they blur the lines of good taste. A heated boardroom concludes with a shocking result, and Trump's decision surprises everyone.
Clint Black, Annie Duke, Natalie Gulbis, Jesse James, Khloe Kardashian,Brian McKnight, Joan Rivers, Melissa Rivers, Brande Roderick, Herschel Walker and Tionne Watkins are the remaining 11 celebrities vying to be The Celebrity Apprentice.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: TexasLady on March 31, 2009, 11:03:47 AM
Apskip said:
Quote
The only major comment against anyone was 2 male guests had a party in their room and complained that Natalie did not give them good service; I saw what was telecast and I do not agree with them. Annie, Natalie, Tionne, Melissa, Brande and Joan all worked their butts off to please the customers who were grading them to determine which team wins. Khloe was not there except for a very short period. On the Men's side Brian, Jesse, Clint and Herschel were working together as a well-oiled maching but Dennis was off on major tangents, usually started by him drinking cranberry juice mixed with some unnamed alocholic beverage. He took away for-the-guests cookies that Clint had gotten at Carnegie Deli (unclear whether complimentary or not) and when he brought them back almost 24 hours later he walked off in a snit. He elected to go out with two of the guests for a memorable evening of drinking, carousing and eating while the rest of the team was running their desiganted hotel space. At checkout, the guests were required to fill out comment cards, which were turned into "points" by Ivanka and John. The feedback (except none was requested from Stephen Baldwin and Vincent Pastore) was generally favorable, with the major screwup Khloe arriving 40 minutes early. The way that incident was handled, the dialogue between the couple, left me with the distinct impression that the guests were either real actors or they were real people who were asked to play a role and be demanding in specific ways that would test the metal of the apprentice Apprentices.
The feedback resulted in a 85 for KOTU and 91 for Athena. I think that was fair. It should be noted that the women had a manpower advantage of 1 Day 1 and 2 morning 2, although it could be viewed was one more for the women since Dennis was missing-in-action most of the time. So the women win and the men lose. The women are asked to stick around in the Board Room. It is completely clear who should be fired since the other 4 KOTU members worked well and hard. Dennis is the only possiblity and this time even his friendship with Donald Trump san't save him. A beat-up-Dennis session ensued to make the case for his firing air-tight. I did not enjoy seeing this. Trump should have just cut it short with a "Dennis, you're fired" much earlier than he did.
I have a theory for why the women were kept around. Trump did not intend it to beat up dennis for long AND he wanted them there to announce the restructuring of the teams that was to take place immediately. We saw the a tiny sliver of the results of that in the previews of next week's episodes. I will welcome mixed teams, particularly the splitting up of Joan and Melissa Rivers. I think that everyone still competing except Khloe has the skill set to make it all the way. It's just a question of situations in future episodes as to which one does.
Thanks again apskip for your recap! :-*
I had a reply ready to post yesterday and lost it, but I did want to comment on several of the points you make so well apskip.
It would be difficult for anyone with a small amount of training to clean a room in twenty minutes so I can well understand why the guys would clean much slower than the women and they were hampered because the men had only 3 to perform all the tasks. The women gave their guests quite a few amenities including a free breakfast but still when the points were tallied, the men weren't that far behind the women.
It was obvious that the "guests" were paid because they were filmed, not only in the lobby but at other points during the day, for example calling from their rooms asking for room service or tickets but it didn't occur to me that they might be paid actors. You're probably right about that, for sure they signed agreements and received some sort of remuneration. I had to laugh when I saw Stephen Baldwin and Vincent Pastore, it was a total setup. Kudos to Joan Rivers for handling Stephen's gripes about the view from his room. She really does have people skills. OOPS on the pedicures.
Watching Dennis Rodman disintegrate was sad and yes, the board room was too long but the most striking thing for me was Trump pussyfooting around the issue of his drinking problem. I suppose it comes from years of business dealings and fear of being sued. The best comments came from Jesse James, confronting Rodman's problems and admitting his own drinking problem. I wish we had just seen that confrontation and The Donald saying: "Dennis, you're fired."
The teams split up will be more interesting and I'm glad Trump equaled the teams, I didn't think about him keeping the women in the room so he could split them up but I'm sure you're right. :tup:
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on March 31, 2009, 11:06:16 AM
Melissa Rivers Blog:
Melissa Rivers: “Dennis’ Firing Was Heart-Wrenching And Painful”
The last episode of Celebrity Apprentice was as real as reality television gets. For me, my reality came in the form of two torn ligaments as a result of running and tripping in a hotel hallway during our task. A keen eye would have caught the walking cast on my ankle when I was saying goodbye to Dennis at the end.
And speaking of Dennis, I’d like to focus on him. He’s a good friend and didn’t deserve what thankfully, the viewers did not see. What aired in the episode was only the tip of the iceberg of what really went down. Dennis’ firing was one of the most heart-wrenching, painful experiences I’ve ever had to sit through. You might have seen my mom actually crying at one point in the boardroom, it was that painful.
A combination of an alcohol intervention, and a vicious, wicked verbal lashing that bordered on abuse. The producers, Page and Eden (and of course Mark Burnett) did a fantastic job in regards to how they handled the situation while it was unfolding and how they edited the show itself.
Look, we all knew that Dennis enjoys a cocktail, but in the boardroom, we realized something more, that Dennis might be someone who needs help.
It especially hurts us from the show because we know what a genuine and lovely human being he is. Dennis doesn’t wish ill will towards anyone; he only wants happiness and everyone around him to be having fun. Case in point, Dennis hopping into the limo with the hotel guests he escorted to Tao restaurant. He gave them an experience they would never have in ten lifetimes.
I don’t even know where to begin when it comes to Jesse James. In the boardroom he was absolutely freakin’ amazing. This is a guy who has been there and wears his sobriety proudly. We learned who Jesse is as a person. We saw him take a serious problem he knows about first hand and push hard to help his fellow man. Jesse is so real, it’s no wonder he has such an incredible wife in Sandra Bullock.
At the end of the episode, we all just lingered about silently waiting for the elevators. Each of us alone with our thoughts about a gut wrenching experience we’d just witnessed and been a part of.
I truly love Dennis as a person and I hope everyone sees under his giant exterior what a good man he is inside.
As far as the actual task goes, for our team it was almost too easy. But that’s not counting my torn ligaments. Everything – other than that – was planned to a tee. Being on the same page from the get-go meant nothing dramatic was going to happen between us. We all had a good time together with this task, our fifth win.
I was especially happy for Tionne. I’ve been writing for weeks that she has been overlooked as far as what you’ve seen on the show, because she was a tremendous part of each victory. And now being the winning Project Manager, it was her time to stand up and shine.
The most important part of this episode took place at the very end after the credits rolled. It was when NBC put up the phone number for Alcoholics Anonymous. This show had nothing to do with performing a task, this episode was about getting a crucial message through to a friend we all care about very much.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on April 01, 2009, 11:20:41 AM
Annie Duke Blogs:
OMG–It’s a Blog from One of the Guys in Room 702
A friend of mine just sent me this link…so just to underscore how awesome the gays in room 702 were I am linking to the blog. It is written by Jesse, one of the guys in 702. Yay! I am so happy my friend sent this to me. They were the best guests ever But I am not sure about Jesse’s idea of Rodman joining them in the room. Mayhem I tell you. Mayhem!
Here is the blog below......
Joan Rivers catered to my every whim
For those of you who caught Celebrity Apprentice tonight....you saw me & Bam Bam wreaking havoc on the candidates as two of the notorious "gays of room 702". Joan Rivers was catering to our every whim! Yes, we set the gay movement back about a decade.
Since I was bound by a "confidentiality agreement" before, I couldn't tell you that this was the night I tossed the BIBLE from the hotel room window. Yeah, that bit didn't make it onto NBC!
So here's the scoop. Our friends Matt & Wayne invited Bam, me, and our mutual friend Becky to the hotel where they were staying...saying it was being filmed, and that all we had to do was spend lots of free money on room service. That's all we knew--until we got there and discovered it was Celebrity Apprentice. Of course we spent all our free money on champagne!! The golfer girl, Natalie, was hopeless. Obviously she'd only been waited upon. But pro-poker player Annie was amazing. I hope she wins.
We decided to camp it up and play the part - so we asked Joan Rivers to find us a peep show (G lounge? She failed!), asked if we could keep the bible (when security brought it back from 61st street), and in the morning we all cozied up in bed together when the cameras entered. I thought we were good TV. But then again, so was Dennis Rodman. He should've come to room 702! That would have been great TV!
It was really funny to see Joan and Melissa and all the girls call us out on the show's finale. I wrote a text message to Wayne when I saw it. "Joan Rivers just trashed us to Donald Trump!"
Link to room 702's blog: http://jesseonthebrink.blogspot.com/2009/03/joan-rivers-catered-to-my-every-whim.html (http://jesseonthebrink.blogspot.com/2009/03/joan-rivers-catered-to-my-every-whim.html)
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on April 02, 2009, 12:18:05 PM
Perez Hilton posted a preview video from his upcoming appearance:
Celebrity Apprentice Gets Perezcious!
The Queen of All Media makes a very special appearance on The Celebrity Apprentice this Sunday, April 5th at 9 P.M. ET.
Click on the link for the video preview: http://perezhilton.com/2009-04-01-celebrity-apprentice-gets-perezcious (http://perezhilton.com/2009-04-01-celebrity-apprentice-gets-perezcious)
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on April 03, 2009, 09:37:39 PM
An interesting article:
CELEBRITY APPRENTICE: THE BOYS AND GIRLS MINGLE
On Celebrity Apprentice, the gals have pretty much been on easy street, winning all but one of the challenges.
But the balance of power is about to shift.
“The men and women are no longer separate, they mixed us up,” pro golfer Natalie Gulbis spills to the TV Fanatic.
That’s right, this former Athena girl is now a KOTU – king of the universe.
Charged to create a viral video for ALL detergent, Natalie says joining forces with the men wasn’t as difficult as she expected it to be.
“They were very easy to work with,” she says.
And Natalie, who’s been surprised to see herself portrayed as “the quiet one” on the reality series, will get her chance to step up at KOTU and show off her PM swing.
“There was a lot of fighting since they were dwindling down to four, and they needed someone to bring the personalities together,” she teases.
Natalie did miss Team Athena when she crossed parties.
“After so many tasks together, we had found our pace and knew who was good at doing what,” she says.
She adds, “We used to talk about what we were working on in the hair and makeup room, but now we have to be quiet.”
Natalie also reveals the true mission the once-all female Athena wanted to complete.
“We just wanted to win eight tasks in a row and take out all the guys,” she says with a laugh.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 05, 2009, 09:59:28 PM
Wowzers....just finished watching tonight's episode! The boardroom results were shocking! I'll wait until the recap gets posted so you can read about it. It was by far the best episode this season.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on April 06, 2009, 04:08:56 AM
A no-brainer
Tionne made a poor choice by offering to be in a position where she would get fired.
She basically asked for it and deserved it far more than Melissa being held accountable as Project Manager.
Khloe’s reputation is now tarnished by her DUI how stupid can one be.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on April 06, 2009, 04:46:36 AM
An interesting article: yes please do bring back The Apprentice
TRUMP OUT OF NYC? DONALD RANTS ON TAXES, GRANDPA AND ORIGINAL-FLAVOR 'APPRENTICE'
WHAT would the Trump Tower be without the Trump? Or New York without The Donald, for that matter?
More flat -- for one thing.
But if New York's governor doesn't kill the proposed millionaires' tax, TV's toughest rich guy is going to take this town and shove it.
Presumably, he won't take his show with him. But he is making noises.
In fact, Donald Trump had just gotten off the phone with Gov. Paterson when we called -- and got an earful about the earful he'd laid on the governor.
"It's very dangerous, what's going on in Albany," he ranted. "Rich people are going to leave this state -- why should they pay New York State taxes on money they made out of state?"
Will he be leading the parade out of town?
"No comment," he seethed, "And you know what that means!"
"I told the governor, everyone is going to move to Palm Beach, the nicest place in the world, where there is no income tax!"
But if you believe that he'd really move his empire and, more importantly, his board room to Palm Beach, then you probably believe his hair is naturally y-or ange.
The Donald is New York, for one thing, and for another, the man does exaggerate.
However, exaggeration aside, his show, "Celebrity Apprentice," finally caught fire last week. The ratings were way up and the celebs weren't out trying to sell cupcakes anymore -- but trading places with hotel waiters and limo drivers. Great stuff.
Apparently, the network thinks so, too. "NBC actually is thinking of doing "The Apprentice," and "Celebrity Apprentice" together in one season," he boasted.
Bringing back the original "Apprentice" would make sense because, since its absence from American TV, it has developed world-wide appeal.
"We're already on in 100 countries!" Trump boasted. Right. The truth is closer to 75 -- 50 countries airing Trump repeats and 25 countries producing their own brand-new versions, with their own Donalds. (Trump and Mark Burnett own the franchise.)
The Japanese version has a female Donald, and the English version has a noble -- Sir Alan Sugar -- who has become the biggest sensation on Brit TV since Simon Cowell.
Not that The Donald's impressed. "He does OK," Trump sniffed.
Hey -- anyone can become a "Sir." Not everyone can become a "The," right?
Hard to imagine, but "The" is not just a father of five now, including baby Barron, nearly 2, but he's a grandpa of two thanks to his son Donald Jr. and wife Vanessa.
There's Kai (almost 2) and Donald Trump III, a month and a half.
The Donald has mixed feelings about the whole thing.
"Egh, I don't like being called 'grandpa,' " he grumbles. "But whether I like it or not, that's what I am."
Clearly, grandparenting isn't going to replace moguling as his favorite activity, so Trump switched the talk right back to the real estate market. "It's a depression, but I'm buying. I'm planning," he said.
Unable to contain myself, I finally broke out and asked if he's got any blueprints in the work-in-progress that is on his head.
"I've combed my hair this way for years!" he crowed. "It's been very good to me -- so, no, I have no plans to make a change.
"The NBC execs love me and don't want any radical changes." Right, but really, if his hair got any more radical, they'd have to send it to Gitmo with the rest of the terrorists.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on April 06, 2009, 07:52:50 AM
All I say say is WOW! There were 2 major surprises and one expected surprise last night. However, as in all episodes of Celebrity Apprentice the winner seems to be ....Ivanka Trump, who always looks great and has incisive comments about teams and tasks. This episode opens benignly with Tionne Watkins presenting a check for $20,000 to the Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia.
Trump announces there will be new teams. He sends Jesse to Athena to join Annie, Melissa, Brande and Tionne and KOTU has Herschel and Clint get Joan, Natalie and Khloe. This has the effect desired by Trump of splitting up Joan and Melissa. Joan is now getting much more strident about helping her daughter and Melissa says she wants to become more independent of her mother, so this could accomplish that. Brian is away singing and will be placed by Trump when he returns next epsiode.
Trump presents Kevin and Janet from All Detergents, who ask for a viral video (one that will be pased along from friend to friend on the internet) no more than 60 seconds long that will feature All's new All 3X Detergent. It will be judged on originality, buzzworthiness and branding. There actually was a fourth criteria that Janet did not mention, "doesn't offend anyone" but they did not mention that!
It's time to select Project Managers. KOTU goes with Clint and Athena with Melissa. Teams start their tasks and it is apparent early on that the Clint's "hold it close to the vest" style is offending Joan. Throughout this task she has ideas, which he claims are either not complete or half-baked on characters, script and editing so he ignores them totally. The KOTU team essentially became Clint against Joan and Natalie and Khloe, as Herschel was not there for the first 2/3 or so of the task. Both teams looked at Internet darta about viral videos and concluded that using midgets (or little people if you wish but I will go with the shorter one) frequently results in successful viral videos.
So the creation of characters was the result of a story line, which became basically only Clint's. It was the use of the words "dirty laundry" as code words for sex between a husband and wife. Originally they tried to use a midget in the part of the husband but the one they got was not acceptable and they sent him packing. Clint took over the husband role. The result was, in my opinion, OK but on the edge of good taste. Clint also took total charge of the production of the video, asking no help from his team. When Herschel did get there he suggested the addition of cartoons to the nearly-completed commercial.
Athena also used midgets and they got 3 good ones. The script was that Jesse is a mechanic at the laundromat and when he tries to wash his clothes these midgets surround him and beat him up. As the midgets leave they curse. I found that cursing unnecssary and a bit offensive. Melissa as the PM ran the production but made good use of her team, particularly Tnnie and Tionne who were sent to do the costume, which was for all 4 actors and was spectacular in its focus on ALL.
So the target audience apparently is a mid-20s woman with children. How does this play to her is the only criterion that Kevin and Janet use. They do get the assistance of media darling Perez Hilton, who says that the Jesse James cartoon (that's what it really is) is funny and the Clint Black one not funny. Trump apparently plays no part in the determination of which team won. He doesn't need to.
Teams get to the boardroom and the initial focus is on Joan vs. Clint. Joan says that she is throwing out all of of Clint's music that she owns and she will never speak to him for the rest of her life (wouldn't that be interesting to see close up?). This was dull, uninteresting stuff because 5 minutes of it is more than enough and Mark Burnett and the editors of Celebrity Apprentice don't appear to have good judgment on how much it too much. Trump has both finished videos played and the KOTU women were totally cracking up at the Athena video. Perez Hilton's tape says that he really loved the Jesse James version. Trump then deflates everyone's balloon by saying that while they liked some aspects of the videos, Kevin and Janet found the tawdriness of them bad for the target audience. Their judgment was that both of them were unacceptable. I don't think Trump himself agreed with that, as he made oblique coments about it.
So now we come to the core boardroom task. Trump says that each PM will nominate 2 individuals to come with him/her to the boardroom and 2 of the total of 6 individuals will be fired. So Clint selects Natalie and Khloe, but not Joan who would be the person who earned it and not Herschel who might have salvaged the situation had he been around longer. Natalie and Khloe did not have the opportunity to do much, but that was not their fault. Clint apparently surmised that Joan is a sacred cow with Trump and is essentially immune.
Next Melissa names Tionne and Brande. Did they do less than Annie(Jesse is not conceivably in the running)? Yes, they probably did but neither should in any normal environment be in the boardroom for this.
So Trump starts with Athena. He reviews the sins of Melissa (productive and knowledgeable but sometimes obnoxious like her mother) and talks to Tionne and Brande. It was obvious he wasn't going to fire Melissa. Tionne stated as she was picked by Melissa she volunteers for this for the good of the team. Trump knew that she had won $20,000 for her team last episode and would not cost him any additional appearance money. I believe that was critical in his decision to fire Tionne, which was a shocker to me and I expect to you. Why should someone blameless get fired?
Next Trump turns to KOTU. It is bovious that he likes Clint and does not want to lose him, possibly because Mark Burnett and production want the sparks of future interactions between Joan and Clint. Trump tells Clint that if he had brought Joan in to the boardroom, Clint would have been fired. So who was worse of Khloe and Brande. For this episode it was even, as neither was allowed to cvontribute much. Hoever, over the longer pull Khloe had performed quite a bit below Brande. I hope that that evaluation was in the back of Trump's mind. What he chose to do was bring up Khloe's DUI as the reason for her non-participation on the first day at Loew's Regency Hotel; she had a court-mandated appearance. Trump makes a big deal of something totally irrelevant to Celebrity Apprentice and uses the morality of that as the excuse to fire Khloe. Boo! Hiss!
What I do see as a possibility is for Trump to set up Joan vs. Melissa in the finale. What do you think? I further think that Joan's special status is revloting to me as a viewer and I expect Trump may correct that by firing her before the finale. I hope so.
Two additional thoughts occurs to me. It is that Donald Trump, Sr. has joined the ranks of Chef Gordon Ramsay who makes somewhat arbitrary decisions to fire individuals from a team supposedly exempt as the winner who do not deserve to get eliminated/fired. The only reason that I can see is to protect Clint and Joan and Melissa in this episode. After all, Trump had to fire 2 people only because he said he did. Second, it will be interesting to see Joan and Clint forced to work together when neither is the Project Manager.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 06, 2009, 08:50:40 AM
'Celebrity Apprentice': Board room blitz
I don't know about you, PopWatchers, but I found last night's episode of Celebrity Apprentice to be infuriating. It was nice to see the teams shaken up (Joan, Natalie, and Khloe were sent to KOTU, and Jesse and Brian were sent to Athena), but the arbitrary board room results made me resent the fact that I had just spent two hours watching the show. Really -- why make us invest time in watching the celebs complete their task when their performances aren't going to have anything to do with who gets fired?
This week, the teams had to write, produce, and edit a viral video for All Small & Mighty 3x concentrated laundry detergent. Inexplicably, both teams interpreted ''small and mighty'' to mean ''midgets.'' Athena's ''Jesse James gets washed by midgets'' sounded awful in concept but turned out really funny, and KOTU's ''Laundry innuendo'' sounded funny in concept but turned out really creepy and weird.
While the Athena video was clearly funnier and approximately 150 percent less creepy than KOTU's (even Perez Hilton agreed), the All execs nixed both ideas and Trump sent both teams to the board room. Melissa, proud of the way her team performed, figured she'd be eliminated because no one really messed up, and solicited volunteers to accompany her to the board room. Timid Tionne stepped forward, which ultimately backfired when Trump fired her for volunteering. Unfair? Sure. But she could've done her homework before going on the show and found out that Trump hates when people volunteer for the board room. As aggravating as it was to see her go, the second elimination was even more exasperating. </p>The whole episode centered around the idea that project manager Clint commandeered the entire KOTU video -- came up with the idea, directed it, edited it, and wouldn't listen to his teammates when they told him it was nonsensical and strange -- so when he arbitrarily picked Khloe and Natalie to accompany him to the board room and Trump didn't spend one second questioning him about the shambles of a viral video he made, I knew one of the ladies was in trouble. And when Trump started lecturing Khloe about the DUI that everyone with an Internet connection already knew about, I knew her number was up.
Khloe got a DUI, spent time in jail, and is taking court-ordered alcohol education classes. Sure, she seemed a little cavalier about what happened, but after watching a marathon a couple of episodes of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, I'm pretty sure she's cavalier about absolutely everything (and I kind of love her for it). Clearly the producers on the show knew about the DUI (that happened more than a year ago), so the fact that Trump didn't know about it until Khloe mentioned it was pretty puzzling. I can understand having such an emotional reaction after learning that someone you know did something so reckless and irresponsible. We all know reality shows aren't always judged entirely on merit and fairness, but really -- what else was this girl supposed to do? She served her time, apologized, and seems intent on never doing something so stupid again.
Were you shocked by the double elimination? I wasn't surprised that it happened, but I was surprised that Clint didn't go. Who do you think should have gone from each team instead? Did Clint's behavior bother you? Did you like Joan's impromptou QVC ad? And whose video did you like more?
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: tory on April 06, 2009, 10:48:27 AM
jmo i am sure i need to hid under the chair but... i though trump was an ass tonight on the show, how does that womanzing hoe trump judge cloie like that. i stoped watching this show a few yrs ago cause it got to b one big commercial for what ever project they were doing , but this yr i was watching this train wreck caus i like jessy and cloie and a few other stars so i thought it would b fun to watch, but last night trump getting up on his high horse please wtf, he just wants to keep the most famous cleb's on as long as he can for rateings, he should have fired clint. and save the double elm for next week. i hope desprat hw comes bk on next week i dout i am going to watch cleb app. any more TRUMP THE WOMINZING HOE WTF.. :hides :wall:
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on April 06, 2009, 11:18:51 AM
Annie Dukes Blog:
Episode 6 of Celebrity Apprentice: Clint Dictates and Jesse Gets Dirty With Midgets
Before I get into Celebrity Apprentice, I am so excited because this morning I am taking the kids to Costa Rica! We are going down there for spring break…yay!
So, this week on Celebrity Apprentice the task was to create a viral video for All Detergent. As I suspected going into task delivery, the teams got shuffled up. I stayed on Team Athena along with Melissa Rivers, Brande Roderick, Tionne Watkins and Jesse James. Team Kotu becomes Herschel Walker, Clint Black, Joan Rivers, Khloe Kardashian and Natalie Gulbis. Brian McKnight was away at a concert but I assumed whichever team lost the task would end up with Brian on their team when he got back. Melissa volunteered to Project Manage Athena (since she has experience in production) and Clint volunteered for Kotu.
So, let me start with Athena because, once again, the less interesting stuff happened on Athena. As we were heading over to the war room, we started throwing out ideas. So we come up with this idea that Jesse could get scrubbed in a bathtub by midgets. Now, the original idea was Joan getting into a bathtub, little people scrubbing her with All Detergent, and Brande coming out of the bathtub. That would have been hilarious. But we didn’t have Joan on the team anymore, which really bummed me out because I figured Joan was the ace in the hole on this task. The reason we were focused on midgets was that the detergent was called All Small and Mighty and, as Isaid repeatedly over the course of the task, you can’t really say All Small and Mighty and viral in the same sentence and not expect to get little people. And, as you notice, KOTU wanted to use a midget as well but after the first guy couldn’t act the agency had no more options to send them since Athena had already booked the other three they had available.
At first, Jesse was very resistant to get scrubbed by the little people. To be fair, we did want him in a Speedo in a bathtub so the concept did evolve from what he initially refused to do. Let me tell you, when he was initially refusing to do it I was pissed off! I was very happy when Jesse got moved to our team (and even more sad to see Natalie move over to KOTU) but when Jesse said no to concept that the rest of our team liked I was really annoyed that he wasn’t being a team player. That being said, we did finally convince him and once he said yes he was the best addition to the team ever. Slightly bumpy start but then huge asset after that. And, yes, he is a totally awesome dude, too.
So, the concept is that we will have three little people dressed as All Bottles. I was put in charge of brand messaging. Tionne and I were also assigned to get the costumes and props. After doing the brand research I needed to and after Tionne found the places where we could get the costumes and props, T and I went off to do our errands while Jesse, Melissa, and Brande stayed behind to write the script. While I was gone, Melissa obviously took some shots at me in her interviews, saying she wanted me out of the room because I was disruptive and wanted to run everything. As usual, she said all that behind my back and not to my face. One of the reasons I love Brande so much is that the one time we had an argument she told me she was pissed off and why she was pissed off right to my face. She was direct and I love that. Melissa, on the other hand, could not have been nicer to my face at this point in the game. Yet, obviously, she was somewhat sniping when my back was turned. Lucky for me, every time we had been in a boardroom, Trump had asked the PM if I overstepped my bounds or stepped on their toes. I think Trump kept asking that because he suspected I was the type who would want to be the leader on every task. Yet, every PM who was asked that insisted I was very deferential, including Khloe on the Zappos Challenge. So whatever Melissa was saying about me wanting to be in charge, she was confusing that with me being willing to stick my neck out and get my ideas across. I actually specifically always deferred to the PM because I had seen on the previous season that not doing that was a huge mistake in the game. And, anyone who has watched the last three episodes has seen an Annie that was in the background, causing no conflict and doing whatever the PM told me to do. So, I obviously knew how to subordinate and not take over.
So, anyway, Tionne and I went off to get electric blue unitards, yellow wigs, blue gloves, and high tops for the actors to wear (so they would look like the All bottles). When we were at Home Depot getting the Scrub Brushes (we found yellow ones!) Tionne found these electric blue rubber gloves the same color as the unitards and she also found these yellow hard hats. I really enjoyed the afternoon with Tionne. I hadn’t gotten to spend much time with her before plus she had been sick coming into the show with a horrible sinus infection. That was finally clearing up at which point the real Tionne was emerging. She got her energy back and she is really freaking hilarious. She did a great job finding all the costume stuff and I had a really good time getting to know her better.
After we got all the stuff, we brought it all to the laundromat where they were setting up to film. I wasn’t at the war room when Don Jr. came by so I don’t know how true the edit was on the meeting but if it was edited fairly I wish Melissa had paid more attention to Don Jrs concerns about taming it down a little because in that case we could have left off that end bit with the midgets swearing. That is not to say I don’t stand behind the video, because I do. Melissa and Jesse did an amazing job writing it and it was really, really funny (as you saw when it got played in the boardroom). But Brande seemed to pay attention to what Don Jr had to say since she was concerned it might be too out there so it seems liek maybe the edit of that meetin was fair.Again, I don’t know. I wasn’t there.
Anyway, we got back to the set and dressed up the midgets and the rest of the day was just ridiculously fun. Jesse was a good sport and had a blast the whole day. He was awesome in the video. The midgets were amazing and game for whatever we did. Melissa did a really great job directing and producing. I made sure the branding was there. Everyone contributed and we all had a blast, never stopping laughing the whole day. Editing the piece was even more fun because even after watching it over and over we still thought it was hilarious, the sign of a good viral. I can’t remember the last time I laughed as long or as hard as I did those two days.
We had a harmonious team, and we produced a really funny product. It was a great day.
Now on to KOTU. Oh my lord. During the whole task, Melissa was getting texts from her mother telling her what was going on. We were also getting reports from Khloe and Natalie. By saying they were telling us what was happening, they weren’t selling out their team by telling us their ideas. They were texting us about what was happening with Clint, that Clint was locking them out of the process and being a complete dictator. The interesting thing about this challenge was that I was so upset that Joan had been moved to the other team when I heard what the challenge was. Joan Rivers starring in a viral video would surely get passed around by the target audience. We substituted Jesse but I figured Clint would obviously have Joan be the star and I knew we would lose to that. Joan was a huge asset for them. Also, this is right up Joan’s alley for what her wheelhouse is in the writing department. Joan is obviously known for being outrageous and pushing the envelope. And viral videos are meant to be outrageous. So here is KOTU with the most obvious star for the video and the most obvious writer for the script. I figured we were ****ed.
But then it turns out we weren’t because Clint became a dictator, not a project manager, and decided to do the whole thing himself. And by himself I mean he locked out the rest of his team from doing anything, literally he locked them out of the editing bay. Clint wrote the piece (which was a dirty joke about masturbation which was not funny, offensive, and didn’t even make sense), he directed it, he made all the decisions about the actors and the editing. He was a one man show and despite his teams constant objections to the idea (and Ivanka’s objections as well) Clint refused to listen to any of them and just went full steam ahead. Ignoring the biggest asset he had on his team (Joan) was completely ridiculous and, frankly, disrespectful. I can’t say it enough, I thought Athena was sunk. In the target demographic there is no way we could compete with a Joan Rivers viral (even with Jesse starring in ours). All her ideas were very right on target and funny that she threw out on the show. Clint should have listened.
So, we get into the boardroom and, obviously, Joan was really harsh on Clint. No love lost between those two. Joan got very personal. Instead of focusing on why Clint failed as a project manager (as Khloe and Natalie did) Joan focused on why Clint failed as a human being, talking about how she never wants to see him again and that he is a bad man. Personally, I believe that no matter what your personal feelings are about someone that the boardroom is supposed to be about the task and who did their job well and who didn’t. So I felt Joan stepped over that line several times in the boardroom with Clint. While I wholeheartedly agree that Clint really screwed up as PM in a huge way, I feel the comments should have been kept to just that, the copious ways in which he screwed up as PM. The deeply personal comments made me feel bad for Clint in there.
Athena had no drama in the boardroom. We had all gotten along well and all stood by our product. In fact, when they showed our video the other team was laughing their asses off and we were told that Perez Hilton loved our video (thank you, Perez!) and hated KOTU’s. Seemed like a sure win. NOT.
The All executives hated both virals . While they loved the branding in ours (yay! I was in charge of that) they thought the rest was offensive. Now, I take offense to that in a lot of ways. Our video was great. Melissa did a fantastic job. Jesse did a great job. They wrote a really, really funny and, more importantly, viral video. Everyone on our team was on board and thought the thing was hilarious. And Perez thought it was really viral and really funny. So, my only explanation is that the All executives wanted a commercial and not a viral. I am not sure they understand the difference between a commercial and a viral because there is no question that we produced a viral, we gace them what they asked for. As I said the whole task, you can’t really say the words viral and All Small and Mighty in the same sentence and not expect little people dressed up as All bottles. Both teams went to the midget thing, afterall. I also feel like if All didn’t like either of them then Perez should have been the tie breaker. Why was he there otherwise?
So, we find out both teams lose (no surprise on the KOTU side). So both teams have to send people into the boardorom. Melissa picked Tionne, because she volunteered, and Brande. I think Melissa knew that I couldn’t get fired since the branding was the only thing praised with our video and Jesse couldn’t get fired since he had done an amazing job and worked his ass off. Brande got chosen kind of by default just because she hadn’t contributed quite as much as the others. Melissa got shafted, as far as I am concerned. She should have won as PM. But Tionne is really the one who got shafted here. Tionne did an excellent job on this task and had just come off a great week as project manager. She was just coming into her own in the game having finally gotten over her really bad sinus infection. When Melissa asked for volunteers, Tionne was the only one who wanted to support her in the boardroom which was a really nice gesture. Look, I knew not to volunteer. I know how Trump reacts to that. At the same time, Tionne didn’t volunteer to be fired, she volunteered to be by Melissa’s side. That makes her a really good person (better than I am for sure) and I was sorry to see her punished for that. Melissa knew she got a get out of jail free card on that one for sure. Trump made it clear that if T hadn’t volunteered that Melissa would have been fired.
Then there was the KOTU firing. Clint, to his credit, didn’t bring Joan in the boardroom with him. He was smart enough to know that Trump would never fire her for this task. So he chooses Khloe and Natalie who did absolutely nothing wrong. Also very much to Clint’s credit, he told Khloe and Natalie that he was absolutely the only one responsible for the failure and he would take the bullet, as he should. Whatever happened in the task up to the point, I feel like there was definitely some redemption here for Clint because he didn’t make any excuses. He took 100% full responsibility for what he had done.
In the boardroom, Trump commended him for just that. It was clear Natalie wasn’t getting fired since Trump was quizzing Natalie about Clint’s performance and not criticizing her at all. I really commend Natalie here because she kept her comments completely on the professionial level. She slung no personal insults towards Clint at all, just really descrbing his failures as a leader on the task. Then there was Khloe. As you are sitting there completely expecting that Clint will get fired (after all he was basically insisting to Trump that he take the bullet) Trump starts this conversation with Khloe about her DUI. Now, I want to make it clear that Khloe is doing everything required of her in regards to the DUI and I happen to know that she is deeply regretful of driving drunk and is making reparations. Trump didn’t care and fired her for it.
I can only say in regards to this WTF??? How does Khloe’s DUI have anything to do with the game? I have to say I was completely confused. Clint admitted it was all his fault. He LOCKED his team out of the editing room. Short of breaking down the door, his team had no way to even give any input in the project. There was no one else to blame but Clint. Instead of Clint getting fired, though, Khloe got fired for something she had done 6 months before she even came on the show. I found the whole thing bizarre. And, needless to say, I was shocked, everyone was shocked, when Clint walked out of that boardroom safe. I guess sometimes Trump acts in mysterious ways.
One thing, as a closing note…Herschel came up with a ridiculously funny idea for his team’s viral that wasn’t shown on TV. He wanted to get into a bathtub, have midgets scrub him with All detergent and then he gets out of the bathtub a white man. I thought that was hilarious (and similar to the Joan Rivers/Brande idea we had). Too bad Clint didn’t listen to that one. I am sure the All executives would have found it offensive but at least KOTU would have produced something that was really funny.
jmo i am sure i need to hid under the chair but... i though trump was an ass tonight on the show, how does that womanzing hoe trump judge cloie like that. i stoped watching this show a few yrs ago cause it got to b one big commercial for what ever project they were doing , but this yr i was watching this train wreck caus i like jessy and cloie and a few other stars so i thought it would b fun to watch, but last night trump getting up on his high horse please wtf, he just wants to keep the most famous cleb's on as long as he can for rateings, he should have fired clint. and save the double elm for next week. i hope desprat hw comes bk on next week i dout i am going to watch cleb app. any more TRUMP THE WOMINZING HOE WTF.. :hides :wall:
:waves: Tory!
While I enjoyed the episode last night, it was funny at times, do I agree with the boardroom results? HELL NO!
I'm sorry but it's so obvious that Trump is playing favorites. At this point, Joan and Melissa will go all the way if not to the end but close! Clint should have been fired but no, they want to see more friction between him and Joan in future episodes. Now, firing Tionne because she volunteered, I have mixed feelings about that, I do remember Bradford from season 3, I believe. Someone obviously had to go and I knew Melissa wasn't going anywhere. Now for Khloe, I'm sorry but that was a major cop-out for Trump to do that in order to keep Clint. The DUI she got happened a long time ago, I remember reading that in the news, I think that was last spring or summer and she is doing everything required to pay the price of what she did. That firing was so personal, had nothing to do with business-wise.
I don't think I want to see any more celebrity apprentice shows. I prefer the normal average people trying their luck in the business world.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: TexasLady on April 06, 2009, 01:08:08 PM
Thanks again apskip for another great recap. :-*
About last night....
I thought both teams messed up and neither deserved to win. Clint Black's effort was horrible. It wasn't funny, it didn't respect the product and while he tried to make it all about Joan, he took over the project and was not part of a team. He did not respect the views of the women and only at the last moment let them put the captions which somewhat helped pull it out of the sewer into the swamp. It was a nasty joke that most women would find offensive and would be detrimental to the product. I have to wonder if Herschel hadn't suggested the captions if Clint would have agreed to adding them.
I laughed at the first part of Athena's video but the end was bad! Really BAD! If they had stopped before the cursing and the stalking off, it might have been OK. Three kinds of detergent, three little guys representing them. The costumes were perfect!
I do recall Bradford's firing after Trump reminded us why we should but this just didn't seem to be the same situation. However I can respect the point, you don't volunteer to come back in the position where you might be in jeopardy. Obviously that is a sore point with Trump.
What I did NOT like was the way he dealt with Khloe. She was doing what she had to do with her DWI penalties. She took responsibility for it as far as I can tell and surely Trump knew about this before she was asked on the show. Firing her when she had no part or responsibility for the video was unfair. If she had been fired last week, it would have been understandable but she wasn't.
I don't know about having a Joan and Melissa face off, but I'm sure he and the producers want more blowups and we're sure to have them with Clint and Joan.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on April 06, 2009, 02:40:04 PM
Trump made the right decision like him I do not support drunk drivers they are pathetic it doesn’t matter what they were forced to complete by law it’s the initial act that makes their character a loser.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on April 06, 2009, 04:25:10 PM
BACKSTABBING, LAZINESS AND A SURPRISE TASK TAKES A TOLL ON THE REMAINING NINE CELEBRITIES ON THE NEXT 'CELEBRITY APPRENTICE' SUNDAY, APRIL 12 (9-11 P.M. ET) ON NBC
NBC Press Release
After the surprising firing of Tionne Watkins and Khloe Kardashian in last week's boardroom, teams Athena and Kotu must recover quickly and get to work on an in-store display for LifeLock this Sunday, April 12 (9-11 p.m. ET) on NBC. The LifeLock challenge, however, is just the beginning for the celebrities as Mr. Trump has another task for both teams before they even have a chance to register who was fired in the boardroom.
To begin, the teams must design and build an in-store display unit and packaging for the company of LifeLock, which provides identity theft protection. Team Kotu, led by pro-golfer Natalie Gulbis, delegates various responsiblities to her team quickly and ignores the obvious tension between team members Joan Rivers and Clint Black. A lackluster Brian McKnight, whose slow pace has the team close to missing deadlines and Jesse James working through an illness, leads team Athena. Both teams present their displays to the CEO of LifeLock and the last-minute decisions made by each team have the executive choosing a clear winner and Mr. Trump firing another celebrity. Before the teams have a chance to wind down, however, Mr. Trump calls them immediately back into the boardroom to begin their next task, auctioning jewelry from Ivanka Trump's boutique for a charity later that night. The teams swiftly get to work but the backstabbing that took place between celebrities in the boardroom affects certain members during the task, and one celebrity feels shunned by their team. A sabotage against one team puts tens of thousands of dollars up for grabs, and a surprise guest star agrees to keep an eye on the feuding celebrities for Trump.
Clint Black, Annie Duke, Natalie Gulbis, Jesse James, Brian McKnight, Joan Rivers, Melissa Rivers, Brande Roderick and Herschel Walker are the remaining nine celebrities vying to be The Celebrity Apprentice.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 07, 2009, 10:14:31 AM
Kardashians Sound Off on Khloe's Celebrity Apprentice Firing
Khloe Kardashian might have to go, but she's not going quietly.
The reality star was fired from Sunday's episode of Celebrity Apprentice – not because of anything she did wrong on the show, but because of a DUI she received in 2007.
By all indications, country star Clint Black was on the chopping block until Trump learned that Kardashian had missed some of the previous week's competition to go to a mandatory class regarding her DUI. "I hate people who drive under the influence," Trump said in the boardroom as he fired Kardashian. "I know three families who lost children to drunken driving."
Kardashian took to her blog to defend herself yesterday. "It wasn't because of my work ethic, it wasn't because I was slacking," she writes, "It was because of my DUI. I don't think I should have been fired for that reason alone. I just wish Mr. Trump would have handled the situation a little differently."
Big sister Kim Kardashian also wrote on her Web site in Khloe's defense. "I was a little disappointed at how she was given the boot," she writes. "She obviously made an awful mistake but definitely has taken responsibility for her actions and we are all very proud of her."
Kim ended her blog post on an upbeat note: "I'm glad she's home."
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 07, 2009, 10:19:22 AM
Khloe's blog post about her firing:
The Donald Gave Me the Axe
Hello my loves! So as I'm sure you've all heard, The Donald fired me off of Celebrity Apprentice last night. It wasn't because of my work ethic, it wasn't because I was slacking -- it was because of my DUI, one of the biggest mistakes I've ever made that I will forever regret. I will NEVER say that what I did was right, but I think it is completely unrelated to my place on the show and I don't think I should have been fired for that reason alone. I have tried to bring awareness to how serious DUI's are and I am trying to make some right out of my huge mistake.
Oh well...what's done is done, and there's nothing I can do now. I just wish Mr. Trump would have handled the situation a little differently. I guess I was expecting a lot... LOL. I find it weird that he can forgive and take back Tara Conner but he can't do the same with me?! The things people do for ratings!
I met a lot of cool people on the show, many who were really talented. In all honesty, I'm rooting for Natalie Gulbis and Joan Rivers to go all the way... I guess we'll all have to wait and see who makes it.
It was a great experience and I love a new challenge, but I have to say that I was happy when it was over so that I could focus on the growth and success of my clothing store and shooting Keeping Up with the people I love most in the world! Filming Celebrity Apprentice gave me a whole new outlook on Keeping Up. I adore working with my family and this just made it all that much clearer to me.
http://khloekardashian.celebuzz.com/
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on April 07, 2009, 12:41:32 PM
My new book, Think Like a Champion: An Informal Education in Business and Life will be coming out soon--on April 14th, to be exact. I’m excited about this book because as Robert Kiyosaki says, “it’s the perfect book at the perfect time.” I tend to agree, because one thing we all need now is some inspiration as well as motivation, and this book serves that purpose.
I start each topic covered with a quote, which has proven to be a popular approach. Some people who have skimmed the book mention that they love the quotes because they are diverse and cover the spectrum of time from the Greeks up to the present.
Einstein looked for solutions. That’s something we all have to do these days, and knowing we’re in good company can be helpful. One reason I enjoyed writing this book is because it made me focus on some rock solid principles. My father would send me inspirational quotes when I was in school, and they made me think. That’s the link that was intended--the think link--and it’s a bit like connecting the dots, which happens to be a chapter in the book, Building Connected Thoughts. There’s no point in having a lot of knowledge if you don’t know how to apply it in an effective way.
I have always been grateful to have a mentor like my father, and in many ways this book is a tribute to what he taught me. I am hoping that the thoughts I share with my readers will provide them with guidance and inspiration. I also hope you will take the time to read this book and think about what is being said. We need to be champions now, in every sense of the word.
"Celebrity Apprentice" reject Dennis Rodman got tossed again -- this time for getting too touchy feely at a posh LA hotel.
Sources tell TMZ Rodman was asked to leave the London Hotel in West Hollywood on Friday after several guests complained about his behavior. We're told Rodman was slapping and groping female guests, as well as yelling obscenities. And get this -- our spies tell us he even scared the children.
A hotel staffer told us, "He is the most obscene and out of control guest I've ever seen up here."
A call to Rodman's rep was not immediately returned.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 08, 2009, 02:35:08 PM
“A Little Bit Obnoxious”
Reality series, CELEBRITY APPRENTICE is mid-season and things are starting to piss off Donald Trump! Before the show heats up last week’s winning team, ATHENA allowed PM Tionne Watkins to donate $20,000.00 to her charity, SICLE CELL FOUNDATION OF GEORGIA.
Donald has had enough of the women’s team winning. They have won 4 out of the past 5 tasks and he’s decided that it is time to split up the teams. By Donald’s design the new teams are set up as follows: KOTU ATHENA
Clint Black - PM Melissa Rivers - PM Herschel Walker Jesse James Natalie Gulbis Brande Roderick Khloe Kardashian Annie Duke Joan Rivers Tionne Watkins
During this task Brian McKnight was missing due to other contractual obligations and will be assigned when he returns.
The task for this week is for each team to produce a 60 second Viral Video that can be viewed on the Internet to send a product message for ALL Small & Mighty Detergent. Kevin & Shannon of the ALL Corporation advise the teams that the focus should be on Originality, Buzzworthiness and Branding with special attention to their demographic, which is the modern, everyday woman who might find the video entertaining enough to forward to their online friends and family.
Team KOTU starts off with Herschel having to leave the task for several hours. Clint being the PM leads his team of women in brain storming for a catchy idea. Being that Joan Rivers is a seasoned comedienne one would think they would go straight to her for the funny….not so much. Clint comes up with some suggestive, somewhat raunchy idea that “doing the dirty laundry” is some kind of code for a sexual encounter and he is off and running…..and I do mean running. He runs the task like a dictator which is insulting to the women but in his old school, country way this short guy stands tall and basically does the task solo, allowing the ladies to sit around and look pretty. His behavior is obnoxious and when Joan challenges him continually on his terrible idea he tells her she is being obnoxious. Herschel returns to utter chaos.
On the opposite side of the spectrum is team ATHENA with Melissa Rivers acting as the organized, delegating leader who utilizes her talented team mates. Jesse James reluctantly agrees to appear in the video with the assistance of three little people who they label “migets” in the title of the video. Annie is her usual pushy self but Melissa does the smart thing and gives Annie the responsibility of branding and costuming so she is contained in her own little arena.
The judging for the viral videos is done by the ALL executives and a guy who is a self proclaimed, obnoxious celebrity wannabe, Perez Hilton. How this guy is connected to Donald Trump’s organization is out of my range of reality. In any case both execs dislike both videos for their lack of good taste and Perez likes ATHENA’S simply because smoking hot Jesse James is in it.
Off to the Boardroom they go where The Donald surprises everyone telling them that both teams are coming back because no body won. Melissa feeling that her entire team gave 100% asks for volunteers to join her for elimination…Tionne steps up and Melissa selects Brande as her choice. As much as Clint and Joan Rivers fought he was smart in bringing back Khloe and Natalie knowing he could strong arm them both.
Keeping with the obnoxious theme of the evening, Donald takes no time to remind Tionne of former Apprentice contestant, Bradford who volunteered to come into the Boardroom…he was instantly fired for being such a fool to volunteer and now so was Tionne…In Trump’s finest, most superior and obnoxious tone he sends Tionne packing.
He grinds Natalie and Clint for a few moments then levels Khloe Kardashian by verbally spanking her on network television for getting a DUI. He lets her know that he has no patience for drinking and driving and the irreparable damage it can cause if an accident occurs. He gives the spoiled Hollywood brat the boot and a beat down for acting like the rest of her above reproach peers telling her that she really needs to get it together. So that her charity does not suffer from her lack of responsible behavior Donald gives the BRENT SHAPIRO FOUNDATION a donation of $20,000.00 while the door hits Khloe in the ass.
Next week there is a double task in store and now that the teams are split there is even more tension…don’t forget to watch Sunday on NBC.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on April 08, 2009, 05:50:44 PM
The $20,000 payoff in hush money to Khloe Kardashian reminds me that Trump would have had to pay her charity a similar "appearance fee" guarantee, so it isn't like he is being particularly generous by paying her charity that on her firing. Trump gets to look beneficent when he really probably isn't.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 09, 2009, 03:08:58 AM
We've got a feeling a certain feud is leaving the boardroom and heading for the real world!
After Khloe Kardashian got the boot from Donald Trump on The Celebrity Apprentice, each side has taken to the Internet to air their issues. Khloe recently blogged about The Donald giving her the axe, which she blames on her history with alcohol abuse.
"The Donald fired me off of Celebrity Apprentice last night," she wrote on April 6. "It wasn't because of my work ethic, it wasn't because I was slacking -- it was because of my DUI, one of the biggest mistakes I've ever made that I will forever regret. I will NEVER say that what I did was right, but I think it is completely unrelated to my place on the show and I don't think I should have been fired for that reason alone. I have tried to bring awareness to how serious DUI's are and I am trying to make some right out of my huge mistake."
She goes on to skewer Donald for forgiving former Miss USA Tara Conner for her drinking, but not her.
"I find it weird that he can forgive and take back Tara Conner but he can't do the same with me?!" she adds. "The things people do for ratings!"
And now Donald is fighting back with a blog of his own, titled, "Point Counterpoint."
"There’s been a lot of commotion about alcohol lately. On The Celebrity Apprentice, two of our celebrities have admitted problems with it. One had a DUI conviction. People wonder why I take a strong position on this situation," he writes, clearly indicating Khloe, who was caught driving under the influence in 2008.
"My experience with alcohol is limited, as I don’t drink. Maybe that allows me to have a clearer view of what it can do to people who do not handle it responsibly. Many people can drink and live healthy and productive lives. Others cannot."
He goes on to detail his brother's struggle with alcohol, before delving into the Tara issue, writing, "Then people got into another commotion because I pardoned Tara Connor for her irresponsible behavior which also included alcohol use. Here’s the difference: She had just entered celebrity, which was a new arena for her, and these contestants have already had professional success as well as celebrity.
So if I take a hard line on this subject, maybe there’s a reason for it. I like and care for these people, and I don’t want to see them hurting themselves. Looking the other way might be an easier way to go, but that’s not the way I am."
The Celebrity Apprentice airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.
http://www.okmagazine.com/news/view/13237
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on April 09, 2009, 05:07:27 AM
Joan Rivers Blogs:
Episode Six: Spreading a Clean Virus
This was the worst challenge so far, and it was the most unhappy that I have been since starting the show!
Our team was separated, and Melissa and I were split up. It was no longer the women vs. the men, and I tried to form new bonds with my teammates Clint, Natalie, Herschel and Khloe. The challenge was to create a viral video for All’s laundry detergent, Small & Mighty. (Small & Mighty, by the way, was my nickname for Tom Cruise for years—who knew he also got your clothes clean!?)
Right at the start, I learned something new. I found out what a viral video was. I had thought it was a film you watched in sex education class to warn you about promiscuity and sailors on shore leave, but a viral video is actually a funny or amazing clip that gets passed along from person to person via email. (It has to be outrageous, like David Hasselhoff eating a cheeseburger on the floor or Christian Bale’s tirade on the set of his latest movie.) Marketers have realized that ordinary people have the power to circulate these things better than any PR firm, and so All Small & Mighty wanted to capitalize on the phenomenon.
Clint was our project manager, and from the very start he took none of the team’s suggestions for the video. As writers working in a group, you bounce and bounce and bounce ideas until you come up with one you all love (or at least all like), but Clint was having none of this. I have never in my life worked with someone so dogmatic, so rigid and so dismissive. Clint ignored all of our ideas and did the video HIS WAY. I don’t know if it was because most of his teammates were women, but then why didn’t he listen to Herschel who is a very smart and successful businessman? After many attempts, my biggest contribution of the day was ordering lunch!
The entire team felt that Clint’s video concept was stupid and had no point of view. There was a strange masturbation undertone to it, which we all objected to.
At one point over lunch, while we all were arguing so fiercely with Clint, I came up with a great (or so I thought) idea for a video that people would surely pass along. I suggested we show Clint and me fighting over how to do our viral video. Clint would then walk away and I would (pretend to) spit in his sandwich. When he came back, we’d continue to discuss the merits of Small & Mighty while he ate the sandwich. Of course, he rejected that gross idea and we did it all his way.
Because we all hated our viral video, going to the boardroom was uncomfortable and awkward. We were all so over Clint’s “leadership.”
Melissa was project manager of her team and their video was adorable. They took the words small and mighty literally and had midgets coming out of washing machines and dancing with shopping carts. It was cute, cute, cute! But the executives from All were upset with both videos: ours because it was so stupid, and Melissa’s because they used the term “midget” (even though they asked their actors for permission first).
Because neither team won, one person from each was fired: Tionne and Khloe , from our team. (It should have been Clint!) It hurt me very much to see both women leave. They were great workers, and I guess it goes to show that snakes and connivers get places, and good girls sometimes finish last.
As we enter the seventh week, it’s getting down to the nitty gritty, and I feel like I should put aside trying to help the other contestants and just concentrate on winning—with humor! An undercurrent of trickery and guile is starting to permeate our environment. One of my biggest assets—and flaws I guess—is I say exactly what I think. I’m not much of a plotter.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on April 09, 2009, 05:10:33 AM
Joan Rivers Blogs:
More Viral Videos!!!
Melissa and I were asked by All Small & Mighty to do more videos!!
Here’s the best part: They donated $20,000 to each of our charities as a thank you, and you can help too! Watch our videos here, and when you do, All will donate 50 cents to our charities.
Melissa’s is the Lili Claire Foundation, which gives counseling to families of terminally ill children. Mine—after God’s Love We Deliver—is Guide Dogs for the Blind. Enjoy!
Link to view the videos: http://www.all-laundry.com/ (http://www.all-laundry.com/)
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on April 09, 2009, 08:27:32 AM
See the Joan Rivers blog above, with particular interest in thie statement: I guess it goes to show that snakes and connivers get places, and good girls sometimes finish last.
I guess Joan just typecast herself and Melissa as "snakes and connivers".
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: TexasLady on April 09, 2009, 10:50:00 AM
See the Joan Rivers blog above, with particular interest in thie statement: I guess it goes to show that snakes and connivers get places, and good girls sometimes finish last.
I guess Joan just typecast herself and Melissa as "snakes and connivers".
Heh!! :snicker:
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: tory on April 10, 2009, 12:35:24 PM
:waves: hi will, i haven't visited this thread sence i posted my slam on things, but sry mg i was sooo right. and thanks to will digging a little deeper into things i have proofe :yess: :yess:
to bad that a$$ trump can't be sued for sexual harrassment. i am sure it is in the contract any one who works for him sign's.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on April 10, 2009, 02:16:36 PM
I think it's a good time(about to be halfway compelted) for a forecast of how the remaining epsiodes contestants play out. Let's start with an analysis of the Khloe Kardashian situation. She was on the bubble in at least one epiosde before last Sunday's and I rated her the weakest celebrity standing going in. The fact that she got a raw deal does not mask the fact that she would have been eliminated soon anyway.
Another interesting case is Natalie Gulbis. She appeared to be a very nice person, but you know what Joan Rivers says about that. She will exit soon, one of the next 3 episodes.
Melissa Rivers is in it for the long haul. There is a strong probability that she is in the final 2. Donald Trump clearly likes her a great deal.
Joan Rivers is someone who you might expect to be around at the end, but I don't think so. She is going to do soemthing headstrong that will take her out at #4 or #3. Donald Trump will elect not to save her in spite of his reverence for her.
I like Annie Duke the best of all the female celebrities. She will make it to about #5 or #6, but her headstrong nature will catch up to her and cause a mistake.
The revelation of this show is Brande Roderick, who you might think would be all show but is not. She is a serious busineswoman with lots of talents and connections. I see her going out at #3 or #4.
The strength on the male side is clearly Herschel Walker, who is a real businessman. He will go to the Final 2.
Clint Black has been given a reprieve from the producers who want to see more Clint vs. Joan sparks. He should have been fired in the last episode and he will be in one of the next 3 episodes. He has no managerial skills and can barely manage himself.
Brian McKnight is a good guy, but I don't see him as having the total skills of several of the top women. He will go out in one of the next 3 episodes.
Here is the summary of what I just said:
#1/#2 Melissa Rivers and Herschel Walker #3/#4 Joan Rivers and Brande Roderick #5/#6 Annie Duke and Jesse James #7/#8/#9 Brian McKnight, Natalie Gulbis, Clint Black
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on April 10, 2009, 02:20:42 PM
Nothing has changed my mind Donald firing Khloe is so irrelevant over her DUI her character sucks. It’s not an issue that Donald should have known about her DUI where is Khloe’s responsibility of telling CA I can’t be apart of the show this season because of my dui instead she went to a judge and asked to be excused because she wants to be on tv. I don’t see her doing everything she can taking responsibility that’s not sorry. Donald pointed out that Clint and Natalie could have been doing other things regarding their career but Khloes is so much more serious firing her forces her to go back to finish her dui responsibilities where she should have been and that’s where she did go what a dumb ass.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: tory on April 10, 2009, 04:06:17 PM
i realy don't like the donald..jmo
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: TexasLady on April 10, 2009, 06:06:19 PM
#1/#2 Melissa Rivers and Herschel Walker #3/#4 Joan Rivers and Brande Roderick #5/#6 Annie Duke and Jesse James #7/#8/#9 Brian McKnight, Natalie Gulbis, Clint Black
I agree with you apskip. Herschel is very smart and I think he was responsible for at least making Clint's viral video a little more palatable and less disgusting with the captions. Clint didn't listen to the women at all.
I can't improve on your insights about the remaining contestants, I think they are spot on and while there might be a few changes from the firings from 5 to 9, I think you are right about the final 1 and 2. :tup:
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: marigold on April 11, 2009, 06:02:32 AM
Clint Black has been given a reprieve from the producers who want to see more Clint vs. Joan sparks. He should have been fired in the last episode and he will be in one of the next 3 episodes. He has no managerial skills and can barely manage himself.
:funny: lol thanks for the laugh great analysis overall
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 11, 2009, 01:17:58 PM
I think it's a good time(about to be halfway compelted) for a forecast of how the remaining epsiodes contestants play out. Let's start with an analysis of the Khloe Kardashian situation. She was on the bubble in at least one epiosde before last Sunday's and I rated her the weakest celebrity standing going in. The fact that she got a raw deal does not mask the fact that she would have been eliminated soon anyway.
Another interesting case is Natalie Gulbis. She appeared to be a very nice person, but you know what Joan Rivers says about that. She will exit soon, one of the next 3 episodes.
Melissa Rivers is in it for the long haul. There is a strong probability that she is in the final 2. Donald Trump clearly likes her a great deal.
Joan Rivers is someone who you might expect to be around at the end, but I don't think so. She is going to do soemthing headstrong that will take her out at #4 or #3. Donald Trump will elect not to save her in spite of his reverence for her.
I like Annie Duke the best of all the female celebrities. She will make it to about #5 or #6, but her headstrong nature will catch up to her and cause a mistake.
The revelation of this show is Brande Roderick, who you might think would be all show but is not. She is a serious busineswoman with lots of talents and connections. I see her going out at #3 or #4.
The strength on the male side is clearly Herschel Walker, who is a real businessman. He will go to the Final 2.
Clint Black has been given a reprieve from the producers who want to see more Clint vs. Joan sparks. He should have been fired in the last episode and he will be in one of the next 3 episodes. He has no managerial skills and can barely manage himself.
Brian McKnight is a good guy, but I don't see him as having the total skills of several of the top women. He will go out in one of the next 3 episodes.
Here is the summary of what I just said:
#1/#2 Melissa Rivers and Herschel Walker #3/#4 Joan Rivers and Brande Roderick #5/#6 Annie Duke and Jesse James #7/#8/#9 Brian McKnight, Natalie Gulbis, Clint Black
Your rankings are pretty much right on....I really do see Melissa go all the way to the end!
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: RudyRules on April 12, 2009, 02:23:33 AM
I agree with most of what you all have said. I liked Clint until the Apr 5 show. Not only am I disgusted :knuckles: with his assinine idea for the video, but that he totally refused to listen to, respect, & work w/ his team to get their ideas. The Donald should have fired HIM, not Khloe.
Clint should stick with his singing. However, I won't be listening to him anymore. He lost at least one fan... What a jerk. (:;)
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: TexasLady on April 12, 2009, 10:32:47 AM
I agree with most of what you all have said. I liked Clint until the Apr 5 show. Not only am I disgusted :knuckles: with his assinine idea for the video, but that he totally refused to listen to, respect, & work w/ his team to get their ideas. The Donald should have fired HIM, not Khloe.
Clint should stick with his singing. However, I won't be listening to him anymore. He lost at least one fan... What a jerk. (:;)
Rudy!!!! :luvya: Clint really is a little man isn't he! Yes, he should have been fired. His time was up!
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: renatalou on April 12, 2009, 11:54:38 PM
Aghh! i am so upset i missed this weeks episode...does anyone know what time and when it repeats again?
thanks!!
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 13, 2009, 08:03:14 AM
'Celebrity Apprentice' recap: Bring on the drama
There's a very good reason this week's episode of The Celebrity Apprentice had the teams compete in one and a half tasks: The first one just wasn't all that interesting. No matter how talented the editors, even they couldn't squeeze two hours out of it.
We picked up after last week's boardroom, when everyone found out who got axed and who stayed. Joan summed up what I'd like to believe were everyone's feelings after the viral video challenge: ''Clint is a jackass.'' Melissa called out The Donald's unfounded firing of Khloe: ''You don't punish someone for trying to change.'' And Annie summed up what I'd like to believe were everyone's feelings about the viral video challenge: ''Your video did suck, Clint, by the way.''
As for the first task, identity theft = serious problem. Identity theft prevention service = probably very useful. Selling the identity theft prevention service on reality TV = not terribly exciting. It was your typical Apprentice-type challenge -- come up with marketing concept, create a display, present it to company execs. You know, the usual. As much as the editors tried (Jesse James vomits eight times from a stomach virus! KOTU's graphic sticker is too small! Annie takes over, even though she's not in charge!), this week's ''drama'' didn't hold a candle to last week's head-butting. And the boardroom was equally as tame -- it was pretty clear Brian had mentally checked out on the game, so when he conceded defeat and admitted he didn't care if he stayed or not, Trump gave him the ol' heave-ho.
The new challenge proved to be much more interesting (and ripe for drama). The remaining contestants were to plan and host an auction of pieces from Ivanka Trump's jewelry line. Sooooo many things could go wrong: choosing the pieces (understated or showy?), choosing the models (should the guys or gals pick 'em?), shopping for clothes (fancy gowns or daywear?), raising the money (bug your friends, or wait until their money will go to your charity?). Annie finally stepped up as project manager, so we'll get to see if she can put her money where her mouth is (apparently the lady has heaps of rich friends). Unfortunately, we won't get to see it until next week.
What did you think of last night's episode? Did the best team win? Did the right person go home? Were you as pleased as I was that Joan called out Trump on the Khloe incident? Was Annie too domineering in the first task? Were you amused or annoyed by Melissa's whine-fest about Brande and Annie's newfound friendship (and ''two-facedness'')? Oh, and the special mystery guest they hinted at? Piers Morgan, last year's winner. Can we say ''letdown''? Finally, are you excited to see how the auctions play out next week?
Aghh! i am so upset i missed this weeks episode...does anyone know what time and when it repeats again?
thanks!!
Welcome to RFF renatalou! We'll help you catch up!! :tup:
You can watch online here: http://www.nbc.com/the-celebrity-apprentice/video/episodes/?vid=1084907
I thought MSNBC replayed the episodes as well but I'm not finding it but I bet someone will know.
:bigwelcome
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: TexasLady on April 13, 2009, 08:42:49 AM
Just as soon as I say Clint is a little man then he shows that he does have business sense after all. I'm shocked!
What was more shocking to me was the behavior of Joan and her daughter. Did anyone else find it as off-putting as I did? Breaking a wine glass because she's upset over Annie? Not cool Joan. Really not cool! (Or was it for the mere drama à la Omarosa?)
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 13, 2009, 09:17:09 AM
CELEBRITY APPRENTICE Poker Face
This season of Donald Trump’s CELEBRITY APPRENTICE on NBC is filled with surprises and new twists on his old format. Last week he took the liberty of firing two contestants instead of the standard one and this week he surprises the final 8 Apprentice cast members after the Boardroom firing with a secondary task. Being that neither Project Manager from last week won any money for their charity the show began straight away with their new task.
Team KOTU consists of PM Natalie Gulbis, Joan, Clint & Herschel. Team ATHENA is lead by the returning Brian McKnight and his team mates are Annie, Jesse, Brande and Melissa. The task is to create a retail display for LifeLock, a company that provides protection from identity theft. CEO and spokesperson for the company, Todd Davis and his associate meet with both teams and give them the guidelines for the project.
Natalie (KOTU) does a good job of assigning tasks and allows for an open brain storming session. Natalie is a bit naïve in some areas and welcomes Joan’s experience in merchandising. Herschel and Clint get to work on the art work and display and as they near their deadline Joan suggestions they use a comic approach utilizing each of their celebrity images to enhance their already incredible packaging and store displays. Natalie personally goes to Brooklyn with Herschel to secure that their art work is correctly formatted.
Team ATHENA struggled from the beginning as Brian tries to get his head back in the game after missing an entire week due to a concert obligation he had. His management style is laid back and having Annie on his team it made it easy for her to step in as the Alpha female and take over. Jesse (who became quite ill during filming) was joined by Brande to put together the actual display and art work. While they were at JCDP where their creation was being made, Brande embarrassed herself acting like one of Hugh Heffner’s girls next door flirting and coyly strolling around the warehouse. Back at the office Annie was in a panic because Brian was doing a poor job of time management; so much so that in the end their displays lacked much thought and creativity due to is neglect.
Joan is assigned the job of presenting to the CEO of LifeLock and does a good job of brand messaging and remains serious about the task at hand. Team KOTU is delighted with her presentation. Brian finally actually does something for his team as presenter. He strokes the ego of Todd Davis and makes everyone feel very good about their display. The executives meet and both teams are called into the Boardroom.
Donald probes around looking to see if he can stir up some trouble but Joan and Clint have kissed and made up and team ATHENA appears mutually supportive, although somewhat poker faced. The decision was made and KOTU wins the task and allows Natalie to give $20,000.00 to her charity, THE BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA. As team KOTU returns to their suite Joan shares that the previous evening Annie Duke told her that she planned to sell out Brande because she did not feel Brande brought much to the team. As they watch what transpires in the Boardroom Joan goes ballistic as Annie is utterly two-faced doing just the opposite….remaining neutral about Brande and working to push Melissa & Brian under the bus. Joan threatens to quit the show if Melissa is fired and she calls Annie a snake, over and over. A half hearted Brian McKnight all but begs Trump to fire him and since Donald can sense the lack of interest in Brian he dies just that. When the two women return to the suite, it’s on! Joan viciously calls out Annie who keeps a completely composed demeanor.
Suddenly there is another new twist and the confrontation is halted….The Donald wants everyone back to the Boardroom pronto. When the exhausted teams arrive, their boss tells them that they are to begin their new task immediately and the battling Project Managers will be Joan Rivers VS Annie Duke. They will be preparing a fashion show/auction to showcase Ivanka Trump’s new jewelry line and the team who makes the most money wins. Both teams are off and running immediately.
The beginning of Celebrity Apprentice next week will likely recap the posturing that goes on among the teams and I’ll get to that next time. But what I will say is that Natalie shows that she is indeed a competitor coming up with a strategy that may help Joan exact her revenge on the two-faced, snake with a poker face, Annie Duke.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on April 13, 2009, 09:40:41 PM
I know that you did not ask my opinion about Annie, Joan and Melissa, Reality FreakWill, but you are going to receive it anyway. I think the behavior of both Joan and Melissa Rivers is atrocious. Joan behaved like a person overly mad with rage for someone whose competence could threaten her daughter's preeminence in this competition. Melissa behaved like a sore loser. They both should get a serious spanking for bad behavior because they are acting like 2 year olds.
Now, Annie behaved with much more task orientation and the appearance of "cool" behavior. However, she deserves low marks for ducking the $20,000 opportunity as Project Manager so that she can save contacts for the really big Project Manager opportunity associated with the auction. She showed little class in doing so. So did Jesse in this episode. He did not want to waste his high-roller contacts for Brian's benefit when he could save them for himself. In episode 1 of Celebrity Apprentice 1, I recall Trump firing Tiffany Fallon, who could have gotten a contribution from Hugh Hefner but chose to save it for later.
I think that behavior like that from Jesse, if Trump found out about it, would cause him to be fired. That certainly makes much more sense than the firings of either Tionne or Khloe.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: Texan on April 13, 2009, 10:50:55 PM
I agree Melissa and Joan were terrible. Melissa being so upset that Annie was playing nice with the other lady. And Joan having a fit because someone said something bad about her daughter. And her reaction with her team mates I think showed them where they stand. You knew they had each other's back but that proved it.
I think Jesse is going to be in trouble. He is a good worker and smart, but the not wanting to bring in his donors it not a good sign.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on April 14, 2009, 09:03:20 AM
Reality Freak Will's recap above does a good job on the task specifics. My recap of the latest episode of 9 Contestants Left focuses more on the interaction of personalities:
This was somewhat easier to watch than last week's travesty of justice by Trump's choice of who to fire and who to not fire (are you listening, Clint and Melissa?). Joan says that she is still really angry at Clint, but then later in the episode she goes out of her way to hide that and work with him amicably. Talk about two-faced. Joan also goes into tirades against Annie, who she says is two-faced because she is working with her teammate Brande rather than against her as she had prviately told Melissa she would. Melissa is also incensed about Annie, which I regard as natural since Annie is her biggest competitor. Both Joan and Melissa should put their energy into their work rather than running off at the mouth. It's time for at both of them to go home, but that won't happen because their unrestrained mouthing off, unpopular with me, appears to be popular with the producers.
The episode introduces the Company of the Week, Lifelock. Don't quote me on this but I heard that NBC was asking $2 million for a company to be the focus of an episode. Several reportedly paid over $1 million. I think Lifelock is one of the few that got sufficient exposure to warrant that amount of money. Its CEO Todd Davis comes with Andrew to tout his company and provide information to Athena and KOTU. One of the key issues is whether Todd, who has historically been showcased in company advertising (his name and social security number up on billboards just daring crooks to try to misuse it), should continue to be. Teams had to craft a concept, specific messages, and some actual advertising copy in the boardroom presentation format. Natalie and Brian were Project Managers, although why Athena did that when neither Jesse nor Annie has been one I can't figure out. Ivanka states in the boardroom that Annie needs to step up and be Project Manager.
Teams struggled to do this. KOTU after much soul-searching decided to feature its team members with brilliant copy apparently written by Clint in the ad. They had to oversee the actual production of the display board. I thought their ad was witty and this team was well managed by Natalie. Joan and Herschel both made contributions. Herschel is pissed at Clint for his style in the handling of the team cell phone. It may be OK to have Joan against you, but Joan and Herschel both? That's not OK.
Athena was supposed to be led by Brian, but he was inept at thinking of timelines and what had to be completed when, so his team seriously underperformed. Annie appeared to be the actual Project Manager and she did as good a job of sherpherding critical tasks just in advance of the deadlines as was possible in the difficult circumstances.
Ivanka shows up fairly early in the KOTU work and her observation was that Natalie had to keep the peace between Joan and Clint. Well Joan's self-restraint accomplished what probably nobody other than Donald Trump could have. She did force herself, however distateful, to get along with Clint.
George visited Athena late in their work. He concludes that there is little progress and this team is in trouble. Later in the boardroom, George calls Brian's management style "laid back". That is the kiss of death with Donald Trump, who clearly rewards a hands-on active management style.
The presentation happens. KOTU is praised for their packaging design and advertising and for a good presentation of it. Athena get low marks for its packaging and OK advertising, but Brian gives an excellent presentation. The judging emphasizes package design and advertising, so KOTU wins. Natalie gets $20,000 for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. It is time for Athena to be judged. Brian brings in Melissa and Brande, but both of them had made real contributions to the team. It was obvious in that choice that he was setting up himself to be fired. Trump asked if he had lost his commitment to the competition. Brian admitted that it was weak right now. For many reasons (all of them right) Trump tells Brian he looks tired and fires Brian.
So, is this the end of the episode? It wasn't past 1020pm by this time so something has to occupy the next 40 minutes of NBC air time. Trump calls the teams back to the boardroom and congratulates them on reaching the Final 8. Then he introduces the next challenge. It is to have a big auction focused around the introduction of Ivanka's new line of jewelry at the Fashion Insitute of Technology. The Project Mangers are Annie (who was happy to be competing for a big prize that is sure to be close to or more than $200,000) and Joan. It's mano a mano to the figurative death for big bucks!
There are decisions to be made on models, jewelry, clothes and acessories for the live displays and all of those are for sale at the auction except the models. The other decisions are which friends or colleagues to contact to come to the auction and bid those big bucks. Annie has claim on many high rollers. Joan wastes her time trying to find out who a big poker celebrity she can get to "trump" Annie. Joan, who cares except for the amount of money someone can bring? Fuhgettaboutit. Herschel says he can bring $45,000 and Clint says he can do $25,000. Athena members are warned by Annie that she will be taking them to the boardroom if by chance they should lose based on how little they raised for the cause.
The final segment Sunday night was the arrival of a mystery guest in Trump's office. Trump tells him to act as his agent in overseeing the auction, although it sounds that the role will be bigger than the usual "Eyes and Ears". It's obvious that Ivanka cannot have her normal role as her time will be spent being highlighted(EDITOR'S note: It looks like I was wong on this and Ivanka will still be one of the Eyes and Ears and Piers the other). He is to watch out for Joan and Clint, who hate each other, Melissa who is obnoxioius, and Jesse who is attempting to continue udner-the-radar. This guest is none other than Piers Morgan, the original Celebrity Apprentice, who reminds the audience that he is only one. His expertise in running huge fundraising auctions is clear, so he is a good chocie for this special role.
So that's where things stood as clock ticked 11pm. Come back next week for the next edition.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 14, 2009, 02:01:36 PM
Joan Rivers' blog:
Episode Seven: Lock it up and Throw Away the Key! (Part 1)
It’s the seventh week and seven people have been fired. I can’t believe how exhausting this whole thing is. I thought of Celebrity Apprentice as a game at first, but I realize I was totally wrong. It’s a competition! And what a competition it is! We are up every day at 5:30 in the morning, in the makeup chair by six and ready to rock and roll with our teams from eight until midnight, six days a week.
Our task this time was to come up with a marketing campaign for a company called LifeLock, which protects its clients against identity theft. The CEO of LifeLock, Todd Davis, is so confident in his company’s ability to protect against identity theft that he puts his actual social security number on billboards and trucks for all to see. I figure either his company truly does what it says, or else he has nothing of any value that anybody would want to steal.
Identity theft is a very real problem, I found out. People’s credit can be ruined because of it, and it takes years to get your good name back. Before I heard about LifeLock, I was protecting my identity the only way I knew how…by going to the plastic surgeon every six months to have something changed. I figured, if a thief couldn’t recognize me, how could he steal my identity?
Our team, which consisted of Herschel, Clint, and Natalie, with Natalie as our project manager, tried to learn all we could about LifeLock in a short amount of time. We hunkered down to design some great marketing paraphernalia for them. I’ll admit, we came up with some obvious and very dull packaging.
Episode Seven: Lock it up and Throw Away the Key! (Part 2)
We made a safe out of paper and inside it we “locked away” our valuables. We also designed magnets, key chains and other little gifties to let “customers” know about the company.
Being a writer, I immediately went to work on the brochure and described how LifeLock has a seven-tiered process to keep its clients safe from identity theft. I did the best I could but I didn’t feel very turned on by the subject. It was all a bit too butch for me—and I miss Melissa and Khloe a lot.
When we hit the board room, I was shocked to learn that we won the challenge! I thought that with Jesse and Brian, the other team’s materials would look fabulous and there would be a slick theme song to accompany their presentation, but that was not the case. Brian, the other team’s project manager, was fired. This made me sad as I had never gotten to work with him, and Melissa said he’s the sweetest, most decent man.
It’s getting smaller and meaner and it pains me to watch how Annie, who did nothing but badmouth Brandeeee before—how stupid and worthless she is, etc, etc…—now allying herself with her. At first I couldn’t figure out Annie’s motive, but I can now see she’s trying to get rid of her real competition. If just Annie and Brandeeee are left in the end, there will be no question as to which one will win.
Smart! Conniving, but SMART game playing.
http://www.joanriversblog.com/blog/
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 14, 2009, 02:20:45 PM
THINGS HEAT UP IN THE KITCHEN AND THE BOARDROOM -- AND TWO CELEBRITIES ARE FIRED FROM THE EIGHT REMAINING ON NBC'S 'THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE' SUNDAY, APRIL 19 (9-11 P.M. ET) ON NBC
Two more celebrities are sent packing after teams Athena and Kotu go head-to-head in tasks that have them auctioning pieces from the Ivanka Trump jewelry line and creating a new meal for Schwan's LiveSmart frozen foods. Piers Morgan, British tabloid editor, "America's Got Talent" judge, and the first "Celebrity Apprentice," returns and is tasked by Mr. Trump with keeping an eye on the escalating feud between Melissa Rivers and Annie Duke this Sunday, April 19 (9-11 p.m. ET) on NBC.
In this episode, rival project managers Joan Rivers and Annie Duke face off as they lead their teams in the task of auctioning pieces from the Ivanka Trump jewelry line to their donors. At auction time, each team chooses a very different strategy, but in the end it all comes down to who raised the most money. In the boardroom, Piers Morgan aggravates an already heated Joan Rivers, whose disgust with the way Annie Duke treated her daughter, Melissa, is obvious, and the conflict between Annie and Rivers, according to Piers, "Makes Omarosa and I look like a tea party!" At the end of the boardroom, Ivanka and Piers reveal each team's grand totals to Mr. Trump, and another celebrity is sent home.
For the next task, each team must create a new meal for Schwan's LiveSmart frozen food line. In their test kitchen, team Athena waivers between three different meals, and butts heads when it comes time to choose one to present to the Schwan's executives. Team Kotu relies on a traditional dish to present to the executives, but a leadership conflict erupts at the last minute that threatens to jeopardize a much-needed win. After the presentation of the meals to the Schwan's executives, Mr. Trump reconvenes with the teams in the boardroom and sends another celebrity packing.
www.nbc.com
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 14, 2009, 02:40:58 PM
Duke puts 'em up on Celebrity Apprentice
Annie Duke is well-known in poker circles as one of the top women in the game, but she's reaching a whole new audience now as one of the boardroom battlers on NBC's Celebrity Apprentice.
And so far, Duke hasn't been in any danger of Donald Trump having to say "You're fired."
The season is six episodes in and Duke has managed to make a big impression while helping her team win four out of the six challenges.
According to Duke, this isn't by accident.
She understood going in that the hierarchy of the teams were going to be determined by fame, and since she wasn't the most recognizable star in the group, Duke took her game plan straight from the pages of poker strategy.
"It's like all poker strategy," she said. "It's a game, and similar to poker, it's all about the choices you make in that game."
Knowing exactly what they would get from Duke, the show's producers were not surprised.
"Annie was an easy choice since not only is she a star in the poker world, we knew her brilliant gamesmanship would translate well to the boardroom," Executive Producer Eden Gaha told PokerListings.
"In some ways that boardroom table is like one big poker table and Annie is very much at home there."
So far, Duke said her most important choice has been between causing conflict on her team or not.
"It wasn't about choosing to cause conflict just because, but if a project is going badly, you have the choice to step in and do something about it or not to," she said.
During the first couple challenges, Duke said she did make the choice to step in when it was beneficial to the task.
"I pissed some people off, but I righted the ship," she said.
Once she had attracted some attention, Duke said her strategy was to lay low for a bit.
"Just like in poker, it's important to change gears, go against image," she said.
Duke said she had another poker strategy in mind as well.
"At this point I knew my team really well, and I didn't want to get shuffled around," Duke said.
"It was similar to being in a poker game and finally getting to know your opponents at the table. The last thing you want to do at that point is move to a new table full of new opponents."
Part of Duke's strategy was also talking the time to size her opponents up, rather than jump right into being a project manager.
"I'm very much one of the big personalities on the team," she said. "But you'll notice I haven't been project manager yet."
Just like in a poker game, Duke said you want to avoid making big decisions early and wait until you know your opponents.
"It's important to learn what they're good at in order to maximize your chance of winning the task," she said.
Once someone is project manager, however, the challenge is not to get fired.
Duke said you need to know who really did fail at their assigned task and should be held accountable in the boardroom.
"You really have to pay attention to Donald Trump in the boardroom," she added. "He makes it pretty obvious who he thinks a project manager should bring into the boardroom with them."
For some of the team members, Duke noticed it can be hard to separate personal feelings from the game.
"I learned that poker players really do an amazing thing," Duke said. "We're in a game and we take for granted that everybody is playing the game as well. We don't let what happens in the game become personal, and we don't let personal feelings affect how we play the game."
Her brother, Howard Lederer, can knock her out of a tournament or win a big pot off her, and Duke said they'll still be able to go to dinner later that day.
Duke said she was surprised that people weren't making the separation. A fact she's finding out more about as the show airs and she gets to see the personal interviews that were not shown during filming.
"It's a game, but it's also a business game," Duke said. "You have to maintain some sort of professionalism to succeed."
It is also a game where it pays to have good, reliable friends to count on in the fundraising challenges and Duke found she has that in spades.
"To a man, my friends came through for me," Duke said. "It was an incredible gift for me to know that I can count on my friends in the poker community."
Duke said that is just one reason Celebrity Apprentice is helping show poker players in a different light.
"Poker players aren't the selfish people they're often thought to be," she said. "They're awesome, generous people, and it was amazing for me to get to showcase that on a national platform."
Celebrity Apprentice airs on NBC Sundays at 9 p.m.
Duke's progress can also be followed on her new website at AnnieDuke.com.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: TexasLady on April 18, 2009, 12:38:07 PM
Two fired in this upcoming episode. ??? Are they packaging the tasks to hurry the season up?
I wonder, will Joan be fired for this latest task? I recall that apskip has predicted her demise sooner than later and I think he will be proven to be correct.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: TexasLady on April 19, 2009, 09:20:02 PM
I'm not going to spoil tonight's show because it hasn't aired on the West Coast but I found the first part sort of tawdry! :(
Update: Double Shocker tonight.
Natalie Gulbis in the first challenge which was auctioning Ivanka's jewelry for charity and Herschel Walker in the Schwan challenge, creating a new product for healthy living.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 20, 2009, 08:53:22 AM
Celebrity Apprentice: Double Header
This week on Donald Trump’s CELEBRITY APPRENTICE the viewing audience enjoyed an episode much like last week in that there were two separate tasks that were included in one show. We ended last week with both teams being assigned the task of featuring Ivanka’s new line of jewelry at an auction that they would create and run.
Team KOTU was led by PM Joan Rivers for this task and her team consisted of Clint, Natalie and Herschel. She quickly assigned Natalie to make the jewelry selections thinking that since she was close to Ivanka’s age she would make selections that would follow the current trends and sell well. Herschel was assigned to raise funds, which he did quite well by making calls to some of his wealthier friends. Clint made a few calls for cash and Natalie had the big idea to drum up funds from fellow poker playing foes of Annie’s after her golf buddies disappointed her by refusing to donate. Joan took care of organization of the event as well as making the wardrobe selections and the jewelry models. This left Clint to act as auctioneer.
Team ATHENA was led by the self proclaimed uber-woman, Annie Duke. Annie, who at one time had bad mouthed the former “model” Brande Roderick turned on her best other face embracing Brande and assigning her to the task of model and wardrobe selections. Brande of course took the opportunity to select herself as one of the models as well as spending nearly ALL her time choosing her own outfit. Melissa was basically dismissed by Annie and was sent to make the jewelry selections, which she did with ease. Jesse was assigned to taking care of the marketing/printing needs. Annie quickly made calls to some of the big names in the poker world asking for donations at the auction and requested that her other team members do their best at raising funds because this event was all about making money….any way they could. When she finds out about Natalie’s attempt at getting to her foes she blows a fuse. She lets her team mates know up front that the team member that brings in the least amount of money will be brought back into the Boardroom if they lose.
ATHENA’s auction was presented by Annie Duke and this woman knows how to stroke egos like no other. Weather it was kissing the ass of a wealthy musician friend or shaming some rich guy that wanted to be on TV, this woman extracted donations from her friends over and over, selling all five pieces of Ivanka’s jewelry line at top prices.
KOTU’s strategy for the auction was to pool all of their known donations (mainly from Herschel’s black book) and use them to bid on the least expensive piece of jewelry, allowing them to make the highest possible profit. Although in the end this was a good idea it did not play well at the auction. Clint couldn’t drum up a cent as auctioneer for the first piece of jewelry. Finally Joan Rivers takes over after bringing out their single piece which was bided on with all the money they had collected. The rest of the line has very slow responses which visibly annoyed Ivanka who was in the audience.
In the Boardroom the jewelry choices made by Melissa along with the showmanship of Annie as auctioneer allowed ATHENA to walk away with the win of a record breaking $153,000.00. This amount, along with what Team KOTU generated ($92,000.00) went to Annie Duke’s charity, REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL. Donald dumps Natalie for her poor choices in the jewelry selections and Princess Ivanka gripes about not having her new line presented to her liking by KOTU. The real story in the Boardroom was the cat fight that went on between Joan Rivers and Annie Duke. Joan calling Annie out on her two faced, back stabbing behavior. Throughout the show Annie’s behavior in the Boardroom is quite different than outside and away from The Donald. Their mutual dislike for each other is sealed in concrete it seems.
Now…after ALL that…a second task is assigned (2 long hours!!!). Donald and the CEO of Schwans Foods tell the teams that they are to create an original frozen dish that is in line with Schwan’s current line called Live Smart. They are to have a marketing campaign as well. KOTU has Herschel take PM spot as he owns restaurants and needs to keep Joan and Clint from power tripping each other. Team ATHENA finally makes Jesse James step up for the first time as PM. His job was to keep the three women on his team from inter-fighting. He immediately splits up Annie and Melissa.
KOTO chef and PM, Herschel determines that chicken is likely the most popular thing to make and he adds his own green beans and sweet potato recipes to make it complete. Clint provides a recipe from home for the cooking of the chicken and Joan adds a little OJ to their Asian Ginger/Orange Chicken dish. This 480 calorie dish with a small fruit & yogurt dessert is presented by Joan and well received by the CEO. Clint adds his marketing plan of a TV spot of the prepared food being delivered to him on his tour bus.
ATHENA is pushed into Annie Duke’s Turkey Meatball & glutten free pasta dish. Jesse is peer pressured to make the selection and he alone, and I do mean alone does all the marketing. In his case it was basically a well written and nicely presented speech and a poster, an exceptionally weak campaign.
In the Boardroom Donald tells them it came down to the taste and the innovative idea of glutten free pasta and the vegetable infused turkey meatballs that won the Schwan executives over and Jesse will be receiving $20,000.00 for his charity as winning PM of team ATHENA. Herschel and Clint duke it out for a short time until Donald steps in and tells the PM that his decisions are what cost their team the win and says…… “Herschel Walker….You’re Fired”! To the relief of the viewers the show is finally over and hopefully the producers will keep it down to one task per week for the remainder of the season!
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 20, 2009, 09:08:10 AM
Joan's blog posted on 4/16
More on Last Week's Episode: No Rest for the Weary! (Part 1)
Can you even believe what happened last week on Celebrity Apprentice? As if it wasn’t enough that we had to sit through the rollercoaster ride of emotions while watching Annie stab Melissa in the back and then tell Brandeeeee how she loved her after telling me just the opposite, both teams had to go right into our next task as soon as the LifeLock challenge was over!
Very few things upset me as much as people who are duplicitous, and so to watch Annie lie, cheat and speak out of both sides of her mouth got me crazy. I think all this two-faced behavior shows that Annie is truly worried that Melissa is competition and Brandeeeee poses no threats. She plays this game like it’s poker.
Even though I, like everyone, was exhausted and sleep-deprived, I took over as the project manager (for the second time) to organize a charity fashion-show fundraiser to sell Ivanka Trump’s jewelry. If there’s one thing I adore and know a lot about after 20 years, it’s designing and selling (and wearing!) fabulous jewelry on QVC.
First, I sent Natalie out to select the pieces of jewelry that we were going to auction off. I chose Natalie to do this as she is a woman with an eye for classic looks. What she forgot was that the task was to auction the jewelry from the runway and so she should have picked big, showy pieces the way Melissa did for her team.
More on Last Week's Episode: No Rest for the Weary! (Part 2)
The auction was all about making money, and as we’ve seen, Annie is no slouch when it comes to raising a lot of cash. Herschel and Clint started working the phones to hit up their biggest donors. Natalie and I did the same, but the biggest tragedy is that I can’t find a rich man in New York who’ll take me out to dinner, let alone give me $25,000 for a bangle bracelet. It kills me that Annie dials four phone numbers and immediately has ten men with big, fat pinky rings pounding on her door to hand over the big bucks. So, if we lose, it will be not for lack of working hard but just a lack of cash.
The most fun was picking the models and pairing them with the jewelry. Fifty years ago, right after college, I started as a window dresser/fashion coordinator for the department store Lord and Taylor, so dressing these gorgeous, young, chic women and bedecking them in real jewelry was like riding a bicycle.
Since things have gotten so dramatic, and tempers are flaring and so out of control, it’s no wonder this HUGE task is going to be continued next week. Tune in…the blood bath continues.
P.S. I have gotten several emails asking me how, after my gigantic fight with Clint Black, could I work again with him. I am the kind of person who says what they think to someone’s face and then moves forward. I was furious with Clint, told him so, and then, as we are on the same team and must work together, put it behind me.
http://www.joanriversblog.com/blog/
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 20, 2009, 12:16:49 PM
'The Celebrity Apprentice' recap: Going once, going twice...
We learned several important lessons from last night's episode of The Celebrity Apprentice. First, Scott Ian from Anthrax (and those VH1 shows) is BFF with Annie Duke. Second, Clint Black makes me feel incredibly, painfully uncomfortable whenever he speaks — not just when he makes awkward sexual innuendos in viral videos. Third, according to Donald Trump, Sandra Bullock must have married Jesse James because he is good in bed (not because he's level-headed, down-to-earth, and funny). Fourth, according to Annie Duke, Annie Duke gives a great blow job.
After last week's awkward one-and-a-half challenges, we got a juicy double elimination last night. The first half of the show finished up the previous episode's auction debacle, in which each team auctioned off five pieces from Ivanka Trump's jewelry line. As you may recall, Annie spent pretty much all of last week's episode (and a couple of the previous ones) talking about how she had so many rich friends whom she could convince to donate in the next fundraising challenge, and bless her heart, the Athena project manager actually followed through. Her big-spending friends showed up and dropped some major dollars on the showy jewelry pieces Melissa picked out. And man, does Annie know how to talk people into doing what she wants them to — her auctioneer tactics included calling out her friends by name (like the aforementioned Scott Ian), shaming them into bidding more, and putting her head in their laps when she wasn't satisfied with what they were offering. Hey, whatever works, right?
KOTU, on the other hand, seemed doomed from the start of the challenge, when Natalie went to pick out the jewelry and returned with dainty, understated pieces that really didn't stand out on a runway. Though KOTU raised a bunch of money and pooled it to bid on the least expensive piece (so they'd make the most profit), they didn't get anyone to actually attend the auction and bid on the items. So when Clint opened bidding and all you could hear was crickets — painful. Then, when he started cracking unfunny jokes in his robotic, emotionless voice, really painful. Like, I had to look away because I was so uncomfortable. Thank goodness Joan popped her head out and brought some life to the room. Clint was failing so spectacularly and Joan's comedy was such a welcome breath of fresh air, however, that I couldn't help but wonder if either the whole thing was planned, or she was setting Clint up to fail.
In the boardroom, Annie and Joan had a pretty intense fight, during which Joan called Annie out on being two-faced (probably), having a huge ego (definitely), taking credit for everything (also definitely), and being just like Hitler (um...definitely not). After their blow-up, we found out that Athena won the challenge by raising $153,000 and KOTU only raised $92,000. Though I don't think Joan was a bad project manager, it didn't seem like anyone on her team really screwed up. When that happens, the project manager usually goes home, right? Well, not if you're BFF with Donald Trump. Since the editing had focused heavily on the jewelry choice last week, it wasn't a surprise when Trump sent Natalie packing instead of Joan.
The second challenge saw the contestants create a new dish and marketing campaign for the Schwan's frozen food LiveSmart line. Athena, led by Jesse, made turkey and spinach meatballs with gluten-free pasta. KOTU, led by Herschel, made Asian orange chicken. In the boardroom, we found out that though the main dishes both turned out well, KOTU's yogurt dessert was an unfreezable packaging nightmare and didn't really measure up to Athena's dish. We also sat through a weird interlude when Donald wondered why Sandra Bullock married Jesse. It couldn't have anything to do with the fact that he's got a great personality and charm, right? No, Donald says it's because Jesse's probably great in bed. Coincidentally, I began to wonder how Donald got such a hot model to marry him. It couldn't have anything to do with his piles of money, which I imagine he swims in, Scrooge McDuck-like, on a nightly basis, right?
Though I was rooting for Clint to get the ax (he just creeps me out), Donald ended up firing Herschel, who had lost as project manager for the second time. Clearly Joan wasn't going, since she's Trump's BFF, and Clint wasn't going, since he causes so much drama, so Herschel was the logical choice. Plus, he didn't really do much, and seemed to skate by under the radar on the other challenges.
What did you think of last night's two firings? Did Trump make the right choices? Are you on Team Joan or Team Annie? Did you also wonder why one of KOTU's models was wearing only underwear? Are you amused by the fact that Annie always has to have the last word (''I told you the gluten-free would work!'')?
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: TexasLady on April 20, 2009, 03:33:08 PM
I found it sort of slimy, an hour promotion of Ivanka's jewelry. I suppose it isn't any worse than Trump water, Trump hotels or Trump Casinos but it just seemed tawdry. Particularly when Clint Black couldn't get a single bid for the first piece, then insisted he wouldn't go lower, a fact that was brought up in the board room as embarrassing Ivanka. Well yes, it was, but wasn't that considered before the task was planned?
Even worse the last two episodes have highlighted fights in the boardroom before the winner is even known. How dumb is that? Picking on your fellow teammates when you might not have lost? (REALLY dumb!)
Or how about Piers Morgan who picked and poked until he provoked the major blowup between the teams. The only thing that topped it was Ivanka complaining that she donated the jewelry and they didn't sell the first piece. I wish Clint Black had offered it for $50.00 and sold it at that price. Would Ivanka have felt better?
Blah! That's how I felt about the first hour.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on April 21, 2009, 02:29:08 PM
I'm pretty sure that the item that did not sell for $20,000 was the one they got for $6,000. Insisting on a 233% profit margin due to the celebrity involved is a bit absurd. Why didn't Clint just do what all auctioneers are forced to do, lower the opening price because that's all it is. It was clear that the audience did not want to pay as much as $20,000 for a $6,000 item. How much did they want to pay? We'll never know because Clint is an idiot. Now, after saying that it would have made no difference in the team outcome unless the item sold for at least $83,000, which was not going to happen.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: TexasLady on April 21, 2009, 05:04:42 PM
I'm pretty sure that the item that did not sell for $20,000 was the one they got for $6,000. Insisting on a 233% profit margin due to the celebrity involved is a bit absurd. Why didn't Clint just do what all auctioneers are forced to do, lower the opening price because that's all it is. It was clear that the audience did not want to pay as much as $20,000 for a $6,000 item. How much did they want to pay? We'll never know because Clint is an idiot. Now, after saying that it would have made no difference in the team outcome unless the item sold for at least $83,000, which was not going to happen.
Excellent point apskip, it was way too much. He was a terrible auctioneer. I was sorry to see Hershel leave and Clint stay, Clint is an idiot. He's quite good at diffusing blame, directing it away from himself.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on April 22, 2009, 09:40:25 AM
RECAP of CA2, 8 Contestants Left
THE AUCTION Onward from where it left off last week, the auction of the Ivanka Trump collection jewelry is the main event this week. Athena is led by Annie Duke and KOTU by Joan Rivers. Piers, in his "eyes and ears" role which is not limited to just Athena, visits Athena and talks to Annie about preparations for the show. Annie tells her that the key is actually making sure high rollers come to the auction to support their favorite teams by bidding. Jesse and Melissa have both done a poor job on this, leaving it all to Annie and Brande. Both are strong contributors in other ways, however. Piers indicates his support for Annie's philosopy that whoever raises the least money should be taken to the Boardroom if a loss results. Melissa gets the message and immediately starts phoning everyone she knows. Jesse is also affected when Piers later asks him how with a Hollywood star wife (Sandra Bullock), he can't raise any Hollywood money. Jesse is just passive aggressive in not responding. He made a deliberate decision to save those contacts for when he could personally beneift. He is not going to waste them on Annie or Joan. Piers asks him whether he contacted his wife. Jesse says no, he does not mix business with pleasure.
Natalie's plan to recruit poker players to bid aagainst Annie results in one of them she contacted calling Annie to tell her what's going on. Annie goes ballistic and uses some very strong language to dissaude the caller from doing that. Whoever it was will not go against Annie; I'm not sure whether he is going to actually bid for Annie or not, but Annie has several other high rollers that do come to town (this is not a phone in a bid auction like the one that Piers won CA1 at).
The Athena auciton was the Annie Duke show. Annie was the auctioneer and stroker of egos of his roller rollers and probably would have done anything necessary to beat Joan Rivers. The important work was already done, as those high rollers were in place and Annie used them masterfully. She sold crystal earrings to poker player Andy for $25K, $52K to Scott, and $50K to Brande's friend Stewie. The other 2 items were not shown but they sold.
The KOTU auction starts with Clint in sole possession of the auctioneer role. He wanted to do that and Joan let him. That turned out to be a less than successful decision. Clint founders on the first item, which if I have connected the dots correctly is a diamond ring that costs KOTU if they sell it $6,000. Nobody was interested in bidding the minimum $20,000 that Clint wanted, then Clint withdrew it leaving his team with no profit whatever. Why didn't Clint just lower the opening bid minimum, say to $6,000 and see how bidding developed from there? I think the basic problem is with the choice of a large diamond, which tends to have inflated retail prices and sell mostly at major discounts to those. Clint continued awkwardly on a Hervey diamond hugging earring set and Black Onyx Earrings, so Joan jumped on stage and added some much-needed levity and homor to the auction. KOTU sold a total of four items so there were two others.
The boardroom quickly focused on the role of jewelry selection. Annie delegated that to Melissa, who selected large showy pieces that fit the format of this auction well and sold well. Joan delegated this to Natalie, who was given goals from her team to buy low-priced items that had maximum profit potential. That meant that the items she got were a bit smaller in size than the Athena items, which had implications for auction attendees being able to see them and value them. Someone (maybe Piers) even suggested that Ivanka's collection was degraded by the approach that KOTU took to selling it.
There is the ususal dicussion about how do you think you did. Trump then has the results announced by Ivanka and Piers. It is $92K for KOTU and $153K for Athena. Score one of Annie! She trounced Joan soundly, mostly due to her personal connections. She will be more vulnerable than others for having used those connections anad myabe unable to tap them again later. Joan here beccomes vicious in attacking winning project manager Annie. She uses an analaogy to Hitler at Buchenwald that is inappropriate and just plain nasty. She claims Annie has a big ego. Trump defends Annie saying that it is necessary in making a living at poker. Melissa also attacks Annie and Trump tells her she is making a mistake by protecting her mother and being disloyal to her project manager. That shuts her up. This is another example of Joan and Melissa in a coordinated effort, which was OK when on the same team but absolutely insane when on different teams. However, Trump may argue with Joan but he does not fire her (I would have for saying what she said; she is practically inviting it).
KOTU loses and someone will be fired. Everyone agrees that Joan was a saviour on the task, at elast as much as was possible, and that Herschel brought in $55,000 in the bidding. So was the KOTU loss due more to Natalie or to Clint? I think Clint was more at fault but Donald Trump found it convenient to pin it all on Natalie. He fired Natalie. Annie gets to deliver a record $245,000 check to Refugees International.
THE COOKOFF The second task in this week's episode was a food competition. Schwan's frozen foods is a leader in their home delivery industry. They do not really need additional product recipes in my opinion (if they do their product development group would now be size zero), but they do need the celebrity marketing and the exposure of being the reason for a Celebrity Apprentice task. That task is to create a complete frozen meal to add to their product line and associated advertising campaign. Schwan's executives will judge the results.
Teams have to create an entree, side dishes and a dessert that stand up to freezing and taste very good when reheated at home. It was Herschel's turn as Project Manger vs. Jesse (the last competitor who has not already been one) for Athena P.M.
KOTU starts with some jousting between Clint and Herschel. Clint wants to give Herschel some feedback. Herschel dimisses it without listening because it is from Clint, the chronic compainer. So Clint does not get mad, he gets even by piping down and not providing Herschel with important information on some negatives. As Clint says, let him hang himself. It turns out that Herschel does not eat meat ( a vegetarian?), which puts him at a distinct disadvantage in tasting the alternatives. Herschel is the initial cook but Clint kind of takes it over over time. The first KOTU entree attempt is a soy chicken based on Clint's home recipe. They agree it is way too salty and tone it down with blood orange juice. This appears to satisfy KOTU and they name it Asian Orange Chicken. I would eat it for sure, although it is not clear that I would pay the premium for any home-delivered products. It has 480 calories a serving.
Athena has Annie taking charge in the kitchen, since as she puts it "I'm a fast cook" with 4 children and a husband to feed. They look at 3 different entree possibilities(also meeatloaf and chili) and do a taste test on them but 3 of 4 on the team want to focus on spaghetti and meatballs named Triple Play Turkey Meatballs. This also sounds really good.
KOTU adds French cut green beans and mashed potatoes and a complicated dessert of frozen yoghurt, berries and granola. Athena adds a gluten-free pasta, and an apple crisp dessert. It's time for judging.
The Schwan's executives had a lot of good things to say about the products of both teams, but one negative is the complicated KOTU dessert, which was diffcult to freeze. The KOTU advertising campaign concept sounded better to me since Jesse massively underperformed on this and would not share what he was doing with his team and ended up with meaningless drivel. The Schwans's executives bailed Jesse out by selecting Athena as the winner even though they also really liked KOTU. The bottom line here is that the "marketing campaign" was negligible in the overall decision, which was almost entirely based on the food concepts.
So congratulations to Athena and Jesse gets $20,000 to give to the Long Beach Education Foundation. Joan, Clint or Herschel will be fired. First of all, Joan performed decently so she was not on the bubble, except that the disastrous dessert concept was hers. Herschel definitely was as project manager. Clint was because of his mediocre at best performance. Herschel tried to disown the product choice, but Trump would not allow him to do that. Trump stated that as Project Manager it was Herschel's choice even if the basic concept had originated with Clint. Clint took a lot of flack from Donald Trump and Ivanka, but he came away still on KOTU as Herschel was fired. he was the only Project Manager with 2 losses.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on April 26, 2009, 10:07:10 PM
Whoa! The filth coming out of the mouths of Joan Rivers and Melissa Rivers was incredible in tonight's episode. They both deserve to be fired. Fortunately, Donald Trump is good at evaluating people and his production staff tells him what is going on with all the celebrities. He made the right decision in firing Melissa and I applaud Joan for realizing that the things she has said on camera are so egregious that she has goen over the edge. I look forward to NOT seeing Joan Rivers on television ever again. If she is in something I want to see, that will indicate that the producers of that show have no taste, so I will curb my enthusiasm. It appears that Joan Rivers' deliberate on-camera gaffe months ago was misdirection when she indicated that Melissa will be in the final. That is true and so will Tom Green and Dennis Rodman and all the fired celebrities. Donald Trump would sue them big-time if they did not show up.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: Pedaler on April 26, 2009, 11:29:05 PM
Wow! Wow! Wow! Wow! That last segment was the most vile, profane, riveting, and exciting piece of reality television that I can recall.
Bravo Celebrity Apprentice.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: pledge on April 27, 2009, 09:47:03 AM
That was quite an episode.........especially after the firing ! IMO looks like "The Donald" likes to keep the ones that he feels can bring in the most money. Like last year, not work ethics but who you know and how much money you can make.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 27, 2009, 11:33:21 AM
Annie's blog:
Episode 9 of Celebrity Apprentice: I am a Whore Pit Viper
I am not exactly sure what a whore pit viper is but I hope it becomes the catch phrase of 2009.
This week we were tasked with creating a 4 page advertorial for Right Guard. The teams were 4 on 2 so one of Athena’s members needed to be moved over to KOTU. That morning I was sure it would be me. I figured the producers would want to see Joan and me on the same team. Man, was I wrong. Those producers are much, much smarter than I am for sure because the dynamic between me, Brande and Melissa was much more interesting to watch as was the dynamic between Clint and Jesse. Go producers for moving Jesse on over to KOTU. A much better move than I would have made.
So, I will go over KOTU first, then address Athena.
On KOTU, Jesse really knew magazine advertising. He is an amazing photgrapher and he owns a magazine (called Garage Magazine) and understands the cutting edge of this kind of layout. Jesse and Joan both gave Clint ideas. Joan came up with a bunch of big black guys hovering around David Lee (a white guy) to show David under pressure. What the hell? I don’t get that and it seems kind of racist. So that idea was promptly rejected. Jesse came up with this idea of David being the new kid on the block with the pressures of New York City to deal with. He drew out an amazing two page spread with David in front of a beautiful cityscape. That is the idea KOTU went with. Good call.
Jesse went out to photograph the cityscape while Clint stayed back to lay out the project. I found the interactions on the team interesting. As far as I could tell, Joan just stayed out of the way once her ideas were rejected and left Clint and Jesse to do all the work. Clint incorporated a lot of Jesse’s ideas as well as some of his own. Jesse got pissed that Clint wasn’t executing all of Jesse’s ideas. Now I am a huge fan of Jesse James. I think he is incredibly talented. I think he is incredibly intelligent. I think he deserves to be in the final two. But in this case, I feel the need to defend Clint Black. Obviously, I wasn’t in the room so I am only looking at the edit. But it seemed that Clint was trying really hard to be accommodating of Jesse’s ideas and really incorporate them. In fact, the final layout seemed to reflect most of what Jesse wanted. Jesse, though, decided to absent himself from the process at some point. Even when Clint was begging for input, Jesse refused to give him any. In this case I think Jesse let his personal feelings about Clint (he clearly doesn’t like him) to get in the way of being a team player. Had the team lost, I would have actually thought Jesse should be fired for shutting Clint out like that when Clint was begging for help. I never thought I would say that because in terms of overall game play I don’t think there is a comparison between the two. Jesse is the much, much stronger player.
Over on Athena, Brande stepped up as Project Manager and doled out the tasks. She tasked me with doing the brand messaging and the presentation and the slogan and and and. I was actually very resistant to being tasked with so much. I tried to insist that Brande do the presentation as I felt that was a lot to put on my shoulders. In the end Brande really wanted me to do all that so I did what my Project Manager asked of me, reluctantly. Melissa was tasked with doing all the photo editing and layout work. Brande oversaw everything.
I came up with the concept of David Lee naked with the saying “Right Guard: The only thing I ever need to wear” That is the concept Brande chose to go with, which upset Melissa. In fact, everything upset Melissa. When I called Brande to let her know the photographer had said it was an advantage to shoot David first, Melissa got upset that we were keeping secrets. I am not sure why since we were on speaker phone. The fact is Melissa felt like she was being set up for failure by me and Brande. But that is actually not true. I am not saying that I would not have done that if I had to in order to succeed in the game. Of course I would have. But I didn’t need to. Melissa was setting herself up for failure with no help from me by being an ineffective fundraiser and abrasive in the boardroom to Trump, to Piers, to George, etc. At the end of the game, those things really matter and I already knew that Melissa was going to have trouble getting to the end. The dynamic with her mother was already bringing her down, the dynamic with the people in the boardroom as well. And the fundraising capabilities. Brande was, plain and simple, the stronger player.
But, amazingly, in the end I think we all worked very well together. I took Melissa aside to try to make her feel more included. Brande did the same. Because in the end we are a team and we wanted to win and not have to face the boardroom and go into the next task a team of 2 against a team of 3. I actually to this day think we made a very good layout. And I stand behind the presentation I did and was extremely surprised my Melissa’s comments about my presentation. She watched me practice that at least 5 times and never once said she didn’t like it. She never once said it wasn’t conversational enough. Even she thought it was bad, why didn’t she ever say that to my face? Why did she only critique me behind my back? My only explanation is that she was trying to set me up for failure, the very thing she accused me of doing to her. I would have liked the constructive criticism to tell you the truth since I was reluctant to do the presentation in the first place. I really felt Brande should be doing it.
So we go in the boardroom and this interesting dynamic between Clint and Jesse comes out. I knew Jesse did not like Clint. But that was hard for me to watch because, again, from what I saw Clint was actually trying to cooperate for once in the game and I could see he felt very shut out and thrown under the bus in all that. From what I could see the layout did mostly come from Jesse’s ideas…just not 100% of the layout. And when I saw their work I knew we were going to lose. They did a really good job. So I am surprised Jesse was so upset about the whole thing in the first place except that he just plain old doesn’t like Clint. That is my only explanation.
On our side, the executives liked the concept of David Lee half naked and they liked the branding but they thought the execution was boring. That was their words and that was our downfall. Athena lost the task. I was very nervous that I might be the one to go simply because I had been tasked with so much. The thing I had going for was exactly the compliment Cramer had paid to me earlier…that I had done most of the work so if we won I would get a lot of credit it but I had also set myself up not be be fired because I had been so vocal in making sure that everyone knew I did not ask to have so much put on my shoulders. But that might not matter, even if I had played the hand right. Even if I had made sure I left all the decision making power with my PM I still might get axed for the failed layout since I had done so much of it.
As soon as we got in the boardroom, though, it became clear right away that I was not in danger. Trump, Cramer and Ivanka all quizzed both Brande and Melissa about whether or not I had taken over the task and everyone vehemently agreed that I had not. That really put me out of hot water and, interestingly enough, it was Melissa who really argued the most strongly in my favor when she was trying to argue I should be fired.
The other point was that, actually, in the end the execs thought the photos were boring and that happened to be the one thing that was not my job. That was a lucky break for me since I had so much on my shoulders in this task. So it came down to Brande and Melissa and who would be fired. When I was asked about this I had an interesting dilemma. At this point in the game, Brande and I had become very good friends so my loyalties certainly were with her. However, I also knew that going into the next task I would a) have to be project manager if Brande went along with me since she had already stepped up twice and b) that if we were to lose I would have a much weaker argument against Brande than I would against Melissa. Being PM for sure on the next task would be a tough spot since the PM is usually the most under fire. And Brande was the stronger player to boot. She had raised much more money than Melissa, second only to me in fact in the game. She was an incredibly hard worker. And, this is really important, she was really well liked. Much more well liked than me, obviously. Melissa, on the other hand, was a weak fundraiser, was not well liked at all and would have to be project manager on the next task since she had lost on her first try so would need to try for a win in order to win the whole game. So taking Melissa long with me would be a better play.
But I really went against game play here and decided to argue for Melissa getting fired. Why? Because I really just felt Brande deserved to be in the game more and I just plain really like and respect her as a person. So when push came to shove, I recommended Melissa get fired even though it felt like it was against my short term best interests. I figured the life equity issue was much more important to me at that point…walking away from the game knowing that I had been loyal to my friend, to Brande.
So, in the end Trump fired Melissa and, well, you saw the meltdown from the Rivers for yourself. Folks! It’s a game where you get fake fired from a fake job all in the hopes of raising a ton of money for charity! Really, calling anyone a whore pit viper under those circumstances is an extreme reaction and, frankly, not losing with grace. And Joan Rivers. Well. What can I say there? As far as Brande goes…as much as Joan likes to claim I called Brande an idiot she is the only one who has disparaged Brande’s intellect falling on the age old your a dumb blond insult. Brande defended herself pretty well against that one pointing out if she is so stupid then why is she still there and not Melissa. Good point Brande. For everyone thinking I somehow manipulated Brande in order to get ahead in the game I would venture to say it is quite the opposite. Brande outplayed Melissa pretty nicely.
Now, as for Joan’s comments about poker players…well…what I said on the show is true. Poker players are the most wonderful people you will ever meet. Poker players are thoughtful and generous and are good for their word. I think it is so interesting that the group that has come out the most strongly in support of the show and in support of these charities, poker players, are so vilely disparaged by Joan on the show. But it was clear Joan doesn’t care much about that when she said, “Oh stop with all this charity nonsense.” Joan can attack me all she wants. She can attack my morals. She can call me a Nazi and compare me to Hitler. I signed up for that when I agreed to do the show. I was there to defend myself. But to use such a broad brush to insult a whole group of people who did not sign up for that kind of abuse, implying they are criminals, saying outright that they give blood money and are worse than white trash. Well now I am angry. To insult me is one thing. I can take it. To insult my friends who have been nothing but generous and selfless in their support of charity. That is a whole other thing and that is where you can get a rise out of me.
Joan saying that all poker players have no last names and are worse than white trash is like me saying that all comedians are miserable, depressed people who take their angst, anger and unhappiness out on everyone around them. Clearly, that would be unfair.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 27, 2009, 12:30:27 PM
'Celebrity Apprentice' recap: Don't sweat the small stuff
Okay, my fellow Celebrity Apprentice-viewing PopWatchers, how delectably dramatic was this week's episode? Now that they're back to the one-challenge-per-show format, it allows more time for what reality TV is all about: juicy, juicy fighting. Last night, the teams were charged with creating a four-page advertorial for Right Guard's newest deodorant that featured New York Knicks power forward/Annie Duke's BFF David Lee. So many things made me happy about the episode: that both teams (AND the Right Guard execs) immediately thought ''naked'' when figuring out how to get Lee to pose; that KOTU's storyboard stick figures were so endearingly terrible; that Annie's best comeback when arguing with Joan was that ''poker players are the most awesome people in the world!''
First things first, though — I was disappointed when the Donald moved Jesse to KOTU because I couldn't figure out the motive behind the move. Was he trying to create a super team that would beat Athena, or was he picking Jesse as the next patsy to be forced out? I mean, really — Joan's totally safe because Trump loves her (and so do I), and Clint's totally safe because he's so stubbornly incompetent that they need him around for drama. I'm sure Clint's a very nice guy outside of the confines of a heavily edited reality show, but he comes across as a grade-A douchebag on TV. And since the past, like, five episodes have been all about how he sucks, they're either setting him up for a dark horse victory (possible), or a spectacular failure (more likely).
The producers did such a good job of focusing on each team's weaknesses in the challenge that it was hard to tell whether Melissa's whining or Jesse's passive-aggressiveness would prove to be the breaking point this week. It might've been obvious to everyone but me as to who would win, but I thought the producers made it seem the entire time that Athena's ad would be better — or maybe that's just because their idea sounded more competent, and it didn't include deodorant clip art that towered over Lee's head. While Jesse straight-up laughed in Clint's face after repeatedly telling him the ad was horrible, Melissa spent the entire time complaining about how new BFFs Annie and Brande were totally having a party on Friday night with boys and spin the bottle but they weren't inviting her! Or, actually, that they were working together to edge her out. Which they pretty much were.
Apparently the Right Guard execs liked both teams' ads, but Trump ultimately awarded the win to KOTU. All of Annie's manipulating (well played, lady), Brande's delegating (not as well played, but good for you anyway) and Melissa's whining (probably founded, but way more dramatic than necessary) paid off, because Trump fired Melissa after a last-minute surge of passionate defensiveness from Brande. Melissa, NOT HAPPY with the decision, stormed out of the boardroom, demanded her stuff back, and refused a post-show interview, dragging her mom behind her.
Unfortunately, we have to wait until next week to see the aftermath of Melissa's post-elimination tantrum. Will Joan return after her daughter's ousting or won't she?! (She totally will.) Until then, PopWatchers, tell me: Which was more awkward: Joan's weird/unfunny NBA race joke, or Brande comparing herself to Ivanka, a Wharton graduate? Which Rivers had the best one-liner? And which ad feature was worse: KOTU's Microsoft Paint-looking ''fire'' or Athena's stupid font?
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: tory on April 27, 2009, 01:41:24 PM
ok so i was not ever going to watch this horrable train wreck of a show again after the donald fired cloie. but i did i watched last nights latest depoticery, on hulu bc i was reading a lot of post about it, omg the rivers gone wild at the end was so worth it, what a baby melissa is and some of the cleb's have been saying this all along storming out with mommy dearest.. i also got to see the cleb's comment on cloies fireing it is a web asode and i feel much better they were just as up set as i was..so i am glade i watched this epi an i do hope rob and trevor talk about it on there live show tonight..jmo i hope neather of the rivers come bk..
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on April 27, 2009, 04:37:34 PM
There have been two very good recaps (one by Annie and one by Will) posted already, but I think there is value to what you will read below:
CA2, 6 Contestants Left Episode
There were two sets of major sniping in this episode. I ahve covered the Melissa/Joan vs. the world above. The second one was Jesse vs. Clint. This happened because Trump just reassigned Jesse from a team with Brande and 2 other women to a team with Clint and Joan, two of the all-time sourpusses. Sparks continuously flew between Jesse and Clint and Joan in a rare bit of intelligent play kept her head down and stayed out of the crossfire.
Jesse is shown visiting the Long Beach Education Foundation to bring the winner's $20,000 check to that industrial arts program. Jesse went there briefly as a youth and you can bet that the current students all knew who he was and what he does (I summarize it as custom bike and car builder, producer, publisher, television host, and restaurateur, and about to be reality TV show star for his own show premiering this week, but Donald Trump sees him as the husband of Sandra Bullock). They highly valued his autograph.
The task was to create a 4 page ad layout for Right Guard deodorant using David Lee of the New York Knicks as the subject (or maybe object of many women's desire). When he finally arrives for the photoshoot, Brande labels him as tall (what a surprise for an NBA power forward) and very cute. So both teams can display David Lee however they want to, it is just the issue of having boundaries for exposure. The Right Guard executives get a question from Athena about the bounds of propriety and they say that anything tasteful goes except make sure that the Right Guard is the focus of the ads. Brande is the Athena Project Manager because she has done this type of work before. Clint is chosen because is is his turn.
So Athena splits up the workload and Brande gives Annie what she wants (the crafting of the messages) plus the job of presenting it. Clint as usual is doing most of it himself, but Jesse was allowed to go off with his camera to shoot backgrounds and a shot of a bridge from Manhattan (but not the Brooklyn Bridge) that became the centerpoint of two ad pages. There were professional photographers running around and a few staff people from either Celebrity Apprentice or Right Guard.
So Jesse feels that his ideas were not accepted by Clint. Joan rebuts that and says that Jesse did not respond to Clint's many overtures for his input. Melissa plays the odd person out by accusing Annie and Brande of conspiring to get her fired. It looked to me like they were playing hard for themselves rather than working for the defeat of Melissa.
The Eyes and Ears for Donald were Jim Cramer of CNBC and Ivanka. Jim meets with Athena and comes to the conclusion that Annie has very cleverly put herself in a position to win if Athena wins and not get eliminated if Athena loses by having all decisions officially made by Brande as Project Manager. He admires this.
The presentations came off well (no second-guessing from Joan) and it looks to me that it will be a close decision. Trump meets with the executives and finds out that they like both teams' work. Athena had its ads out of sequence in the opinion of the executives, who loved their half-naked shot of David Lee and would have put it first. They loved the use of their company color of orange in the shots (score one for Clint who insisted that orange was better than his trademark black as the background color despite strong objections by Jesse.
So we come to the boardroom and Trump has each team's ad campaign shared with the other team. Both teams see many strengths in the other campaign. Then he bores in on the Clint vs. Jesse conflicts on KOTU. That was just for show, as then he reveals that both teams had done well, but KOTU was the winner. So Clint, Jesse and Joan are very likely safe and one of Melissa, Brande and Annie will be fired. Trump asks Brande about the division of labor on her team and she explains what she asked Annie to do. Annie has no role in these proceedings except that Jim Cramer repeated his mantra about her cleverness and recommended that Trump leave her alone, which he did. The focus shifted from Brande to Melissa. I really expected Brande as losing project manager to go. However, she pulled out a "I'm better for the long term because of my fundraising prowess" argument against Melissa, who is smart and works hard but cannot raise much money. Jim Cramer switches positions because of that and he convinces Trump to also switch. Trump fires Melissa. She is extremely upset at this but a strong case was made by Brande for Brande.
So Melissa storms out and refuses to do the traditional musings in a taxi ride to end the show. Her mother storms out too and appears to not be coming back for the next episode. You never know and I will not be surprised to see her back for that. But if not, then everyone will be ahead as Joan has become a totally disruptive backbiter. She came up with another Hitler line: Jesse - I thought Annie wsas Hitler? Joan - I don't want to insult Hitler. Not having any more of her nastiness will be just fine with me.
So we are down to 4 contestants (assuming Joan stays away). Clint is wily and stubborn, but can he raise a lot of money? Jesse is talented in many diverse ways, but he too is not well-connected except through his wife. Brande and Annie have clearly demonstrated their ability to tap friends for big money, Annie from poker players that Joan also disparages in this episode and Brande through her Playboy connections. I think it will be Annie vs. Brande in the finale.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 29, 2009, 12:26:53 AM
Melissa Rivers doesn't regret her 'The Celebrity Apprentice' behavior
Melissa Rivers has no regrets for the expletives-laced tirade she launched after Donald Trump fired her from the second season of The Celebrity Apprentice.
"Of course you don't ever want to lose your cool, but I'm human. I was exhausted. I just got pushed too far," Rivers told The New York Post on Monday about the incident, which featured both Rivers and her mother Joan Rivers verbally attacking fellow contestants Annie Dukes and Brande Roderick after Rivers was fired at the conclusion of Sunday night's The Celebrity Apprentice broadcast on NBC.
Rivers had run straight to her mother, who had been watching the boardroom session via video feed from the show's contestant suite, and begun bashing fellow Athena teammates Dukes and Roderick -- whom she had accused of forcing a "cabal" to eliminate her -- immediately after Trump had announced her firing.
"They both f--ked m.e.. like two little whore pit vipers! Whore pit vipers!" Rivers shouted at her mother, who had previously announced that she would quit the show if the younger Rivers was fired, as she packed her personal items and prepared to leave with her daughter.
"You gotta admit it's a great line," River told The Post on Monday.
After brushing off Dukes and Roderick's attempts to say goodbye, Rivers then turned her attention to the show's producers.
"I want my sh-t and I want it now... I'm not getting in [the elevator] without it... and I'm not coming back for an interview," Rivers shouted toward the show's production staff area.
Meanwhile, Joan Rivers -- who had already compared Dukes to Hitler when they'd clashed in earlier episodes -- confronted Duke and Roderick directly, telling Dukes she was "a piece of trash" and lecturing Roderick that she was "a stupid blonde" that had "been so manipulated" by Duke.
After arguing with Roderick and telling her that she didn't believe that the competition's $250,000 charity prize could mean "so much" to her and "didn't want to hear this charity nonsense," Joan Rivers had then turned her attention back to Dukes.
"You're a poker player! A poker player! That's beyond white trash!" she shouted at Dukes.
Joan Rivers had then joined her daughter at the floor's elevator lobby, where the younger Rivers had begun berating the show's producers.
"I want my f--king stuff now!" Melissa Rivers shouted as she began to enter the show's production staff area.
"I want my purse -- I want everything," she said as she waved her fingers.
"And David, you're not getting an [exit] interview," Rivers continued before launching a string of expletives that had to be completely censored.
"Get the f--king elevator, I'm f--king done," Rivers continued to shout. "I'm not coming back -- yeah, I'm really unaffected. F--k everyone."
"F--king bulls--t," Rivers shouted as she and her mother finally boarded the waiting elevator and left the show's Trump Tower location. "Lying f--king whores."
However even though the footage shown on The Celebrity Apprentice's Sunday night broadcast was filmed more than six months ago, time has apparently done nothing to change Rivers' mind about her behavior.
"I said what a lot of women have wanted to say to those kinds of girls their entire lives," Rivers told The Post. "It was like being in high school all over again."
In addition, Rivers also attempted to suggest that, given she eventually returned for an exit interview (see below) in which she attempted to spin her behavior, she had somehow ended her The Celebrity Apprentice experience "as a professional."
"I went and cooled down," Rivers told The Post. "I did come back the next morning as a professional and did my exit interview."
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: RealityFreakWill on May 01, 2009, 10:16:50 AM
Joan & Melissa Rivers on The Ellen Degeneres Show
credit to numberonetvfanshow
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: tory on May 01, 2009, 11:40:55 AM
ty will..
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on May 02, 2009, 07:45:21 AM
I think I have the episode timing understood so it makes sense. A promo on last Sunday's show said that there are 3 weeks to the finale. So there are myltiple ways that can be accomplished to reach the 2 contestant finale, but NBC has announced that here is the way it will be done:
5/3 4 contestants left going in, only 2 finalists left after
Also, I believe that Clint is the most marginal indivdual remaining, with Jesse second. I expect both of them to be eliminated.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: Pedaler on May 02, 2009, 07:52:18 PM
Quote
I expect both of them to be eliminated.
I agree. First, I think Joan will return. If KOTU wins, then I think Brande will be fired. If Athena wins, then I think Clint will be fired especially since the next task is writing a jingle for Chicken of the Sea. If Clint is not fired, I think he will be fired after the final four interview process. I see Jesse being fired like Carol Alt was last year, a good player, but meh.
Trump likes the drama and I think he would like to have an Annie vs. Joan final.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on May 02, 2009, 10:45:55 PM
That may be, Pedaler, but you can't get there from here unless Joan returns after the next episode, which would be totally unfair. Because it would take 3 eliminations the upcoming episode if Joan does return, I believe we have seen the last of Joan Rivers. Good riddance!
The exciting finale should be between Annie and Brande, the two strongest fundraisers and overall players.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: Pedaler on May 03, 2009, 10:59:14 PM
I don't who saw the previews which shows the returning contestants, but if Annie can win with her three helpers, then she most certainly deserves to win.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on May 04, 2009, 06:34:16 AM
Pedaler,
The only helpers I saw were Dennis and Brande for Annie. None were shown for Joan, although it is certain that Melissa would be on her team. I expect Melissa will be the hardest worker in the effort to defeat Annie. Some final 8 players were Clint and Jesse, both of which I expect to end up with Joan, and Tionne who I expect to end up with Annie. I don't know about Herschel, Natalie and Khloe. Of course Dennis should not be helping either team with his generally low performance, but I am sure Donald Trump wants to give him the opportunity for changed public perception of his talents off the basketball court.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on May 04, 2009, 07:07:13 AM
I will be writing a recap later today, but in the interim I want to share my thoughts about how we got to this final 2. I was surprised but not shocked by Joan's reappearance. This gave Trump the opportunity to set up the final 2 that he though would be most explosive, Annie vs. Joan. I think either Brande or Jesse deserved this opportunity more. I thought that Jessie's lack of revealing more of his many facets could be attractive to Trump, but his demonstrated lack of interest in helping others in the fundraising episodes has been his Achilles heel all along and it finally caused his demise. Brande suffers from following in the footsteps of Carol Alt, who did not make the round of 2 in Celebrity Apprentice 1 primarily because Trump wanted Trace Adkins to see a showdown with Piers Morgan. I thought Brande, like Carol, was intelligent, hard-working and well-connected with money sources, but what she lacked was a negative relationship with Annie to heighten the ratings.
Annie is in the mold of Piers Morgan. I am surprised he didn't have more positive things to say about her after his "interview" with her. With her intelligence, drive, hard-working and connections to big bucks for fund-raising, with "a bit of an edge", she is the single individual in CA1 most like Piers. I expect her to get her wish by demolishing Joan.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: RealityFreakWill on May 04, 2009, 10:12:27 AM
'The Celebrity Apprentice' recap: Tuna surprise (not so surprising)
If you tuned in to last night's Celebrity Apprentice expecting to see the fallout from last week's Rivers freak-out, you, like me, were sorely disappointed. After all that yelling, cursing, and storming off, Joan showed up for the challenge the next morning (fashionably late with fashionable oversize sunglasses) with only a passing mention of the previous night's explosion. I didn't buy the ''will she/won't she return'' bit, because if Joan loves anything, it's being the center of attention — it was no surprise she went back.
This week, the final five had to create an original jingle and a 30-second radio commercial for Chicken of the Sea. Insert obligatory Jessica Simpson/''Is it chicken or tuna?'' joke here: Brande represented the endearing ditzy-blonde contingent well, by spelling crap S-R-A-P, cracking up, then explaining it's because she was going to say the S---...that other word but used ''crap'' instead. Now, I'm pretty sure Brande isn't actually a dumb blonde, but I do think she's ditzy enough to have actually spelled crap with an ''s'' by accident, not just because of a slip in speech. Just saying.
The Trump kids helped out dad by keeping tabs on the teams. I'm down with Ivanka — she seems smart and observant — but I just can't get past Donald Jr.'s hair to remember anything about his personality. I know the crazy hair thing must be genetic, but at least Trump Sr.'s got an old guy pompadour instead of a slicked back ''creepy guy at the bar'' 'do.
Annie's musical talent was ''slim'' to Brande's ''none,'' yet the two managed to write a cute, catchy jingle that complemented their moms-at-the-park commercialperfectly . KOTU, on the other hand, had a Grammy-winner project manager (and one extra member), so their victory in the challenged seemed preordained. Clint wrote a twangy jingle and Joan wrote a cute game show commercial.
In a bout of awkward phrasing (''The radio, which I come out of, you need zippier things''), Joan made a valid point in assessing her team's work. In this case, by ''zippier things'' Joan meant a weird-ass voice-over at the end of Clint's song going "Cluckcluckcluckcluckcluck splash.'' Now, I'm no fan of Clint's, but that is one piece of input I'm glad he chose to ignore. However, the ignored suggestion that he speed the song up a bit, echoed by Ivanka, seemed like it would come back and bite him in the boardroom (which it totally did).
Both teams seemed to perform admirably, but the big tuna execs worried that Clint's country-tinged jingle wouldn't appeal to a broad audience. In a good ol' reality show staple (harp on one outcome so much that it's obvious the other will happen), the Annie-led Athena managed to beat Clint Black in a songwriting challenge. Trump liked Clint's jingle — though did he really? Or was it just an excessive, ego-stroking pat on the back? But Trump acknowledged it was the project manager's fault, and FINALLY fired Clint. Bummer getting fired for the challenge that catered to his exact skill set, but it was a long time coming.
Annie seemed really excited about her win (as she should be, she's the winningest project manager of the season, and she beat a Grammy winner in a songwriting challenge), then called Joan a cancer, which I can't decide is better or worse than Hitler. Jesse congratulated Athena for pulling the win ''out of their ass,'' then the four were called back into the boardroom. Reigning champ Piers Morgan interviewed the remaining contestants, then reported back to the boss man with his thoughts on who should be in the final two. In the interviews, Brande talked about how she's totally smart, Joan said she regretted comparing Annie to Hitler because Annie doesn't have a mustache, Annie talked about herself a lot, and yet again, Jesse's worth was measured only in the fact that he's married to Sandra Bullock. Unfortunately, the underdogs didn't pull through this week, and it'll be an Annie-Joan finale (surprise, surprise).
Did you see the Hitler versus Cancer final two coming a mile away? Who were you sad to see go this week? Who are you pulling for in next week's supersized three-hour live finale? Were you offended by Joan's Helen Keller joke? And how cute was it that Piers used the British ''two fingers'' when referring to the rude gesture we do with just one?
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: TexasLady on May 04, 2009, 10:32:45 PM
Pedaler and apskip! You both had it exactly right! :tup: I admit it, I didn't see the Joan/Annie ending. I thought Jessie would step up and show some leadership ability but he didn't. (Which helped Clint to be eliminated in the end, Clint has no "off" button.) I have to say, I admire Jessie for not using his wife to get money to win and I thought it was almost insulting when Piers and then Trump uses that against him.
I feel sad for Brande, she doesn't realize how badly she was used, and Annie does the "I", "I", "I", "I", speak quite effectively to Brande's detriment.
The only helpers I saw were Dennis and Brande for Annie. None were shown for Joan, although it is certain that Melissa would be on her team. I expect Melissa will be the hardest worker in the effort to defeat Annie. Some final 8 players were Clint and Jesse, both of which I expect to end up with Joan, and Tionne who I expect to end up with Annie. I don't know about Herschel, Natalie and Khloe. Of course Dennis should not be helping either team with his generally low performance, but I am sure Donald Trump wants to give him the opportunity for changed public perception of his talents off the basketball court.
It was surprising that Dennis was on Annie's side, I'm not sure if he will be a help or hindrance. We'll see.
Can't wait for your recap apskip! Thanks for posting the interview Will!
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on May 05, 2009, 11:04:39 AM
RECAP of CA2, 5 Players Remaining
Somewhere near the beginning of this episode Donald Trump says that there will be 3 celebrities eliminated by its end. Who will survive to the Final 2? Will it be the two best qualified to raise money for charities or the two who will get the highest ratings for this show?
Brande opens by stating that she wants Joan to return so that she can kick her proverbial butt. Joan has called her "dumb blond" in the prior episode and Brande is so motivated that she uses the unlikely phrase "Game On." Trump gathers the 4 remaining players and then, in a ridiculous staged event, Joan Rivers gets out of the elevator to rejoin her team. The sponsors are Chicken-of-the-Sea brand tuna and they want a new jingle and a 30 second ad based on the original Chicken of the Sea jingle but in a more modern style. The cathwords convenient, natural and healthy should be used. This is something Clint Black does for his living, so he volunteers to be Project Manager again with Jesse and Joan on KOTU. Annie is the Project Manager for Athena of herself and Brande. I will go with those women despite Clint's purported advantage because all his weaknesses should come back to haunt him in this task. He thinks he will breeze to victory, but he thinks everyone loves his style of music (Country&Western), which they asssuredly do not. Annie and Brande have no preconceived notions and I think that will help them. Chicken of the Sea Executive VP John and his colleague Mike will be the judges. Trump says the winning Project Manager gets $20,000.
Both teams use a division of labor to get the task accopmlished. Clint is the sole expert for the jingle. He writes it, he tests it, and he sings it with some backup instrumentalists and singers. It is quintessentally Country and quintessentially Clint, a slow and lazy syrupy tune. Jesse and Joan begged him to use the faster version they got him to record, but only Clint knew what is good musically. Joan offers a little comedy infusion (which was a terrific idea) but all Clint will allow her to do is walk with a logo sign below the front of the stage. She wants to finish the perrformance with the line "cluck, cluck, cluckl, cluck, splash" but Clint probably correctly thinks that is too tacky. Jesse and Joan write the commercial as comedy lines and it is hilarious. After writing the script, they have paid actors in to read it, but decide that the best performers for this commercial are Jesse James and Joan Rivers. And they are right. It is terrific.
Neither Annie nor Brande admit to any musical genes, but that does not stop them from knowing what they like. They rightfully figure that they can hire actors to perform it better than they themselves could. Annie takes the jingle and Brande has the radio spot. The words convenient, healthy and natural appear in both the jingle and commercial, as they do for KOTU's equivalents but to a lesser extent. Brande's spot is funny and good, but not excellent like the Jesse/Joan one. Annie's lack of musical talent does not hurt her a bit. She is very intelligent and hard-working, so she comes up with some catchy words and a tune evolves over time. She is rightfully proud of her achievement, such that she states that her creation is so satisfying that she can lose to Clint without feeling negative about that. She does expect to get creamed. So she goes ahead with testing and a singer is hired to perform it. It is much faster and more upbeat than Clint's jingle but does not have the rich harmonies that Clint developed. So both performances happen and the teams go to the boardroom to hear the results.
Both teams get to listen to the end products of the other team. Donald asks for comment, but nothing really important is said. All wait for the verdict from the chicken of the Sea executives. They like both of the jingles and both of the comercials. Athena's jingle mentioned the product name thrice and was much "zippier" than KOTU's but the biggest issue is the limiting nature of using the Country&Western music style to an audience not enamored with that. The executives voted for Athena and Trump gives them the win. Annie and Brande are besides themselves with glee. They ought to be since their performance was a case study in how to do a difficult task.
It is obvious this time that the person most responsible for the loss was Clint. It was his jingle that was not as good as the competition (even though it was quite good). Joan and Jesse were protected by an excellent radio commercial. Trump had no real flexibility. Clint's too-long run on Celebrity ap[rentice 2 is over.
Who knows eactly what tiem of day/night this transpired, but Trump congratulates the final 4 and tells them that there are about to be 2 more firings. He has brought in hatchet man Piers Morgan to assist him in evaluating the talent of the remaining candidates. At this point, it is clear from Project Manager, team and individual performance and fund-raising ability that the class act of everyone still in it is Annie. She has to make it no matter what. This is comparable to what happened to Piers in CA1. Piers interviews all 4 candidates for "about 2 minutes" each, but at this level any player who was not ready for a succinct statement of his or her strengths and weaknesses was so foolish that they deserve to lose. Also, since Piers will have prepared by watching each episode of CA2 before arriving, he already knows the basis for everything that he will conclude.
Piers says that Brande is not smart enough. He says Joan is a complicated person but her attacks on Annie were unreal and unwarranted. He worries about her sanity. Piers says that Jesse has made a serious error in judgment by not bringing in any money form the Hollywood crowd including from his wife Sandra Bullock. Jesse essentially stonewalls him with the reminder that he does not mix business with pleasure and he will not try to fundraise from his wife. Piers would love to see Jesse forced to reveal more of himself. Annie is evaluated as fast-talking, highly intelligent and with "an edge". What did we just hear? Except for fast-talking that sounds like a bio for Piers Morgan.
So Trump conveys all of the above paragraph and adds a little bit of his own, but Piers has captured the essence of those 4 quite accurately. It's time for decisions. Annie should be definitiely in, but who do you pair her with. Last season probably the #2 player was Carol Alt, but Trump chose to go for the championship fight between Piers and Trace Adkins. Unfortunately that analogy holds. Brande is the sacrificial lamb this time. I would have picked her because she was the 2nd best fund-raiser behind Annie. Donald Trump doesn't care. He knows that the championship fight has been going on for many weeks and it should have one final chapter. I mean Annie vs. Joan, a grudge match between two women who are been supremely talented and who hate each other. Jesse is dismissed for his lack of cojones with repsect to Hollywood. The finale should provide huge contrasts in how the Final 2 do things.
I have my money on Annie. I don't see how Joan will be able to match Annie's fund-raising ability. We will see with a 3 hour special finale starting at 8pm Eastern time. Be there.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: TexasLady on May 06, 2009, 03:09:56 PM
Another great recap apskip! I'll be watching the finale! (Well.. after watching The Amazing Race Finale!) :winner
Kudos to Annie for creating the better jingle. If it had been less catchy, the sponsors would have been happy with Clint's song, which of course wouldn't have to be played as Country, it could be changed up for any genre.
I've been impressed with Joan's ability to schmooze with people. She's very very good at it. (Think of her performance as concierge with the hotel challenge, or having the vocals done one more time, tell the actors thanks, that's a wrap and redoing them with Jessie.) She's also very witty, which is her forte. She rightly saw that Clint was a horrible dud with the auctioneering, she salvaged it.
All that said, I'm not sure she is anywhere near the same level as Annie. (And I don't much like Annie.) Annie is very much like Piers, focused, goes for the kill and does it with a smile. I can't see how Joan can beat her even with Melissa's help. We'll see what the final challenge is.
Whew, who knew it would be this exciting when it all began?
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on May 06, 2009, 06:44:38 PM
Donald, Ivanka and Donald Jr. all knew, along with Mark Burnett and the entire cast!
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: TexasLady on May 06, 2009, 07:27:09 PM
Donald, Ivanka and Donald Jr. all knew, along with Mark Burnett and the entire cast!
Yes, I guess they did. :snicker:
But did the viewing audience? I know I didn't. :lol:
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: tory on May 08, 2009, 12:15:24 PM
ok so i stoped watching this show a few weeks ago but listing to the pod cast i find out there r only 2 left anny and i for got the other one any way i was with my dad yd and i meet this guy and he mentioned he was a poker player and i told him about annie and he told me he was at a table with her for 8 hrs one time.wow those poker players r a serious bunch..
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: Pedaler on May 10, 2009, 02:49:47 PM
I just saw Natalie on ESPN2 golfing in Williamsburg, Va. She's in 6th place.
I believe that all of the celebrities are supposed to be at the finale tonight. Since she's still has holes to play, she must have a private jet.
Must be a nice life. ;)
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: RealityFreakWill on May 10, 2009, 10:05:06 PM
THE WINNER OF CELEBRITY APPRENTICE 2 IS
JOAN RIVERS
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: TexasLady on May 10, 2009, 11:20:34 PM
What a great finish! Congratulations to Joan for her win! :tup:
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: a1mamacat on May 11, 2009, 01:06:18 AM
Well of course it is. How else do you think Trump could have talked the old battleaxe into the show? He had to promise her the win.
:funny: :funny: Glad to see you posting again cat!
Nah! I think she won, unfortunately because we are visiting and at the mercy of our hosts, we didn't see the first hour and a half. I'm waiting for apskip's recap. I don't know if she really did screw up Annie's party planner plans. (say that fast!) But even if she did, Annie seemed to have recovered, but it got tiresome hearing her whine about it. :meow:
"Battleaxe" I'm still laughing.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: RealityFreakWill on May 11, 2009, 08:25:08 AM
Joan Rivers Means Business on 'Celebrity Apprentice'
In the season finale of "Celebrity Apprentice" Joan Rivers pushed past the competition -- read on to find out how the comedian claimed the grand prize.
Sunday night the competition dwindled down to two women, Rivers and poker champion Annie Duke.
The decision came down to the man himself, businessman and host Donald Trump who fired Duke and hired Rivers Sunday night after she raised $250,000 for the God's Love We Deliver charity organization.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: pledge on May 11, 2009, 09:16:44 AM
Between Annie and Joan.........I'm glad Joan won. :jumpy: I had never heard of Annie but from watching the show and of course the way she was edited.......I didn't much care for the way she worked and way too much "I" "I" "I"
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: TexasLady on May 11, 2009, 09:24:23 AM
Between Annie and Joan.........I'm glad Joan won. :jumpy: I had never heard of Annie but from watching the show and of course the way she was edited.......I didn't much care for the way she worked and way too much "I" "I" "I"
She's a master at it isn't she! It was so apparent that Joan was on a high over helping her charity and it wasn't a time to berate Joan over a party planner. It became tiresome, especially when she out raised Joan by a huge amount.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: RealityFreakWill on May 11, 2009, 10:34:13 AM
'The Celebrity Apprentice' recap: Dinosaur crushes shark
Poor Annie Duke. All season the momentum's been building to a Joan Rivers victory, and Annie surely saw it coming. Or maybe not: Just take a look at the chart Jim Cramer provided us with last night. Annie had more victories (7 to Joan's 6), more wins as project manager (2 to Joan's 1 win/1 loss), and she raised the most money for charity. She's a ''a brilliant strategist'' and ''all about business,'' but apparently that's not enough to compete with Joan, who's ''all heart.'' When it comes to numbers and playing the game, Annie won. But she must've missed the day when the competition went from ''finding the best businessperson'' to ''finding the most loyal friend.''
Last night on Donald Trump's My New BFF, the final challenge was to throw a silent auction combining the branding power of Kodak's EasyShare digital picture frame, Cirque du Soleil's Wintuk show, and the contestants' charities of choice. Annie picked Brande, Dennis, and Tom to be her helpers, and Joan picked Herschel, Clint (really?), and Melissa. The teams were charged with ''doing silent auctions of THINGS. You're gonna get people to donate THINGS.'' No further explanation on what these THINGS were, other than the fact that the Donald's inflection really emphasized them. (Each team correctly assumed ''THINGS'' meant ''fun celebrity-driven packages for people to bid on.'') They'd be graded on five criteria: the amount of money raised, the Kodak product integration, the charity integration, the celebrities in attendance, and the overall guest experience.
On Team Annie, the personalities didn't seem to mesh well. Brande and Annie worked well together, as was expected. Dennis seemed reluctant to participate at first (though when does he ever seem committed), but soon brought in $20,000 cash courtesy of the Detroit Pistons and the L.A. Lakers. Tom had good intentions, but his laid-back, jokey style served to piss off ''All Work, No Play'' Annie rather than calm her down. As Tom said, ''I don't know if that style, being that acerbic with people, would work that well in the real world necessarily. I think everyone would quit.''
On Team Joan, on the other hand, Clint seemed to have reverted back to his old ways (read: announcing he had no money to raise, chatting with his friends, checking e-mail the whole time, and overall being completely useless). Melissa worked well with her mother (obvs), and she worked hard. Herschel came up with two very savvy business decisions that ended up being integral to Joan's eventual victory. First, he sold all the Cirque du Soleil tickets to a donor so the team could give them away instead of selling them on the street, which allowed them more time to work on the rest of the auction. Second, he suggested they up their celebrity quotient with ''impersonators'' (most of us call them drag queens), which didn't do anything to boost their numbers in the ''celebrities in attendance'' category, but it made for a fun atmosphere.
For the actual auction site, two event planners from the same firm were hired to design the spaces -- one to each team. Annie got along fine with her planner, Nicole, and devised a pretty-sounding design with ice sculptures and soothing colors. Joan's planner, David, however, seemed douchey from the start. Putting aside the fact that he resembled Jason Bateman doing an impression of a designer so I couldn't take him seriously, this guy seemed to be a major tool and was continually shown spouting buzzwords instead of coming up with an actual plan. When he called Joan later on and all she could say was ''blech'' and ''eeuugh'' instead of being happy with his boring-sounding idea for the room, maybe he should've asked Joan to come up with specific things she wanted instead of her vague-sounding ideas. Eventually, Joan told David she wanted to bring in one of her designer friends for him to work with, and he got so offended that he called her back and quit. In all fairness, I don't think Joan treated him badly, but she didn't actually vocalize anything that would've helped him understand exactly what she wanted.
As the owner of a design firm, you'd think David had worked with a couple of clients like that before and he'd know how to pull the information he needed out of them. Instead, he got huffy and quit, and, as the owner of the firm, made Annie's planner quit too. Of course, he did this the really classy way and didn't have her call Annie to explain the problem, instead choosing to ignore her calls, have his assistant push away the cameras when they came to his office to sign some contracts, and only told Annie what was happening in a pow-wow off camera.
Annie, understandably, was pissed, since she had less than 12 hours to pull together an auction space from scratch and it was already after 5:00 on a Friday night. She frantically called everyone she knew to find people who could help her put together a room, and eventually assembled a team of three people who helped her create the ''classy'' space she wanted. Joan decided to call the men of her charity, God's Love We Deliver (''They're wonderful, they're terrific, they're artistic, and they're gay.''), who then enlisted their events team to create a fun, welcoming space.
Aside from the usual last-minute frantic scramble to finish everything, the events seemed to go off without any major issues. A Joan Rivers impersonator (Joan's team) and Dennis Rodman in drag (Annie's team) greeted guests on the red carpet. While Annie was able to attract her famous pokah playah friends (they are loyal and they did pull through for her), famous boxers (including Joe Frazier), and famous (not in the past 15 years, so debatable) ice skater Oksana Baiul, Joan pulled in actual names like Kyle MacLachlan, Kathy Griffin, and various Broadway stars (the cast of Chicago, Tony nominee/American Idol finalist Constantine Maroulis). Joan's charity was very involved behind the scenes assembling the auction space, but Annie's charity, Refugees International, was featured prominently throughout the space. Joan went for an obvious Kodak branding scheme, having guests walk through a gigantic frame to get inside, while Annie went for a more subtle approach, playing Refugees International videos on the Kodak frames.
In the boardroom, Joan freaked out at Annie when she mentioned the event planner quitting was Joan's fault. It might not have been as obvious to Joan, but it was clear from watching the footage that it was because of her, and it was also clear that the design firm blamed their departure from the show on Joan. So when Joan started yelling and attacking Annie for pointing out the truth, I got really mad. It's on camera, people! You can't lie about something that's clearly already captured on film. ''This is an out and out lie, and I will not have it on television. I will not be berated by this character here.'' Whoa Joan, Annie has actually remained SO CALM this entire time. She's not berating you. And she's telling the truth.
Clearly a lot of this show is fixed by the producers (anyone who says otherwise has obviously not watched it). But the fact that Trump didn't let Annie get a single word in edgewise to defend herself both in the boardroom after the final challenge and in the live boardroom last night made it extremely obvious, and it made me really angry. Surely someone told him what happened. Didn't he have enough respect for Annie to let her finish a complete thought before letting Joan jump in? Kudos to Annie for handling it so calmly. I'm not sure if I could've held my tongue when someone was verbally abusing me for telling the truth, and for jumping on every single thing I said without letting me explain myself.
After Joan heaved another insult to Annie's ''white trash pokah playah friends'' (they're now all ''mafia people''), we found out how much money each woman raised for her charity. Joan pulled in $150,830, but that didn't even register next to Annie's $465,725 -- just shy of her half-million dollar goal. Annie also won on the charity integration, but Joan won on celebrity attendance, Kodak integration, and overall experience (Ivanka said Joan's auction was better attended and had a better spirit than Annie's).
Meanwhile, in the live show, we heard from some of the eliminated contestants. Dice bickered playfully with Trump, who was looking a particularly bright shade of oompa loompa (his skin color was practically the same as the wood paneling on the wall behind his head), Scott thanked Trump for firing him early so he didn't have to get involved in all the subsequent drama, Jesse was low-key as usual, Claudia talked about how much fun she had, and Brian said four words (''I had a good time.''). My favorite part of these exchanges was how Trump cut everyone off when they'd used up their allotted 20 second response time: ''That's enough.'' ''I don't want to hear it.''
When pressed for their decision on who to hire/fire, Clint said he wouldn't choose anyone, Jesse'd hire Annie, and Dennis and Scott chose Joan. You couldn't hear it on TV, but at the live show, when Trump asked Scott ''Who would you do?'' the audience started snickering at the poor choice in phrasing. That's why Trump went back and acknowledged his slip. Piers Morgan, last year's winner, and Trace Adkins, last year's runner-up, both chose Joan to win; Piers because Joan met more criteria, and Trace, as he told me on the red carpet later last night, because Joan got incredibly emotional when talking about her charity (that got me too. I totally cried when they showed Joan volunteering and talking about how she got involved with GLWD after a friend died of AIDS). Hearing Piers and Trace talk about the ways their charities have been helped by the show also made me teary, because it reminded me that the charities really do play a huge part on The Celebrity Apprentice. A lot of shows donate money to charity, but the contestants on this one actually seem to be invested in winning for their charity's sake, not for their own egos.
Trump then asked Joan and Annie why they think they should win. Joan gave a really dumb answer about doing business ''in the new way,'' with honor and other good stuff, but Annie gave a smart, well-crafted answer that outlined all her successes in the competition. And yet again, even in the minute Annie had to talk about herself (just like Joan did right before her), Joan interrupted -- and Trump didn't stop her. Then she corrected Annie's grammar (I did too, in my head, but still -- not polite). Ivanka and Don Jr. gave sound bites to the effect of ''Annie played the game better and is smart, but Joan's tenacious and old.''
In the most soul-crushing reality TV fakeout I've ever seen, Donald told Annie all the good things she'd accomplished, then told Joan how great she was, and asked Annie if she knew what he was going to say. Annie said ''No,'' then perked up as he gave the final verdict -- ''Annie, you're fired.'' She gasped and happily clapped for a second before realizing what he had said, and her entire body deflated. From my seat in the balcony, it seemed that Annie remained stoic as Donald told her she lost, but watching it back on TV made me cringe. I'd probably think I had won, too, if I were her -- listing her accomplishments next to Joan's like that made it seem obvious who the stronger competitor was.
I'm not ashamed to admit that I was on Team Joan for much of the season, but they way things transpired in the finale completely changed my mind. Annie was consistently respectful, polite, and hard-working. While Joan was charismatic and also worked hard, her determination to win didn't match Annie's enthusiasm. Joan skated by week after week because she was buddies with Donald, and that's what sealed her victory. Joan did an admirable job, but Annie was definitely robbed. The way Joan interrupted, yelled at, and insulted Annie in the finale was unwarranted, and the way she denied being the reason the designer quit really changed my mind about her.
Do you think the right woman got the job? Or were you hoping the shark would conquer the dinosaur? Did you lose respect for Joan because of the way she treated Annie? Or do you think Annie was equally as conniving? How good of a sport was Joan's friend who agreed to help her while in the middle of his mother's funeral? Does Annie really know everyone on earth? Were you relieved when Joan vetoed the creepy ''million talking pictures of Clint Black'' idea? And was it funny when Trump told Joan she was better at being herself than the drag queen impersonator (duh)? I'm pretty sure some of the extra criteria in the finale was added in just to make it less obvious it was a setup when Joan eventually won. Conspiracy theory or truth? Discuss.
Newly "hired" Joan Rivers gave her competitor Annie Duke a big hug after winning the final face-off on Celebrity Apprentice — but that doesn't mean the two will be friendly any time soon.
"We're not going to be BFFs," Rivers told TVGuide.com about her future interactions with the famous poker player. "It's a shame, because I think she's a brilliant poker player, but she plays life like poker and I don't. I play life like bingo."
During Sunday's gala challenge finale, Rivers won $250,000 for her charity, God's Love We Deliver, beating out her bitter adversary Duke. And let's just say these two contestants haven't been shy about letting the hateful words fly.
"Her harsh words were much harsher than mine," Rivers explained. "[She said], 'I wish you would die' or 'The cancer has left the room.' She also told somebody, 'Now I know why her husband committed suicide.'"
While Rivers compared Duke to Hitler in an earlier episode, the comedienne is not apologizing for her controversial comment. "They both were driven, they both were duplicitous and both did anything to win — so I stand behind that," she said.
She does have one regret though. "I shouldn't have worn such high heels because I look like I was going to fall over!"
Rivers will host a new TV Land series, How'd You Get So Rich? (which premieres Aug. 12 at 10 pm/ET), in which the funny lady will explore the lifestyles of the extremely wealthy.
Newly "hired" Joan Rivers gave her competitor Annie Duke a big hug after winning the final face-off on Celebrity Apprentice — but that doesn't mean the two will be friendly any time soon.
"We're not going to be BFFs," Rivers told TVGuide.com about her future interactions with the famous poker player. "It's a shame, because I think she's a brilliant poker player, but she plays life like poker and I don't. I play life like bingo."
During Sunday's gala challenge finale, Rivers won $250,000 for her charity, God's Love We Deliver, beating out her bitter adversary Duke. And let's just say these two contestants haven't been shy about letting the hateful words fly.
"Her harsh words were much harsher than mine," Rivers explained. "[She said], 'I wish you would die' or 'The cancer has left the room.' She also told somebody, 'Now I know why her husband committed suicide.'"
While Rivers compared Duke to Hitler in an earlier episode, the comedienne is not apologizing for her controversial comment. "They both were driven, they both were duplicitous and both did anything to win — so I stand behind that," she said.
She does have one regret though. "I shouldn't have worn such high heels because I look like I was going to fall over!"
Rivers will host a new TV Land series, How'd You Get So Rich? (which premieres Aug. 12 at 10 pm/ET), in which the funnylady will explore the lifestyles of the extremely wealthy.
Title: Re: Celebrity Apprentice 2
Post by: apskip on May 12, 2009, 11:34:38 AM
What do you do if you are the decision-maker on a hit TV show and you have to stage a competition to decide who wins a multi-month process? And you want one of the contestants, a long-time favorite of yours, to win. If it's Celebrity Apprentice 2, then you define the criteria for winning in a way that leaves huge latitude for that decision. Also, you stack the deck on which celebrities are available as helpers. You make it almost certain that the no-good Tom Green gets on the team of the individual you want to lose. It's that simple for Donald Trump to rig it in Joan Rivers' favor. I don't know if he did (as suggested on this thread) have to guarantee her victory to get her into CA2. He certainly did throughout CA2 sing the praises of Joan far beyond anything she earned as she did well but not really well. He made it clear through what he said that it would be nearly impossible to beat her. He, with the assistance of apparently Donald Jr. and Ivanka in grading 3 of the 5 criteria, gave the majority of them to Joan so that she could be declared the winner with a straight face.
OK, so here are the 5 criteria for the silent auction event: 1. Fund-Raising results 2. Charity Integration at the event 3. Decor at the event 4. Use of Celebrities/Overall Event Impression 5. Integration of the Kodak Theme
So my question is whether decor substitutes for hundreds of thousands of dollars of fund-raising? Or put another way, is it rational to weight all those criteria equally? By doing so Trump gets maximum flexibility. Annie Duke will certainly win Fund-Raising Results. Who will win the other categories?
The team leaders of Annie and Joan are given a choice of 6 helpers. You would normally see the 6 most recent eliminees in this, but for unstated reasons Jesse and Tionne were dropped and Dennis and Tom Green substituted. Dennis needed the PR of doing well, so he was motivated but Tom displayed all of the non-endearing qualties that got him fired early in CA2. The selection process would be 3 alternating picks each. This was biased because Melissa Rivers was in the mix but Annie would never pick her so Joan could pick her last and Annie would be forced to take whoever else was left (Tom Green). Annie won the toss and picked Brande, no surprise but if she was using the logic explained by Melissa then it should have been Herschel because Joan would be unlikely to have picked Brande. Joan got to pick Herschel. Annie picked Dennis, I don't know why because of what will happen in the final auditorium scenes. Joan picks Clint. Annie picks Tom Green, who she knows little about but he's not Melissa so she really has little choice. An Joan executes her strategy perfectly by having Melissa left to pick. So, Annie should have gotten an edge but I think she's at a disadvantage due to the non-cooperative nature of Tom Green. However, Clint Black appeared to be pretty useless and was caught by Joan doing his Email when we could have been working, so he was not any better.
The first task is to sell out 60 tickets to Cirque de Soleil's Wintuk performance the following evening (which was after the actual auction). Melissa and Herschel ahd a double-decker tour bus at their disposal. However, Herschel had a donor buy all 60 tickets and had him give them away for free. That finished the task very quickly, but presunmably took $6000 away from being used at the Auction. Dennis and Tom are assigned to sell those tickets and they have their own bus. They do so, but do not return until late that evening and they play out a little skit that they did not sell many of the tickets. Of course they really had and were just pulling a prank on Annie for humor. Dennis had before that been working the phones and raises $20,000 of seed money for bidding on auction items from players on the Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Lakers, two of the NBA teams he played for.
The next decision is to meet with the event planners, both from the same company, that was provided by Trump. There is always a twist in every Apprentice or Celebrity Apprentice finale, a test by Trump of one's ability to use all your talents to get out of a big hole. He created that hole this time by having those event planners screw up and withdraw due to the bad relationship between Joan Rivers and the company's owner who was her event planner. This happened at 5pm on a Friday with the event 24 hours ahead. Who can you get on a Fridya night in New York City? Both Annie and Joan begged their colleagues and friends for help and both got a lot of help. I think Joan probably got more because her charity happens to be located in New York City and the Executive Director of God's Love We Deliver called in the entire board of directors of that organization to help. Annie's Refugees International is based in Washington DC so given the 4 hour drive she does not even ask them to try to help.
Annie is constantly on the phone when she is not directing people and managing all details of the event. Annie asks a lot of her poker colleagues to attend checkbook in hand. Many do. Annie's team lines up a few celebrities, but as Brande says most of their contacts are on the West Coast and flying in is nearly infeasible. Joe Frazier, a current middlewight boxing champ, and Oksana Baiul the Olympic Champion skater were there for her. Joan calls on Kathy Griffin, Kyle McLachlan and a number of minor Broadway luminaries. If I were the decider I would have called the Celebrity part even, but the number of minor stars for Joan was more impressive.
The actual event went off pretty much as planned. There was feverish bidding on some items and little on others, just like silent auctions really go. 3 performers from Cirque de Soleil came in to entertain. Joan uses female impersonators for a number of celebrities. Dennis went in drag with a huge blue hat to take pictures with Brande and attendees. Both sides appeared to me to do a good job of bringing in money and giving the attendees something extra for it. When the auction is over both teams get on one of the buses to go to the Wintuk performance that evening.
I expect that the boardroom was later than evening. Trump brought out the conflicts between Joan and Annie and allowed them to bludgeon the other. I have to question his judgment here and also throughout Celebriaty Apprentice 2. Annie says it succinctly later that classy leadership would never have allowed the personal attacks that Joan frequently waged againts Annie. Annie was right on this. However, it is obvious that Donald Trump wanted a blood feud even better than the one between Piers Morgan and Trace Atkins in CA1 and he wanted to used the "bread and circuses" approach from ancient Rome.
Trump finally cut off the attacks and asked Donald and Ivanka to report. Ivanka say Joan's team raised $150 thousand for God's Love We Deliver. Donald says Annie's team raised $465 thousand for Refugees International. He also says that she won the Charity Integration category by having done a better job of displaying her charity at the event. Ivanka now says that on the other 3 categories, each was awarded to Joan. Kodak's Chief Marketing Officer and VP of the Graphic Communications Group Jeff Hayzlett had attended the auction, observed how Kodak was displayed, and chose Joan as the winner of that category. Presumbaly Donald, Donald Jr. and Ivanka were all involved in the decisions in the final 2 categories. They awarded use of celebrities/overall impression to Joan (I though this was about even). They awarded decor to Joan (I thought this was fair, as she was able to mobilize more help on it). So if you are counting that's Joan 3 Annie 2 on the Trump scorecard even though Annie's team raised more than 3 times the money that Joan's team did.
Now it's time for the public appearances of celebrities on CA2. We get Jesse, Scott, Claudia, Brian, and Andrew Dice Clay. Each had to talk fast as Trump cut them off quickly. Then he brings out the helpers and talks to them. He asks Dennis about his redemption and Dennis appreciates this opportunity to be seen on TV as a decent hard-working person and not the total jerk he was portrayed as earlier in CA2. Trump asks him who he favors and Dennis says that it's somebody he has known for a long time, Joan. He might have given a soundbite of time to each of the other helpers. I think the presentations of each of the charities came next. They were moving.
Trump now introduces the finalists from CA1, Trace Atkins and Piers Morgan. He asks them who they favor (which is his way of preparing the home audience for the outcome). Trace says he was impressed by Joan's commitment to her charity. Piers says Joan won 2-3, end of story. Trump now gives both Annie and Joan the opportunity to speak on their own behalf and as usual you get fireworks from Joan. Seeing how this is likely to play out, Annie takes the opportunity to chide Trump for his non-leadership behavior in letting the boardrooms degenerate in Joan's personal attacks on her. I agree with her. it was churlish to not put an end ot those attacks. Nothing is certain to shut Joan Rivers up but Trump making an effort might have succeeded.
It is time for the decision which was foreshadowed by Piers Morgan. Joan wins. End of season. Come back for Celebrity Apprentice 3.