I didn't have high hopes for last night's season finale when the Donald started off with that boardroom fakeout again. By now we all know that there's really a big audience there. I guess the concept is kind of fun (I enjoyed the canned-sounding laughter), but next time they should probably stop pretending they're in the regular boardroom.
Trace was clearly overmatched last night. His strategy to focus on star power wasn't that smart considering few New Yorkers are country music fans. I loved the fact that Trace chartered two private jets to fly in his friends from Nashville, and they seemed lovely, but they were no match for Simon Cowell, Ozzie Osbourne and Fergie. (British celebs seem so much more fabulous than ours for some reason.) What's more, Trace's food allergy charity, though worthy, wasn't nearly as compelling as the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. Piers' idea to give away 20 tickets to service people to tug on the bidders' heart strings was brilliant.
The criteria on which the task was judged were pretty lame. Catering and the auction versus band management and decoration? That's so subjective, but it did make for some great moments. Of course, Trip and Lennox's nail polish run was fabulous. And I loved when Piers told the waitstaff to get the party goers drunk and hold back on the food so they would bid recklessly. That was brilliant. I was getting annoyed that Trace was acting so clueless about the wheat grass juice. Go to a juice bar! The country routine started to get a bit tiring.
The auction itself was pretty exciting. The guy from Cantor Fitzgerald was amazing! I can't believe he paid $100,000 for tea with the Duchess of York and another $100,000 for the Ozzie Osbourne prize! I felt bad for Trace when a dinner with him garnered only $6,000, and from Ivanka! She looked fabulous at the event! Trace's wife better go along to chaperon. Of course, the best part of the auction was when Simon Cowell called in to bid on the shopping spree with Ivanka. I'd like to be a fly on the wall in that store. I don't understand why Trace thought Simon's call-in was so distasteful. Lighten up! He definitely seemed bitter during the event.
A note on the Backstreet Boys: Who do they think they are? I couldn't believe there was a possibility they would not go on stage if their demands weren't met. I think Piers had it right when he said they would never turn down a chance to perform in front of a huge TV audience, especially since they're completely lame. The synchronized dancing has to go.
Even though Trace did a good job with the band and bringing in some country stars, it was obvious he wasn't going to win even before the final boardroom showdown started. I'm all for being nice, but, as Piers mentioned, the point of the show is to raise as much money as possible for charity. Besides, Piers isn't all bad. Carol and Lennox always liked him, so he must have some appealing qualities.
In the end, it was obvious that Piers should win based solely on the large amount of money he raised during the auction. The comparison with the ticket sales was ridiculous, especially since Piers gave away 20 tickets. The Donald also seemed like he was grasping at straws when he criticized Piers for trying to get the party goers drunk. Of course, Stephen Baldwin acted so offended by that strategy. Please. He's a total hypocrite. I loved when the Donald said Stephen's career wasn't going so well until the Celebrity Apprentice. Ouch!
The real clincher for Piers was the touching moment with the injured soldiers. That kind of blew the whole "Piers is evil" theory out of the water. I felt kind of bad for Trace. He's a nice guy, but as Piers pointed out, this isn't a "good guy competition." Piers blew him out of the water consistently throughout the season. The Donald clearly made the right decision.
Some great moments: When Stephen and Piers "made up" in the van, when Lennox and Piers said they would be lifelong friends, Omarosa's insane comment about Piers' dental hygiene (and the Donald's dismissive reaction), that tense moment when Piers and Trace were bickering about the supposed slight against the country donors and the audience started hooting and clapping, Piers' boardroom sweats, and, of course, Gene Simmons' special appearance via satellite from Tokyo.
I guess the "Celebrity" spin helped revive the Apprentice franchise to some extent, though the Donald's insistence that the show would be around for a long time seemed a bit desperate. The good news is that the next season (slated for January 2009) is going to feature a new set of celebs.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
Celebrity Apprentice - Episode Twelve
I'm glad the Donald ignored Jim Kramer's advice and fired Carol instead of Piers. Those two get along pretty well, which wouldn't make for much of a final showdown. The whole "good versus evil" match up between Piers and Trace is pretty compelling. I was less than impressed with the interview process. Only one hour for all four contestants? Plus, who is this Erin Burnett lady? I'm assuming she's Mark Burnett's wife, which is pretty lame. That said, she's better than Jim Kramer. That guy is completely obnoxious. I don't blame Trace for criticizing his aggressive style. So, yes, the Donald made the right call by keeping Piers in the game. It was also nice that Carol got to leave with her dignity, knowing that she was pretty much fired because she wasn't out to get Piers.
For that reason, Piers' decision to pick Stephen Baldwin to join his team was questionable. He knows that Stephen doesn't like him, and that he bombed out completely during the art show task. So why would he pick him first over Carol? I can see why he passed up the hyper Marilu, but Baldwin over Alt? Come on. So far, it seems as though that decision might be Piers' undoing, judging by Baldwin's lack of effort and enthusiasm. It almost seems like he's trying to sabotage his old nemesis.
Speaking of sabotage, I suspect the Back Street Boys are playing it up on orders from NBC. I just can't believe they would be that rude to Trace and have so many catering demands. I guess they don't realize they're totally washed up! I'd rather see N'Sync or even Nick Lache's old band. Regardless of how obnoxious they are, Trace better hold his temper or he could lose the task based solely on a bad review from the band.
At this point, both teams have their share of problems. For Trace, it's the Back Street Boys and Marilu's penchant for wasting time. (I loved it when Lennox said he knows how to handle her because his mom is the same way.) I was a bit confused about which tablecloth they wound up choosing, but if it's the black one I'm not sure how great that will look. I would have gone with the gold. What Trace does have going for him is his celebrity guests, although I didn't recognize two out of three names he mentioned, so I'm not sure how excited New Yorkers will be about them.
At any rate, the country stars are still better than anyone Baldwin has drummed up, which, at this point, seems to be exactly zero. He already tapped Alec and Billy for favors, so now all that's left is the out of control brother who did that rehab special on Dateline last year. I have to hand it to Piers for reeling in the Duchess of York. He is ridiculously connected! I would love to have tea with Fergie. Trace will be hard pressed to beat that at the auction!
This task seems rather arbitrary, so it will be interesting to see who's strategy will pay off: Piers' (raise the most money) or Trace's (bring in the bigger celebs and focus on decor). Since the whole point of the show is to raise money for charity, I have a feeling the Donald will be more impressed with the former. How smashing could the decor possibly be? I guess we'll find out next week!
For that reason, Piers' decision to pick Stephen Baldwin to join his team was questionable. He knows that Stephen doesn't like him, and that he bombed out completely during the art show task. So why would he pick him first over Carol? I can see why he passed up the hyper Marilu, but Baldwin over Alt? Come on. So far, it seems as though that decision might be Piers' undoing, judging by Baldwin's lack of effort and enthusiasm. It almost seems like he's trying to sabotage his old nemesis.
Speaking of sabotage, I suspect the Back Street Boys are playing it up on orders from NBC. I just can't believe they would be that rude to Trace and have so many catering demands. I guess they don't realize they're totally washed up! I'd rather see N'Sync or even Nick Lache's old band. Regardless of how obnoxious they are, Trace better hold his temper or he could lose the task based solely on a bad review from the band.
At this point, both teams have their share of problems. For Trace, it's the Back Street Boys and Marilu's penchant for wasting time. (I loved it when Lennox said he knows how to handle her because his mom is the same way.) I was a bit confused about which tablecloth they wound up choosing, but if it's the black one I'm not sure how great that will look. I would have gone with the gold. What Trace does have going for him is his celebrity guests, although I didn't recognize two out of three names he mentioned, so I'm not sure how excited New Yorkers will be about them.
At any rate, the country stars are still better than anyone Baldwin has drummed up, which, at this point, seems to be exactly zero. He already tapped Alec and Billy for favors, so now all that's left is the out of control brother who did that rehab special on Dateline last year. I have to hand it to Piers for reeling in the Duchess of York. He is ridiculously connected! I would love to have tea with Fergie. Trace will be hard pressed to beat that at the auction!
This task seems rather arbitrary, so it will be interesting to see who's strategy will pay off: Piers' (raise the most money) or Trace's (bring in the bigger celebs and focus on decor). Since the whole point of the show is to raise money for charity, I have a feeling the Donald will be more impressed with the former. How smashing could the decor possibly be? I guess we'll find out next week!
Friday, March 14, 2008
The Celebrity Apprentice: Episodes 10 and 11
Recap from last week's art challenge:
Omarosa got what she deserved last week. She should be embarrassed about her behavior. Her personal attacks against Piers only make her look petty and desperate. I can't imagine what she's going to do now that's she's gotten the ax. Who would hire her? On a side note, the purple and white go-go outfit she was wearing was absurd. She should really pick one style and stick with it rather than going back and forth between the teeny-bopper look (recall the brown cheerleader outfit) and the matronly businesswoman (e.g. the portrait collar suit jacket).
Speaking of ridiculous, the opening scene in Trump's apartment was over the top. He always mentions how it's the best apartment in New York City, but it looks like a cross between a set from the Rome mini-series and an old lady's house in Palm Beach. All that gold is too much! I feel bad for Barron. The poor kid is already being groomed for the house business, as he calls it. He seems pretty cute, but he sounds Transylvanian like Milania, which is a bit unsettling.
As for the task itself, Hydra clearly chose the right artist. The big new media pieces were definitely splashier than the arty-crafty David Kramer posters. Plus, as Carol picked up on right away, Hydra could sell multiple copies of the Shirley Shor pieces. The dealer's suggestion that Empresario should follow their hearts was flawed. They should have done more research, especially since none of them were art lovers.
In the end, it was all about math and, of course, sales. Empresario bombed out on that end as well. I was surprised that Stephen Baldwin was so bad. He seemed more interested in flirting with women in the gallery than selling anything. Omarosa made a big mistake earlier that day when she told Baldwin to stop calling his contacts so he could research the artists. It seemed like she was trying to sabotage him so her lack of connections wouldn't be so obvious. In a way, I feel bad that she's at a disadvantage because she's not rich, but she should leverage other people's connections whenever possible. At the gallery, she seemed nervous and desperate. Trace was the only decent person on the team. Even though he was out of his element, he used his charm to make sales.
Hydra, on the other hand, did everything right. They managed to draw people into their rooms, and even steal one of Baldwin's contacts, despite their location in the back of the gallery. Piers once again turned on his used car salesman charm. I'm always amazed by his connections. He must be quite the star in England. Carol was fabulous and so was Lennox. So it was no surprise that they wound up slaughtering Empresario.
I'm not quite sure why Omarosa started a rumor about Piers being gay. Was that some kind of strategy? Or did she just want to embarrass him one last time on television? Either way, it was a bad move. She wound up getting fired and Piers looked like the bigger person. I loved Trace's face when Piers came in and kissed him, calling him a "beautiful cowboy." That was fabulous. I also loved how Lennox's reference to "Brokeback boardroom." Brilliant!
Now for last night's decidedly unclassy Quinznos task:
I really thought Stephen and Trace had this one down, even though they were short one team member. The Cowboy Club was more creative and Trace and Stephen seemed confident and upbeat. Lennox and Piers, meanwhile, were busy making catty comments about Carol. What exactly did they do during the first part of the task? While she was busy designing the flyers and dealing with the printer, they were standing on the sidewalk complaining. If Hydra had lost, the boys definitely would have blamed her for cutting into their marketing time. I also think Lennox made a mistake by putting Carol behind the counter in an ugly hat. Piers seemed to be having problems getting people on the street to take flyers, but everyone knows Carol Alt. Piers should have been behind the counter.
It's hard to say exactly why Empresario lost. It might have had something to do with location or the fact that they had only two team members. Another possible problem, as Ivanka pointed out, was their complicated sandwich choice. These days, most people (in NYC at least) seem to be gravitating toward healthier sandwiches, so topping prime rib with bacon was a bit much. Keeping it simpler could have made a big difference.
At the end of the day, it was hard to place the blame on either Trace or Stephen. Ivanka was correct to base her suggestion to fire Stephen on his weak sales performance history during the past few weeks. As she pointed out, the purpose of the show is to raise money for charity, and Trace is clearly better than Baldwin when it comes to closing deals. Too bad he hasn't raised any money for his own cause, but at least he'll have the chance now. I'm glad Trace is staying, but I'll also miss Stevie B's antics.
Of course, the biggest shocker of the night was when the Donald called the final four back into the boardroom to eliminate two more people. That was insane. In the previews, it seems like the Donald is looking at either Carol or Piers (or both) when he says, "You're fired." But it's not totally clear. I'd be surprised if Piers didn't make it to the final two. I'm guessing it will be him against Trace. It'll be nice to see the whole gang back together again!
Omarosa got what she deserved last week. She should be embarrassed about her behavior. Her personal attacks against Piers only make her look petty and desperate. I can't imagine what she's going to do now that's she's gotten the ax. Who would hire her? On a side note, the purple and white go-go outfit she was wearing was absurd. She should really pick one style and stick with it rather than going back and forth between the teeny-bopper look (recall the brown cheerleader outfit) and the matronly businesswoman (e.g. the portrait collar suit jacket).
Speaking of ridiculous, the opening scene in Trump's apartment was over the top. He always mentions how it's the best apartment in New York City, but it looks like a cross between a set from the Rome mini-series and an old lady's house in Palm Beach. All that gold is too much! I feel bad for Barron. The poor kid is already being groomed for the house business, as he calls it. He seems pretty cute, but he sounds Transylvanian like Milania, which is a bit unsettling.
As for the task itself, Hydra clearly chose the right artist. The big new media pieces were definitely splashier than the arty-crafty David Kramer posters. Plus, as Carol picked up on right away, Hydra could sell multiple copies of the Shirley Shor pieces. The dealer's suggestion that Empresario should follow their hearts was flawed. They should have done more research, especially since none of them were art lovers.
In the end, it was all about math and, of course, sales. Empresario bombed out on that end as well. I was surprised that Stephen Baldwin was so bad. He seemed more interested in flirting with women in the gallery than selling anything. Omarosa made a big mistake earlier that day when she told Baldwin to stop calling his contacts so he could research the artists. It seemed like she was trying to sabotage him so her lack of connections wouldn't be so obvious. In a way, I feel bad that she's at a disadvantage because she's not rich, but she should leverage other people's connections whenever possible. At the gallery, she seemed nervous and desperate. Trace was the only decent person on the team. Even though he was out of his element, he used his charm to make sales.
Hydra, on the other hand, did everything right. They managed to draw people into their rooms, and even steal one of Baldwin's contacts, despite their location in the back of the gallery. Piers once again turned on his used car salesman charm. I'm always amazed by his connections. He must be quite the star in England. Carol was fabulous and so was Lennox. So it was no surprise that they wound up slaughtering Empresario.
I'm not quite sure why Omarosa started a rumor about Piers being gay. Was that some kind of strategy? Or did she just want to embarrass him one last time on television? Either way, it was a bad move. She wound up getting fired and Piers looked like the bigger person. I loved Trace's face when Piers came in and kissed him, calling him a "beautiful cowboy." That was fabulous. I also loved how Lennox's reference to "Brokeback boardroom." Brilliant!
Now for last night's decidedly unclassy Quinznos task:
I really thought Stephen and Trace had this one down, even though they were short one team member. The Cowboy Club was more creative and Trace and Stephen seemed confident and upbeat. Lennox and Piers, meanwhile, were busy making catty comments about Carol. What exactly did they do during the first part of the task? While she was busy designing the flyers and dealing with the printer, they were standing on the sidewalk complaining. If Hydra had lost, the boys definitely would have blamed her for cutting into their marketing time. I also think Lennox made a mistake by putting Carol behind the counter in an ugly hat. Piers seemed to be having problems getting people on the street to take flyers, but everyone knows Carol Alt. Piers should have been behind the counter.
It's hard to say exactly why Empresario lost. It might have had something to do with location or the fact that they had only two team members. Another possible problem, as Ivanka pointed out, was their complicated sandwich choice. These days, most people (in NYC at least) seem to be gravitating toward healthier sandwiches, so topping prime rib with bacon was a bit much. Keeping it simpler could have made a big difference.
At the end of the day, it was hard to place the blame on either Trace or Stephen. Ivanka was correct to base her suggestion to fire Stephen on his weak sales performance history during the past few weeks. As she pointed out, the purpose of the show is to raise money for charity, and Trace is clearly better than Baldwin when it comes to closing deals. Too bad he hasn't raised any money for his own cause, but at least he'll have the chance now. I'm glad Trace is staying, but I'll also miss Stevie B's antics.
Of course, the biggest shocker of the night was when the Donald called the final four back into the boardroom to eliminate two more people. That was insane. In the previews, it seems like the Donald is looking at either Carol or Piers (or both) when he says, "You're fired." But it's not totally clear. I'd be surprised if Piers didn't make it to the final two. I'm guessing it will be him against Trace. It'll be nice to see the whole gang back together again!
Friday, February 29, 2008
Celebrity Apprentice - Episode Nine
I still have a lot of questions about Dial Yogurt. Is it really yogurt? Is it a dairy product? Can you eat it if you get hungry in the shower?
Due to the weirdness of the product (even the Dial representatives seemed less than enthused), I'm not surprised Empresario struggled to come up with an innovative campaign. Carol Alt got it right when she decided to keep it "sexy" and simple. Sure, Hydra's "Day in the life of a regular woman" approach was pretty boring, but it looked smashing. Empresario's ad, on the other hand, was contrived and nonsensical. I get the whole desert/dry skin thing, but who eats yogurt in the desert? There were too many things going on there.
Tito Ortiz didn't help matters. He was a terrible project manager, deferring to Stephen Baldwin on every decision. Honestly, I don't know why an ultimate fighting champion would step up to lead a task centered on developing a soap ad for a magazine aimed at Middle American housewives. Omarosa really should have volunteered. After all, she was telling everyone that she was tapped to appear in a shampoo commercial a few years ago. Maybe she's scarred for life because that never came to fruition.
That said, Omarosa didn't force Tito to be PM. She did tell him that she had been PM recently, but she didn't tell him to take the job. Besides, as Tito pointed out in the boardroom later on, the Big O did contribute a lot to the task. Maybe she should have voiced her concerns about the cowboy approach, but, as she pointed out, the men's wacky ideas (think Antony and Cleopatra) have paid off in the past. If only Stephen had agreed to include the picture of shirtless Trace Adkins! Redbook readers would have bought the soap based on that fantasy material alone!
Speaking of fantasy, Carol's "raunchy" photo shoot was fabulous. You have to give her credit for pulling out all the stops for the team. I still think she's a bit of an airhead, but she knows her marketing and she's game for anything. Of course, she looks fabulous. Hydra can't afford to lose her based on that attribute alone.
Tito, on the other hand, was totally off his game last night. I felt bad for him when he spazzed out during Empresario's presentation, but come on! He didn't seem very well prepared. There's just no excuse for choking like that. If he was that nervous, he should have asked Omarosa or Baldwin to handle it. Of course, they would have used it against him in the boardroom, but they might not have wound up in the boardroom if they had done a better job of selling their vision to the executives from Dial and Redbook. (Side note: I loved how the Donald tried to create suspense after the presentations by telling the execs they were torn between the two presentations, even though they clearly weren't. Very subtle.)
Unlike the Serta executive who loved the guys' campy Antony and Cleopatra window display, last night's judges seemed put off by the less conventional cowboy approach. There were a couple of surprises in the boardroom, starting with the fact that Tito said Omarosa was the hardest worker on the team. I just can't figure out that woman. She runs hot and cold. I also didn't expect Trace to say he would fire Tito if he were Mr. Trump. He was very diplomatic, but it must have pained him to say anything bad about a teammate. In the end, the Donald had no choice but to fire Tito. He seems like a nice enough person, but he's a bit of a dullard. I thought it was odd that the Donald kept telling him how "special" he is. It seems like he was struggling to come up with a compliment.
Some highlights from this week's episode: George's face during the biting segment of Hydra's photo shoot, the execs' reaction to the resulting photograph(they need to loosen up), and the Donald's obsession with the whole biting scandal. He pretended to be shocked, but he loved it.
Hydra is clearly the team to beat. Yes, Lennox is a loose cannon, but with him and Carol as potential models and Piers Morgan's brains, the trio is unstoppable. After this week's poor judgment on Baldwin's part, Empresario's fate seems shaky, especially considering Omarosa's moody behavior. Right now my money is on Morgan. He toned down his behavior this week and seems to be recovering from his battles with Omarosa and Vinny Pastore. I guess we'll find out!
Due to the weirdness of the product (even the Dial representatives seemed less than enthused), I'm not surprised Empresario struggled to come up with an innovative campaign. Carol Alt got it right when she decided to keep it "sexy" and simple. Sure, Hydra's "Day in the life of a regular woman" approach was pretty boring, but it looked smashing. Empresario's ad, on the other hand, was contrived and nonsensical. I get the whole desert/dry skin thing, but who eats yogurt in the desert? There were too many things going on there.
Tito Ortiz didn't help matters. He was a terrible project manager, deferring to Stephen Baldwin on every decision. Honestly, I don't know why an ultimate fighting champion would step up to lead a task centered on developing a soap ad for a magazine aimed at Middle American housewives. Omarosa really should have volunteered. After all, she was telling everyone that she was tapped to appear in a shampoo commercial a few years ago. Maybe she's scarred for life because that never came to fruition.
That said, Omarosa didn't force Tito to be PM. She did tell him that she had been PM recently, but she didn't tell him to take the job. Besides, as Tito pointed out in the boardroom later on, the Big O did contribute a lot to the task. Maybe she should have voiced her concerns about the cowboy approach, but, as she pointed out, the men's wacky ideas (think Antony and Cleopatra) have paid off in the past. If only Stephen had agreed to include the picture of shirtless Trace Adkins! Redbook readers would have bought the soap based on that fantasy material alone!
Speaking of fantasy, Carol's "raunchy" photo shoot was fabulous. You have to give her credit for pulling out all the stops for the team. I still think she's a bit of an airhead, but she knows her marketing and she's game for anything. Of course, she looks fabulous. Hydra can't afford to lose her based on that attribute alone.
Tito, on the other hand, was totally off his game last night. I felt bad for him when he spazzed out during Empresario's presentation, but come on! He didn't seem very well prepared. There's just no excuse for choking like that. If he was that nervous, he should have asked Omarosa or Baldwin to handle it. Of course, they would have used it against him in the boardroom, but they might not have wound up in the boardroom if they had done a better job of selling their vision to the executives from Dial and Redbook. (Side note: I loved how the Donald tried to create suspense after the presentations by telling the execs they were torn between the two presentations, even though they clearly weren't. Very subtle.)
Unlike the Serta executive who loved the guys' campy Antony and Cleopatra window display, last night's judges seemed put off by the less conventional cowboy approach. There were a couple of surprises in the boardroom, starting with the fact that Tito said Omarosa was the hardest worker on the team. I just can't figure out that woman. She runs hot and cold. I also didn't expect Trace to say he would fire Tito if he were Mr. Trump. He was very diplomatic, but it must have pained him to say anything bad about a teammate. In the end, the Donald had no choice but to fire Tito. He seems like a nice enough person, but he's a bit of a dullard. I thought it was odd that the Donald kept telling him how "special" he is. It seems like he was struggling to come up with a compliment.
Some highlights from this week's episode: George's face during the biting segment of Hydra's photo shoot, the execs' reaction to the resulting photograph(they need to loosen up), and the Donald's obsession with the whole biting scandal. He pretended to be shocked, but he loved it.
Hydra is clearly the team to beat. Yes, Lennox is a loose cannon, but with him and Carol as potential models and Piers Morgan's brains, the trio is unstoppable. After this week's poor judgment on Baldwin's part, Empresario's fate seems shaky, especially considering Omarosa's moody behavior. Right now my money is on Morgan. He toned down his behavior this week and seems to be recovering from his battles with Omarosa and Vinny Pastore. I guess we'll find out!
Friday, February 22, 2008
Celebrity Apprentice - Episode Eight
This may sound evil, but I'm glad Marilu Henner got the boot last night. She's a very nice lady, but she is also a bit of a flake. I had a feeling things weren't going to go well when the Donald asked her if she was ready to be project manager and she responded with a feeble, "I guess." Not a good sign.
Henner's oddly enthusiastic response to the step ladder/dolly made me wonder if she's on something. Doesn't she pay someone to change light bulbs, dust the ceiling fans and lug tools around? The whole situation was bizarre. What was so great about that thing anyway? I didn't understand why the teams were fighting over it.
But Henner wasn't the only problem on team Hydra. As Morgan pointed out in the boardroom, Lennox Lewis was hungover for the first part of the task. He's just lucky he wasn't in the same helicopter as Omarosa. She never would have let him nap during the planning session on the way to QVC headquarters in Pennsylvania. Carol Alt was useless despite the fact that she worked for QVC for five years. I can't believe she didn't know about QVC's "Easy Pay" option. She's a bit of an empty vessel. Great hair but no brains underneath.
Baldwin was a great project manager yet again. All of his years as a minister have really honed his marketing skills. Kudos to him for asking about alternative payment plans. It was also a smart move to use Trace as the spokesperson, given QVC's mainly middle American audience. I have to admit I thought Baldwin was crazy for putting Trace on air live with no script and no rehearsal. The editors really made it seem like he was going to freeze up when the cameras started rolling. You would think he could handle a cheesy QVC stint after playing live in front of thousands of fans, but he seemed jittery just before the commercial went live.
But, as always, Trace was a consummate pro. I wasn't impressed with the cordless electric sweeper in the beginning--especially since it cost something like $60--but Trace really sold it. Sweeping up the nuts and bolts was a nice touch (much better than the coffee grounds vacuumed up on most infomercials). I also liked how he switched gears and talked about his daughters' messy arts and crafts projects. Adorable! Needless to say, his voice is calming and he always seems sincere.
Then there was Henner. What a nut. My husband said the ladder/dolly commercial seemed more like an advertisement for crystal meth. I was definitely expecting her to fall off the ladder when she was pretending to screw in a light bulb. But what really sealed her fate was the fact that she yammered on incessantly, even talking over one of the customers on the phone! That's a total no-no. She has serious listening problems.
I wasn't shocked at all when Empresario was crowned the winner. The only downside was that Omarosa was on the winning team. I can't wait to see the Donald fire that nasty witch. She's a bad person. As I mentioned earlier, I was happy to see Henner go. I've had enough of her manic "energy" for one season. I know the Donald liked her as a person, but he's been letting her skate by on charm alone for weeks now. Perhaps the choice would have been a bit more difficult if Henner had brought Alt back in to the boardroom. Carol deserved to be criticized for not knowing about the staggered pricing option. But Marilu didn't even realize that until Piers told her, which simply underscored the fact that she's not much of a critical thinker.
There weren't too many funny moments in this week's show, but I loved when Piers called him a "sleepy boy" in the boardroom. I also loved when the Donald asked Piers why he was so sweaty. He might have gland problems. Of course, the best part of the episode was when Henner convinced her QVC co-host to hop on the dolly--only to drop him on the floor. Brilliant.
After two somewhat boring episodes in a row, I'm looking forward to next week's installment. Apparently, the teams put together ads that are so racy they cannot even be shown on NBC. That should be amusing. Right now I'm still confident that Baldwin will come out on top in the end. I guess we'll find out soon enough.
Henner's oddly enthusiastic response to the step ladder/dolly made me wonder if she's on something. Doesn't she pay someone to change light bulbs, dust the ceiling fans and lug tools around? The whole situation was bizarre. What was so great about that thing anyway? I didn't understand why the teams were fighting over it.
But Henner wasn't the only problem on team Hydra. As Morgan pointed out in the boardroom, Lennox Lewis was hungover for the first part of the task. He's just lucky he wasn't in the same helicopter as Omarosa. She never would have let him nap during the planning session on the way to QVC headquarters in Pennsylvania. Carol Alt was useless despite the fact that she worked for QVC for five years. I can't believe she didn't know about QVC's "Easy Pay" option. She's a bit of an empty vessel. Great hair but no brains underneath.
Baldwin was a great project manager yet again. All of his years as a minister have really honed his marketing skills. Kudos to him for asking about alternative payment plans. It was also a smart move to use Trace as the spokesperson, given QVC's mainly middle American audience. I have to admit I thought Baldwin was crazy for putting Trace on air live with no script and no rehearsal. The editors really made it seem like he was going to freeze up when the cameras started rolling. You would think he could handle a cheesy QVC stint after playing live in front of thousands of fans, but he seemed jittery just before the commercial went live.
But, as always, Trace was a consummate pro. I wasn't impressed with the cordless electric sweeper in the beginning--especially since it cost something like $60--but Trace really sold it. Sweeping up the nuts and bolts was a nice touch (much better than the coffee grounds vacuumed up on most infomercials). I also liked how he switched gears and talked about his daughters' messy arts and crafts projects. Adorable! Needless to say, his voice is calming and he always seems sincere.
Then there was Henner. What a nut. My husband said the ladder/dolly commercial seemed more like an advertisement for crystal meth. I was definitely expecting her to fall off the ladder when she was pretending to screw in a light bulb. But what really sealed her fate was the fact that she yammered on incessantly, even talking over one of the customers on the phone! That's a total no-no. She has serious listening problems.
I wasn't shocked at all when Empresario was crowned the winner. The only downside was that Omarosa was on the winning team. I can't wait to see the Donald fire that nasty witch. She's a bad person. As I mentioned earlier, I was happy to see Henner go. I've had enough of her manic "energy" for one season. I know the Donald liked her as a person, but he's been letting her skate by on charm alone for weeks now. Perhaps the choice would have been a bit more difficult if Henner had brought Alt back in to the boardroom. Carol deserved to be criticized for not knowing about the staggered pricing option. But Marilu didn't even realize that until Piers told her, which simply underscored the fact that she's not much of a critical thinker.
There weren't too many funny moments in this week's show, but I loved when Piers called him a "sleepy boy" in the boardroom. I also loved when the Donald asked Piers why he was so sweaty. He might have gland problems. Of course, the best part of the episode was when Henner convinced her QVC co-host to hop on the dolly--only to drop him on the floor. Brilliant.
After two somewhat boring episodes in a row, I'm looking forward to next week's installment. Apparently, the teams put together ads that are so racy they cannot even be shown on NBC. That should be amusing. Right now I'm still confident that Baldwin will come out on top in the end. I guess we'll find out soon enough.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Celebrity Apprentice: Episode Seven
Last night's episode was painful. I'm really tired of watching Morgan fight with his team mates! But that was pretty much the only interesting thing about the show. The task itself was uninspired. Who wants to watch a bunch of celebrities call their friends to beg them to plunk down a ridiculous amount of money for a horse and carriage ride in Central Park? It seemed like one big plug for Trump's ice skating rink. I love watching the celebs for the most part, but I miss the old days when Apprentice wannabes had to rely solely on their business smarts, not their rich friends.
As the Donald pointed out, Omarosa and Morgan got off to a bad start right away. Morgan looked downtrodden during the team swapping scene. I guess he still hadn't recovered from last week's champagne dousing incident. Morgan aptly pointed out that the British had survived two world wars, but had never faced anything like Omarosa. I doubt even he had any idea what she was about to unleash. I have to admit I was starting to like Omarosa. Until last night, she seemed to have matured since her last Apprentice stint and she has had some good ideas, like the giant Croc shoe repository. But her behavior during last night's episode was reprehensible. Morgan got it right when he said that Omarosa realized she would never raise as much cash as the real celebs, so she decided to create a smokescreen by picking a fight with Morgan.
Of course, Morgan is a jerk, but he had a right to complain about the fact that Omarosa misspelled his name. She should know how to spell it by now. Instead of admitting the mistake and apologizing, she balled up the paper, threw it at him and proceeded to trash his parenting skills. That was a new low--and totally out of left field. She can criticize Piers' business skills all she wants, but there was no need to make it so personal by saying that Morgan's kids don't respect him and that he's a terrible father. Where did that even come from? I searched for a story about Morgan and his children, but all I could find was a reference to his divorce. Either Omarosa did some serious research, or maybe Morgan talked about the problems with her before they became bitter enemies. Either way, that was a terrible PR move on her part. Nobody likes people who use little children.
Still, Omarosa's strategy seemed to be working. Morgan fired her in the van even before the task began, which meant that she couldn't really be blamed if her team lost. Plus, Morgan was so thrown off that he became a target for firing as well. I actually felt bad for him. I also felt bad for Carol Alt and Lennox Lewis. Lewis put it best when he said the fight in the van was worse than his fight with Mike Tyson. And the brawling continued right up to the boardroom scene. As the Donald pointed out, Morgan just couldn't regain his composure. He looked really sweaty and tense. Adkins, on the other hand, was completely zen. I loved the uplifting music that played in the background as Adkins talked about his awesome team and what a great time he had.
Needless to say, I was shocked and disappointed to hear that Hydra had won. I guess Alt's friend finally showed up after flying into New Jersey on his private jet. But even a victory couldn't perk up poor Piers. He won a bunch of money for a nice charity, yet he still looked like he was about to burst into tears. It was so sad when Lewis begged everyone to be more cheery during the champagne "celebration" in the war room. It was a hollow victory indeed, Lennox.
But luckily, my faith in humanity was restored during the final boardroom showdown. I was certain one person would break down and go on the offensive against a team mate. Marilu seemed like the most likely target, since she's been heavily criticized in the past. But, amazingly, no one cast aspersions. The Donald had good reason to go against the rules of the show and grant Empresario a pardon. I'm glad nobody got fired or resigned.
I'm also relieved that the Donald separated Morgan and Omarosa. I can't stand another hour of bickering. I'm starting to think that Omarosa has serious mental problems. She thrives on attacking other people. After the vicious argument in the van, Alt seemed shellshocked, but Omarosa described it as "so refreshing" She's got issues.
This episode was more stressful than amusing, but there were some priceless moments, like when Jenna Jameson asked Tito Ortiz what park they were in and that funny face Stephen Baldwin made early on when he told Adkins not to question his knowledge of Manhattan. I also loved the bored look on the face of one of the women who paid top dollar to take "the most romantic carriage ride of her life" with Billy Baldwin. She looked less than thrilled as Baldwin rattled on about his family. Bring back Alec!
I'd love to see Omarosa fired next week, but it looks like Morgan is going to wind up on the chopping block again. I doubt he's long for this world. It's hard to say who will go all the way. Trace Adkins was a great project manager, but he may not be aggressive enough to make it to the end. Henner may make it to the final three purely because people like her, but she's too scattered to last much longer than that. Lewis, for his part, is a terrible project manager. And though I like Tito Ortiz, he's a bit of a meathead. He and Jameson certainly make a perfect couple. Assuming Omarosa and Morgan get picked off in the next two episodes, that leaves Alt and Baldwin. Right now, my money's on the minister.
As the Donald pointed out, Omarosa and Morgan got off to a bad start right away. Morgan looked downtrodden during the team swapping scene. I guess he still hadn't recovered from last week's champagne dousing incident. Morgan aptly pointed out that the British had survived two world wars, but had never faced anything like Omarosa. I doubt even he had any idea what she was about to unleash. I have to admit I was starting to like Omarosa. Until last night, she seemed to have matured since her last Apprentice stint and she has had some good ideas, like the giant Croc shoe repository. But her behavior during last night's episode was reprehensible. Morgan got it right when he said that Omarosa realized she would never raise as much cash as the real celebs, so she decided to create a smokescreen by picking a fight with Morgan.
Of course, Morgan is a jerk, but he had a right to complain about the fact that Omarosa misspelled his name. She should know how to spell it by now. Instead of admitting the mistake and apologizing, she balled up the paper, threw it at him and proceeded to trash his parenting skills. That was a new low--and totally out of left field. She can criticize Piers' business skills all she wants, but there was no need to make it so personal by saying that Morgan's kids don't respect him and that he's a terrible father. Where did that even come from? I searched for a story about Morgan and his children, but all I could find was a reference to his divorce. Either Omarosa did some serious research, or maybe Morgan talked about the problems with her before they became bitter enemies. Either way, that was a terrible PR move on her part. Nobody likes people who use little children.
Still, Omarosa's strategy seemed to be working. Morgan fired her in the van even before the task began, which meant that she couldn't really be blamed if her team lost. Plus, Morgan was so thrown off that he became a target for firing as well. I actually felt bad for him. I also felt bad for Carol Alt and Lennox Lewis. Lewis put it best when he said the fight in the van was worse than his fight with Mike Tyson. And the brawling continued right up to the boardroom scene. As the Donald pointed out, Morgan just couldn't regain his composure. He looked really sweaty and tense. Adkins, on the other hand, was completely zen. I loved the uplifting music that played in the background as Adkins talked about his awesome team and what a great time he had.
Needless to say, I was shocked and disappointed to hear that Hydra had won. I guess Alt's friend finally showed up after flying into New Jersey on his private jet. But even a victory couldn't perk up poor Piers. He won a bunch of money for a nice charity, yet he still looked like he was about to burst into tears. It was so sad when Lewis begged everyone to be more cheery during the champagne "celebration" in the war room. It was a hollow victory indeed, Lennox.
But luckily, my faith in humanity was restored during the final boardroom showdown. I was certain one person would break down and go on the offensive against a team mate. Marilu seemed like the most likely target, since she's been heavily criticized in the past. But, amazingly, no one cast aspersions. The Donald had good reason to go against the rules of the show and grant Empresario a pardon. I'm glad nobody got fired or resigned.
I'm also relieved that the Donald separated Morgan and Omarosa. I can't stand another hour of bickering. I'm starting to think that Omarosa has serious mental problems. She thrives on attacking other people. After the vicious argument in the van, Alt seemed shellshocked, but Omarosa described it as "so refreshing" She's got issues.
This episode was more stressful than amusing, but there were some priceless moments, like when Jenna Jameson asked Tito Ortiz what park they were in and that funny face Stephen Baldwin made early on when he told Adkins not to question his knowledge of Manhattan. I also loved the bored look on the face of one of the women who paid top dollar to take "the most romantic carriage ride of her life" with Billy Baldwin. She looked less than thrilled as Baldwin rattled on about his family. Bring back Alec!
I'd love to see Omarosa fired next week, but it looks like Morgan is going to wind up on the chopping block again. I doubt he's long for this world. It's hard to say who will go all the way. Trace Adkins was a great project manager, but he may not be aggressive enough to make it to the end. Henner may make it to the final three purely because people like her, but she's too scattered to last much longer than that. Lewis, for his part, is a terrible project manager. And though I like Tito Ortiz, he's a bit of a meathead. He and Jameson certainly make a perfect couple. Assuming Omarosa and Morgan get picked off in the next two episodes, that leaves Alt and Baldwin. Right now, my money's on the minister.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Celebrity Apprentice: Episode 6
I blame Vera Wang for misleading the women last night. There's nothing worse than a client--or a boss, for that matter--who doesn't know what she wants. She seemed totally jazzed when the ladies mentioned using one of her gowns. I believe she said something like, "That would be GREAT!" Then she tells the other team that the Vera Wang brand is now known for much more than bridal wear. Oh, really? What else is it known for? Mattresses? Who cares about having a mattress created by a clothing designer? You're putting sheets on them anyway! I'm still trying to figure that one out. I guess Vera never heard the cautionary tale about Pierre Cardin's out of control brand expansion a couple of decades ago, which prompted my dad, unhappy with a shoddily made belt by the designer, to rename the brand "Pierre Cardboard."
Even worse than Vera was Stephen Baldwin, who affectionately refers to himself as Stevie B. Lennox Lewis got it right when he said that Baldwin was a fool to leave the men's team because he couldn't get along with Piers Morgan. Grow up. Morgan may be a pompous jerk, but he's relatively harmless. I don't blame Omarosa and crew for being furious that Baldwin had to miss the first part of the task to go speak at a church. I recall a couple of other Apprentice contestants who missed work to observe a religious holiday, but that's different. Baldwin's speech was probably a paid gig. He really is a phony.
Lennox Lewis, for his part, was the weirdest project manager ever. As Morgan pointed out, he transformed from a fun, low-key teammate to an uptight schoolmarm with dread locks--and zero good ideas. Making people raise their hands to speak? Taking a vote on every single decision? It was totally bizarre. I'm surprised he didn't have a mutiny on his hands. Between Lewis' wacky behavior and the Hydra's cluelessness about all things Vera Wang, I was sure the guys would lose this one. The Cleopatra and Marc Antony concept was really cheesy, and the display window looked like something out of low-budget film. What's more, I'm still not sure why the guys decided to throw all those anachronistic gadgets into the mix. They really took Wang literally when she said she spends a lot of time in bed.
Empresario's "living window" had its own issues. The set decorations were gorgeous, and, of course, Carol Alt looked fabulous, but it was totally bland and cliche. Another problem was that the action wasn't sustainable. Once Baldwin twirled Alt and they landed on the bed, there was nothing else to do. At least Antony and Cleopatra got to talk on the phone, check their e-mail, eat grapes and chat with their man servant. Emprasario's little vignette was more like a 15-second commercial.
At first, I was relieved that they decided not to have Carol change into a negligee. That would have been uncomfortable. But, after seeing the Serta exec's reaction to the Antony and Cleopatra scene, I started to wonder if they made a mistake by taking the classy route. The guy's mouth practically hit the sidewalk. So I wasn't surprised when Donald announced that his vote was the deciding factor in Hydra's victory.
The boardroom scene wasn't too shocking. I liked Omarosa's attempt at seeming like a nice person by asking the Donald if the ladies could all face the music as a team united. Whatever. At least she was sharp enough to take the Donald's advice not to bring back Stevie B. to the final showdown. She definitely learned from Gene Simmons' mistake. Marilu Henner and Nelly Galan were the obvious weak links this week. Henner was totally manic. I was actually surprised by her scatter-brained behavior. I guess she got swept up in the theatrics. Galan, for her part, is a total dud. She must always have smart people working for her, because she's show really poor judgment on anything related to commercials and production in general. Plus, her voice is really annoying. I must give her credit for attacking the Donald for saying she survived this long because she's lucky. Her tenacity was impressive. Overall, though, I'm glad she got the boot.
This episode wasn't as entertaining as some others this season, but perhaps everyone was laying low after last week's sabotage debacle. There were some great moments, though, including Omarosa pouring champagne on poor Morgan's head, followed by Morgan storming out and running back in to gossip about Baldwin, Omarosa's plunging bustier and bolero, and, of course, the return of adorable George.
At this point, I have little faith in any of these "celebs." I don't think the Donald does either. But I guess we'll find out soon enough.
Even worse than Vera was Stephen Baldwin, who affectionately refers to himself as Stevie B. Lennox Lewis got it right when he said that Baldwin was a fool to leave the men's team because he couldn't get along with Piers Morgan. Grow up. Morgan may be a pompous jerk, but he's relatively harmless. I don't blame Omarosa and crew for being furious that Baldwin had to miss the first part of the task to go speak at a church. I recall a couple of other Apprentice contestants who missed work to observe a religious holiday, but that's different. Baldwin's speech was probably a paid gig. He really is a phony.
Lennox Lewis, for his part, was the weirdest project manager ever. As Morgan pointed out, he transformed from a fun, low-key teammate to an uptight schoolmarm with dread locks--and zero good ideas. Making people raise their hands to speak? Taking a vote on every single decision? It was totally bizarre. I'm surprised he didn't have a mutiny on his hands. Between Lewis' wacky behavior and the Hydra's cluelessness about all things Vera Wang, I was sure the guys would lose this one. The Cleopatra and Marc Antony concept was really cheesy, and the display window looked like something out of low-budget film. What's more, I'm still not sure why the guys decided to throw all those anachronistic gadgets into the mix. They really took Wang literally when she said she spends a lot of time in bed.
Empresario's "living window" had its own issues. The set decorations were gorgeous, and, of course, Carol Alt looked fabulous, but it was totally bland and cliche. Another problem was that the action wasn't sustainable. Once Baldwin twirled Alt and they landed on the bed, there was nothing else to do. At least Antony and Cleopatra got to talk on the phone, check their e-mail, eat grapes and chat with their man servant. Emprasario's little vignette was more like a 15-second commercial.
At first, I was relieved that they decided not to have Carol change into a negligee. That would have been uncomfortable. But, after seeing the Serta exec's reaction to the Antony and Cleopatra scene, I started to wonder if they made a mistake by taking the classy route. The guy's mouth practically hit the sidewalk. So I wasn't surprised when Donald announced that his vote was the deciding factor in Hydra's victory.
The boardroom scene wasn't too shocking. I liked Omarosa's attempt at seeming like a nice person by asking the Donald if the ladies could all face the music as a team united. Whatever. At least she was sharp enough to take the Donald's advice not to bring back Stevie B. to the final showdown. She definitely learned from Gene Simmons' mistake. Marilu Henner and Nelly Galan were the obvious weak links this week. Henner was totally manic. I was actually surprised by her scatter-brained behavior. I guess she got swept up in the theatrics. Galan, for her part, is a total dud. She must always have smart people working for her, because she's show really poor judgment on anything related to commercials and production in general. Plus, her voice is really annoying. I must give her credit for attacking the Donald for saying she survived this long because she's lucky. Her tenacity was impressive. Overall, though, I'm glad she got the boot.
This episode wasn't as entertaining as some others this season, but perhaps everyone was laying low after last week's sabotage debacle. There were some great moments, though, including Omarosa pouring champagne on poor Morgan's head, followed by Morgan storming out and running back in to gossip about Baldwin, Omarosa's plunging bustier and bolero, and, of course, the return of adorable George.
At this point, I have little faith in any of these "celebs." I don't think the Donald does either. But I guess we'll find out soon enough.
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