Author |
Message |
Jodied75
Member
08-26-2004
| Tuesday, December 21, 2004 - 11:30 am
LOL - can I correct something? I said Chicken Soup in my last post - good lord, I was thinking of My Big Fat Obnoxious Boss.... I meant lemonade of course. So my point should have gone At least in season one there were just a few products (remember Lemonade eppy? In S2 it would have been prominently Snapple or something), and they also focused on many aspects of business, it wasn't all marketing like this season.
|
Sunshyne4u
Member
06-17-2003
| Wednesday, December 22, 2004 - 6:35 pm
i think that they had to make this season accent "Marketing" because of the few selfeducated/ non-papered apprentices. Even a lawyer, unless a business lawyer, would NOT have the full package needed to do the Apprentice job. It is unfortunate that people like Sandy, who are very talented in their business, were accepted for this show without the needed background education.
|
Highlighter
Member
09-03-2003
| Thursday, December 23, 2004 - 10:38 am
Actually, I liked this season better because it seemed more "applicable"-ie, real business solutions. OTOH, I agree with it seeming "purchased" by the products, but I'm not sure how you'd get around that. It may be-and it would make sense-that if The Donald chooses a specific job for the winner, that that season would focus on those skills. I don't know if that's true, but say this season's winner would have a more marketing-focused job than last season, or whatever. I don't know if they tailor the challenges to a position, but it would be reasonable. Last year's challenges seemed to challenge business and management sense. This year, there seemed to be little emphasis on management-maybe because no one cooperated! (which is why I liked Kevin, probably-he seemed to be a good guy/hardworker in a sea of sharks). If there is one stand-out disappointment with this season, I would have to say it was The Donald's decision making. Dh did not watch last season, and I kept telling him what a learning experience it was to watch the Donald in the boardroom and see his decision making process. I respected it last year. So.....dh comes in to watch the boardroom the night he fired Bradford, and I was just dumbfounded. I think Bradford had some really strong skills and it seemed completely ridiculous to boot him over so many weaker players for just being super-confident. I think I agree with others here that TD must have already chosen who he wanted and all the rest were there for window dressing (and his ego, to fire at whim)..... Just my .02!
|
Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Thursday, December 23, 2004 - 7:17 pm
High, I don't think Bradford was booted because he was "super-confident." I think he was booted because he made a stupid (and reckless) decision. Although I'm sure none of the Apprentices have access to anything that would be a major faux pas if a reckless decision was made, I can still understand why Trump wouldn't want someone working for him to makes rash decisions. That was a stupid thing to do, to give up immunity, and he paid for it. Note, too, that Rancic is really just a glorified salesperson for the Chicago building. These challenges have nothing to do with what the winner will be doing. It's cheap product placement and free advertising. I understand bringing in more "real business" activities. But... well, you know what I mean!
|
Rslover
Member
11-19-2002
| Sunday, December 26, 2004 - 1:09 pm
Apprentice Runner-Up Fires Back by Matt Webb Mitovich Friends of Jennifer M. likened last Thursday's finale of The Apprentice to the movie Gladiator, in which Russell Crowe's character is stabbed in the back before being thrown into the arena for a final clash. Trump, claiming to be "undecided," invited executives, former contestants, audience members — heck, maybe even a few teens who thought they were calling in to MTV's TRL — to weigh in on the winner. In the end, the 30-year-old lady lawyer lost out to Kelly and his West Point background. As we said, it wasn't pretty, and Jennifer M. tells TV Guide Online why. TV Guide Online: So, have you forgiven Mr. Trump for that little verbal jockeying he did at the very end that seemed to be leading to the declaration of your victory, but instead ended with him saying, "You're... fired"? Jennifer M.: You know, I think ultimately Mr. Trump is a showman. I think it was a bit lacking in business integrity, but again, that's the performance he wanted to put on. It wasn't only me that was disappointed — I have over 400 e-mails that reflect a lot of shock people felt witnessing that live finale. It really compromised the demographic of that show; you have a lot of really intelligent business individuals out there, and a lot were really disgusted by the way that things went down. TVGO: The deck seemed stacked against you; you got beat 15-5 in that round of audience polling. Jennifer M.: I want to mention the comment made by Matt Calamari, Mr. Trump's COO. What's interesting is that many of these people that were paraded out in support of Kelly, I had either never met before or only met in passing. I think Matt Calamari and I have exchanged maybe three words. When he replaced George on one task, I greeted him with a handshake and that was the extent of our interaction. So to have this individual make such a strong statement as "I don't like Jennifer," it seemed he was really trying to cut a woman like me off at the knees. TVGO: Still, you had a few people pushing for you there. Jennifer M.: I want to acknowledge [fellow contestant] John for really stepping up for me and expressing his indignation at the unprofessionalism that was taking place. [Season 1 player] Omarosa also stood up at the very end and called it a disgrace to women. TVGO: Not to knock the military at all, but do you think Kelly's West Point and Army experience got extra play because of, shall we say, "the current world climate"? Jennifer M.: You know, I think that's a very good point. There was a lot of emphasis made on Kelly's time at West Point and that was, I believe, almost a decade ago. I felt like the focus should be on what he's currently doing as a 37-year-old male in the software industry. At the end of the day, I'm a 30-year-old attorney competing against a 37-year-old with a West Point background. We're very different people, and I guess I didn't fit the profile that Mr. Trump was obviously looking for. TVGO: Something Trump and others kept touching upon is that your teammates "didn't like you." As my Jewish grandmother would say, "What's not to like!" Jennifer M.: When that comment about not being liked first came out, it was made by Ivana during the Levi's task. At that point, it was down to, like, five or six people. I was very well liked throughout the competition by many of my team members until it came down to the end; I don't know what the relevance of being likable is when you're down to five people competing for a single job. I make reference to a great sports analogy: Everyone wants to tackle the guy with the ball. TVGO: Which of the tasks did you find to be the most fun? Jennifer M.: Definitely the QVC task. Maria actually is a professional motivational speaker... TVGO: ...as she often told us... Jennifer M.: ...and my teammates were really impressed by my performance. I was originally supposed to be a backup and I was put in at lead [to replace Maria]. To be able to get up there and give a live, on-air performance with no training, no coaching, showed that I could step up to the plate. One of the misguided comments I heard throughout the season was that I "flew under the radar," and I think that was a perfect example of how I actually stepped up to the plate and contributed. TVGO: Which fellow contestants might you keep in touch with? Jennifer M.: Andy and Raj are two of my favorites. Andy is a really classy individual who showed a tone of positive and respectful competitiveness throughout the cast. For that reason, I'm really looking forward to keeping up with Andy. Who I'm not going to keep in touch with is Ivana. The comments she made on the show about me were a disgrace to women everywhere. Ultimately, she was her own worst enemy. TVGO: Do you have any thoughts on The Apprentice 3, which will pit people with book smarts against those with street smarts? Jennifer M.: I'm a little mystified by the premise; I really think the best candidate is someone that has both. So I don't really understand why they're making that divide. TVGO: What are your life plans now, both professionally and personally? Jennifer M.: I'm still employed by my law firm, but at the same time, I've got many business ambitions. I have been approached about writing a book, I've been approached to do legal commentary... I still have many tricks left up my sleeve. The whole reason I did this show was that I honestly wanted to segue into the business world, while at the same time maintaining my very strong interest in the law. On the personal side, I have been married for two years to a wonderful man who has been very supportive of me. For him to have to sit in the audience at the finale the other night and witness that display... I think I felt worse for him than he felt for me. http://www.tvguide.com/news/insider/041221a.asp
|
Ladytex
Member
09-27-2001
| Sunday, December 26, 2004 - 2:27 pm
Thanks for posting that article. There were many of us who also were left with a bad taste by the finale. She is showing the class and professionalism that Trump did not.
|
Rslover
Member
11-19-2002
| Sunday, December 26, 2004 - 3:29 pm
New Apprentice Charges Ahead by Matt Webb Mitovich Did military man-turned-software exec Kelly deserve to win The Apprentice? Did the finale's "ambush" on rival Jennifer Massey surprise him at all? And what is his one big concern about his new gig working for Donald Trump? Here, TV Guide Online has all the answers from Kel, uh, we mean Mr. Perdew. TV Guide Online: Congratulations. Have you had a busy weekend? Kelly Perdew: It's been insane; I slept an hour and a half the first night. I did Today in New York, then did The Tonight Show in L.A. And I've done interviews in the limo, preboarding, after getting out there... It's just been a whirlwind. TVGO: Compared to Season 1's "reduced-fat" finale, watching you and Jen watch Regis Philbin poll the audience diminished the suspense of Trump's final decision. Your take? Kelly: Sitting backstage and watching it, I was gaining confidence as more and more people spoke out. I think five or eight people spoke, and then Jen's boss went, and he was obviously for her. Then they cut to a commercial, so I turned to Jen and said, "Wow. Your segment's probably after the commercial." But then they came back and more people voted for me. The big moment was when my [former Army] commander said that I could lead him; that was totally humbling. I was like, "No matter what happens, this is a big win." But when we got [into the final boardroom,] I didn't know if I was being set up for a big fall. TVGO: During Trump's final boardroom spiel, did you think for even a second that Jen had won? Kelly: Once we got to that point, where he was questioning my military-translating-into-business experience, I had already kind of said everything that I wanted to say about my consistency, my background, my experience. So I figured, "It's out of my hands." TVGO: Did the video feed you and Jen were watching backstage show that unsettling promo for the "talking Donald Trump bobblehead doll"? We at home were skeeved out by it! Kelly: I did not see that. (Laughs) But I think, in the episode prior to the finale, I did see it in the corner of my screen. TVGO: Some say that, at 37 — a full seven years older than the others in the final four — you're a touch long in the tooth to be the Apprentice. Kelly: People don't sit in jobs anymore until they get the gold watch; you have to re-create yourself every three or four years. I have always been bootstrapped in growing my businesses, but the breadth of Trump's network is phenomenal. Just over the course of the interview, I got to play tennis with John McEnroe on Center Court at the U.S. Open, jam with Billy Joel at a theater on Broadway, talk with Rudy Giuliani about leadership. Mr. Trump's Rolodex is a Who's Who. I don't care how old you are, there is a lot to be gained from a year of living in that world, networking with those people and learning from Donald Trump himself. TVGO: Your final task was the charity polo match. Just how dirty were the box seats that you led Trump to? Kelly: (Laughs) They were not pretty. I had a list of 200 items that we needed to get done, so when he showed up and went to [his box], I had my fingers crossed that somebody had cleaned up. What I think happened is [early arrivals] had poached the good chairs. TVGO: Why did you pick Raj for your team if you knew he wasn't exactly president of the Kelly Fan Club? Kelly: This is what was interesting about how the finale was edited: Raj, John and Elizabeth really went out and kicked butt for me. I know during the first part, they showed Raj talking a lot of smack, but he performed. To top that all off, who would you want using big words and looking like a dandy with a bow tie on at a polo match? It was a perfect fit. TVGO: One of Carolyn's beefs was that you seemed glued to your laptop. What were you doing, bidding up G.I. Joes on eBay? Kelly: I don't look at that as a negative. What sometimes eluded the viewing audience, in my mind, is how complex and difficult all the tasks actually were, and I was on the laptop every task. After our first loss with Pamela as the lead, I even implemented a 20-point checklist procedure for future project managers. We then won five in a row. TVGO: We also asked Jennifer M. this question about you: Do you think your West Point and Army experience got extra play because of the "current world climate"? Kelly: Hmm... Maybe? I think that was the "character" they attempted to portray me as: "OK, he's the military guy." But I think I broke the stereotype by drawing dresses for the fashion show [and] doing the creativity for the Pepsi bottle design. Most Americans are pretty proud of military people, so I don't know in what climate it would not have been helpful. Add in 12 years of business experience, and I think you get a compelling package. Mr. Trump did, too. TVGO: During the last task, you said in an interview, "I don't respect Jen." Has your opinion changed at all? Kelly: She's intelligent. She's very articulate. And she is very, very good in the boardroom environment of the show. That's the reason that, even though things were going my way [during the finale], I knew I'd have to go out there and be sure to get my words out. The last thing I wanted to do was get into a screaming match. TVGO: Which tasks did you most and least enjoy? Kelly: I loved working with Kevin and Ivana on the Pepsi task; we were like a machine in terms of efficiency and brainstorming. We kicked it. And the icing on that was we got to drive Lamborghinis for the reward. The task I liked the least was the first one, the Mattel task that Pamela led. From an efficiency standpoint, we operated at about 65 percent. That's what I hate — if I put it all out there and you beat me, congratulations to you. But if I don't go all out and I lose... TVGO: Was scoring a NYC-based job a plus? Kelly: In thinking about this, trying to [predict] all the different possibilities, I anticipated the choices would be New York and Las Vegas. And my decision became crystal clear sitting next to Mr. Trump during the last commercial break — be 1700 miles away in Las Vegas, or one mile away and able to have lunch with him, update him? That's apprenticeship, actually being part of business meetings. But it's also a little more pressure because he gets to see you all the time! (Laughs)
|
Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Monday, December 27, 2004 - 12:13 pm
Hmmm... thanks for posting these, RS. I think Jennifer is very classy, and will go far. I also STILL think Kelly is arrogant and annoying, and his responses just reinforced things in my mind. And I'll die laughing if he ends up as a glorified salesperson for Trump's building in NYC. (As Rancic ended up.) How often does he really think he's gonna have lunch with Trump? LOL. Finally, I'm still cracking up that there will be a new Apprentice within a couple of months. So Kelly's time in the limelight is gonna be drastically reduced. Not that that's a bad thing!
|
Roxip
Member
01-29-2004
| Monday, December 27, 2004 - 12:17 pm
Kelly will have lunch with Trump as often as there is a photo op for Trump!
|
Eeyoreslament
Member
07-20-2003
| Monday, December 27, 2004 - 3:40 pm
It will also be nice that we won't see Kelly judging any tasks, seeing as they are supposedly wrapping up the taping of the 3rd season.
|
Hootyhoot
Member
12-18-2001
| Monday, December 27, 2004 - 4:08 pm
Whew, Entertainment Weekly really trashed The Donald and the judging process! Particularly in regards to firing Kwame last year and Kevin this year. And it all rang true.
|
Sunshyne4u
Member
06-17-2003
| Tuesday, December 28, 2004 - 5:58 pm
And I'll die laughing if he ends up as a glorified salesperson for Trump's building in NYC. (As Rancic ended up.)you know, that is probably why DT didnt dare to choose Jennifer as the Apprentice. She probably wouldnt quietly take a lessor position then what was expected. ((not sure if that makes sense to ya'all))
|
Tishala
Member
08-01-2000
| Tuesday, December 28, 2004 - 8:31 pm
Hootyhoot, what did ET say about Kwame and Kevin?
|
Chieko
Member
11-20-2003
| Tuesday, December 28, 2004 - 9:07 pm
How do we know Rancic is just a glorified salesman?
|
Annie
Member
11-10-2004
| Tuesday, December 28, 2004 - 11:46 pm
Kelly still sounds like a little puppy following anyone who feeds him scraps. Does he REALLY think he's gonna "do lunch" with DT?? Good luck w/ that dream. Even in the post interview he comes across as arrogant. Good luck selling spaces in a building.
|
Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Wednesday, December 29, 2004 - 6:42 pm
Chieko, there have been several articles about Bill Rancic's "real" responsibilities in Chicago (recent articles). There have also been articles about how he and Trump may actually "sever" their connections when the year is up ("sever" wasn't the actual word, but you get the idea). Apparently, it's a bit mutual. Rancic doesn't really wanna sell units in a Trump building, and Trump (ego intact) thinks his Apprentice will use his "position" as a jumping off point to become the newest multimillion mogul.
|
Chieko
Member
11-20-2003
| Wednesday, December 29, 2004 - 7:33 pm
Thanks, Costacat!
|
Jasper
Member
09-14-2000
| Wednesday, December 29, 2004 - 9:11 pm
I guess I'm just read the interview above differently because he does not come off as arrogant to me. Good on him, I hope he walks away with whatever he can get out of the experience.
|
Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Thursday, December 30, 2004 - 9:46 am
You can find the EW article at www.ew.com/ew/report/0,6115,1008452_3||321057|0_0_,00.html. (I'd have posted a live link but it ended up weird with the danged comma in the middle of the link.) It's a bit long... Try this: EW article <QT>
|
|
|
|