balderdash111

Did anyone see tonight's Apprentice (premier of the new season). I am confused: why was the $200 Vegas trip not deducted from the high-schoolers total? I think the college folks were screwed on this one.

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Derwood

Probably bought it out of pocket? I don't know the rules exactly, but they didn't state any sort of budget or anything.

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sgn43

They probably were given some sort of budget for the marketing aspect of the task or just allowed to do it out of their own pockets. Otherwise, Magna would have had to deduct the cost of that incredibly lame ping pong ball toss game they had set up.


And wow, that guy with the guitar (Danny?) had to be the single most irritating person I have ever seen in the three seasons of this show. And that's saying plenty. My brother and I were rooting so hard for him to get the boot that one might have thought we were watching the Super Bowl or something. Every single thing he did in the episode made me want to thrash his crotch with a wiffleball bat.

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grendel

which would have cost them all of $6.42. no kidding, that was pretty lame. i agree that the manager of that team was incredibly bad, but i still think Danny should have gone. he was worthless...

dman2

Apprentice is back!!! I love it, and this season is sure to be exciting. Danny should stay as he is good entertainment. I think Trump will keep him around just for the ratings. He has to think about that. Afterall, this is not only a job interview, but a television show for our entertainment.

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blitz.fenix

Crap I missed it, hope nothing important happened....

balderdash111

Yeah, that must have been it, but I would have sworn that in past seasons, they took profits, deducted expenses and then gave results (you know, like an actual business would do).

The results were pretty close, as I recall, so I think the Vegas trip put the high-schoolers over the edge (esp. as compared to the ping pong lame-fest), so it doesn't seem fair that the cost of it wasn't deducted.

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jaded

i have to say i am very disappointed after the first episode of the season last night, although i am a big fan of apprentice. it\'s becoming less exciting, very predictable and simply boring. none of the candidates is likable or impressive or even memorable, making me miss omarosa terribly.

as for the rules of each competition, they are becoming more vague each time. this is not the first time they base the win on the total revenue rather than profits (recall the direct sell on tv episode in the last season). i had a feeling that with the deduction of promotion costs, magna probably would have won. yet since there is a street smart vs. book smart theme, it makes more sense to let the street smarts triumph the book smarts to make the show look more interesting. and the second episode would surely introduce some twist/a shocker: recall the last season, brad got fired due to the abuse of the exemption in the second episode. (possible spoiler) judging from the preview, someone probably walks off the set and tells trump: YOU are fired!

oh well, i will keep watching, but i have a feeling it\'s just gonna go downhill even more.

Derwood

I'm positive Mark Burnett told Trump to keep Danny around. Ever notice the little disclaimer in the ending credits each week that says "Mr. Trump consults with producers before making his decision each week."?

If Burnett went out of his way to get this "crazy personality" onto the show, there is no way he lets Trump fire him in week 1.

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sgn43

oh wow, I never noticed that disclaimer before. you're right though, and it's a shame that Danny didn't get the boot right away. the guy is completely worthless, and incredibly irritating to boot. his whole spiel about being the chief morale officer, and then coming up with that annoyingly stupid catchphrase, and THEN constantly starting idiotic sing-alongs? oh man, I desperately wanted someone to break his guitar in half the moment he brought it out.

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JumpinJesus

First a disclaimer: I hate reality shows, I hate them with a screaming passion, yet, I love The Apprentice; I don't know why and I can't explain it. It's the only reality show I watch, and I watch it faithfully. Now, back to my regularly scheduled post.

I agree with you here, sgn. I can't stand that little fuck. However, I told my wife, "watch, they're gonna try and dump this guy on the first episode." Sure enough, when Magna lost the first job, they tried to hang it on Danny. The whole spiel about how he dresses proved to me they think of him as an easy scapegoat for whatever will go wrong.

Now, I hope he goes quickly, because if I have to hear that annoying "UNBELIEVABLE" over and over, I'm gonna put my foot through the t.v.

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Harry Cox

I couldn't agree more. I also think that they started this season too early. Didn't the last one just end a month or so ago? Give it a little more time off to give us a chance to get desperate for the show again.

sgn43

hahaha. minus having a wife, we sound like the exact same person right about now.


I absolutely loathe reality tv and think it's one of the most detrimental things our society has seen in a long time. I remember as a kid, the arguments were flying about how Beavis and Butthead and Jim Carrey (among other shows/people) were largely responsible for the "dumbing down of America" and how ridiculous I thought it was, because if a person is smart enough to take that entertainment purely for its value in comedy, then you shouldn't be dumbed down by it. But now that I'm older, it's all about reality tv, and as hard as I try to look I see absolutely no redeeming qualities in anything that it has to offer. Not only that, but it serves as just more proof that the apocalypse is upon us.


With that said, I'm addicted to The Apprentice like it's black tar heroin. Why? Haven't the foggiest. But, it hooked me early, and it hooked me hard.


Now, I understand that Danny brings an intriguing aspect to the show. Watching him bumble through that first task made me wonder how unbelievably retarded the rest of the applicants had to have been to have lost out to this submoron. And the sad thing is, I know America is just gonna this guy up if he somehow survives the next few weeks. I guess it's just that bizarre fascination people (especially in our country) have with watching train wrecks in human form.


Ugh, the more I think about it, the more I want to beat him senseless with that awful guitar. And on a sidenote, is it just me or does he look like a somewhat slimmed down Michael Moore?

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phobs

No matter how much of an idiot he is Danny wont get the boot, ever since Appretince I its become more and more of a TV show and less of a "job interview." Danny talked a lot but he sure didn't produce, he wont win but ratings will keep him around. I still like the show and Tivo it every week . Prob the only TV show I go out of my way to watch.

brass

hey guys... straying slightly off of the annoying danny...

but anyone remember the story brought up in the 21 club about trump? where trump was stuck in the middle of the highway with a broken down limo... then some guy helped him and a little while later found the deed to his house paid off by trump?

awesome move on trump's part...

sgn43

yeah, that was a really awesome story. I'd heard that story somewhere before, but it was cool to hear it confirmed by Trump himself.

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Schwan

Well, last week's episode (the second one in the series) was interesting, wasn't it? It was certainly scary to see one of the members of Magna simply braking down in front of the camera, and then ending up walking dazed on the street in her PJs and slippers. Creepy. I'm sure Carolyn's gesture to help her was well intended, but I don't think the cameras helped. That woman had a nervous breakdown, and they proceeded to film the crap out of her. I guess that's reality TV for you.

As for the shows itself, I find the lack of clear-cut rules more and more distracting from the show. This episode proved it, I think. What's really stopping the team members from sabotaging their project managers? It doesn't matter that the whole team loses - the detractors get away with it. This was the case in season 2, where some of the least productive people got to hang around almost until the finale.

Also, the Trump promoting things scheme is horrible. Each and every episodes starts with Trump saying something like "this is my business. It is the best/most expensive/most beautiful enterprise in NYC/East Coast/USA". Cue to horrified manager of the business, being asked by Trump how the business is doing (and honestly, what's he going to say - "business is crap, Mr. Trump"?). After that he'd proceed to outlining this week's task with as many product placements as possible ("This week you'll drive down to Atlanta, the best city there is, in your GMC trucks, eating your burgers and drinking ice chilled Pepsi, the best drink in the world, to manage for a day one of my businesses, which happens to be great/wonderful").

What sets this season apart from the previous ones is the hostility. These people are in showdown mode. They're all agressive and scheming, and it's only been two weeks. And, judging by next week's trailer, it'll only get worse.

crossova

that was funny when Verna just started walking around Jersey...if Caroline didnt go after her she may have still been walking around there today.

sgn43

Is anyone else even watching the show anymore? I was absolutely obssessed with season 1, and was somewhat disappointed with season 2 but still liked it a lot. However, this season has been a huge disappointment. As far as I can tell, John is the only guy who seems fit to actually win, and it already seems that it's a foregone conclusion that he'll win the job. Pretty much every other candidate has absolutely underwhelmed in every task and hasn't shown even the slightest potential to even challenge for the grand prize.

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Schwan

Well, it had to happen sooner or later. It's just not as much fun as season one or two, because the contestants already know how to play on Trump's emotions to get their way. If they have any brains, once they find themselfes in the board room, they always play out thesame "I'm great" scheme. It's just constantly repeating itself, not to mention that this seasons contestants seem like a bunch of... well, dicks.

dirtyrascal7

i thought this as well... early on john seemed like the only obvious stand-out to win, but i guess we were wrong. i think it was fitting that he got fired, though... he was a total ass in the two episodes before he got canned. now i have no clue who will end up in the final two... none of them seem mature enough or level-headed enough to go all the way.

the thing that bugs me about this show is that, up until the last couple episodes, it focuses on who fucks up rather than who stands out as the best candidate. everyone is so scared about having blame placed on them in the boardroom that they are never working to their full potential. i don't blame the donald for firing people that fuck up really badly and make blatently obvious mistakes... but i think there are a number of people that got a raw deal and should've been kept around longer, especially this season (todd and vera come to mind, perhaps john as well).

sgn43

I agree that it was easier to see John go after him being so incredibly annoying (especially in that last task). But to his credit, he was again the only one actually giving any effort; albeit doing things wrong, he at least showed the courage to step up and take charge.


Now that he's out, I can't see anyone else even remotely showing qualities of possibly winning. I'm almost uninspired to even tune in (as if I wasn't uninspired enough as it was).


As for Todd and Vera getting a raw deal, I think Todd may have gotten somewhat of an unfair deal. Danny was obviously the biggest idiot and most worthless member of that team from the start, but Todd was just an awful leader in that first task. I saw the recap show, and he was just horrendous. And Vera was just weak. I didn't even feel bad for her when she quit, because her reasons for being seemingly shell shocked was "[she hadn't] slept or eaten for 2-3 days straight"....Now, I don't normally take on silly tasks in short timespans with lots of pressure...but I can assure you that if I hadn't eaten for an entire day and was hungry, I would get something to eat. And if I had been up for a day straight, I would sleep. Pretty simple solution to a melodramatic and hilariously stupid complaint.



It's just sad that with each season, it's exponentially less and less about finding a competent person and more about the sensationalism of reality tv. And if that's going to be their game, at least get more attractive women on the show to increase the eye candy factor...might as well, when you're taking in guys who are talentless assclowns simply because they play guitar annoyingly and incessantly and can serve as the intriguing moron whom people tune in just to watch get fired.

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Derwood

I'll jump in with the "I thought John would win" folks. Now I'd put my money on Alex. Quiet and mild mannered to this point, but has won as project manager. Erin's overt flirtation could get her far, but not far enough. Besides, she's an attorney, and thus probably not qualified to change careers to business just because she won a game show.

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thales

I too thought John was the man to beat...but jeez...what a dick.

Here's my guess: Season 1 finals - guy vs. guy; Season 2 finals - guy vs. a woman that had no chance in hell of winning; I'm willing to bet that a woman wins season 3.

My money is on Angie. Either Kendra or Tana have a chance, but I don't really know either of them well enough yet. Neither Erin nor Stephanie have a chance.

That said, I wouldn't be unhappy if Bren won...he cracks me up.

sgn43

my brother also predicted a woman would win this season. my money is also on Alex, as he has kept quiet so far but has won and shows the most competence out of the rest of the bunch (though not a whole lot).


I think bren is just ridiculous. every time I look at him, it feels like I'm watching a bizarre cartoon character. actually, when I first saw him doing his little testimonial spot, I almost was convinced that he was a character being played by SNL's Darrell Hammond.

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thales

I completely agree...Bren is both ridiculous and looks like a Darryl Hammond caricature. But he makes me laugh and he also is one of my favorite stereotypes: Southerner that comes across as a both charming and foolish, but happens to be very smart and would slit your throat when givin the chance. Now I'm not saying Bren is "charming", but he does play the game with a smile on his face.

sgn43

heh. I do agree that he's entertaining, but probably mainly because he's so ridiculous and for the reasons I stated previously. and you're right, he does seem like his game is being unassuming and striking when the time is right. but, he went completely against the southern stereotype when he came up with that awful idea for the commercial they produced a few weeks ago. granted, both commercials were giant, steaming piles of crap...but at least networth's had some potential before it was completely misexecuted.

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dirtyrascal7

i'm glad chris was spared this week, but i don't think he's polished enough to make it to the end.

i'm not sure who i'm rooting for now... i think alex is pretty impressive, but i haven't seen enough of him to be sure.

sgn43

I agree. Alex seems like the one who might have the most potential, but after seeing tonight's show it's clear that he's a giant pussy. There's no other way to put it. Either he's just a total wuss, or he stretches the truth and is dishonest just because he's unable to beat another man on his own merit. The show is starting to become unwatchable for me, and that's really sad because I was absolutely obssessed with the show the first couple seasons.

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Derwood

Erin = Most likely to do Playboy/Maxim/Stuff after show is over

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greeneyes

Noooooooooo! Not Angie! She was my favorite one.

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dirtyrascal7

definitely an interesting teaser for next week... kinda makes me think that chris will finally get fired, and then go off on whoever is around. should be fun.

ALBINO

Chris is for sure gone next week. Unless of course his team wins, but we all know that they won't

maleficent

Gawd was that the most pathetic display ever? I almost felt sorry for the guy... but come on.. suck it up a little...

Kendra might have a chance, she's just a little too annoying.. Bren is about the only standout now--

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dirtyrascal7

i'm seriously disappointed with the ending of tonight's episode. they built it up so much... i fully expected chris to flip out, not break down and cry. booo.

right now i'm rooting for bren "the penguin", tana, and craig. kendra was impressive in her effort for this task, but she annoys the crap out of me and i just don't like her. as for alex, i don't think he's impressive at all and he doesn't even really seem to care at this point.

oh well, whatever... i hope they have better candidates for next season.

sgn43

I, too, hope that they have much better candidates for season 4, but man...the show is at the end of the line. I hate to say that since I was an absolute fanatic for season one, and even season two. I was speaking to my friend earlier who was just as big a fan of the show at the start, and he summed things up by saying that "[he] left the show for dead" and at this point, I'm starting to lose hope for future seasons. I'm kind of cringing at the thought that they're actually doing a version of the show with Martha Stewart. I'm sure she'll draw in viewers just because the woman is such a nutjob that almost everyone is fascinated with her, but I can't imagine the show being as good as even this current season.


Donald making the decision to cut this year's finale down to a single hour, leaving it as just the same length as a normal show and not like the longer "special" finales of the past two seasons says something about the show's waning popularity.


At this point I don't really care who wins, and I honestly don't think anyone deserves the job. But, if I were to bet on who will make the final two, I'd put my money on Bren and Tana. But like I said, who really cares anymore?

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Bill O'Rights

True. But she's a little cutie.

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maleficent

Ah -- so you can be annoying as hell and get away with it as long as you are cute? That's just soooo....

:shakes head:

Is she a redhead or something?

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sgn43

Heh, she's no Jessica Rabbit. She's a dirty blonde.


edit: by that, I mean her hair is dirty blonde, not that she's blonde and filthy. but, maybe she is and she just hides it really well on the show.

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Derwood

Time to bump this back up with the season finale coming up next Thursday.

Thank god they quickly got rid of Craig. Talk about someone who was drifting into the final 3! That was the least stressful board room of all time.

In the meantime, they've certainly set it up to look like Tana is going to win. Of course they'll probably both pull it off, but Kendra losing the EA sponsorship would spell doom. I think she is better qualified to handle the job than Tana, though she is very smug and a little agressive. Too bad Alex screwed up so bad, as he was better qualified than either of these finalists.

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