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May 6, 2005
The Apprentice
The Apprentice - Week 15
Posted by Nadine Heintz at 10:50 AM
I really wasn't sure how the interviews would pan out last night. But I'm pretty pleased with the results. I was worried about Kendra when I saw the way she was dressed. I'm all for stylish interview attire, but Kendra's short skirt and glittery eye shadow made her look cheap. Tana and Craig looked fine, but boy did Craig blow it! What a fool. The interviewers were right on when they said that Craig talked a lot, but didn't really say anything meaningful. I thought it was weird when that one guy said that he kept wanting to hire Craig. Why? Because he was the only man? That was bizarre.
I agreed with some of the assessments made by the interviewers. Kendra is a bit immature, but she's malleable, which could be a good thing for Trump. Craig is too flighty, and can't seem to settle down (not to mention that he's full of it). But I still don't get why people don't think Tana can't hack it in a big city. That seems pretty biased. Not everyone mogul is born in New York, LA, or Chicago. In fact, Kendra seems a little too hardened for my liking. Her personality can be pretty caustic, which could turn people off during negotiations. I guess she could tone that down, though.
I'm glad the ax fell early in the episode. Craig had to go! And I was pretty amused when the former candidates walked into the boardroom. What a motley crew! I wonder if they realized they were chosen because they're the most difficult people to handle. I guess they had no choice but to go along with it. The challenge itself is boring...it's the same type of thing every season finale. Let's come up with a new idea, Donald!
Still, last night's episode was pretty entertaining. Danny really spazzed out during the presentation to the clients. Why didn't someone just grab Kendra right away? That was a big mistake. Erin should have stepped in to stop that train wreck. I really have no idea how Danny makes it in the real world. Maybe he chokes when he's on camera. Luckily, Kendra stepped in and saved the day. Although she really blew it with Sony. I couldn't figure out who promised Electronic Arts exclusivity in the ballroom, but that was a really bad idea. I have a feeling Kendra had no control over that...she was just handed the contract after it was already negotiated. It should be interesting to see how she handles that. I don't blame the Sony sponsor for being livid.
Tana didn't seem to know what the heck she was doing. When she met with the people from NYC 2012, she didn't have any firm ideas. She just kept saying that the event should be "olympic." Maybe it was just the editing, but Kendra seems to have a much better grasp on her event.
I'm happy with the final two this season. I really think Kendra and Tana are the best of this bunch, flaws and all. And the finale should be much better this season. I heard that it's only going to be one hour...I guess the Donald learns from his mistakes, too!
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I actually feel pretty sorry for both Tana and Kendra. Would any of us take either of their teams in such a critical time of the process? I wouldn't. Along this line, I really wondered if it was a smart move of Tana to openly discuss wiht Carloyn the drawbacks and her feelings about her team. I wondered if this will come back to bite her later...
I stll can't help but wonder at the general lack of quality of business leadership of this whole group. Maybe I am being naive, but I would hope and expect more than we have seen over the last 15 weeks...
dale
I am dismayed by the low road that both Trump and Burnett chose to take by bringing back those low-lifes.
I can't take this show too seriously anymore. Next to these last two seasons, the first season was excellent. The Ormarosa effect took over, when she was bad, ratings went up, and for ever more we will be watching the dregs of business do their thing.
It's a shame, they had a good idea and made it bad. I too feel sorry for Tana, she thought she was actually vying for a position with Trump and the doors opened up and the low-lifes appeared. She was shocked, but not awed. Good for her for speaking up.
I think she had to realize she's been had for the sake of the ratings.
Tana is by far the best candidate. Kendra is a bratty little snot that has no clue how to run a major company. She went under the radar the entire season until about 3 weeks ago. She is immature, unprofessional and has no leadership abilities. I hope she gets crushed in the finale. Tana deserves to win and exhibits the most "coachable" leadership abilities of the group. Anyone who truly thinks Kendra is talented has no idea what it takes to perform at that level. She is a real esate broker for goodness sake. That is equivalent to a car salesman in my book--a dime a dozen.
I have no association with this show or the candidates but gosh............Does anyone remember how Craig and Tana said they liked to be in bed but 1 AM and that Tana said that since she was exempt she was going back to sleep on the Pontiac progress while Kendra stayed up all night and did such a great job that Pontiac will actually use the brochure!!! Kendra will have that Sony area looking like a nightclub game casino area. I think she is really terrific. I do not know how old she is but she has a great future ahead of her. I have four daughters and have been impressed with how she is able to really stand out in these recent tasks. It takes a good deal of intelligence to know that calling the art community for the tee shirts etc would be a good idea. I just am so impressed that I cannot imagine that Donald has not seen the tapes where Tana and Craig went back and went to sleep without any project done on that Pontiac account. That was enough for me on Tana and Craig. "When the going gets tough, the tough get going" as they say. You do not go back and go to sleep. I have no doubt at all that Kendra will have that place all together for Sony and ERTS and win the whole thing. Last week Donald asked Goerge and Caroline if they could see Tana in the Trump organization. Don't people remember that? He told Tana she had done a really terrible job as well. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOo Let's see what happens. My vote goes to Kendra.
My overview: I think I'd hire Kendra even though I think Tana is a better leader at this point in her career. As stated earlier, Kendra stepped it up when she needed to in the past and I'm guessing that the editors of the show are preparing to show us her ability to make something out of nothing again.
I suspect that two things are going to bite Tana in the but:
1) She confided in Carolyn that her team were stooges. Carolyn’s response was spot on corporate, "how is that working out for you?" Whining gets you no where but down.
2) She gave her team permission to act without her OK. She gave them authority to carry out their jobs without checking in to the project manger (her). Watch confusion set in as her "stooges" make mistakes, then watch Tana whine about it.
The reason I’d hire Kendra is that she doesn’t give up. Maturity will come but tenacity can’t be taught.
Wow... the past two seasons the two finalists did not get stuck with the worst people from each team. I think Tana and Kendra have been seriously handicapped for entertainment's sake and I wonder just how much they really have control over. If this was a real business situation and the clients were depending on them to come through they wouldn't have been handed the worst teams imaginable. If these are truly real events scheduled to happen at real time the clients would not have agreed to hand it over in such a manner. You are right... they need fresher ideas for the whole show, particularly this 'final' challenge. My money is on Kendra. I admire Tana a lot, particularly her attitude, but I think Trump will go with someone who has a longer career arc ahead of them. Craig just got chewed up and spit out in the interviews... exactly what I expected.
Mimi,
I wouldn't concern yourself about who is going to win this thing. The deck has been stacked in Kendra's favor. When those baffoon's walked in the door and stood behind Tana's chair, I'm sure we all got a huge hint that she was heading out that door same door.
She got positive exposure during this show and I wish her well.
I have to agree that this season is all about ratings then good business with viable candidates. If Trump wants us to believe him when he says this is for real, then we shouldn't be seeing so many less then realistic candidates. Danny comes to mind here and a lot of the others.
This season was strictly for entertainment.
Geez, Marc, why don't you tell us how you really feel about Kendra, lol.
I was glad to see that a couple of the interviewers had the same view of Kendra that I expressed here last week--that she is a bit immature, but also seems trainable and she gets results. I think she would make a very good apprentice and I still think if Trump has any sense (an open question), the job is hers to lose. The whole season has been about marketing and I think Kendra is the best marketer.
I don't really mind Tana so much, she's a good candidate. I don't think she would be overwhelmed by a big city. But being a proud Upper Midwesterner myself, I agree with Mimi that Tana hurt her chances when she slept through the Pontiac task. 'Round these parts, we're known for our work ethic. You sleep when the job is done. I also tho ught referring to her teammates as the Three Stooges was unprofessional (even if it's true) and I think Carolyn thought so, too. I see Tana as the runner-up. Close, but no apprentice.
We'll find out soon.
I don't think either one of these two are ideal candidates. This whole season was scripted and skiewed for an all female finale. And the two they chose? Not that great.
Kendra is a petulant child who has little to no people/interpersonal skills. She's come up with some great markting ideas, no doubt, but it's too bad that she's to much of a credit-hog to actually share the information or explain things. The girl just doesn't anticipate or know how to make a plan. She flies by the seat of her pants an awful lot. Which I'm sure to some seems "brave and risky" but to me just seems reckless.
It can't be a coincidence (or totally attributed to the fact that the people she's dealt with are dolts) that everytime Kendra leads a task, her employees never have a clear grasp of what is going on. Kendra keeps all the vital info to herself and gets pissy if anyone questions her. And the Pontiac task where Tana allegedly "went to sleep and Kendra stayed up all night?" Totally smacks of another situation where Kendra mismanaged time and didn't communicate what she needed done (or didn't give them anything to do so she could be "the star").
No excuse for not greeting Best Buy sponsors when they showed up, no excuse for not having the basement prepped for a walk through with the Sony rep, and NO EXCUSE for what appears to be letting Danny actually create the presentation to be given to Bes Buy. (That's speculation on my part, I admit, based on seeing Danny hovering over the computer before they went down stairs.)
Kendra keeps too much info to herself and then complains when "she has to do things all by herself." Wah wah wah...shut it, Glitter Girl. She just didn't appear to have anything thought out.
Tana needs polish and business savvy. Answering a phone in a meeting and letting Brian "I'm Houdini taking her place for 5 minutes. No, Tana..give Brian the phoen and tell him to take it outside and asnwer it. Being overly familiar with Carolyn? So far, those are her only missteps, but I;m sure we're being misled.
If it came down to it, I'd choose to work for Tana just because she has better communication/team management skills than Kendra. That and I find Kendra unpleasant except for when she's talking to men. Her wardrobe most definitely needs an upgrade. That see through mesh thing she worE on the fashion task? Burn it.
Moxe
sexandmoxie.blogspot.com
geez...carolyn is an idiot....has she had anything original, insightful, intelligent,....to say. i think she relies on her stare b/c she has nothing going on upstairs besides petty thoughts and cattiness. i'm not why she tries to sell herself as a "business" woman. explains why she run's a golf course for trump....now, the execs they had for the interviews were impressive....a whole different level....carolyn is a lightweight and trump's lap dog
Kendra by far is the right candidate for the apprentice. She is a winner with a strong marketing sense and endless work ethic. Yes, she is ruff around the edges, but that can improve with maturity. She has a long and bright career ahead of her and should be Trump's apprentice. What she has done in her short 26 years in the Real Estate business is fantastic and she has accomplished more than people twice her age.
Tana was my #1 choice until she opt to go to bed before the Pontiac project was done and them tried to position herself to take credit. I am also sick of her cheeryness that is starting to ring awfully false. I think she is a back biter and a closet whiner. No way should she have said anything about her team, because when she gets to the board room, complaining or blaming the team is not going to fly.
Interesting that their instructions had a bit about them not having to use members of their team.
Come on, come on! Kendra? Really? Nah! Tana has this. Not just because EVERY exec picked her, which I do believe is a first, but maturity is key here. It's what truly separates the two women and I suppose it's a matter of do you want someone who can do the job without being micromanaged or do you want to create a clone of yourself? Not sure which Trump would prefer.
I agree that Tana not being from NY has nothing to do with anything. Silly thing to even mention and a tad elitist, I'd say. OK Maybe she smiles a lot but it feels real enough to me. I'd be smiling too if I just topped 1 million Apprentice applicants and was assured of my business future even if I lost the big game. So....
Q: Is Tana a bit phony?
A: Are ANY "successful" businesspeople a bit phony?
Q: Did she sleep on the job, as it were, and let Kendra fight it out herself?
A: Can you say "strategy"?
I'm sorry. But Tana is playing the game that the OBN - Old Boy Network - concocted and Kendra is playing as well by using her youth, presumed naivete and semi-good looks. Kendra can learn how to play the game better but Tana is already there and that's the bottom line, folks. Remember: While men can indeed be sneaky, women are BORN manipulative and since I'm a woman I can say this. I'm watching my 1 1/2-year-old daughter pull this act all the time with anyone who will fall for it and you can't convince me that anyone taught her to be this way! I wouldn't underestimate the abilities of either of these ladies.
As for the tasks. Well, I for one am sick of watching them put together sporting events but I'm not one to watch a lot of sports. Nevertheless, I do like Kendra's task better. Maybe because I'm a visual person and I'm drawn to the animation of games and what must be done to get that room as lively as the games. It seems like Tana's tasks is more daunting than Kendra's - a bunch of videogame lovers versus bringing the Olympics for all of NY. Hmmmm. Well, it's going to be interesting. I hope this rumor of a 1-hour finale is right though. Maybe even Trump is sick of himself by now!
It's not going to be subjective this time around. Who wins this last task, is going to be hired, otherwise known as the apprentice.
The deck is very stacked against Tana being able to pull it off, considering they let the inmates out of the assylum to help her.
Fair? Who said it has to be fair. It's only about good ratings.
Q: Did she sleep on the job, as it were, and let Kendra fight it out herself?
A: Can you say "strategy"?
This is not a competition that has much room for strategy like that. They lose, Kendra Tana gets canned.
I don't think Tana bailed as much as she felt comfortable with her contribition and was frustrated that Kendra didn't appear to have anything concrete for her or Craig to do and still hadn't really communicated the finalized concept/design/specs to them about the brochure. (And, yes, I know Kendra told them that the conocept was emotion, but I don't think any of them knew that it would be a circular design or what the copy/ page layout would be. I honestly think Kendra ewither had all this info in her head and didn't share it or didn't know what she wanted to do until the last minute.)
kendra definitely deserves to win this thing. originally i was a strong supporter of tana but she's beginning to seem awfully fake. i didn't like how she decided to go to bed for the pontiac task and then tried to take over the presentation; nor did i like the fact that she placed the blame entirely on alex when they failed miserably at the shirt selling task. clearly, tana was more concerned with bedazzling shirts than anything else. kendra has a strong, no-nonsense personality that would be perfect for the trump organization, whereas tana just seems like an uncouth woman with a toothy-fake grin and not a lot going on up there. kendra has both proven to be an extremely effective leader as well as a phenomenal player, contributing most of the marketing ideas.
I'm not so convinced on Tana and Kendra. The new 2005 format was different, but it felt "commercialized"
Trump was focused on cross marketing brands and their initiatives versus really trying to hire an apprentice.
Just the choice of candidates in this season told me they weren't too serious about the outcome.
Danny, writes songs for a living and does very well at it. How could he have been chosen to be on this show in the first place? Bringing him back? Whatever for?
I have to feel very sorry for Tana because they gave her the worst assistants, and the harder task. How hard is it to put gaming machines in a room?
Since they're changing the format that the person who wins the task gets the prize, it certainly looks like Tana wasn't wanted in the first place.
The die is cast, Kendra will have to fall on her face to lose this one. They pretty much handed it to her on a silver platter.
Since they're changing the format that the person who wins the task gets the prize, it certainly looks like Tana wasn't wanted in the first place.
If this is true, then this show needs a serious overhaul. The whole season was manipulated and contrived to have an all female final 2, to the point where they made the most viable looking candidate (John) go from some sort of superstar to a lecherous sleaze bag just to justify his firing and leave room for either of these two lackluster women. It also shows that they hdidn't have full confidence in Kendra to the point where they had to manipulate the outcome to help her win.
This show has gone from a top 5 rated show, to top 10, to top 15 to barely making the top 20. All in just 3 seasons. If that doesn't tell Burnett and Co that the format is weak and the plots see-through, then we can except another season of inept (byt pretty and potentially unbalanced) candidates duking it out for some contrived PR spot.
I was reading an old interview Trump gave about the difference in season 1 & 2. He said the candidates were weak in season 2 and that's why the ratings fell off. Season 3 was going to have better candidates...etc. LMAO.
How many people did they have to fire all around Chris to keep him in place to bolster ratings? Did it work? Were the rating higher because a bad boy was there and we all loved the way he snarled in the boardroom scenes? I don't think so. It does look a lot contrived this season but for many reasons.
Cna someone please explain the whole "whomever wins the final task wins the job" thing? I missed that along the way. Is that a format change?
"some sort of superstar to a lecherous sleaze bag just to justify his firing"
Ok, I don't want to sound like a representative of the show, but it seems many posters have unrealistic expectations of business situations.
Did the show edit all the words into John's mouth? Anyway, he was fired because he got stuck on one idea that wasn't as creative as the other team's and he made less money. Not realistic? Sure, the show is edited to typecast people, but I haven't seen anything happen on the show that I haven't seen in real life business situations, except all the firings each week.
Moxie,
Trump said, while sitting in his limo, that the person who wins the final task will be hired.
That's a change from the last show where the fat-cats humiliated Jennifer Massey on National T.V. and themselves. Did that ever get out of control.
So they've changed the format. Ten to one, Trump will still play the game of making the "decision".
I expect nothing less from him.
The only way we would ever have to work with the likes of Tana's crew would only happen if we were incarcerated. The B team? I'm laughing out loud.
I'm with Mimi on this one. It is amazing that Kendra designed the Pontiac brochure by herself and that they are actually using it. While the others went to sleep???? Hello???
She has the ideas and she knows how to implement them, period.
Moxie: I don't agree that John was one of the most viable candidates. Besides being crass and cocky, he lacked talent. What's the basis for your high opinion of the guy?
I still can't get over how Tana walked into the boardroom and stood there waiting for Craig to pull back her chair. And he did. She had him wrapped around her little finger.
It's going to be hard for Kendra to lose this task. Tana has the deck totally stacked against her. Plus, her cheery demeanor doesn't play well in New York and probably won't play well with Trump.
Stacking the deck with the worst was a mean trick!
As for the final challenge, I agree they need to do more thinking about it. Why not have the two finalists have to hire a crew and build a house in two weeks for Habitat for Humanity? They could be judged on the efficiency of their crew, their ability to meet the deadlines, and a building inspector and rate the final products -- the houses. Something like that would demonstrate more skills and would warrant a two-hour show.
I think Kendra has an edge just because Donald seems to take her more seriously. I really think Trump has a bias against Tana because she's from the Midwest.
~Debby
Bobbie,
That speaks well for Tana. She knew how to make a potential enemy her friend. Kendra is young and probably never was exposed to someone like Craig before.
I'm really here to speak up for our High School graduates. I have hired and worked with many of them over the years and I can say that I'm appalled by the behavior of this group. I have to wonder how the rest of the world is perceiving our education values if this is supposedly the best of one million candidates.
We have one gal who can't complete a sentence without being beeped-- how many times? Another, who admitted she wanted to cut her face??
A fellow who was arrested for disorderly conduct, and I heard that he and the other fellow who was also brought back, were in a fist fight together while in the sequester hotel.
This is quite an indictment of our education system with the entire world watching. I hope we see more worthy candidates in the future.
Anyway, he was fired because he got stuck on one idea that wasn't as creative as the other team's and he made less money.
Trump was was more than pleased with John's stint as PM in the first task. If I recall, he actually commended him. And, as PM's go, he was above par. The next two tasks he worked hard and contributed and gave some good ideas. (The used his idea for the Dove task.)
I fully agree that he didn't "think big enough" on the auction task, but in that situation especially when John had a better than average reputation (in comparison to the other people on his team with Trump) and given the fact that Chris as PM delegated the most important aspect of the task to someone else withotu even seeing how they did...John didn't deserve to be fired. He said plenty of off color things (as did Stephenie and Erin at various points who suudenly both felt offended at teh idea of having their saexuality used as a selling point). Both Stephanie and Erin were shown in the re-cap participating in that charade (askign Gene Simmons to see his tongue, etc.) and let's not even go into Erin's shameless winking that led to her firing and tellign gusy she found men holding power tools "hot.". In that Auction episode, Chris should have been fired. John deserved another chance. Look how long Alex survived1 He did NOTHING. Freakin' Kwaame made glaring errors and he made final 2!
This season was a scam. If I were a woman an on this show, I'd either want to go up against a formidable women or man and beat them. Any other way and it's not a real win. Tana and Kendra are both average at best. One has great marketing ability but can't plan, delegate or communicatw to save her life. The other lacks polish and business savvy. Whomeveer wins this year is just a patsy to give Trump and Burnett the ability to go back to casting beauty queens, models and pretty boys.
I can't help but to keep thinking that The Sony Playstations that were put in the basement were intended to be the machines that the Games from EA were played on. I think Electronic Arts is just a software company, why would they get "exclusive" rights to the ballroom when they don't make gaming machines?
I think Kendra does not know what she is doing.
I'm sure Kendra will pull it off perfectly. I'll bet the Sony tables were not to be in the main room for the actual play. Kendra read her contract.
I took the tour of N.Y.C. It's the best. It stops at Trump tower. Great waterfall in the lobby.
http://www.newyorkpartyshuttle.com/
Moxie,
There weren't any formidable candidates in this season. It appears to have been put together this way on purpose. No Harvard, Princeton or Yalies in this season.
Someone has to win it out of this group. It does look contrived for 2 women but when I look at the candidates that were fired, they all were righteous firings.
Even though they edited John to be a sexist guy, he did say those things too many times. It wasn't just once as a joke, it was continuous. He swears he was set up by creative editing. A couple of times, maybe but they had too many of his utterings to use against him. He did blow the final task, and he lost.
I don't see a contrivance to get rid of the best so they could have 2 ladies in the final task. I see a contrivance to keep the bad boy in place to bolster ratings more so then to have women in the finals. Tana and Kendra deserve to be there, they are the best of that lot.
And that's a sad example of what this show has come to. What happeneed to "the best of the best" and "the cream of the crop?" Granted Ereka, Heidi and Jason weren't exactly stellar from season one, nor was Stacie J., Jon or Jen C. from season 2. But at least those seasons had a cast full of actual talent. This season? The skill level was so sub par that there is no way they can claim that these peopel were "the best of the best." This was put together to ensure a female win.
What does it say when a woman is finaly chosen out of a cast full of losers and incompetants? It's a win by default is anything...and it sucks.
As far as John...you mean Trump is going to hold someone's alleged chauvinistic behavior against them? Pot, meet kettle. He didn't shine on the auction task but was no worse than Chris or Alex and various points of this competition. Except John showed a bit better leadership ability when he PM'd the first task. Alex gets chance after chance as did Chris (who showed a dangerously exlosive temper) and John gets fired on the auction task? When Erin or Stephanie easily could have gone as well?
Two words - set up.
Whomever wins this season shouldn't shout it from the rooftops. The won because they sucked just a bit less than the rest of these nitwits.
I have to agree that this 3rd season show did not have the best candidates. I'm in full agreement.
I think this was done because of a loss in ratings and that everyone so enjoyed the Omarosa shows, that they conspired to have more of the same by choosing some of these "lesser" candidates. I trust they have learned from this mistake?
If they did throw the best of John's work on the cutting room floor then shame on them, but this show has time and again fired the PM for a task lost, so much so, that I can't see the conspiracy by firing him then.
By asking the people back in Tana's task is more telling about what their hopes were for this season and what they really think of the viewing public. We did to ourselves I guess by tuning out after Omarosa got fired.
Who lost the task John was fired on?
John.
Who got fired?
John.
We are about to find out if Tana's crew loses this thing for her. It doesn't look good.
The ladies may or may not be equal in talent, that remains to be seen, but they certainly do not have equal teammates to assist them.
I'll take Kendra's crew and job in a N.Y. minute over what Tana has to do and who she got to do it with.
I watched the previews of tonight's show. They show Carolyn not understanding why Tana has such a problem with her crew..she says: "afterall they're self-made millionaires, they're not idiots...the very next scene they show Chris not knowing what a timeline was or how to read it and Brian playing with a stapler.
Carolyn, I laughed out loud at your statement. She's not above editing either I see.
John was a total tool.
I think he was getting worse as the time went on because he was "freaking out" from not playing his drums for so long. Something like that can really affect your rational thought process. You need to keep a chain wallet in your pocket to remind you just how cool you are when your'e taken out of such a hip element and thrown in with such square people. I mean... college grads? ewwwww.
I hear he hired Van Halen to play at his birthday party... man, how cool is that. I hope they play "smokin in the boys room."
Why do you mean by that, fera ?
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