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Celebrity Apprentice 2: Cluck, Cluck, Cluck…Splash!
Commentary and Rankings by RTVC Staff Writer Donna Emery
May 4, 2009
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This week on the Celebrity Apprentice, Annie showed she can do whatever she sets her mind to do. And Clint Black once again showed that he can’t do the same.
The task was an enjoyable one to watch, and now that most of the vitriol has died down (tonight’s insults were tame, by former episode standards) it was nice to see them get down to business and for both teams to do a nice job. As for the girls’ win, I give them credit for finding their inner Manilow and pulling this one off.
I’ve thought Annie could win this game all along, and this episode did nothing to change my mind. She’s plays games for a living, and she’s playing this one to the hilt. No one can smile prettily while plotting wittily like Annie Duke. She’s been just formidable, and, unless the Donald’s famous finale roadblocks trip her up, I predict she’s got this contest in the bag.
I thought, from the first minute of tonight’s task, that Athena might win it – just because it would be so ironic to see Clint go out after a music writing task. And, like Donald Trump and Ivanka – I liked his song better. But it wasn’t really a jingle, and that’s where it failed.
On this show, Clint has consistently wanted everyone to see him as a creative genius. There’s no doubt he has a nice voice, if you like country music and he is successful at what he does. But he’s always been convinced that it’s his way or the highway –especially on the tasks where he’s been project manager. This week, he said he was learning to listen, but there wasn’t much evidence of that.
I liked Jesse from the beginning, and he often made me laugh. His laid-back style obviously masks an intelligent mind and he definitely seems to have a good heart. But he also set himself up to be the arbiter of creativity; to the exclusion of everyone else’s ideas or contributions. He judged his fellow competitors, and most of them fell short, in his estimation. I would have loved to see him in the finals – whether or not he brought Sandra. Since his major drawback to winning this race was in being the man he is, then I think I can honestly say I’m glad he was fired.
Brande was doomed. She proved she’s more than a hair color; much more than a stereotype. That said, she got lucky with the task her team won with her as Project Manager and lasted as long as she did mostly because Annie saw the advantage of adopting and co-opting her pretty face and work ethic. She’s a nice lady but she wasn’t enough of a tiger to win this.
What can I say about Joan? That she’s still going strong and caring enough to win this contest speaks volumes about who she is, as a person. I can’t deny her years of industry experience and her knowledge of how to work a crowd. But she made this contest way too personal and, for her to be so affected by her daughter’s fate doesn’t speak well about her ability to act as a professional. She is an amazing person and I’m sure she’ll do a great job in the finale. But will it be enough?
As for the finale, I’m looking forward to it, though three hours means loads of filler and drama. I thought I saw Dennis Rodman on Annie’s team – and I can’t believe she chose him herself, so the Donald must be out to trip them up, once again. Annie’s probably dealt with men like Dennis at least once or twice at the poker table, so I think she’ll be OK.
Again, the rankings are my own opinion, and are not meant to predict the actual outcome.
Here is how I think they rank:
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Annie
Current Ranking: 1 Previous Ranking: 1
She’s played the game cagily all along and now she’s at the brink of taking the title. I think she’s the obvious choice, which means she needs to watch out for whatever wrenches Trump tries to throw into the gears. She’s come too far to lose, but it’s not just about her fundraising skills (undeniable); it’s about how she impresses the Trumpster. All things considered, I think she will win.
Annie Duke is one of the best known poker players in the world, having won many competitions across the world. Currently, she is a consultant for UltimateBet.com, overseeing the website's game rules conform those of the actual card game.
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Joan
Current Ranking: 2 Previous Ranking: 5
I guess it was inevitable for the finale to come down to Annie versus Joan, but I hope Joan stops taking this so personally and acts like the professional she thinks she is. If she wants Trump to take her seriously enough to choose her for the prize, she needs to show us more than her comedic talent. This looks like an Annie slam-dunk, but stranger things have happened than a Joan Rivers win.
Joan Rivers has been famous since 1968, beginning with a guest bit on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. From there, she's done daytime talk shows, been nominated for a Tony, designed jewelry for QVC, and hosted many red carpet specials for E!, and later, the TV Guide Channel.
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Brande
You're Fired!
I was surprised to see her come this far, so I wasn’t surprised when she got fired. I don’t think she’s as dumb as Piers thought she was, but she really was outdone by Annie and despite her self-confidence, she just wasn’t Apprentice material.
The Donald noticed her once again, as she “starred” in the ladies’
presentation, and he continued to flirt with her during the Boardroom. She won a lot of money last week, and he’s sure to remember that.
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Jesse
You're Fired!
I really liked Jesse, and still respect him for remaining true to himself. He worked hard, but despite his creativity and intelligence, he was probably out of his league since the beginning. I enjoyed watching him but he was probably better off not being Trump’s next lackey.
Jesse James is best known for his appearances in Monster Garage, which challenged him to modify a vehicle to a “monster machine”. First making his name as a motorcycle builder, he has since been known for his clothing line and restaurant, and is currently working on another television series for Spike TV.
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Clint
You're Fired!
His stubborn pride once again cost him a win he should easily have gained. He wrote a very nice song, but it wasn’t what the sponsors wanted. He also – once again – didn’t listen enough to his team. He needed to be fired weeks ago, so I’m glad he finally did.
Clint Black is a prolific musician and songwriter, having written and released over a hundred songs. The multi-instrumentalist—he can play the drums, harmonica, bass guitar and lots more—also established his own record label, Equity Music Group, in 2003.
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Melissa
You're Fired!
I am sure she was right about the Dynamic Duo closing her out, and I’m not sure what else she could do about it. But her reactionary personality – which we saw more clearly after the firing – led her to make the Boardroom more about her than the task. Her attack on the others in her team led Trump to examine her own performance as a fund raiser, and that’s what got her fired.
Melissa Rivers followed her mother, Joan Rivers, to the entertainment industry, having co-hosted many successful red carpet specials for E! and the TV Guide Channel. The Ivy League graduate also stocked up on experience behind the scenes, having produced a number of high-rated specials and television series.
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Herschel
You're Fired!
What a shame he had to take the fall for the Schwann’s task. He did his best to remain above the fray, but he made two dumb decisions and he left before the weaker players (Joan and Clint). I’ll miss his quiet humor.
Herschel Walker was the Heisman Trophy awardee in 1980, and has since been named the second greatest player in college football history. He, also set numerous records during his 15-year stint in the NFL. Currently he runs a food business selling a line of frozen appetizers.
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Natalie
You're Fired!
You only did one thing wrong – unless you count your misguided efforts to line up one of Annie’s “rivals” to bid against her. Jewelry selection shouldn’t have mattered, but, in this task, it may have been the thing that mattered most. I’ll miss her sweet disposition, but she was probably too nice for this game.
Natalie Gulbis has made a name for herself in the world of golf. She broke out of the LPGA scene in 2005, and moved on to win her first tour, the Evian Masters, in 2007. She also featured in her own line of fashion calendars, as well as a reality series on The Golf Channel.
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Brian
You're Fired!
He was so laid-back he may as well have napped through the task. He didn’t lead; he pushed through the task and came up with a lackluster project. In every task, he promoted only himself – and, in the end, it wasn’t enough to win.
Brian McKnight has been an internationally-renowned singer and songwriter since 1991. Since he released his eponymous debut, his brand of soul and R&B has made an impact across the world. He's also dabbled in broadcasting, currently doing a syndicated radio show from Los Angeles.
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Tionne
You're Fired!
I definitely did NOT see her firing coming. She impressed the Donald last week, and he made a point of showing respect for her in the Boardroom. He thought she “pulled a Bradford” (gave up a proffered immunity) but I disagree. I was more impressed by her than I had thought I’d be, and I’m glad she earned money for her charity before she left.
Tionne Watkins is best known as T-Boz, one of the three girls that formed successful music group TLC. Beyond that, she's established herself as an actress and producer, through her production company Shee Entertainment. She's also worked as a book author, philanthropist and children's clothes designer.
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Khloe
You're Fired!
Even though I saw her as a minimal contributor to most of the tasks, it definitely wasn’t fair for Trump to fire her for something that had nothing to do with the task or even with the way she conducted herself on the show. I’m glad he donated more money to her charity, but he shouldn’t have fired her.
Khloe Kardashian is best known as the sister of socialite.. Apart from co-managing their high-end women's boutique DASH, she is also busy with product endorsements and reporting from the red carpet for website Celebuzz.
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Dennis
You're Fired!
He started out strong, and more than once I thought the team might have overcome his implosion and won the task. But, he should have been fired two weeks ago and I’m relieved that he’s gone. I wish him well and hope he gets the help he needs.
Dennis Rodman is a colorful personality on and off the basketball court. Known for his defensive prowess, he has played for many NBA basketball teams. He's also made a name for himself in film, television and professional wrestling.
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Claudia
You're Fired!
“Moosh” or no “moosh”, she didn’t really organize or lead this task very well, and she probably did deserve to be fired. When she said they couldn’t lose against a team with one member missing, I knew they were doomed.
Claudia Jordan is one of the girls in NBC's , “Deal or No Deal”. Previous to that, she represented Rhode Island in both the Miss Teen USA and the Miss USA pageant. From there, she has appeared in several television shows, and is even trying her luck in films.
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Tom
You're Fired!
He was unfocused, unmotivated and once again, his bragging did nothing to impress his team. He definitely needed to be fired, but his bar buddy Dennis should have gone with him.
Tom Green is best known for his brand of comedy, having showcased it in so both television (The Tom Green Show) and films (Freddy Got Fingered, Road Trip). The testicular cancer survivor also penned an autobiography, Hollywood Causes Cancer: The Tom Green Story, in 2005.
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Scott
You're Fired!
Current Ranking: 15 Previous Ranking: None
He tried his best, but Tom Green got his goat. If he hadn’t selected that awful name, I think he’d still be here, but he was too nice to play with this bunch of sharks for long.
Scott Hamilton first made a splash 25 years ago, with his figure skating performances at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, where he won the gold for the United States. Since then, he has worked as a professional ice skater, performing for 15 years in the Stars on Ice show that he co-founded.
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Dice
You're Fired!
He totally deserved to be fired first. All he wanted to do is promote his dubious talent, and he made himself look like a real loser. Guess what? He was.
Andrew Dice Clay has received considerable attention, both positive and negative, for his risqué, hardcore style of comedy. A star both in films, comedy albums and stand-up, he last appeared on the VH1 reality series Dice: Undisputed.
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Who do you think will emerge as the winner? Who are you looking forward to watching, in coming weeks? Who would you most like to see fired? Write to me at mrsed4ever@yahoo.com. and let me know. -->
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Donna is a nurse and teacher, and a mother of 5. She lives in Pennsylvania and is admittedly addicted to many reality shows. You can reach her at mrsed4ever@yahoo.com.
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