Grid Effect

I have been late on posting about last Sunday’s Apprentice episode, mainly because I have been relatively busy, but also because I am not sure if there is anything new too say about this episode that I didn’t say in the season opener. Outside of the actual detail, it was all pretty similar. This week we got team names, more infighting and more petty self-righteousness.

Just a quick synopsis, the two teams, now named Arrow (last week Frank was PM, this week Nicole) and Kinetic (Heidi’s team), competed in the fashion industry. Each team was too design five different bathing suits and make them appealing to distributors in a mini fashion show setup on the beach. Heidi’s team, the team that won last week, won again by a little less than $1,000 over new PM Nicole’s team. And with yet another twist, the winning team not only gets reward along with the PM (Still Heidi) sitting in on the boardroom, they also are exempt from next weeks challenge.

Look at the sound business practice on display.

In the boardroom, Carey, the gay black man is ridiculed for his design of the, um, revealing pink swimsuit made for the mens line (They destroyed Heidi’s team in sales of the womens line, but they only sold $350 worth of the mens swimsuits in a project in which they netted over $!9,000). During the challenge, no one really objected other than Michelle, so no one else really has a foot too stand on and for whatever reason, Carey was targeting Michelle’s ouster, most likely because she disagreed with him, but if someone disagreed with you and they ended up being right, it is in your own best interest too find another target. There is also an undercurrent of homophobia throughout much of this session, and Carey is “fired” under arguable circumstances, since we never saw anyone else offer up any design suggestions. Heidi also seems too target Carey, probably because he seems like formidable competition. But she gets too sit in her chair with that smug, obnoxious grin; and pretend she is operating objectively. Between him, Nicole and Michelle, Carey clearly appears to be the most threatening between these three.

Also, what does designing a swimsuit have too do with overseeing the development of a condominium that Trump is able too afford through ducking his creditors with an army of lawyers? If he was firing Carey because he was indignant, didn’t work well within the team or was anything less than magnanimous and articulate, I could understand it. But because he couldn’t design a marketable mens swimsuit? Basically this project shouldn’t ever existed.

In one instance that may indicate the world is passing by Donald Trump, the reward was a visit too the Playboy Mansion. Considering the winning team is comprised of seven women, one gay guy and one timid, straight guy, this probably wasn’t regarded as ideal gratuity. The entire concept is shrouded in mystery. Heidi got a personal introduction to The Hef from Donald (even though the entire team met him before Trump even arrived), but there was no mention that she used too work for him. I would assume he doesn’t remember it, but I am sure she does vividly.

Are they the inhabitants or the guests at the Playboy Mansion?

The entire scene was really unsettling. Like I wasn’t given enough information too formulate a knowledgeable opinion. Too much wallowing about having too live in tents or disagreement amongst contestants that had no effect on the outcome. It really isn’t a contest so much as a guessing game. Usually one can deduct who is getting axed, but there were about four other people one could have chosen and it would have made as much, if not more sense than the Carey outing (no pun intended).

Too help illustrate what is inanity of this series, here are a few choice lines, this will probably be a weekly feature:

“For the first time in my life I felt really sad, like a real sense of nausea.” -Frank, commenting on his teams loss. A little melodramatic.

“…That’s why I’m here. It takes guts in business and it takes guts too work for Mr. Trump.” -Nicole, on modeling one of her teams own swimsuits. Those two things aren’t mutually exclusive, if you work for Donald Trump then you will effectively work in business. In other words, she just said the same thing twice.

“That pain won’t last long, but we will forever have the glory of winning this task.” -Nicole again, attempting to motivate her team. Hey Nicole, you’re on a reality show, its not that big of a deal.

Overused phrases/words: “Ram-rodded”, “price point” and “step/stepping up”.

Carey said the team will not win if they do not win the next task, he could very well be right, but the discrepancy in privilege between the two teams is ridiculous. One in tents, one in a “mansion” with a pass on the next competition and now two more players.