The Apprentice – Because Wall Street needs sexual harassment problems too

I was kind of into the task on last night’s episode of The Apprentice. Well, let’s back that up for a second. I was into the fact that the contestants were finally tasked with something difficult. Something that they had to put real physical effort into. Because what kind of physical effort does it take to put on a shoe fashion show, or to create a viral video?

On the other hand, what does a challenge like this prove? I think the teams had to plot and script their tours, but other than that all they did was pedal bicycles. I’m sure it’s grueling, but if Donald Trump is handing out an actual real estate position at the end of the season, what does the physical exertion of it all prove? Take that away, and how was this any different than selling ice cream from a cart? I feel as if once upon a time the challenges on the show were a lot better. And maybe that’s why the “celebrity” version makes more sense — the contestants are vying for nothing but money, so it makes no difference what they’re tasked to do.

Aside from all of that, pedicabs was a fun task. Romans versus Babes on Bikes … tourists versus Wall Street tycoons. The point that the women really missed was that no one on Wall Street takes a real lunch hour. They either run out for food to eat back at their desks, or they’re headed to a lunch meeting. Who takes a leisurely hour sitting on a bench doing nothing? Does the market break while all the traders are out trying the local cuisine?

Eric Trump looks like a fish out of water. Those poor kids — I wonder if they have a choice when it comes to doing the show. But I like watching him do his best Don Don impersonation on the rare occasions that he makes an appearance. And whenever I see him I call out “Eric!” which invariably leads me to say “What kind of name is that for a clown, huh?” You with me Seinfeld fans?

Anyway, back to the task. I’m not sure that I would have gotten into any vehicle with an idiot dressed up like a Roman, but for sure I would have avoided the group of women who looked like call girls. And the customers the women did get were super creepy the couple of times we got to hear what they were saying. The women made a lot of terrible decisions, and it came back to bite them in the boardroom.

I honestly think both teams did terribly, but the women did super awful with their measly three hundred bucks. Clint (and Steuart, who I finally realized sounds like Patrick Dempsey) was great pleading with Trump to cut David “Win, lose, or draw.” And Trump claiming the inability to fire David if the men won was priceless. How obvious can you make it that drama is the primary factor in deciding who to save?

I would have been fine with any of the three women in the boardroom getting fired, so Kelly leaving didn’t really phase me. I mean, Stephanie was clearly to blame for picking Wall Street as a location — the show needs the ability to go to video tape for proof in the boardroom — but I think the strength on the women’s team lies with Brandy. She’s been the only fully competent competitor week in and week and out, so until she’s facing the chopping block I won’t worry too much.

Has anyone noticed that the weeks that the women lose, there’s no Rockport moment afterward with an update on the fired competitor? Keep an eye out going forward — I think it’s been consistently true thus far.

Clacked by Aryeh S.
on Oct 22, 2010 @ 14:00 EST5EDT