Episode 9 of Celebrity Apprentice: I am a Whore Pit Viper
I am not exactly sure what a whore pit viper is but I hope it becomes the catch phrase of 2009.
This week we were tasked with creating a 4 page advertorial for Right Guard. The teams were 4 on 2 so one of Athena’s members needed to be moved over to KOTU. That morning I was sure it would be me. I figured the producers would want to see Joan and me on the same team. Man, was I wrong. Those producers are much, much smarter than I am for sure because the dynamic between me, Brande and Melissa was much more interesting to watch as was the dynamic between Clint and Jesse. Go producers for moving Jesse on over to KOTU. A much better move than I would have made.
So, I will go over KOTU first, then address Athena.
On KOTU, Jesse really knew magazine advertising. He is an amazing photgrapher and he owns a magazine (called Garage Magazine) and understands the cutting edge of this kind of layout. Jesse and Joan both gave Clint ideas. Joan came up with a bunch of big black guys hovering around David Lee (a white guy) to show David under pressure. What the hell? I don’t get that and it seems kind of racist. So that idea was promptly rejected. Jesse came up with this idea of David being the new kid on the block with the pressures of New York City to deal with. He drew out an amazing two page spread with David in front of a beautiful cityscape. That is the idea KOTU went with. Good call.
Jesse went out to photograph the cityscape while Clint stayed back to lay out the project. I found the interactions on the team interesting. As far as I could tell, Joan just stayed out of the way once her ideas were rejected and left Clint and Jesse to do all the work. Clint incorporated a lot of Jesse’s ideas as well as some of his own. Jesse got pissed that Clint wasn’t executing all of Jesse’s ideas. Now I am a huge fan of Jesse James. I think he is incredibly talented. I think he is incredibly intelligent. I think he deserves to be in the final two. But in this case, I feel the need to defend Clint Black. Obviously, I wasn’t in the room so I am only looking at the edit. But it seemed that Clint was trying really hard to be accommodating of Jesse’s ideas and really incorporate them. In fact, the final layout seemed to reflect most of what Jesse wanted. Jesse, though, decided to absent himself from the process at some point. Even when Clint was begging for input, Jesse refused to give him any. In this case I think Jesse let his personal feelings about Clint (he clearly doesn’t like him) to get in the way of being a team player. Had the team lost, I would have actually thought Jesse should be fired for shutting Clint out like that when Clint was begging for help. I never thought I would say that because in terms of overall game play I don’t think there is a comparison between the two. Jesse is the much, much stronger player.
Over on Athena, Brande stepped up as Project Manager and doled out the tasks. She tasked me with doing the brand messaging and the presentation and the slogan and and and. I was actually very resistant to being tasked with so much. I tried to insist that Brande do the presentation as I felt that was a lot to put on my shoulders. In the end Brande really wanted me to do all that so I did what my Project Manager asked of me, reluctantly. Melissa was tasked with doing all the photo editing and layout work. Brande oversaw everything.
I came up with the concept of David Lee naked with the saying “Right Guard: The only thing I ever need to wear” That is the concept Brande chose to go with, which upset Melissa. In fact, everything upset Melissa. When I called Brande to let her know the photographer had said it was an advantage to shoot David first, Melissa got upset that we were keeping secrets. I am not sure why since we were on speaker phone. The fact is Melissa felt like she was being set up for failure by me and Brande. But that is actually not true. I am not saying that I would not have done that if I had to in order to succeed in the game. Of course I would have. But I didn’t need to. Melissa was setting herself up for failure with no help from me by being an ineffective fundraiser and abrasive in the boardroom to Trump, to Piers, to George, etc. At the end of the game, those things really matter and I already knew that Melissa was going to have trouble getting to the end. The dynamic with her mother was already bringing her down, the dynamic with the people in the boardroom as well. And the fundraising capabilities. Brande was, plain and simple, the stronger player.
But, amazingly, in the end I think we all worked very well together. I took Melissa aside to try to make her feel more included. Brande did the same. Because in the end we are a team and we wanted to win and not have to face the boardroom and go into the next task a team of 2 against a team of 3. I actually to this day think we made a very good layout. And I stand behind the presentation I did and was extremely surprised my Melissa’s comments about my presentation. She watched me practice that at least 5 times and never once said she didn’t like it. She never once said it wasn’t conversational enough. Even she thought it was bad, why didn’t she ever say that to my face? Why did she only critique me behind my back? My only explanation is that she was trying to set me up for failure, the very thing she accused me of doing to her. I would have liked the constructive criticism to tell you the truth since I was reluctant to do the presentation in the first place. I really felt Brande should be doing it.
So we go in the boardroom and this interesting dynamic between Clint and Jesse comes out. I knew Jesse did not like Clint. But that was hard for me to watch because, again, from what I saw Clint was actually trying to cooperate for once in the game and I could see he felt very shut out and thrown under the bus in all that. From what I could see the layout did mostly come from Jesse’s ideas…just not 100% of the layout. And when I saw their work I knew we were going to lose. They did a really good job. So I am surprised Jesse was so upset about the whole thing in the first place except that he just plain old doesn’t like Clint. That is my only explanation.
On our side, the executives liked the concept of David Lee half naked and they liked the branding but they thought the execution was boring. That was their words and that was our downfall. Athena lost the task. I was very nervous that I might be the one to go simply because I had been tasked with so much. The thing I had going for was exactly the compliment Cramer had paid to me earlier…that I had done most of the work so if we won I would get a lot of credit it but I had also set myself up not be be fired because I had been so vocal in making sure that everyone knew I did not ask to have so much put on my shoulders. But that might not matter, even if I had played the hand right. Even if I had made sure I left all the decision making power with my PM I still might get axed for the failed layout since I had done so much of it.
As soon as we got in the boardroom, though, it became clear right away that I was not in danger. Trump, Cramer and Ivanka all quizzed both Brande and Melissa about whether or not I had taken over the task and everyone vehemently agreed that I had not. That really put me out of hot water and, interestingly enough, it was Melissa who really argued the most strongly in my favor when she was trying to argue I should be fired.
http://www.nbc.com/the-celebrity-apprentice/video/clips/week-9-who-would-melissa-fire/1091268/
The other point was that, actually, in the end the execs thought the photos were boring and that happened to be the one thing that was not my job. That was a lucky break for me since I had so much on my shoulders in this task. So it came down to Brande and Melissa and who would be fired. When I was asked about this I had an interesting dilemma. At this point in the game, Brande and I had become very good friends so my loyalties certainly were with her. However, I also knew that going into the next task I would a) have to be project manager if Brande went along with me since she had already stepped up twice and b) that if we were to lose I would have a much weaker argument against Brande than I would against Melissa. Being PM for sure on the next task would be a tough spot since the PM is usually the most under fire. And Brande was the stronger player to boot. She had raised much more money than Melissa, second only to me in fact in the game. She was an incredibly hard worker. And, this is really important, she was really well liked. Much more well liked than me, obviously. Melissa, on the other hand, was a weak fundraiser, was not well liked at all and would have to be project manager on the next task since she had lost on her first try so would need to try for a win in order to win the whole game. So taking Melissa long with me would be a better play.
But I really went against game play here and decided to argue for Melissa getting fired. Why? Because I really just felt Brande deserved to be in the game more and I just plain really like and respect her as a person. So when push came to shove, I recommended Melissa get fired even though it felt like it was against my short term best interests. I figured the life equity issue was much more important to me at that point…walking away from the game knowing that I had been loyal to my friend, to Brande.
So, in the end Trump fired Melissa and, well, you saw the meltdown from the Rivers for yourself. Folks! It’s a game where you get fake fired from a fake job all in the hopes of raising a ton of money for charity! Really, calling anyone a whore pit viper under those circumstances is an extreme reaction and, frankly, not losing with grace. And Joan Rivers. Well. What can I say there? As far as Brande goes…as much as Joan likes to claim I called Brande an idiot she is the only one who has disparaged Brande’s intellect falling on the age old your a dumb blond insult. Brande defended herself pretty well against that one pointing out if she is so stupid then why is she still there and not Melissa. Good point Brande. For everyone thinking I somehow manipulated Brande in order to get ahead in the game I would venture to say it is quite the opposite. Brande outplayed Melissa pretty nicely.
Now, as for Joan’s comments about poker players…well…what I said on the show is true. Poker players are the most wonderful people you will ever meet. Poker players are thoughtful and generous and are good for their word. I think it is so interesting that the group that has come out the most strongly in support of the show and in support of these charities, poker players, are so vilely disparaged by Joan on the show. But it was clear Joan doesn’t care much about that when she said, “Oh stop with all this charity nonsense.” Joan can attack me all she wants. She can attack my morals. She can call me a Nazi and compare me to Hitler. I signed up for that when I agreed to do the show. I was there to defend myself. But to use such a broad brush to insult a whole group of people who did not sign up for that kind of abuse, implying they are criminals, saying outright that they give blood money and are worse than white trash. Well now I am angry. To insult me is one thing. I can take it. To insult my friends who have been nothing but generous and selfless in their support of charity. That is a whole other thing and that is where you can get a rise out of me.
Joan saying that all poker players have no last names and are worse than white trash is like me saying that all comedians are miserable, depressed people who take their angst, anger and unhappiness out on everyone around them. Clearly, that would be unfair.
Annie is playing the game as to be expected – spot on! She did her homework, as always.
Melissa’s behavior was inappropriate coming from a “television producer” and she was a sore loser – period. She let her emotions get the best of her unexpectantly; it happens to people, like Joan felt with Clint on one of the previous challenges.
Joan acted as an enabler on the show, supporting her daughter and I expect to see her on next weeks show. Remember too that Joan’s generation poker players and gamblers = blood money and no last names. So she wasn’t off the mark completely; it’s only been within the last 8 years, thanks to the World Poker Tour that poker has become acceptable and poker players have become celebrities.
They got caught up in the moment and Joan will return. I have a lot of respect for Joan, she is a hard working woman, as has been shown on this show. A woman her age should be retired and enjoying the fruit of her labors, yet she is pounding the pavement working her ass off and for that I respect this woman!
Joan come back and Annie win this series!!!
Good luck to all….
KC
Get OVER the bj comment. Human beings eat, sleep, breath, screw, drink. These are the basics of being alive, and having a life.
My 25 and 20 year old daughters know I give great head. Who cares? I am not puritanical, when they asked, I answered. Being a good lover is every bit as important as being a good cook, being healthy, getting enough sleep, moderating alcohol intake. It is part and parcel of what it takes to make a woman whole and happy. We are only here once people, and sex is not that mysterious. We all do it, and there only a certain amount of things we can do in the commission of it. It is not unique act consigned to a special few. It is part of life, and life’s lessons do not have to be learned on the street. A parent without a bunch of silly hang ups can explain sex to their children in such a way that they can feel open and honest about it in their own lives.
Anyway, Annie was about talking herself, to another adult, not to her kids.
Annie did not go seeking her children to make a big announcement in a very special ‘Blossom Moment’. She said something in realm where the cameras are on the entire day where one can easily forget they are there; to another woman while bonding over cooking in a kitchen.
Let all of you word perfect (repressed) Puritans stand up if you have never said something carelessly. If you really have such a problem, then why not complain to Trump and Co. for airing what was said in a candid off guard moment?
whoops! e. people…breathe.
Annie is totally manipulative and in control — just like a great poker player should be. She set her goal, to win the game, to raise the most money for her charity. She is, as always, driven to win. She planner her strategy, has a good read on her opponents and knows how to tilt them. She has a big ego, and she brags way to much for my taste and always have, but she has actually said very little negative about any other player – certainly nothing compared about what has been said about her. I have watch Annie for years, and at times been thoroughly disgusted by her big head; don’t care for the tattoo on her rear either. But she has gained my admiration. She is true to her nature. She is a poker player, and very good at the game she is playing on the Apprentice.
As for her reference to her sexual agility…really who cares. I am sure it was a slip, perhaps she momentarily forgot she was on camera. Yes it was inappropriate and crass. I think it was a rare mistake on her part, but NBD.
Melissa is what, 40? What a child. I just can;t believe she threw a tantrum like that. I think it was an awful selection on Trump’s part to include both Rivers in the show, and was a poor dynamic. They are both immature. I would have fired them both a few weeks ago because they were standing uo for each other simply for being related rather than for performing well.
Tom, please come to my house so we can ritually scourge my Mom while telling her she’s dirty and calling her a whore. It’s the epitome of classy behavior and all.
Speaking of psychology degrees, you seem like you would benefit from close acquaintance with someone who has one. You can be a good parent without being ‘classy,’ hell you can be a good parent without being scary, repressed and judgmental, even.
I always liked Melissa until last night. I think you’re the best player and definitely make the show easy to watch since you’re so easy on the eyes!
Firstly, why would I come to your house?
Secondly, why are you so anxious to call your mother a whore? Why are you so anxious to use the word to begin with? Oh. Annie supporter. Explains everything.
Can you be a good parent while, in front of the nation as well as your 7, 9, 11, and 14 year old children–including three girls–that you give a great (unclassy slang term.)?
Most psychologists would frown on this. Trust me.
Would it be OK, in your world, for Annie to go down on her boyfriend in front of the kids?
Just lemme know where you draw the line. I’m dying to be stunned by your sophistication and refinement.
ANYONE arguing that it’s OK for mom to go on national TV and crow about that with kids, particularly girls, of that age is simply a completely deluded person, or rationalizing at breakneck pace.
Joan was right. You’re extremely manipulative. I highly doubt that poker players are the most awesome people on the world. You’re a poker player. Wow, that’s very educated and classy. I can’t wait for the show to be over so you can go back and your 15 minutes of fame are over.
Palo Alto,
First, Annie’s kids are 7, 9, 11 and 14. 14? OK, maybe. BUT SEVEN???? That’s OK with you? Wow. Classy.
Second, there will be PLENTY of time to teach the kids that Mommy likes to tell a national audience what she can do with her mouth. Trust me. Doesn’t have to be done at seven.
Annie wasn’t talking to herself. She was talking DIRECTLY INTO THE CAMERA on national television. SHe didn’t get picked up by a mic by accident. She wasn’t whispering. She looked into the camera and mugged for it while, proudly and like it was something she found deeply rewarding to PROCLAIM her prowess.
Or are you saying Annie isn’t smart enough to know the thing she was staring DIRECTLY INTO JUST THREE FEET AWAY happened to be a camera?
She said something, if she’s this super smart, super savvy, super aware puppetmaster of all the other less on-the-ball participants, that only a moron or a call girl would announce directly into a camera.
I think people should have all the wild sex they want. I just don’t think a seven year old should be exposed to her Mom’s lack of class and decorum on national TV.
You apparently think it’s a smashing idea, and that it helps kids grow up strong and vital.
My mom’s had sex! She must have–I’m here! She must me punished!
Tom, just so you know, Annie has studied psychology in the past and I believe has a major.
Annie is doing great in this game, and I really hope she makes it all the way.
I suggest you watch this to understand Joan and Melissa.
http://www.nbc.com/the-celebrity-apprentice/video/clips/week-9-thicker-than-water/1091271/
OK! i don’t know why everyone is praising annie but this show is supposed to be fun and mild manner…annie is just ruining the whole thing…very deceptive, manupilative, coy, and very very despicable! i cant believe i loved you play poker…now i wish i never see you on tv playing poker! putting on a show yelling at hellmuth! i say good move for natalie! you should have gotten even with class but instead i believe you have stolen the title of POKER BRAT from hellmuth! oh well! looks like the purpose of the show is that the villians always win! (look at celebrity apprentice 1).
if the celebs were able to donate their own money during the show…you would be at the bottom of the board!
oh yea! begging for money on your knees at the jewelry auction! that was very shameful…a low blow to your character! (pun intended!)
Annie,
Racist? I laugh at you for making such a cheap jab at an idea, just because you don’t like the person. You claim to take the high road over Joan but you certainly do not. You admitted on national TV that you manipulated Melissa to “seem” like you weren’t on Brande’s side. Thanks for proving Joan right that you are two-faced. I can see why you’d want to work with Brande. Unlike Melissa, Brande constantly compliments you and your ego, whereas Melissa puts up a challenge. I guess you want the path of least resistance and constant reaffirmation of your skill set.
Not to mention your creative ideas are always what gets the team in trouble when you lose. All you talk about is “game this” “game that.” How about trying to win a competition based on integrity, talent, smarts, and ambition? Not with mind games and phony alliances. Actually, using those tactics make you look weak and intimated by better players. So what do you do? You exploit them. That’s what you do “for a living” and it’s pathetic. Showing off your greens on television serves your own cause more than the charities’. While I don’t agree with Joan that you’re profession is worse than trash, it’s pretty close.
Nothing against people who play poker as a hobby, but professional poker players in Sin City? Get a real freaking job and work for your money.
Annie, the way you have handled the Rivers shows that you are a true class act. I’m glad you pointed out in your blog that this is a GAME. And just because it’s a game doesn’t mean that you have to take it less seriously (as some of the other contestants seem to have done). You are playing the game competitively, strategically, and most importantly, fairly. You’re strong and assertive, good for you!
With regard to those who say that you impose your ideas on the team, I counter with: man up! A PM needs to lead his/her team by facilitating the process by which a project is completed. That includes everything, from conception of strategy, to assignment of roles, to execution of tasks. If people want their ideas heard/used during the strategy conception/brainstorming phase, they need to be a bit more assertive. If you’re weak in this game, do not blame it on others or whine (as Melissa did throughout the game). As someone who has in depth knowledge of leadership development, I find the Apprentice shows fascinating to watch because it provides the viewer with insights into what effective leadership looks like. Annie, I said it before and I have to say it again, you are an outstanding leader. There is no doubt in my mind that you would be a phenomenal success in any kind of leadership role, whether it is in the corporate world or as the CEO of your own company. I can’t think of anyone more deserving to win the Apprentice title than you!
If the Rivers clan can’t take simple criticism and judgment, they shouldn’t splash themselves into a game of wits and competition.
They stepped into the kitchen, and feel the heat. I also believe they are both just trying to get attention in front of the TV cameras. The drama and crying, gimme a break.
Annie, I don’t think is as cut throat as the producers are making her out to be. She’s cool. The average person/sheep can’t get past the information that is spoonfed to them, but me being a skeptic, saw right through what the producers are/were trying to do. They need to wrap the audience into a captivating drama. Creating characatures of people, as opposed to showing who they really are, is much more entertaining. Admit it, Dennis Rodman was portrayed as a doofus for the first few episodes up until his drinking problem was exposed. This is the misleading magic that producers can have when editing shows such as these. They drive the crowd down the road they want the crowd to see.
Great job Annie, For The Win!!!
I’m starting to think CA needs to start out each week with a 41 minute remedial explination of such concepts as “competition,” “personal,” “subjective,” “adult” and “charity.” Every week someone has to be voted off even if they all are great and deserve to stay or they all suck and it’s hard to tell who performed worse, everyone wants to stay, and if they get fired, life goes on. Unfair, tragic, but ongoing for adults. I’m also starting to feel sorry for Joan Rivers, all these years of dealing with “fans” not quite bright enough to get her jokes may have driven her round the bend.
Seriously, who cares? Get over the bj thing. Jesse James has kids and he has a new show where he deliberately puts his life at risk in each episode–does that make him a bad father? It’s a stupid self destructive decision for a parent, maybe, but if he’s an otherwise fine father is that all that matters? Joan and Melissa run around calling everyone they disagree with Nazis and Hitler and whores, setting horrible examples for their kids, does that make them bad parents in spite of how loving and caring they otherwise are? You don’t actually know any of these people or their children and have no idea what kind of parents they are. I don’t know any psychologists who would think it was healthy or normal to make such a BFD out of something so minor and rant about “call girls” “classy vs. low class sexual acts” and all this other weirdness. Your obsession here seems less than healthy, if not disturbing. Worst case scenario, the kids will be embarassed by a stupid comment, welcome to Planet Earth, “MOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!” Hardly a crisis.
Joan needs to give her brain a lift. Mellisa needs
a boot up her ass. It looks like someone already has, by the way she walks. Annie your the favorite, but Brande seems to want it bad for her charity too. Watch out for Jesse, He is not a
dummy. I think he has lots of money to give when
it counts for him. Remember the song in the Wizard of Oz The Bitches are dead, I mean the Witch is dead. That song come to my mind.
Good luck to you and Brande.
annie you’ve been my favorite person on the show since Ep.1, clearly the strongest intellectually and the best strategic thinker on there. the rivers women really made themselves look TERRIBLE. i was actually laughing out loud at their histrionics at the end of the show.
good job so far, i hope you are the winner. plus i think your charity is the best, for what that’s worth.
I LOVE the way Annie is playing the GAME. She is the best fund raiser on the show; has displayed more class while under the heavest attack of anyone, and hopefully will go on to be in the final ywo against Jesse James. THAT would make the final show worth watching.
I live in Las Vegas, have had the pleasure of being around some of the most famous players you see on tv and while I have talked to Annie and several others; there is one point that I can say to everyone watching the show. Poker players that I have seen in person including Annie EVERY ONE of them has seemed happy to sign autographs, take time to have their picture taken with fans, shake hands, and just be decent people. I have NEVER seen a Pro Poker Player with an entourage; being “guarded” from their fans. Even Joe Hashem, after winning the Bellagio 5 Star Diamond Tourneyment was willing to talk to me for several minutes and I am not rich, not famous, or hold a camera. There are just what my parents would call, “Good Folks”. THe Hollywood types can keep Hollywood; I’ll take a poker player every time.
Tom? I doubt seriously Annie allows her 7 year old to stay up and watch the show. I doubt other 7 year olds will come to school and discuss this with them. It was an adult comment made on an adult show. Yeah, maybe misguided, but you sure are obsessed with it. Oral sex intimidating to you?
I am sure if her older girls hear about it (funny because outside all the bellyaching on this forum by Annie Haters I have certainly heard nothing), she will be a good parent and sit them down and have a talk with them. Explain that even parents can make mistakes. Her kids will hear much worse in their lifetimes. At least they will always remember mom was honest with them.
At least she wasn’t running around calling others the name of a total piece of chit murderer of 11,000,000 people.
Eleven million killed by Hitler vs. a woman’s careless remark during her participation on a TV show.
Jew to Jew no less. That gives the insult an even deeper meaning. Offensive as hell Joan. Just like deriding Brande based on her looks. All the plastic surgery the River’s have gone through so they could LOOK like a Brande. Pretty funny, the hypocrisy.
There it is. Yet another Annie supporter who believes, “Hey, Mom of a seven year old little girl going in front of millions of people and looks into the camera and actually dovetails how many meals she cooks, how great a mom she is, into ‘and I give a great BLANK, too’? A positive image and a great thing for a “role model” to young women and Moms everywhere.”
You can’t have it both ways. She can’t at one time be totally omniscient, and the next look into the camera and say something as stupid as that–relating it to how she’s a candidate for Mother of the Century–in front of as many people as that.
Oh, wait. You can actually have it both ways if you’re a hypocrite.
As for Jesse James, I’d say he’s no more at risk than a Las Vegas gambler.
As for call girls, name me another profession where it is considered a smart, savvy move to claim such a thing in public. Like national television level public.
I won’t hold my breath.
Palo,
You seriously doubt? Are you living in this century? That’ll exist on YouTube or Hulu for DECADES. Maybe she doesn’t hear about it this week.
Maybe not next week. But soon. Very soon. Mom makes a boneheaded remark like that and guess what? She’s a celeb. The kids get to live with it forever, too. Any other viewpoint shows just plain uninformed awareness of modern media.
I’m simply pointing out that a lot of people are making this “super mind control game player master of the ouitcome” person into some sort of diety, when the fact is that she made an incredibly stupid remark for someone with children appearing on a nationally televised program.
OBVIOUSLY her kids will hear about it. NOT SMART. That’s the whole point. And the lack of class. But I suppose that’s a matter of taste.
I don’t think it’s OK for a Mom to even take a CHANCE of having a seven year old daughter hear something like that–or about it–from a national television program. Overheard on a phone call to a friend? OK. Accident. Accidentally blurted out. Hey, it happens.
But deliberately and with a big proud grin into a CAMERA on national TV? Not just stupid. A guarantee that’ll it’ll come up later for the kiddies.
And you can’t really claim that the person who made the remark in the first place is suddenly going to become a Mother Teresa and have a sitdown.
Instead of spending so much time trying to justify your actions just admit that sometimes you went about things the wrong way. In every single episode, you impose yourself because you feel that you have the best ideas and your way is the only way. I see this as disrespectful to the PM and to the rest of the team. You can be strong willed without pushing what you want on everyone then acting like a bully if they don’t go along with you. I have to point out that during your conversation with Brande, the phone was not on speaker phone. In the scene, Brande had the phone to her ear – clearly not on speaker. Getting Melissa fired was your way of getting back to Joan for the insults she hurled at you. You saw an opportunity to suck up to Brande in order to get her on your side and that worked for you. Melissa’s mistake in the boardroom was, she didn’t speak up and say – I gave them ideas but was ignored, I asked for tasks but was ignored. Annie, as usual, took over the project because she just can’t sit back and let anyone else have a voice and because she always had to make sure she positioned herself to say “I did everything because everyone else was slacking”. You keep saying that you were “tasked” but in actuality, you said I’m going to handle A, B, C, etc. Brande should have been fired for not doing her duties as PM – in this last project you were the PM, not her.
I think you are a smart woman, but I don’t like your tactics and it’s interesting that you keep on trying justify they way you handled things and why you did certain things. Unfortunately, you seem to think the only way to win is to scheme and manipulate and that’s a total shame.
You’re seriously overthinking this. Omniscient? Deity? God. Someone seems to have a Madonna/that other thing complex, plus an obsession with women (“especially girls!!!”), mothers and sex. Mommy’s still human. Humans have sex and do and say stupid things sometimes, even if they’re very smart and savvy. It’s part of the amazing duality of humanity.
Maybe all your outsized angst is the result of being severely traumatized as a kid, but most kids can recover from the fact that their parents are having sex. Your concern’s touching, but if you really want to help kids you might wnat to donate to Save the Children or something that helps kids with worse problems than being economically privileged and well cared for but subject to embarassment. Alternately, you could start a foundation to deal with this unacknowledged social problem or something, for example, I bet Rumer Willis will never recover from seeing Hudson Hawk.
What a surprise Jesse gets a free pass, even if his life’s in danger he’s not a MOM whose daughter might find out she’s like a CALL GIRL with the SEX.
For those of you dreaming that Ms. Duke’s claim had to have been made the other night, or that a kid couldn’t see it, well it’s already available. On YouTube, there are already NUMEROUS postings. MULTIPLE, like.
Here’s one. She apparently thinks this is an essential skill–and that the world has to know about it–to be a “total woman.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibWj6YpZ4VM
Zeppy, even someone qualified to make psychological evaluations–which you are not–would never do so in an internet blog posting area.
Just an FYI.
Joan & Melissa’s comments and actions were shameful. Their history, personally and professonally has also been shameful. When Edgar committed suicide, Joan & Melissa were so late in attending the memorial service, they actually missed the whole thing. Melissa was quoted as saying her dad was going to miss everything in HER life and the New York Times stated everything was about HER HER HER as usual.
Ari, melissa’s ideas were rejected because they were stupid and not appropriate to a spread in SI. The execs didn’t complain about the idea. Melissa would have been the first to complain if annie stayed out of it and didn’t speak up and let her go ahead with her dumb idea, she really would have felt sandbagged then. That would have been setting her up. Most people who aren’t insecure and overdramatic can deal with other people offering opinions, in a team dynamic that’s inevitable, and you can accept or reject.
It wouldn’t have mattered how melissa tried to defend herself. Don’t cut off trump if you want to win.
Tom, it’s really cute how you stop muttering mom…sex….vulgar…girls!!!! long enough to imply you’re a psychologist. Does your dissertation here on what makes a good or bad parent with absolute metaphysical certitude violate your prohibition for such an obviously distur–I mean someone as obviously professionally qualified as yourself?
If you actually are, you’re even more messed up than you appear. “Sorry, I know you’re suicidal, but the doctor can’t see you now. He’s curled up in the fetal position over his computer muttering mom…sex…low class call girl…no, mommy…vulgar, sick, dirty, bad mother, hulu hulu, 7 year old, hulu….” lmao Oops, sorry for the anti-mommyish vulgarity. It’s okay, you can relax, I’m not a mommy. You go and keep up all the good work healing those grateful “clients” of yours.
well said zeppy. annie is human and she f’d up. she will talk to her children and fix it. i’ve heard of much worse. anyone remember susan smith or susan eubanks or andrea yates?
gimme a break.
Wooow! So much drama! I feel sorry for the dude working in the elevator.
ps Tom, you REALLY need one of those bj’s m8, you really do…
The reason the lower than white trash Rivers couple hate Annie so much is because they are overcome with jealousy of how good she is playing…plain and simple.
Annie’s reaction to their treatment of her is pure class when most people would have insulted back or called them names or even hit them. But Annie showed her true colors and I totally respect her and hope she wins…which she probably will and deserves too.
But that last scene with freaky plastic faced melissa running on her fake “hurt” casted foot and throwing a tantrum was the funniest thing I’ve seen in ages! I could quit watching CA right now because that was the best ending I have ever seen in all the reality shows. I watched it over and over. Melissa Rivers has to be one of the most hated people in America…no wonder she isn’t married anymore. And her Mom is half delirious and senile with all her racist and Hitler and dumb blonde statements.
It’s obvious now why the Rivers couple can’t raise any money…because they don’t have any friends left!!
I think you are two faced! I mean come on at first I was like who are you? A Poker player isn’t a celebrity and I’m confused. I think Melissa knows a lot more than Brande and you put together, but of course you did it for more fighting. This has nothing to do with who’s smart.
Zeppy, can you even read. I didn’t imply anything except that YOU are NOT a psychologist. Didn’t refer to me at all. But don’t let the facts get in the way of your opinion.
Then, you launch into a flight of fancy that really reveals more about yourself than anyone else. But that seems to be your tactic. Make something up out of whole cloth, then treat what you have made up as fact, then attribute it to someone else. Bright. Articulate. Well done.
Palo, I don’t recall reading here that Ms. Duke believes she made a mistake, or that she will discuss it with her children? Did you speak to her personally, or are you just doing a little more amateur mindreading? Or maybe you’re just rationalizing the behavior of your idol?
Good TV! I still don’t get why everyone dislikes Clint. Even you seem to dislike him. From the footage that’s been shown he seems to be a perfect gentleman. And he’s the only person on this season that hasn’t said anything nasty about someone in the interviews. Perhaps in your next column you could explain why Clint is such a bad guy. I’m not a fan of Jesse at all. I think he’s very clever, but I hope he loses.
I hope, for the good and peace of the world, neither Joan or Annie win this season. Don’t want to feed either of their egotistical arrogance. I think we all agree that either Jesse should deserve the biggest reward, but Clint or Brande is fine as well.
Melissa Warburg is a bitter, sore loser and her mother demonstrated where her daughter got that trait. And as Melissa limped out, all I could think was that her injury had to have been from a past episode of her shooting herself in the foot.
Colleen, that’s because Melissa is a member of the “Me, Me, Me” generation!
It’s ALL ABOUT Melissa, ALL THE TIME! That much was evident when she was leaving the show after getting fired.
I haven’t seen such an infantile reaction since my kids were toddlers, twenty some odd years ago….lol!
(and..in my opinion…her reaction is a DIRECT reflection of the way she was raised by her parents)
I was surprised at Melissa’s response.
I do think Annie should have been fired.
And I do think that Annie and Brande were in their own little clique against Melissa. I don’t know if I would have said anything.
The game should not be about who raises the most money, but who does a good job. It can be a combo of money and hard work. If it’s all about the money, then we don’t need Trump, just an accountant who says who the lowest earner is and that person goes.
Trump arbitrarily chooses who should go and changes the rules to suit himself. Otherwise, Clint would have been fired instead of Khloe.
How is it that Clint is still there? He is such a jerk. My opinion of him has really gone down since seeing him on the show.
Lol, Annie stop deleting comments that are critical of your behaviour and Team Athena. I read these postings all the time, and nearly all messages that are critical of your choices and Team Athena are deleted within the hour. It’s fine to delete profanity or spam, but deleting critical messages proves what your critics are saying about you.
I’m a pocah playah. I thought i was a decent person. Apparently not. I’m this Dark Lord of the Sith who can bend peoples will using the force. For the clueless outthere and around here, IT’S NOT HOW IT WORKS!
GL Annie, hope you win.
Interestingly, neither of the Rivers women have put out a blog on this PR disaster. I cannot imagine what defense they could bring.
Maybe their faces have finally been pulled so tight, and their lips injected so many times, that the combined effect has put pressure on their brains causing them to lose all sense of logic.
I still give Annie MAJOR props for not firing back at them. I couldn’t have resisted the easiest comebacks. Like;
* the husband who committed suicide
* the plastic surgery that each have had
* the Mick Jaguar wannabe lip injections
* the Joan Rivers Collection selling at…QVC
* the daughter who hangs on her old hag mothers coattails, regardless of the smell down there
And to say that poker players are worse than white trash? Blood money? No last names?
Laughable.
I think someobody was having a SENIOR moment, and it spiraled out of control. Now they will have to face the public with the humiliation of people that they have NO respect for, having just beaten the HELL out of them and manipulated them into blithering idiots on national TV.
Once again, GREAT JOB Annie for representing the poker community with dignity. I cannot wait to hear their side of this story. I suspect they have an entire floor of PR people working on this disaster, looking for a way out, even as I type this.
See you on the felt.
Joan seems to be manipulating her own daughter, feigning outrage when somebody attacks her, making her believe that she would be going to the finale. Quite sure she knew Melissa would be fired soon enough. Next week Joan is back again, going all the way. Poor Melissa doesn’t even understand what hit her.
Faye.. I have to disagree with you. Poker players are now considered celebrities. You may not have interest in the events but if you are – you do KNOW who Annie Duke is. Whether you like it or not Poker is followed by millions of people just in the USA let alone the world. In fact she is the reason I started to watch the Celebrity Apprentice. The poker players that are whiney, loud mouthed and belittling are fined or penalized or both while playing tournaments. They are also being phased out in popularity with the introduction of TV Coverage and the fan base increases. Again a lesson that Joan and Melissa should note.. Insulting may have made Joan famous but that is well hmmmmmm 60 or 70ish. They should catch up with the times.
Insulting was an art and I think Joan has forgotten that you can insult without bringing the personal form into it. ie. Jesse’s comments that Joan is an A$$hole. Everyone knew that was not a personal comment.
Tom
You are the one who keeps posting about the comment.. give it up and it won’t fester as much.
The WHOLE purpose of the show is SUPPOSED to be raising money for charity and for Trump to stroke his ego; give a few people some time in the spotlight to help them careers. So this SHOULD be about money raised and gamesmanship. Thinking of it in that light Annie SHOULD have tried to position herself as 2 against 1 in the boardroom AND she even stated that she should be pushing for Brande to get fired because Brande would be harder to beat in the next task. THAT is using your brain, playing the GAME, and who else do you see thinking about how things will play out?
Jesse is smart and thinking ahead; he has held his friends back waiting until HE needs money raised for HIS task. I think Clint is a good decent guy but his background did not suit him to be project manger last task and it showed. Jesse was right on the mark when he thought his team’s ad was slightly better then the other teams but it was NOT up to what he wanted to put his name on.
Clearly the 2 best “gameplayers” are Annie and Jesse and that is who should be in the final 2. Joan and her clone should get kicked off tv for the way they presented themselves on the show; after all what have they done besides hold a mic and put their views about how somebody else looks or acts to the puclic as some higher power that has now demostrated a total lack of class.
No, YOU just posted about the comment. Thus, I cannot be the one who keeps posting about it. Many others do as well. Repeatedly.
For such a mindbendingly controlling and astute manipulator, you Annie fans sure aren’t much on logic, are you?
On the comment of “poker players are now celebrities” I would say that poker players have never been more famous and popular than they are at this moment.
That being said, if you named one of the top 10 male players and did a mall intercept or asked 100 average people if they knew who say Phil Hellmuth or Annie’s brother were? I’d be stunned if more than 10 or 15 knew. And that would be a huge result for poker.
Annie is likely the best-known poker player alive, and she isn’t even one of the best players. She is the best promoter of herself, and Celebrity Apprentice will give her a bigger audience than any other player, thus making her better known.
And still, no matter what, when the game is over Annie will not be the best known celeb from the show, nor a “household name.”