Lots going on in this fast-moving penultimate episode of The Apprentice. The upshot is that we have ourselves a finals on, and as I predicted several weeks ago it’s an all-female showdown of Tana vs. Kendra.
Craig was the clear trailer going into this round, and he did himself no favors by interviewing badly before four top CEOs, who conducted executive-level interviews on behalf of Donald Trump. Kendra, in my opinion, stepped up by appearing bright, confident (too confident?), and tough while the always well-spoken and upbeat (too upbeat? Okay, for me she is, but I don’t own a multi-billion dollar company, now do I?) Tana had no trouble breezing through this stage.
I’m curious why Trump had the CEO of companies like Burger King and Domino’s Pizza conduct these interviews, as the apprentice-to-be will be building buildings and golf courses, not selling Big Macs and pizzas. But again: what do I know? (Hint: I smell big sponsorship dollars…)
Craig got the early canning and made a rather abrupt and mysterious departure from the show, which really symbolized his entire Apprentice experience, really.
The two ladies luxuriated in their status as finalists, and spent an entirely too cheesy scene going through pictures of the fired candidates and remarking on who photographed well and on who is cute. (Wife, by the by, stormed out of the room at this point in disgust.)
As has been customary during past seasons, the finalists were granted three team members each that had already been fired. The producers must have had a ball with this one as this season has been chock full of the nutty, explosive, and incompetent. Original members of Book Smarts (Magna) and Street Smarts (Net Worth) were chosen for Kendra and Tana, respectively.
Key Line, by Brian to camera, said in gruff, Joe Piscopo in Johnny Dangerously-esque intonation:
“We’re gonna be late for the meeting. I don’t like being late.”
The final task, as always, centers on organizing a big, complicated, and high-profile event. Kendra was tasked with running a video game showcase at Webster Hall (where the underage used to go to party when I lived in New York) while Tana was asked to run an event designed to promote New York City as an Olympic site in 2012.
As the episode ended, Tana looked to be in trouble already with the sponsor of her event. Overall, Tana’s team looks as though it’s functioning together reasonably well (and with Brian and Kristen aboard, that’s saying a lot).
Who will be the next Apprentice?
I’m sticking with my prediction: Tana in a close call.
Oh: And I still miss Bren (sniff).
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Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Tanul Mehta
I am confident, it would be Kendra who would be the next Trump Apprentice. She has prooved it and she deserves it.
2 - Rodney Welch
Well, as you know, I'm a big fan of Kendra and I think in the final clutch Trump will simply feel safer with her.
3 - Georgio
I have picked Kendra since about 4 weeks ago..she is creative and energetic,,I soured on Tania when she pulled that all nighters a few weeks back..I have always believed that those who need all night to finish a task made poor use of the daytime ..women are always pulling this shit..Trump giving them the misfits to help them was brilliant..who handles these assholes best will win..
4 - P
uh~~ it was KENDRA who pulled the all-nighter (and GOOD for her!! she did a fabulous job) and TANA who toddled off to bed. Tana with her *bedazzler* showed us how *NOT* in the running she truly is, and ~~ do we seriously think the Donald would want someone obsessed with his ex-wife's quirky product running a portion of his empire? I think he'll pick Kendra over Tana, who seems small potatoes in comparison. Kendra has that quiet dignified dynamism that is his hallmark. Tana's a lil too 'Howdy Dowdy' for him
5 - Rodney Welch
Bingo, P. If Kendra had not pulled an all-nighter, the team wouldn't have had crap. Instead, because of her, they won -- AND Pontiiac liked the ad so much they used it in their national campaign.
6 - Eric Berlin
It may well come down to who ends up being a better manager and pulling together the final task. I think Tana is a superior manager (and has a marginally better support team this week... it seems fairly obvious that Brian and Kristen are the deadest of dead weight) while Kendra is bright and capable... but perhaps better suited to firing off real estate deals than with putting together a large-scale event.
That said, Trump has the ability to ignore the final task if he sees fit, which is an easy thing to do if both events are not more-or-less disastrous. Then it comes down to who he trusts, as someone mentioned.
But if Trump does choose Kendra based upon her background in real estate, then the next question to ask would be: why the hell is any non-lawyer, non-real estate person given a shot to get the job in the first place?
7 - Dan Amazing
This is a real toss-up. I think that neither one has good people management skills. Kendra doesn't relate well to difficult team members and Tana ignores difficult team members rather than confronting them.
Both of these ladies are in sales type positions and are more comfortable smoothing ruffled feathers rather than taking a no-nonsense management approach.
For Tana to win this event I feel that she will need to fire one or more of her teammates.
For Kendra to win this event, she will need to get something productive out of her teammates and wow the sponsors.
8 - Eric Berlin
Yeah, Dan, you may be write -- I meant to say that Kendra's team is better this week... Tana is stuck with Brian and Kristen. I don't think that Tana would have a problem firing one or both of them if they don't put it together.
I'd like to see Chris do something here and find a bit of redemption.
9 - Eric Berlin
Did I say you many be "write"? Right... damn... need more coffee...
10 - Courtney
I think that everybody here is missing the point. Tana will win because she is the stronger candidate overall. Tana has good people skills, she has saved the majority of her teams tasks by giving a great presentation, she is smart, and she is just a likeable person. I think she has a few weaknesses, but overall she is stronger than Kendra. Too me, Kendra seems like a whiner. Whenever she doesn't get her way she starts to whine and then she shuts down. I think that she is bright, but I don't think that she is as smart as Tana. Kendra needs a little more experience working with people because she is not very good at dealing with those she works with. I do think that Kendra has some strengths. She seems to be a hard worker but I think that once she has a little more experience working, she will be a great businesswoman. Tana will win.
11 - Rodney Welch
I give the edge to Kendra because she has real creative talent that she has demonstrated over and over again -- that's something you simply either have or don't. I'll give Tana points on superior personality and people skills, which are not negligible. Between the two, I'd feel much more comfortable handing a major, difficult task to Kendra; I think she'd see a way to make something work and shed give her all to make sure it did. Tana would go to bed.
12 - Eric Berlin
Courtney -- I have said several times that while I think it will be very close, I give the slight edge to Tana.
One other thing to note about Tana: while Craig and Kendra spent weeks arguing like school children, Tana managed to stay out of the fray. She's been professional throughout (aside from the time or two she tends to crowd others out during presentations) which I think Trump and his team highly prizes.
13 - Elle
So what if Kendra and Craig argued? People always argue. At least they won. They had been trying to sort things out and it didn't work, but at least they tried. Tana didn't even do anything at all but sit there and watch it all happen. You think that's called "professional?" Tana acts to happy, it gets too annoying.
14 - Georgio
The fact that Tana went to bed is a sign of a mature person...what good are you the next day if you stayed up all night working..Kendra did come up with a good ad after the all-nighter but I thought this was supposed to be a team effort..she couldn't do it during the regular working time because she was doing what she does best which is arguing with her team..President Bush has much on his mind and still goes to bed early as his wife related to us..I pick Tana to win because street smart is better than book smart..there will be stones coming my way for this statement..
15 - Mark Saleski
it's very tough to tell who's 'better'.
i lean towards tana because she seems more mature.
kendra is supposed to be super-smart, but the editing of the show makes her come off like a stereotypical sorority girl.
16 - Eric Berlin
Yeah, I think Tana shows a poise that might appeal to Trump over Kendra's posing. Recall that some of the CEOs said that Kendra came off as too scripted? I think that come into play next week in the final boardroom.
Overall, this season produced by far the weakest crop ever produced by The Apprentice, don't you think?
17 - Mark Saleski
yep, a while back me & the wife were saying that we couldn't imagine anybody running a big trump project.
18 - Eric Berlin
It would be great if Trump could make like P Diddy on Making the Band and say, "You know what, there's not enough here to have anyone run one of my companies."
It would be sweet if he took a "winner" and simply inserted them into next season to compete again with another 15 candidates. That would be fun.
19 - Courtney
Eric Berlin, that would be a neat idea to see the winner be put into the next installment of the show. I agree with you totally when you say that tana is more professional than Kendra. Kendra seems so immature I can hardly believe that she has made it this far. I would never hire a person like Kendra to run my company!
20 - Eric Berlin
I'm glad you're with me, Courtney -- a lot of people seem to be pulling for Kendra!
21 - willi
Tana --you bedazzler them --go girl go
22 - Eric Berlin
viva la bedazzler!
23 - sg
Still think Tana has the edge over Kendra.
Ha, Tana is a poor manager, lazy and swears like a sailor. Not to mention she is a liar.
Her true nature came out didn't it.
24 - Eric Berlin
That's your reasoning for why Tana has the edge?
Or is that your thinking for how someone gets aheady in corporate American these days?
25 - Michelle
One word:
KENDRA!