This past week saw the team whittled down from four to three. This week opens as Steuart meets a publishing mogul. What was missing was the awarding of a prize. He didn’t win anything. Hmmmmm, what did Steuart do to lose his prize? Keep speculating, folks-I’ll never tell.
The task was a QVC spot that pitted boys against girls. The teams were each able to negotiate with the other side to secure the time slot and product that they wanted to sell. The price points were also team decisions. The opening of the negotiation scene begins with Clint and Steuart plotting. For many of you this may have been the first time that you saw the devious streak on the male side of the boardroom. I assure you that this was a consistent part of these two gentlemen’s strategy throughout the season.
What is unique is that this is the first time the cameras ‘catch them in the act’. Now I know that many of you will want to comment that this is done in business all the time. I get that. Just because it is common practice does not make it right. What it should also show you is that perhaps Mahsa’s finger pointing was not so off base after all. You will recall that she was outraged to be accused, and ultimately fired, for something in which she alleged Clint had a hand. He got his righteous ire stirred and claimed that Mahsa was trying to smear his good name. This is the same person that you hear in Week Ten telling Steuart to follow his lying lead. He clearly comes up with the idea to purposely lie to the girls about the product in which Octane is interested to throw them off their game and leave open the opportunity for the men to also secure their chosen time slot.
Maybe I am harder on the men’s team than you would be, but I just cannot help but be disappointed in the stooping to all new lows that I see. Team Fortitude has been a cat fight, brawl-a-thon since Week One, but the men (David excluded) have generally kept their professionalism in tact. Like I said in the boardroom on Week One, “I like to see mine coming”. To top things off, the men wind up trashing each other as previously unseen outtakes hit the airwaves. Steuart does his best hick voice to bash Clint, and Clint is critical of Steuart’s pricing strategy and ridiculous use of double entendre in describing the handbag. Had some of the comments made by Steuart to the QVC spokesperson been said in an actual workplace, HR would have been summoned. Clint, of course, feigns offense and cites his ‘family man’ status. I wonder if his three boys will watch this task and pick up priceless tips to manipulate and strategize like their dear old dad.
The women are actually able to put aside their pettiness for the most part. They choose to sell watches at a fair price and are quite successful. Though I cannot help but point out that Brambien (Brandy+Ambien) is once again a deer in headlights as the QVC cameras begin to roll. At that point I did nod off. Ultimately, the girls turn more profit than Octane and Trump surprises both sides by announcing that two people will be fired. He also took a bit of time to press Liza about her racial rationale in putting Brandy in front of the cameras. While I know that some people saw this as shortsighted, I actually understood where Liza was coming from. I also really appreciated her honest (albeit round-about) answer when asked about it by Trump. That is my biggest beef with Liza is her chameleon routine. If that is what you feel is right, OWN IT, Girl. Stop hemming and hawing.
Unfortunately, there was only time to show one of those firings. Since the men lost, Trump starts there. He quickly establishes that these two guys are pretty even in terms of qualifications. He proceeds to ask for their educational and professional credentials. This is curious to me since he had never really mentioned that before. Where someone went to school is truly not a reflection of their intelligence (Poppy and Stanford…whaaaaat????). Steuart cites his two successful business ventures (and two failures). This was confusing since I thought the purpose of this season was to put America back to work? Sounds like Steuart never left. Clint rattles off his pedigree of lawyer, CPA, realtor, handbag maven…This begs the question-how in the world is Clint not employed? Or did he just see bright lights and the big city and want to be television? Well, goooooollllllleeeeee (insert Gomer Pyle voice here), that would make a lot more sense. If Mr. Trump is choosing his apprentice based on suck-up-ability or down and dirty conniving, I think we have a winner.
However, we won’t really know that until we see who the second firee is next week. One thing I am looking forward to is seeing Mahsa back in action, finger loaded and ready to shoot!
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