KOTU: All the remaining men, led by Brian McKnight.
Athena: All the women, led by Claudia Jordan.
Eyes and Ears: Ivanka and Donald Jr.
Outcome: KOTU gets 386 votes; Athena gets 61 votes. Yow! KOTU wins!!
Boardroom: Jordan chooses Kardashian and Melissa Rivers for the boardroom.
Fired: Jordan, for chaotic leadership and letting emotion affect her judgment. Her charity, the National Association to Prevent Sexual Abuse of Children, gets nothing from this show that I know of.
Donation: $20,000 to Youthville USA, which promotes and improves foster parenting in North Carolina.
The guys return to the suite, and Rodman immediately begins a "poor me" speech. He feels he must fend for himself because he is not part of either team. Black lectures them about how they all need to subordinate themselves to the boss or else they'll keep losing. Especially Rodman.
Rodman doesn't take that well and gives a coherent, yet meaningless reply about how he has his own company and he can't be in a position with money and he has to be so good at it that it's what he does and Michael Jordan thinks he's easy to work with. Did any of that make sense to you? Good. He storms out.
Roderick presents her prize check to California Police Youth Charities. He's shocked to see that it's for nearly $167,000.
Joan Rivers is again absent for the day, doing a charity event in Dallas.
The apprentices meet with Trump for their next task. They're each to prepare a product launch for a videophone at a meeting that will be attended by hundreds of sales reps. The sales reps will vote on the one they like best, based on excitement, energy, and emotional appeal.
The teams pick their project managers. Jordan volunteers for Athena and tells us later that she's a good manager. Rodman makes a dismissive gesture and turns his back while the men choose their PM; McKnight volunteers, but I'm thinking they really should have just forced it on Rodman to get rid of him. Oh well, maybe next week!
The teams must first decide who gets which time slot. Rodman sits in a corner and refuses to participate. The teams nominate Black and Duke to negotiate. Rodman gripes. Both teams want the second slot, so Duke has Black flip a coin. Rodman makes snide remarks, wanting to see how good Black is. When Black wins the coin toss (tails) and crows victoriously, this seems to anger Rodman even more. Soon he's in Black's face - well, hovering over Black's face is more like it - yelling his head off about nothing in front of everyone.
Real or staged? I don't know; I don't even care.
Athena prepares
The team decides to do a combination of live (stage) and taped material for several vignettes that demonstrate the phone. Joan will host the presentation (presuming she gets back early enough to do it). Jordan says lots of nice things to us about how great Joan is. That's curious, because she never, ever says anything positive about anything else all night.
Watkins confesses to being totally lost, not being sure which parts will be staged and which parts will be taped. A lot of people are making suggestions in question form, as if no one can tell whether a decision has been made or not.
And Joan's plane is going to be too late to make the show. Jordan thinks this means they're out of luck. Gulbis saves the day by getting a private plane.
Junior comes in to observe and/or flirt. Roderick and Watkins reenact the Rodman/Black showdown for him. He thinks they're working together well.
They go back to "brainstorming" but it still seems pretty fuzzy. When Melissa tries to clarify the concept; Jordan says "I understand you produce a lot of things" and that Melissa is getting frustrated because she can't have everything her way, but Jordan is the boss and she basically doesn't want any input from Melissa.
Jordan elaborates on her feelings towards Melissa in some remarks to us - calling her a "spoiled brat" who had to be "put in her place" and talks too much. She interprets the frustrated looks on everyone else's face as being directed at Melissa rather than at her or their lack of focus.
Melissa says Jordan is talking down to her; Jordan replies, "you think I talk down to you?" I have to say, I think I'd find Melissa a little overbearing too, but if she's the subject matter expert, why not let her do her thing? And if Jordan feels that other people talk down to her, maybe she should listen to herself sometime.
But wait! We haven't gotten to that part yet!
Jordan tells us that she doesn't like Melissa's personality, thinks she's funny-looking and scary, her forehead doesn't move, and she's only famous because of her mother. Melissa has probably heard all of this stuff before, but it is a BIG mistake for a manager to talk that way about a team member.
Someone brings a baby to do the video; he acts like a baby and cries. Jordan gets frustrated with his juvenile behavior and tells us "I've already dealt with enough babies and other words that begin with 'B' on my team."
Again, those are some charming words coming from the people you're supposed to be motivating to work hard to support your efforts. Kardashian and Duke exchange disbelieving looks as the baby screams and nothing else gets done.
Jordan, Roderick, and Watkins go someplace to edit the video while the rest of the team works on the stage show. In the car, Jordan complains about Melissa's "smart comments," makes faces and mocks her voice. She cracks herself up making fun of this woman who is trying to produce a winning show for the team. She goes on to say that Melissa doesn't blink or move her mouth.
Roderick and Watkins laugh too, and I've certainly made fun of others, but somehow this just turns my stomach. Did Melissa ever do anything to Jordan? If she's done something, that's one thing. But as far as I can tell, she just rubs Jordan the wrong way. That's Jordan's problem.
Oh. There was that one time that Melissa took credit for Jordan's idea for the Zappos mascot. Jordan never mentions that, though. She just complains that Melissa is "smart" and funny-looking. I don't think those are legitimate reasons to bad-mouth someone.
Melissa, Gulbis, Duke, and Kardashian run through the stage show. Melissa knows she'll be blamed if they lose; she's expecting to be attacked.
Joan arrives well before dawn. The rehearsal is a disaster. Duke gets nervous and feels Jordan isn't in control. Jordan blames the problems on "them" (the technical people). Kardashian has ideas, but she tells Roderick she's given up sharing them. Jordan says that Kardashian needs to be micromanaged and she doesn't have time.
At some point, Melissa takes over directing the stage show, and the rehearsal is saved. Jordan's grudging compliment is, "she loves being bossy."
KOTU prepares
In the car, James chuckles that Rodman picked on the shortest guy.
They wonder if Rodman will come back, but McKnight doesn't want to use Rodman regardless because he can't spare an additional person to babysit him. Rodman's a great basketball player, but they're not playing basketball.
James suggests that McKnight do a live show. Black chews thoughtfully while no one suggests that he participate in the concert. He drops some hints, which are ignored.
James wants to go to West Point and get some tape of a soldier's perspective on the virtues of a video phone. Black thinks it's too far. James and McKnight decide to go for it. Walker and James make the trip, during which they discuss Rodman's alcohol use and other counterproductive behavior.
Meanwhile, McKnight works on the music for the show. Black offers to help, but McKnight tells us Black's music is from "a different place" and asks him to make phone calls to obtain equipment, dancers, etc., and order pizza. (I think many of the sales reps at the product launch may also be from a "different place," and might like to hear a song from Clint Black.)
Rodman wanders in and says he's not a quitter; he wants to be a team player. Right. After walking out? This is a great time for Ivanka to show up! She's curious about the situation and thinks McKnight should use Rodman. Rodman tells her they don't want his help.
The monitor system for the stage show is more expensive than expected. Rodman offers to get them some monitors for free. Black urges McKnight to take it; McKnight refuses, not wanting the "distraction," and says Rodman's picture is in the dictionary under "drama."
Black good-naturedly tries to make up with Rodman, who excuses his own behavior as having a "bad day." Black tells us that Rodman is aloof and makes mistakes, but "can still pull a rabbit out of a hat."
As McKnight rehearses, Black finally decides to relax and enjoy his reduced responsibilities.
The Show
Trump begins the festivities, explaining to the large crowd of sales reps that they're going to vote for one team. Then Trump will "fire the ass off somebody."
Athena's show is slick, and Joan puts in a heroic effort after getting virtually no sleep, but the vignettes are shallow, cliche-ridden, and predictable. There's a large helping of extra-stinky cheese when Roderick gets a staged marriage proposal from an actor who's supposed to be her boyfriend. It's extra-cheesy because it's no secret that Roderick is married! It's not entertaining, and (as Kardashian noted during the "brainstorming") it has nothing to do with the phone. However, the audience seems to enjoy it. Some of them jump to their feet cheering. Others remain seated.
Jordan predicts that Melissa will take credit for the whole thing, even though none of the "vision" was hers.
KOTU's show is ten times slicker. Black introduces the vignette featuring the West Point cadet. Then Black introduces the McKnight concert. McKnight sings while the dancers jump around with the phones. The light show enhances rather than detracts from the show. The crowd goes wild.
Jordan gripes backstage that KOTU has a big advantage in getting to go on second. (They also have the advantage of NOT SUCKING.) Rodman gripes too. Maybe they should date. McKnight gets the crowd clapping and singing along. It does not look good for Athena. Rodman thinks McKnight is just trying to sell albums. Tell me again why Rodman hasn't been fired? Ratings, maybe? It's always convenient to keep a loose cannon around for a while to make things interesting.
Melissa gripes a bit too, says Athena's show was more "real." (Really? A fake marriage proposal is more real than a West Point cadet?)
KOTU's show concludes with a laser light show as the band leads the crowd in a cheer for their company.
The postmortem
Black and Rodman report that they've ironed out their differences. Rodman says he doesn't know why McKnight didn't want to use him. McKnight said he couldn't spare a babysitter. Black is the only one who's able to joke about the confrontation. Rodman claims not to have a hateful bone in his body.
Rodman predicts that he will be blamed if KOTU loses. Trump doesn't want to hear it. Black says it will be McKnight's fault if they lost, but he wouldn't have to blame him, because McKnight would take the blame.
Jordan says that Joan was the star of the team. Melissa feels that she was underused. Duke says the task was chaotic, which she attributes to Jordan. Jordan says she was trying to keep the "temperament" of the team good, and that Melissa was an obstacle. As she proceeds to bad-mouth Melissa, Melissa asks her mother for support. Joan jumps in and says that Jordan is the team's weakest link. She calls her a "musher" who fails to firm things up. Melissa did this, did that, etc.
Don Jr. and Ivanka read some comments from the voting audience. Some of them say that KOTU's show didn't focus enough on the phone, and there are kind words about Joan.
KOTU gets 386 votes; Athena gets 61 votes. KOTU wins!
McKnight gets $20,000 for Youthville USA, which promotes and improves foster parenting in North Carolina. The men go back to the suite. One of them meows in anticipation of the boardroom show.
Duke says she was expecting to lose, but that Joan's strong performance gave her some hope. She didn't think the staged vignettes were good.
Trump asks if Watkins should have performed, given that the guys did a concert. Jordan defends the vignettes. Melissa says she was shut out of the creative process. Kardashian sticks up for Melissa.
Trump asks Duke who the strong players on the team are. She says good things about Joan, Melissa, herself, and Natalie, and says that Jordan thinks she's a stronger player than she really is.. She says Melissa and Jordan were both obnoxious at first, but Melissa worked very hard to make the show a success.
Jordan defends the personality clash on the grounds that Melissa is loud and obnoxious. "There's only so much I can do. I can't whip her; slavery's over." And Melissa doesn't like her. (Melissa denies this.) Jordan says that Melissa is sarcastic and that Jordan kissed her ass extra. What??
Then Jordan says that she's sarcastic too. Whuh? She smugly claims not to have seen the shows Melissa has produced and says "congratulations" sarcastically when Melissa says she produced them. She says other people have had problems with Melissa. Nobody says anything.
Up in the suite, the guys wonder why Melissa wasn't the project manager. The answer: Jordan asked to be PM, immediately. I say it's just as well they got it over with this week.
Ivanka asks if Jordan thinks anyone else was at fault. Don Jr. says she's focusing on the emotional fact of not liking Melissa. He points out that the others are supporting Melissa, and Jordan was just sarcastic with her. Jordan says "I'm annoyed." Well, that's a very professional-sounding excuse.
Next, Jordan says Kardashian didn't do much. K says she tried to be helpful, but didn't know what to do in all the chaos. Her ideas were shot down. Duke says K doesn't step up, but maybe it's Jordan's fault.
Summary of blame:
- Jordan blamed by: Duke, Gulbis, Kardashian, and both Riverses, for weak leadership.
- Kardashian blamed by: Jordan , for not stepping up. (Duke slightly blames Kardashian too, but not more than she blames Jordan.)
- Melissa Rivers blamed by: Jordan, for reasons that are always expressed in very emotional and personally venemous terms.
Jordan chooses Kardashian and Melissa Rivers for the boardroom.
In the boardroom
Don Jr. says again that Jordan is making business decisions based on emotion. The women are called back into the boardroom. Jordan says that Kardashian doesn't take initiative, and Melissa is disruptive and offensive. (Did Melissa ever make fun of Jordan's appearance or make remarks about whipping slaves?) She refers to Melissa's "antics."
Melissa says you don't have to like everyone you work with; you just have to get the job done. Kardashian agrees. Jordan claims that she was trying to stop the chaos because Kardashian looked frustrated. (Kardashian looks pretty frustrated right now.) Jordan tells a very streamlined, idealized version of the way she "handled" the conflict, in which she is very diplomatic, and Melissa is very impatient and sarcastic. She claims that people are only siding with Melissa now, for political reasons.
But she has to admit that Melissa came through, which pretty makes Melissa's presence in the boardroom a travesty. Don Jr. says again that she's making business decisions based on feelings.
Kardashian and Melissa both say they'd fire Jordan. Jordan changes her tune and says she'd fire Kardashian! Trump says he doesn't like people who don't take initiative, but Kardashian defends herself.
Trump tells Jordan she has a great future ahead of her (holding bigger briefcases? hosting slumber parties and making fun of the less popular girls?), but she's fired.
Jordan gets up and takes off without saying anything, not even the stock "thanks for the opportunity" or goodbye to her teammates.
Jordan is fired for weak leadership and letting emotion affect her judgment. Her charity, the National Association to Prevent Sexual Abuse of Children, gets nothing from this show that I know of.
In the taxi, she admits she lost control over the group.
My MVP
My MVP pick for this episode, not that it matters, :-) is Jesse James. He does awesomely well in most tasks, with no prodding, and he had the idea and the energy to go to West Point even though it seemed like it would take way too long.
I'll give an honorable mention to Clint Black because he was abused by Rodman and snubbed by McKnight, yet managed to get all of his work done and make peace with Rodman.
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