‘Celebrity Apprentice’ Recap: Cleanup Duty
Tensions are running high for the remaining contestants on Celebrity Apprentice after Adam Carolla tried to take the fall for his team’s loss – and wound up getting both himself and Michael Andretti fired in the process.
Needless to say, no one wants their team to suffer the same fate again. So when the women lose this week’s task, Tia Carrere holds Donald Trump’s feet to the fire before she achieves reality-show martyrdom by falling on the sword.
But let’s back up.
After their second straight win, the women discuss how they must stay focused and stop squabbling in order to stay on top. Easier said than done, right?
On the flipside, some men (cough, Arsenio Hall, cough) are still gunning for Lou Ferrigno, who has now dodged several boardroom bullets. Knowing he’s in deep doo-doo, Lou knows it’s time to prove he isn’t the weakest link. Also easier said than done, right?
This week’s challenge involves promoting a new mop for O-Cedar. (Thrilling, I know.) The teams must create an original theme and use that theme in a viral video to promote the product. They will be judged on product integration, entertainment value and brand messaging, with the winning project manager nabbing $50,000 for his or her charity. The PMs are Lou and Tia.
After meeting with the company execs, the ladies come up with a double entendre: “What’s Your Number?” It’s implied they’re asking, “How many people have you banged?” But all they really wanna know is how many mops you’ve used in your lifetime. Phew! Wait . . . what?
Meanwhile, the men come up with the catch phrase “I’ll mop the floor with you,” featuring muscle-bound Lou making the product the “hero.” It only took five weeks, but the former TV Hulk finally found a way to flex his pecs for the camera. But when Penn Jillette takes issue with the idea, he beats on it like a boxer going after a championship belt. Before he can completely crush the Hulk’s spirit, though, voice of reason Clay Aiken swoops in like an angel and breaks things up, calling Penn out for being “negative” and trying to “set Lou up to fail.” Snap!
In the women’s war room, Dayana Mendoza thinks their theme is too confusing. She puts pen to paper and comes up with a racy, entendre-fueled monologue about her “first time.” Loudmouth comedian Lisa Lampanelli thinks it’s inappropriate – and if she thinks you should pull the brakes, you should probably use all your weight. They eventually compromise and come up with a more boring . . . oops, I mean, less eyebrow-raising version.
When it’s time to shoot the videos, Penn is still licking his wounds over Clay’s comments. The two sit down and try to smooth things over, but the conversation just seems to go in circles. They finally call a (temporary) truce in order to focus on the task at hand: putting Lou in a pink cupcake-print apron and filming him dancing around a kitchen with a mop. Cha-ching!
Back in LadyLand, Tia and the always outspoken Aubrey O‘Day are clashing when it comes to the creative vision of the video, which features each team member discussing her “number.” When Aubrey makes a suggestion about how to shoot it, Tia shuts her down. To prove it’s personal, Aubrey plays a game of telephone, telling Lisa to approach Tia with the exact same idea. And guess what? Tia decides to roll with it. Burn!
While the men are hitting their share of speed bumps, the women are seriously unraveling. Debbie Gibson questions teammates about whether they “get” the concept. Aubrey feels like she’s being relegated to the corner even though her ideas are clearly “brilliant.” And Lisa loses it when Dayana keeps trying to insert herself wherever she can. (Sorry, Dayana, we still don’t know and don’t care who you are.)
After playing their videos to the execs, the teams face off in the boardroom. It’s do or die time for Lou, who knows he’ll be on the chopping block once again if his team loses. But they don’t, as the company thought they knocked it out of the park by making the mop the “hero” of the story. Cupcakes for all!
Soon the female mud wrestling begins, as the ladies start slinging anything they think will stick at each other in order to save their own hides. First Tia and Debbie butt heads when Tia calls the Eighties pop icon a control freak. Then Tia and Lisa go at it when Lisa refuses to mince words about the fact the project manager should be fired. Finally, Tia and Aubrey rip into each other, as Aubrey claims Tia’s jealousy got in the way of her being an effective leader. (For the record, Tia’s biggest claim to fame is her role as the hot chick in the Wayne’s World movies, and Aubrey was in the Making the Band-manufactured girl group Danity Kane. Yeah, I’m not sure where these egos are coming from either.)
Anyway, the common thread here? Tia. Thankfully, she’s smart enough to see the writing on the wall: It’s time to go.
When Trump asks which two women she wants to place in front of the firing squad, she asks him point-blank: if she takes full responsibility, like Adam did last week, will two people be fired? His answer: No.
With that, Tia takes the blame and is fired on the spot. She feels she can leave with her “head held high” before the season turns “ugly and cruel.” Here’s hoping your prophecy comes true, Tia! Things really need to get juicier.
Last episode: Ladies and Gentlemen, Rev Your Engines