The Apprentice: Martha Stewart, Episode 11 – Free Beer!

As always the candidates are wondering who will come back from the conference room. They consider, then immediately dismiss the idea that it might be Ryan fired. They’re right – he and Marcela return. Everyone celebrates being in the final five. Wait, is the final five something you celebrate? Should they have also celebrated being, like, the final 11? Ryan tells everyone that Martha brought up everyone’s records. Ryan notes that he’s been called back to the conference room twice. Marcela thinks it’s been five times for her. Bethenny tells Ryan that she thinks he’s safe for the time being. However, in an interview, she reveals that she said that partly so he won’t have a “killer instinct” in the next task. Marcela asks him if he wants to be project manager, and he agrees. She says that at this point, she just wants to perform well. They vow to have fun on the next task.

Meanwhile, Jim and Bethenny talk strategy. Jim hisses, “the sheep don’t know they’re going to slaugher.” He is so creepy sometimes. Bethenny says that this win really matters, as it decides the top four. In an interview, Bethenny says that she may have started out on a losing team, but she’s winning now. Other players are starting to show signs of fatigue, but she’s coming on strong. She says she’ll be the project manager in the next task, and she and Jim decide to “cream ‘em!” Jim demonstrates his excitement by leaping onto a table and acting like a monkey. Dawna sees it from across the room and has no idea how to react. In an interview, Jim says that he is deliberately being obnoxious to bother and distract Dawna. Wow, he must really put a lot of time into bothering and distracting Dawna.

The next morning, the candidates gather by the monitor at 9:00. Martha is there, via satellite from High Point, North Carolina launching her furniture collection. She says that this week, the candidates must produce an in-flight video for Song Airlines to promote their $99 New York to Los Angeles flight. Hot chocolate, but that’s cheap, even if that’s only one way. The teams will have access to actors and a production crew to put their videos together. Then, they’ll present them to Song frequent flyers, who will rank the videos. Teams will also have the opportunity to talk via phone with Song executives to ask any questions they might have.

Ryan and Marcela are excited about the task and agree once again to have fun with it. Ryan says that with such a short time to pull the project together, they have to work on the run. In the van on the way to the studios, they brainstorm ideas. Ryan comes up with the concept of a professional baseball player who missed his team flight to a game. He buys his ticket on Song and makes the game. He says that he really wants to play the baseball player, and Marcela says sure, as long as she can play the woman behind the counter. They are adorable, but if you can use professional actors, why wouldn’t you?

The two meet their crew, and Marcela calls the executives. Ryan doesn’t really think that’s worth doing, since apparently he’s never watched The Apprentice ever. He admits that no matter what the executives say, he’s going to use his idea. Wow, Ryan and Marcela are going to lose, aren’t they? Marcela learns that the planes have four channels of ESPN that passengers can watch, but that their target demographic is women 40 and older. All evidence points to Ryan’s concept being the wrong idea, but he justifies it. After all, if they’re showing ESPN, they must have sports fans in their target demographic, right? In an interview, Marcela says that Ryan likes his idea because he can identify with it, but Ryan is not Song’s audience. Ryan says that all they need to do is promote the price, destination, and brand. The rest doesn’t matter. Oh, Ryan. Marcela says she doesn’t like it, but he’s in charge. Oh, Marcela.

And now it’s time for Ask Martha. This week, we ask, “How do you pay attention to clients?” Yep, Ryan and Marcela are toast. Martha talks to a focus group about her furniture. I don’t know about you, but I have an unholy craving to buy a Martha Stewart end table right now! Martha says that one must investigate, research, and develop accordingly. This week’s Ask Betsy question comes from a reader who read my recap last week in which I compared the apparently invincible Jim to a cockroach. The question is, “How do you kill a cockroach, human or otherwise?” To kill a bug cockroach, I favor using a heavy soled shoe. It’s not pretty, but it gets the job done. To kill a human cockroach – or at least get him off your TV, I suggest a more subtle approach. Just give the cockroach plenty of opportunity to talk – say to two Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia executives- and eventually, he’ll kill himself off. It might not happen as fast as you’d like, but I’m confident it will happen.

Primarius begins by researching Song online. One of Song’s discoveries was that by targeting women, they managed to attract plenty more customers. They call the executives and learn just as Matchstick did that the target audience is women in their forties. Bethenny tells them that, as a natural foods chef, she loves that they serve organic food. She says they offer a hip, high-quality lifestyle at an affordable price. The executives say that Song is a breath of fresh air. Jim then starts to ask weirdly specific questions about how Song flyers dress – do they wear Diesel jeans or a-line skirts? Dawna cringes.

A few minutes later, Bethenny tells Dawna privately that she is going to just let Jim talk and pretend that she is working with just Dawna. She’ll indulge Jim his craziness because she doesn’t want to fight with him. Dawna nods her approval.

The three start working on ideas on the way to the studio. Bethenny’s tagline is “High Style, Low Fare, A Breath of Fresh Air.” They decide to show some different vignettes that typify a Song travel experience. Bethenny says that on the team, Dawna is the organizer, Jim is the creative artist, and lately, she’s become the person with the big ideas. Jim starts sketching out storyboards, paying particular attention to which women in these vignettes will have great legs. Bethenny tells him calmly not to focus on the calves, but to focus on the big picture.