The Apprentice: Los Angeles, Episode 3 - Take This Job and Shove It

While Nicole, Michelle, and Carey are in the boardroom, the rest of Arrow wonders what will happen if “Johnny” returns. Who is Johnny? (sorry if you now have that song from Short Circuit running through your head… “Who’s Johnny, she said, and smiled in her special way! I gave her away!”) Frank tells us that they have given Michelle the nickname Johnny because she is an annoying “Johnny Come Lately.” That’s kind of lame, as far as nicknames go. There seems to be a real vacuum of good nicknames on TV since Lost’s Sawyer has been away from us for so long. Anyway, the guys giggle about how obnoxious Michelle is and how they don’t like her, while Kinetic eavesdrops. Too bad for them, because Carey is the one fired.

Michelle and Nicole return, and Tim says that it’s awkward having her back. She creates tension in the team. There are hugs all around, some more sincere than others.

In the mansion, Heidi returns and tells everyone the scoop. Carey got fired, but the team thinks Michelle is disruptive. She asks too many questions. Heidi doesn’t think that’s such a horrible challenge. There will be disruptive people in any business, and you just have to learn to roll with it.

Outside, Tim and Nicole gossip about Michelle. Tim says she’s icy cold. Michelle says in an interview that the camp revolves around politicking, and if you’re not in the right group, you’re an outsider.

The next morning, the candidates get the call from Andi, who directs them to meet by a hotel pool. She reminds Kinetic that because they won, they will not be taking part in the task. That really seems like such a bad idea, I am still waiting to see how they’ll make this particular twist interesting. The mansion dwellers get ready with the lovely comforts of coffee and running water. Mmm, coffee! Things are not so nice outside, where Aaron makes a campfire. Aaron says that sleeping outside isn’t so bad, but getting up in the morning and taking a cold shower is pretty lousy. They definitely aren’t tasting “the Trump lifestyle.” Michelle says that the impact of sleeping outside is greater than she’d realized. They are determined to win. How that’ll work without the other team competing I don’t know.

Trump has another one of his fake conversations with a group of executives about how business is booming, blah, blah, blah. The teams arrive, and Trump is flanked by Ivanka and her brother Don. Trump tells Kinetic that they don’t have to participate, and they all laugh. They get to spend the day at the hotel being pampered. Frank looks sad.

Trump tells Arrow they’re losing too much. He tells them to split into two teams. Aaron volunteers to lead, and when no one else volunteers, Trump picks Michelle. “I can’t say no to Mr. Donald Trump,” she explains in an interview. She feels cornered, but has no choice. I can’t believe no one else volunteered. Michelle chooses Tim (who hates her), then Nicole (who also hates her). Aaron goes with James and Stefani. Frank, Trump points out, is last picked, and will be on Michelle’s team. Frank shrugs it off. Aaron says he still likes Frank. Trump so loves to create discord; I mean, really – someone had to be last!

Trump lays out the task. The candidates will create a themed tour to be held on a double-decker bus and will be judged by a focus group. Don is wearing a lilac colored dress shirt and a tie with a subtle lilac pattern on it, and it is gorgeous. Just thought I’d mention it. Losers will go to the boardroom. Trump says he’s never made this switch before, “but it’s deserving because you guys have been doing a lot of losing.” For the record, they’ve lost twice. That’s not exactly the worst record in the world.

Michelle says that her team will probably want to fire her if they lose, so they really need to win. The stakes are very high for her. It doesn’t speak well for Michelle that she is only so concerned now, when she knows that he’s on the chopping block.

Aaron’s team tries to think of a theme. Aaron mentions tours of celebrity homes. James suggests they do something with the Laker Girls. He says they’d be a hot choice. He makes a call to set it up. Stefani thinks James’s idea is great. He’s energetic and has great ideas. She’s confident they’ll win.

Michelle’s team begins with the incredibly obvious task of selecting a theme. Michelle likes the idea of “A day in the life of the rich and famous,” which is not a bad idea. Frank and Tim agree. Tim asks Nicole if she loves it. Nicole hedges, and Michelle says that she doesn’t want to pick something that the rest of them aren’t behind. Michelle explains in an interview that after the last Boardroom, she thinks it’s important to get the support and consensus of her team. Leading by consensus is not usually a good idea, but I think in this case, Michelle is on the right track. If she is too strong of a leader, her team will turn on her. Now if they lose, she can say that the rest of the team supported her loser idea.

Frank says that he’s behind the idea 100%. Michelle then takes things a little too far, saying that “if this ever came up,” Frank would then be willing to say that he stood behind the theme wholeheartedly. It’s absolutely the wrong attitude to take. You need to enter into the task confident that you’ll win, not looking to protect yourself when you inevitably lose. Frank says in an interview that Michelle is scared and too caught up with what people think of her He says he’d respect her more if she’d just stand up for herself. Nicole finally says she loves the idea.

Kinetic is busy doing nothing. Heidi and Surya sit by the pool looking hot. Derek does an imitation of Shamu that involves him beaching himself on the side of the pool. It’s pretty funny. Kristine says she doesn’t know or care what the other team is doing. They decide to go get massages.

Aaron’s team is still working on a theme for their tour. Aaron is thinking famous murders – the Menendez brothers, O.J. Simpson, and so on. Stefani doesn’t like the idea. It think it would be pretty darned weird to have the Laker girls touring a murder scene. James suggests that they focus on places that have been seen in movies, coming up with the title “Famous Places, Beautiful Faces.” James is adorably excited about the idea. He says in an interview that he feels really good, that this is his opportunity to impress Trump.