The Apprentice, Episode 9: Catty Games

Heidi says in an interview, “You cannot look at this task in an artistic way. If you do, you’re screwed.” She adds that she doesn’t think Donald Trump gives “a rat’s ass” about the art in this particular task; it’s all about money. Omarosa says in an interview that she tried to warn Kwame against choosing Meghan, because “the art world is very finicky.” I watched the scene three times, and Omarosa most certainly did not make any big effort to warn Kwame against choosing Meghan. She said that she had some reservations from an artistic standpoint, but that from a business standpoint, Meghan was the way to go. The Protégé team puts their hands together and cheers for “risk.”

Versacorp is trying to decide which artist to choose – Andrei or Leah. Katrina and Nick want Andrei, while Nick and Amy, on the phone with them, prefer Leah. Nick makes an executive decision and chooses Andrei. Bill asks if it’s really settled. Nick says, “It’s too late. It’s done.” Bill doesn’t like Nick’s unilateral decision, and neither does Amy, but they plan to support the team decision.

I think that Nick handled this situation just fine. The team was deadlocked, he was in charge, and he made a decision. When you’re in charge, that’s your prerogative.

The next day, Protégé members Kwame and Troy hand out invitations to the gallery show while Omarosa and Heidi go to the gallery to help Meghan hang her art and get set up. George visits them there and listens to Omarosa blather on about how Meghan has an “extensive following.” In an interview, George says that while art is subjective, it’s also a business. Choosing Meghan is a gamble. I love that George did an interview. I think that he and Carolyn are both very smart and observant, and I’d like to hear more from them.

And now it’s time for one of the most awesome moments of this episode. Heidi asks Meghan to tell her more about her art. That’s smart on Heidi’s part, because she wants to know as much as possible about the things she’ll be selling. Meghan says that this painting is about dark forces within, reconciling those forces, and so forth. There is a long pause, and Heidi just says, “Okay.” Hee!

Heidi goes on to ask Meghan lots of questions about her work. She jokes that the paintings are going to give her weird nightmares. In an interview, she says, “I’m just going to sell it and learn to like it.”

Omarosa and Heidi are on the street outside of the gallery. Omarosa says that her head is killing her (from the chunk of plaster that fell on her head two episodes ago), so she needs to sit down and have lunch. Heidi suggests that they grab a quick sandwich somewhere and get back to work. Omarosa says that she has a concussion and needs to sit down and relax. Heidi says they don’t have two hours to have lunch. The two of them proceed to have a yelling fight, all while Omarosa is holding the phone with Kwame at the other end, so Kwame hears the whole thing. Omarosa says, “I’m sorry, I can’t run like this with a concussion.” Heidi points out that Omarosa’s head always hurts when there’s work to be done. Omarosa tries to get Kwame to tell her whether or not she can stop for lunch, and he wisely doesn’t get involved.

Omarosa tells Heidi that she is rude and childish. She says in an interview that Heidi has a “trash mouth” and needs to keep quiet. Heidi tells her, “I can’t f***ing stand you,” and refuses to have lunch with her. Omarosa says in an interview that she doesn’t care what Heidi says about her, because “look at the source.” Omarosa storms off – presumably into a restaurant for a concussion cure – while Heidi fumes on the sidewalk.

Meanwhile, Troy and Kwame make fun of Omarosa’s convenient headaches. Troy says that Heidi and Omarosa will never get along, which puts the team on an emotional roller coaster.

At 6:00 in the evening, Versacorp sets up the wine and cheese. Bill says that it’s a tough challenge. The first hour, they’ve heard, is always slow. Nick wonders if it would help if he wore black, which is an adorable concern. Nick says that a good leader never lets his team know he’s worried. He says they’ll be fine. At 7:30, the gallery is hopping. Bill tells a customer that the paintings are being sold at a studio price, and that the artist will hang and light any paintings that are sold. His personal attention pays off, and he sells a painting. Katrina flirts with a customer, joking that he should buy her one of the paintings. Amy is confident, saying, “Tonight’s the night!” Versacorp sells several paintings. Nick congratulates Andrei on how well the challenge is going. He says in an interview that the challenge was all about leading people. He thinks he’s a great leader, bringing energy, enthusiasm, and confidence to the team.

At Protégé’s gallery, the food table is an absolute wreck, and Carolyn notices. Troy introduces himself to a customer and kisses her on both cheeks, saying that he learned that from Omarosa. Troy points out the details of a painting to a customer, but he doesn’t even come close to sounding like he knows what he’s talking about. In an interview, he says that he doesn’t know anything about art, and that this is his Achilles heel. But then our master salesman steps up. He tells a group of customers that the painting they’re looking at is all about the virgin/whore dichotomy (men want a virgin outside the bedroom, but a whore inside it). He might not know what he’s talking about, but the customers seem to like what he’s saying.

In an interview, Omarosa says condescendingly that Heidi and Troy know absolutely nothing about art.

Heidi does her best, talking to a customer about the process Meghan uses to put her artwork together. Her time talking to the artist paid off, because she comes across as knowledgeable. Next, she shows the customer another piece of art, saying that it’s an old toilet bowl, and when you pull the chain, a picture is revealed. Then, a few minutes later, she hears Meghan tell someone else that it’s an old fireplace cover. Heidi just about dies laughing at her own mistake, which is really the only thing you can do in that situation. Omarosa looks on disapprovingly.