Celebrity Apprentice, the Finale: Good Versus Evil – A Winner Is Crowned

Trump next brings out the eliminated contestants. For some reason, Carol is announced out of sequence, three people early, so there’s an odd pause as she’s shunted to the front of the line. Gene Simmons is missing; he’s away shooting a movie in Japan.

Omarosa is brought out specially, preceded by clips of her battles with Piers. Trump asks Omarosa why she doesn’t like Piers. She makes a stupid comment about his dental hygiene. That was her best effort, with months to prepare? Even Trump says that was lame! Trump asks Piers what he thinks of Omarosa and he asks who she is again – going back to his point that she’s not a real celebrity. She stupidly retorts that she was going to ask the same question of him. The problem here, as it was when she first tried to use this “I’m rubber, you’re glue” ploy, is that Piers has been a star of a top TV show, while she is only known for being a bitch on the first season of this show. Again, Trump shuts her down.

Trump asks Lennox about the two candidates. He describes Piers as aggressive and high-strung, but needs to use more tact. Both candidates are competent. There’s no time for him to address Trace.

Carol gets the same question. She says she was not insulted to be picked last. About Trace, Trump ties to cut her off and insults her response – which has to do with her belief that she should have been one of the final two – but she’s having none of it. Trump is an idiot.

Baldwin is asked if he sabotaged Piers in the final task. Sidestepping the question, Baldwin isn’t sure if he is one of Piers’ new friends or not. He says Trace is “ten times better than Piers” any day.

Vinnie is asked if he’s sorry he quit. He wishes he didn’t resign, but the rest of the reply isn’t serious.

Lennox wants to say who he best wanted on his team, which might be something he got cut off from saying earlier. He says that at the time, he felt Piers was the stronger performer of the two.

Trump chats briefly with some of the other contestants. Nothing newsworthy. Trump then polls the contestants for who they like more. Almost all prefer Trace.

Next, Gene Simmons. After recap material, Gene is contacted from Tokyo, Japan. Trump asks Gene if he’s changed his mind regarding the Kodak task. Trump reports that Kodak has doubled their sales. Gene says he respects Kodak, but they have made a short-sighted decision and he stands by his opinion. The Kodak exec is on hand to say that Gene is wrong, because sales continue to skyrocket. Face it Gene – you were wrong on concept, and wrong in execution.

Trump asks Gene to pick his winner. He says Piers outperformed Trace financially, but Trace represents the flag and goodness, so Trace is his pick.

The next clips are about the charities. Trace’s Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network is first. We get more details about severe food allergies and learn that if his daughter even comes in contact with peanut butter, they have seven minutes to react or she could die.

Trace next sings his new #1 single, “You’re Going To Miss This.” For two weeks, you can download it from iTunes and the money goes to Trace’s charity. (If you don’t use iTunes, you can get it from Amazon.com instead – though not for the charity.)

Piers’ charity is profiled next. There are some tough scenes here, with veterans who have suffered severe injuries. When we return to live, several are on stage, and get a standing ovation from the audience. During a second ovation, Trace comes over to shake hands with them.

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Trump announces he’s tossing in another $250,000 to the winning charity. Actually, this has been in press releases since the season began.

Trump asks each contestant why he should pick them. Trace says he supports the military and has been decorated as a civilian, but his charity represents a problem that people don’t understand.

Piers agrees that Trace is a fine man, but this is a business competition with a premium on raising money for charities. He won nine of eleven challenges, raised more cash than all the rest combined, and produced more celebrities. Again, Trump cuts him off, and Piers says being loved isn’t important to him and reminds Trump that he’s not loved either. So true!

Ivanka reiterates that Piers lacks tact. She refers to his “bedside manner” and Piers makes a joke of it, saying she doesn’t know how about his bedside manner. First she says “touché,” but then decides to be upset. Sorry, no sale here, Ivanka, you’re the one who brought up the euphemism.

Piers says he stands behind everything he’s done and says his integrity is intact and he doesn’t like it being called into question.

Trump gets a quick comment from his son but then must make the final announcement. He compliments the efforts of both players and says, “For tonight: Piers, you’re the Celebrity Apprentice!”

Cue the confetti! The Donald tells us they’ll be back next year, and beyond.

My Comments: Trump picking the winner because they’re “nicer?” Come on, never going to happen!

My thanks to those who took the time to write me this season… it’s been an exhausting journey!

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out these Apprentice articles from earlier this season:

Brian lives in Toronto. He spent a couple of decades working in middle management at The Prudential, primarily hiding behind the coffee machines in generally unsuccessful attempts to avoid his pointy-haired bosses. He can be reached at uncle_bto@rogers.com. He’d like to hear your opinions and promises to respond to all serious email.

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