The Apprentice 3 Weekly Performance Review, The Finale: Buried Alive

So let’s review:

• Mature: Taking credit for others’ work, braying like something out of Shrek in the process.
• Immature: Getting the job done, calmly and logically swatting away any criticism that comes.

I’d rather be immature, thanks.

Sorry, I digress. She was pretty good early (better than everyone else, but that’s not saying much. I thought her first win, the mobile business task, was more thanks to her teammates than anything she did), but Tana lost her edge in the Pontiac task and never got it back. She was cruising along, absolutely kicking ass in the Wearable Tech challenge, then used the hard-earned immunity from the task by kicking back and going to sleep the next week. As I said back then, I actually respected Craig more for the decision because had they lost, he would have actually had to defend himself. She didn’t go back in the boardroom for another two weeks, when she faced (heh) Kendra in the t-shirt challenge.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. The Pontiac challenge was episode 12. How did she do since then?

• Episode 13: She again proved that she’s not management material by blatantly ignoring Craig and Kendra’s argument and munching on a sandwich. Even if she wasn’t in charge, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that someone needed to be a cool head. Naturally, it wasn’t Tana.
• Episode 14: Bedazzler. ‘Nuff said.
• Epsiode 15: Condescending and rude to employees, ineffective supervision, and nonexistent control. Basically the opposite of a manager.

Last week, Apprentice Extras writer Jenn Brasler made the joke that Kendra could “swear at George, kick Carolyn, chew tobacco in front of Trump, [and] burn down Radio City Music Hall,” and still get the job. I agree with that assessment, and Kendra’s win was such a foregone conclusion because of the final task. But even if the final task had been close, the many mistakes Tana made would have sunk her.

Kendra played under the radar. Yes, that was her strategy – to float under the radar at first. People seem to forget the last part of it. It’s not like she stood on someone’s coattails the whole season like Katie from Survivor: Palau. Look, in the first season, Bill didn’t really stand out until the fourth week (the Planet Hollywood task, when he was forced to run the place from the kitchen and got upset about the “Kwame Jackson” incident).

But Kendra, with her supposed “fly under the radar” strategy, made a point in the very first boardroom and stand up for Danny, who was being dogpiled by the others. Carolyn (and I) immediately took notice. It would have been much easier to blend in, but to speak up and give her true opinion (and “risk being noticed,” considering her strategy, right?) took courage. In the second task, Kendra stepped up and negotiated that huge deal on furniture. Remember – those early episodes were car wrecks. I consider the fact that Kendra wasn’t in them to be a good thing! She didn’t have anything to do with the vegetable porno, so she doesn’t deserve to be hired? Sure thing.

Kendra REALLY stepped up in week seven, essentially winning the miniature golf task herself with the idea to set up exclusive discounts with neighboring merchants. The next week she became Project Manager and never looked back.

My point is, even if we didn’t see much of her in five of the first seven weeks, it doesn’t matter. I think we didn’t see her in those early tasks because she wasn’t obnoxious (like Kristin), didn’t slack off on a task because she had immunity (Tana… oh, wait, that one was Michael), act like an incredible sexist boor (John), have a mental breakdown (Audrey or Verna), have a bad temper (Chris), or sing and demand attention at every opportunity (Danny). She bided her time and let the undeserving fight amongst themselves, and then she emerged and took the game by the throat and won. What’s not to respect?

Kendra only won because she has a college education and Tana doesn’t. This one comes directly from Tana herself, who gave an interview that night in her local paper that the decision was “bulls**t,” and claimed her lack of a degree was the only reason she lost. If Tana truly believes this, she’s even more clueless than I thought.

I was one of the first ones to complain of the pointlessness of this season because I thought that Trump would never hire anyone without a college education. I’m still not convinced that’s not true, but Tana’s meltdown made it a moot point. Put it this way – had Kendra done as poorly on the final task as Tana did, and Tana cruised on her task like Kendra did, is there any doubt in anyone’s mind that Tana would have been hired? There isn’t, and that makes this argument just another excuse.

Even if all of these arguments are true, there’s one simple fact that no one - NO ONE - can argue. When it counted, Kendra did a tremendous job and Tana dropped the ball. You fail the final exam, you fail the course. You lose the Super Bowl, you lose the championship. Kendra earned her win, and I’m all for sitting back and letting her enjoy it.

Mike DeGeorge has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management from Christian Brothers University in Memphis, and has almost ten years of management experience. He is also Associate Editor of RNO. Email Mike at mikmaria@charter.net.

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