The Apprentice 4, Episode 13: All the Marbles

Trump, Carolyn, and George take a limo to Lincoln Center. Trump promises “an exciting night.” He says that Rebecca is smart, tough, and loyal. And “Randal is Randal.” They arrive, and enter the building through some fairly unimpressive looking side door, which is lacking in drama. Carolyn looks really pretty. The crowd is excited. Trump reminds them that over a million people applied for the show, and now we’re down to two. He says it’ll be a tough night for both Randal and Rebecca. Trump takes an informal poll of the audience and gets big cheers for both candidates. He claims to not have made up his mind yet, which is highly doubt.

We begin with Rebecca. She sighs at the news that Joe Piscopo has quit, but quickly moves ahead. Toral suggests they find someone even bigger, saying maybe they can find a celebrity who will do the event for free. Rebecca doesn’t think anyone would do an event for Yahoo For free, but Toral reminds her that it’s for charity, not Yahoo. Rebecca tells everyone to get on the phone and start calling around to find out who is available. This is a big setback, and they need to find somebody good to host the show. Chris and James joke that they are next in line to do it.

Josh answers the phone at the suite and hears the bad news- it’s pouring outside. They ask Steve, the grounds guy, if they can possibly still have the game. Randal can’t believe what’s happening. If they can’t play softball, “I am done.” He and his team leave for the stadium. Randal laments his relying on good weather. Alison from Autism Speaks calls and wants to know when he’ll decide whether or not they can have the game. Randal tells her it’ll be at 11:00 or so, and promises to keep in touch with her throughout the morning. Josh sighs that the weather was beautiful the day before. Randal tries to say that it’s just a drizzle, but that sure doesn’t seem to be the case.

James meets Pete Dominic, their new MC, who shakes his hand and declares, “I got pee on my hand.” I hate him already. Pete is an experienced MC and promises to do a good job. But he has a few demands – he wants three models, Jennifer Lopez, and Jennifer Garner to be there. Hopefully Ben Affleck’s not on the guest list, because awkward. Pete then says Rebecca looks tense and offers her a hug. He is pretty obnoxious, but he’s also making Rebecca feel a lot better. She says in an interview that she’s rolling with the change and that she’s proud of the way her team handled it.

The news is worse for Randal- Mark just found out that it’s supposed to rain all day. Randal dodges puddles as he gets out of the car. Mark says in an interview that they’re in “crisis mode.” Randal is going to have to rise to the occasion. Randal talks the situation over with Steve the grounds guy, and they agree that even if the weather clears up enough for people to play ball, the outdoor VIP area would be a mess. They decide to come up with a plan B using the indoor parts of the stadium. They look at a room that looks like it might be a locker room and decide it would work. Marshawn tells us in an interview that they decided not to have a silent auction, just a live one, to raise the most amount of money possible for the charity.

And now it’s time for the Trump Lesson of the Week: “Responsibility.” Trump says a good leader takes responsibility for problems and finds solutions. This week’s Betsy Lesson of the Week is to not attempt to wrap presents while my soon-to-be one year old son is in the room. Jack is not as helpful as he thinks he is.

Rebecca starts setting up her venue. They carefully pack the goody bags with a brochure about Elizabeth Glaser and a donation envelope. We are reminded that Yahoo requested no direct solicitation for charity. Rebecca plans to get that envelope to the VIPs as a compromise.

Randal meets with the CEO of Outback and their MC, Jim. He immediately likes Jim and feels like he’s in good hands. They agree that they’ll admit the VIPs to the event first, and after that first come, first serve. They vow to make sure anyone who comes out in the rain has a good time.

Marshawn gives Alison a tour of the room where the event will be held, and Alison does not look happy at all. In an interview, Alison worries that Randal will lose focus on the charity because he’ll be too wrapped up with fundraising. She shares that concern with Randal, and he promises that won’t be the case. He says that he, Trump, and Jim will all address the cause in their opening statements, and that Jim will give facts about Autism throughout the auction. He says he’s going to look into getting Jim a lectern and sound system. In an interview, Randal notes that Alison is “bothered,” which is something of an understatement. Under the circumstances, he says, she won’t get everything she wants.

Back at Lincoln Center, Trump brings out the fired candidates. Wow, Jen has a lot of hair, doesn’t she?

Chris reports that Rebecca requested Yahoo logos everywhere. The room is awash in a sea of purple. Among all of the Yahoo banners is a lone Elizabeth Glazer sign. Chris hangs it in a prominent place over the bar, but admits in an interview that it’s overshadowed.

Randal’s team is frantically setting up the event. Randal says that his team is running all over the place fighting fires, and he’s trying to keep it together. Alison tells Mark that they need to make sure any checks are not lost. He makes her what looks like an Autism Speaks t-shirt over a canister. She’s not thrilled with it, but I think it works, especially in a pinch. Mark says in an interview that the whole team believes in Randal.

George arrives, and Randal tells him how well his team did. George says that the event looks pretty good, considering how Randal must have been scrambling. In an interview, Randal says he had to decide what he could delegate and what he had to do himself. As VIPs arrive, Randal greets them all personally. He says in an interview that the pieces of the puzzle are coming together.

Carolyn meets Rebecca at her event. Carolyn notes that everything is “Yahooed out,” from the purple everywhere to the Yahoo logos, and even “Yahootini” purple drinks. She asks Rebecca what they have for Elizabeth Glaser. Rebecca points out that lonely sign over the bar and adds that they have Jake Glaser there. Carolyn is not impressed. Sure, they should entertain, but the point is to raise money. She thinks Rebecca has missed the boat. She wonders if there’s a plan to get donations.

Trump takes his helicopter to Randal’s event, calling to let him know he’s on the way. Randal greets him and explains that they couldn’t have the game, even though it is not raining at that moment. In an interview, Randal says this was his last chance to impress Trump. He escorts him inside and reviews the game plan with him. He wonders how Rebecca is doing.

Randal kicks off the event by giving a speech in which he talks about how much he has learned about autism during this event. In an interview, Mark says that Randal became “a rock star.” He says that Randal came across as genuine and that his speech was very moving. Randal then introduces Donald Trump. In an interview, Josh enthuses that Randal is the real deal and was speaking unrehearsed and from the heart.

MC Jim introduces the celebrities – Sugar Ray Leonard, Jerome Williams, Jerry O’Donnell, and Carson and Thom from Queer Eye. I love Thom so much. They auction off a pair of boxing gloves autographed by Sugar Ray Leonard. Alison has gone from looking miserable and upset to glowing. In an interview, she says that Randal is organized, a good manager, and is doing a fantastic job of raising awareness.

Trump ditches his helicopter and takes a limo to Rebecca’s event. Rebecca tells an executive that the Yahoo backpack is full of Yahoo swag, plus the brochure and envelope for Elizabeth Glaser. She reminds us again that Yahoo asked for no direct requests for money. She thinks that the VIPs will have deep pockets and hopes they’ll donate to a good cause. Trump calls her on her cell, and Rebecca looks a little taken aback. She promises Trump he’ll be impressed.

And now it’s time for the second Trump Lesson of the Week: Respect. Trump likes it when employees treat the boss (i.e. him) with respect – it makes the boss feel good. And now for your second bonus Betsy Lesson of the Week. Whenever I have important paperwork I don’t want to lose, but won’t need for a while – say a plane ticket, or all of the receipts for my Christmas presents – I put it in my sock drawer. It’s as good a place as any, and I always know just where to look.

At Rebecca’s event, things are going pretty well. James reviews the plan with the comics, and Pete is uncomfortable about something or other. Trump arrives, and Rebecca is not there to greet him. He finds her, and they chat for a few minutes. She asks him if he’ll say a few words, and the next thing you know, there’s a microphone in his hand. Trump gives a short speech, then directs everyone downstairs for the comedy event. Oops- that wasn’t supposed to happen for another half hour! In an interview, Rebecca says that ironically, Trump was their biggest wild card. She gets on her walkie talkie and suggests that Pete enter by running through the crowd. In an interview, Chris says admiringly that Rebecca never sweats under pressure. Rebecca sends Toral to get Jake Glaser.

Pete is not happy that he has to go on early. James says he had to get the comedians going, and that they don’t like starting earlier than planned. Pete doesn’t want to go on stage too early, so James agrees to go on in his stead. In the audience, Trump says that the even seems a little disorganized. Funny, considering that it’s his fault.

Jake Glaser gives a short speech, then it’s time for Pete. He teases George about drinking the girly Yahoo-tinis, then teases him about his age. Chris says in an interview that he wanted to stop Chris from going after their judge so relentlessly. Rebecca is upstairs arranging the gift bags and gets a call from downstairs that George is laughing. Amusingly, the next comedian teases George, too. It’s like a George Ross Celebrity Roast, which should totally be one of the next final two tasks.

Now it’s time to check in with Randal. He says he’s feeling good, especially that he got to work with such great friends again. He hugs Marshawn and thanks her for being his little sister. She laughs and says he’s her little brother. Randal says in an interview that he really appreciates everyone’s hard work. He felt humbled to work with such an important charity, and he’s relieved that it’s all over. He looks exhausted.

Back at Rebecca’s event, Pete wraps things up. They pass out the bags and thank each person for coming. George leaves, admiring all of the details that went into the event, down to the purple flashing ice cubes in some of the drinks. Rebecca thanks her team, saying she couldn’t have done it without them. She wishes she could do something for them, after they gave their all for her.

Randal and Rebecca return to the suite. They agree that the day was crazy, but good. They’re both exhausted, kind of like I’ll be by the time I finish this recap. Randal says that Rebecca is a worthy opponent. She says that they’re both very qualified and will be happy for each other regardless of the outcome. “Let the chips fall,” she says.

The two of them go out for breakfast and talk about their experience. Rebecca says that she’s never had to overcome something as “in your face” difficult as working with a broken ankle. Randal says it was tough to compete after the loss of his grandmother. Rebecca admires his dignity, and Randal, in turn, says he respects her. They toast the experience being almost over.

Now it’s time for a montage of the two of them getting ready. Randal says it’s his last chance to impress Trump. Rebecca says she will bring to the Trump organization drive, passion, intelligence, and an attitude that nothing is out of bounds. Randal says he has more experience; Rebecca thinks she has broader business experience. Randal reminds us that he has a 3-0 record as project manager and was drafted onto two different teams. Rebecca says she’s ready to fight.

They arrive at the boardroom, but have to wait – first, Trump wants to talk to their teams. Josh says Randal was a phenomenal leader, grounded and calm. Mark says they couldn’t have played softball under those conditions, but thinks they may have raised more money this way. They’re all happy to learn that they raised $11,000 for the charity.

Rebecca, on the other hand, raised nothing. Toral explains again why they didn’t overtly ask for donations. Chris agrees. George asks the big question – who was running the show –them or Yahoo? Toral says the show went great, but Trump says that they didn’t raise any money. He says Yahoo should donate some money to the cause. Open your own wallet, big guy.

Mark says that Randal heard Alison’s passion for curing autism and made their focus be fundraising. Chris says that he had never worked with Rebecca before, and that she impressed him. She’s very effective.

Josh interrupts and says that Rebecca did not go above and beyond. Chris disagrees – he respected her and she was a great manager. Trump asks Marshawn, who has worked with both candidates, who is better. Without hesitation, she names Randal. She won’t take away anything from Rebecca, who Marshawn likes, but she thinks Randal is better.

Carolyn says that Rebecca’s event was very well branded, more so than Randal’s. And why, she asks, did they not check the weather? Marshawn says that they did a great job of making changes at the last minute. That shows leadership. Josh agrees with Carolyn that Randal had no plan B, but thinks he faced the obstacles really well.

George asks Josh what went wrong? Josh says they should have had a rain plan, could have stuck the schedule better, and should have checked the weather. George thinks it was a mistake to not put the celebrities on the stage. Mark argues that the even was about raising money for autism, not about celebrities.

Trump asks if Randal is low key. Josh says he has a great resume and is very balanced. But is he tough enough for New York? Josh says yes. Trump says that Rebecca is very tough. Her defense of Toral also showed loyalty. James agrees. Toral adds that even when Rebecca hurt her ankle, she didn’t cry. “I think Rebecca is a better human being than I am,” Toral concludes. Well, that’s not setting the bar very high, is it? Chris adds that nothing fazes Rebecca. She brushed off the MC problem and moved on. Trump sighs, “I am stuck with two stars.” Poor Trump!

It’s time for Randal and Rebecca to go to the boardroom. Randal says he deserves the job because of his record, his being drafted by the other teams, and because of his outside experience and academic record. Rebecca says she’s competed with loyalty and honesty and isn’t afraid to go against the grain. She played well even with a broken ankle.

Randal, Trump points out, greeted him when he arrived, which Rebecca did not do. Trump thinks Randal’s room was bad, but Randal insists that it was the best choice they had. Trump tells him that he raised $11,000, then adds that Rebecca raised no money.

Rebecca explains (for what seems like the billionth time) that the Yahoo people didn’t want overt rquests for donations. George says that they could have done something else to raise money, such as a silent auction. Carolyn asks why Rebecca felt the need to act in Yahoo’s best interests, rather than the charity’s. Trump asks the big question- who was the client?

Randal jumps in that in his case, without a doubt, the charity was the more important of the two. Trump agrees. He tells Rebecca that she should have raised money, and all she can say is that she wishes they had.

Randal is not off the hook yet. Trump says that he has been better in past tasks than he was in this one (and I agree). Trump says that, for example, he would have liked to have seen a list of the items available for bid. George thinks the celebrities should have been on stage where people could see them. Randal disagrees – he liked the dynamic of having them in the crowd. Carolyn asks why on earth he didn’t check the weather. Randal says that he did the day before, and there was a 30% chance of rain. Carolyn says that in that case, he should have had a plan B. Randal tries to say that they had a partially formed backup plan, but George and Carolyn aren’t buying it. Randal argues that, in the end, he pulled it all together well. Trump says that Carolyn is often in charge of events that are affected by weather (remember, she runs Trump National), and she always has a contingency plan.

Trump asks Randal why he should not hire Rebecca. He says that at 23, she’s still young. Her 1-2 record as project manager is unimpressive. And her team didn’t respect her, releasing her as a weak player during the corporate reshuffle.

Trump poses the same question to Rebecca – why should he not hire Randal? Rebecca says that Randal is a great leader and she respects him, but he tends to overthink things. He misses the big picture because of his focus on details. That’s kind of funny, because that same criticism should be said of her on this last task. Randal disagrees. How can a man with a 3-0 record as project manager be a person who doesn’t see the big picture?

Trump asks George what the two candidates did right. George says they did a lot of things right. They had tough circumstances to deal with and rose to the occasion. Both of them are stars and would be great hires. Carolyn agrees that they’re both excellent. She says that they were able to motivate their teams and earned their respect. Rebecca’s event went very well, and Randal managed to pull his together. Plus, Randal’s team raised a lot of money. Trump concludes by complimenting the two candidates and sending them on their merry way.

So, what should Trump do? Both candidates made some real mistakes on this task. Randal was really foolish to not have a rain plan for his softball game. Carolyn is right – with a 30% chance of rain, he should have been prepared. In the end, though, he really got results, and that’s the most important thing in corporate America. As for Rebecca, the fact that she didn’t raise any money for Elizabeth Glaser was a real misfire. She was certainly put in a difficult position by the Yahoo executives. Yahoo was sponsoring the event, and the guests were VIPs invited by them, so it was reasonable for Rebecca to feel she needed to follow their wishes. On the other hand, Yahoo was not her client. Trump said when he gave out the tasks that the candidates would need to please both the sponsors and the charities; Rebecca really only pleased the sponsor. Rebecca didn’t hold a charity event; she held a Yahoo reception with an Elizabeth Glaser banner at it. I’m having a party on Saturday. If I stick brochures in my guests’ coat pockets, does that make it a fundraiser? George made a good point that she could have found ways to raise money besides directly asking for it. Randal’s end result in this task was better than Rebecca’s, so I would give him an edge, but only a slight one.

That leaves Trump to look at the candidates’ records. There is no comparison – Randal far outshines Rebecca. He had a perfect record as project manager, was on more winning teams, and clearly had everyone’s respect. Trump should hire Randal, though if he chooses Rebecca instead, I’m sure he’ll be happy with her.

We’re back at Lincoln Center, and Trump introduces a video reminding us of who Rebecca is. I think we all know by now, right? Rebecca enters the room, sans crutches and looking gorgeous. She greets everyone enthusiastically. Next we see a Randal video, and he joins the group, also looking gorgeous. “Two tough cookies, huh?” says Trump.

Trump decides to ask the fired candidates about Randal and Rebecca. He starts with Toral, who he says was abused, and “deservedly so.” Toral says that as a woman, she is very proud to support Rebecca. She’s smart, honest, trustworthy, and is overall better than Randal. Someone yells, “biased opinion.”

Next he turns to Marshawn. She says that Trump has an easy choice – it’s Randal all the way. He’s got the education, experience, ethics, and esteem of the team. That sentence was brought to you by the letter E!

Jennifer M. says she loves both of them, but that she’s a huge Randal fan. He has people skills and is a natural leader. She says he has a big heart, and you can see it in his eyes. That’s a big heart, all right.

Ooh, now for Alla! All says that she will stick to the facts, and that is that Rebecca isn’t in the same league as Randal. She saw nothing in Rebecca, and that’s why she traded her. There are boos from the audience, as Alla concludes by saying that Randal is outstanding. Several RNO’ers have wondered why Alla was so hard on Rebecca. Way back in the Best Buy task, which Rebecca led, Alla said that she did not like Rebecca’s leadership style- she was too forceful. Since we know that Alla herself is rather forceful, I think we can conclude that when she has to work with someone else like that, she bristles. Alla likes to be the one in charge. I also think that Rebecca lost points with many of the women on her team for supporting Toral.

Trump introduces Dan from Yahoo, who is sitting next to Kendra and Bill in the audience. He announces that Yahoo is donating $100,000 to be split among the two charities. By the way, to those of you wondering where Kendra has been all season and why we haven’t seen more of her, I’d guess that the answer is that she’s been busy working on her Apprentice job! I also think that the reason we see more of Bill than Kendra or Kelly is not only that Bill has had the title for the longest, but also because he is outstanding in the boardroom and is very charismatic.

Trump tells the candidates about the two jobs he has available. One is working on the construction of a luxury high-rise in Jersey City. The other is an expansion of Trump’s casinos in Atlantic City. Trump adds that which project they each choose might influence his decision. Randal says he’d love the Atlantic City job, which is nice because Rebecca would prefer Jersey City.

Trump asks Rebecca if there is such thing as too much education. She diplomatically answers that she values education, but that the important thing is how you use it. Randal says that the fact that he has five degrees is not as important as the fact that he’s run five companies.

Rebecca, he says, is not experienced enough and has shown an inability to lead a team to victory. Trump asks his favorite question, which is if Rebecca is “tough enough” to work in New York. Randal thinks she’s tough, but not that tough. Carolyn takes him down a peg by saying that he’s very good, but should have checked the weather. Trump asks Randal why he should hire him. Randal points to his record. Then, he asks all of the fired candidates to stand up if they think he should be hired. Since that part of the stage is lit, it’s not a very impactful moment for us watcing on TV. He starts to give another answer, but Trump cuts him off.

Rebecca says that Trump once said he’d walk through concrete walls to get what he needs. She’s done the same thing. She talks about starting a non-profit at the age of 15 and working with Al Gore and Colin Powell. She says that she would be a better choice as apprentice than Randal.

Randal counters, “I run business; Rebecca writes about business.” Good line. He says that he has the academic background, experience, and record to prove himself. George wants to talk about that record, but Trump tells him it’s time for a commercial.

We will never know what George had to say, because Trump is ready to go. He wants good people working for him, and this is more than just entertainment for him. Randal has been outstanding and is very educated. Rebecca is also educated, smart, handles pressure well, and didn’t quit because of her ankle. He’s still not sure what to think of her loyalty to Toral. Randal is a good leader and leads through example. Randal is hired.

Randal jumps out of his chair in triumph and goes to shake hands with the other candidates. But wait! There’s more! Trump asks Randal to sit back down, and the music stops just in time, leading me to believe Trump had this trick up his sleeve before this moment. This would be the point that many of my readers predicted. In a season marked by multiple firings, Trump will end with a multiple hiring, offering a job to Rebecca as well.

Trump says that he’s thinking about hiring Rebecca too, and wants Randal’s opinion. Randal says that while she’s good, the name of the show is The Apprentice, not The Apprentii, so there should be only one. Okay, Trump says. He was thinking about hiring Rebecca, but now he won’t. Randal continues to celebrate as the credits roll.

What the hell was that? Randal has been saying all along that Rebecca is a worthy oppontent, and that he respects her and thinks she’s talented. But he doesn’t want Trump to give her a job. Not because she’s not good enough, but because he doesn’t want to share the glory? And Trump decides to take the advice from someone who has worked for him for less time than it takes to pour a cup of coffee? That’s pitiful. This doesn’t have to be a zero sum “I win, you lose” game for Randal. He’d still have the job he wanted, and he’d still be Trump’s first choice, but Rebecca would have a great opportunity as well. Yet Randal refuses to share even a little bit of the glory. In that very quick moment, I was no longer able to feel as happy for Randal. This really ended things on a sour note, and I’m disappointed.

Betsy Wasser is the Associate Editor of Reality News Online. She can be reached with any comments at betsywasser@gmail.com

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