Episode Recap: the Apprentice - LA, Episode 2

Episode 2 Date: January 14, 2007 Frank returns to his comrades in Trump Tent City, having avoided elimination by wearing down The Donald with his hyperactive enthusiasm. He excitedly recounts his heroic victory in the boardroom to his teammates, talking like a spastic first-grader who's been eating way too much sugar. This guy would tire out the Energizer Bunny. Don't worry, though, he has a plan to get his team back into the house. His team mates, who by now are completely under the spell of his charisma, huddle around him to hear his scheme. It's morning and time for the teams to be given their next challenge. Trump rounds up the two yuppie herds and gathers them near the beach. Once again, Trump isn't wearing a tie, just so we all know this is Los Angeles. He tells the kids their next task is to create a line of swimwear. But a reality show that's been on for as many seasons as The Apprentice is much like a pretzel - for it to be the least bit interesting, it has to have twists. The twist with this challenge is that the winning team does not have to participate in next week's challenge. Nicole has taken over the reigns from Frank as the new project manager of "Arrow". One of her team members, Carey, is positively giddy about the chance to design clothes. He immediately starts drawing up designs for male swim trunks during the van ride to the office. He proudly shows off his handiwork to Aaron, who is less than impressed. It seems Carey's designs are a little too gay for most straight men to wear. Carey's not deterred, though, because that is exactly what he was going for. "Kinetic" is having its own internal friction. Heidi dismisses the first bikini they produce as "too Ralph Lauren". The rest of the girls on her team disagree, especially Marissa. Heidi gives in but tells us if the bikini is blasted by the Trumps, it'll be on Marissa's head. Meanwhile at Arrow HQ, Carey has finally produced his first men's swimsuit and he's completely jazzed. He puts it on then struts out to show it to his team. The trunks are very tiny and have an extremely loud, headache inducing design in bright pink. It has to be the least manly thing a guy could wear without dressing in drag. Tim tells us he initially thought Carey was wearing women's bikini bottoms as a joke. Michelle doesn't like it and is very vocal about her opinion. But Carey isn't letting anybody harsh his mellow. His design is getting on that cat walk, no matter what anybody thinks. Michelle is so disgusted by the designs her team has come up with, she tries to avoid any responsibility for any of them. She even refuses to give an opinion on what the price points should be. If the rest of the suits are anything like Carey's little number, that may be the smartest thing she could do. It's time for the fashion show, which takes place on the beach. When The Donald arrives, not only is he still missing a tie, he takes his shoes and socks as well and barefoots it over to his seat. Don't worry, the hair still hasn't moved. Each team has designed six swimsuits, but have only four models each at their disposal. But this is The Apprentice. One of the prerequesites for working for Mr. Trump is that one has to be hot, especially if one is female. So at least one girl and one guy from each team end up donning swimwear and walking the cat walk. As one of the girls walk by, Donald turns to his assistant and asks, "Does she work for us?" The audience applauses with appropriate enthusiasm as each swimsuit comes down the runway. But the crowd seems somewhat underwhelmed as Carey prounces out with pink mankini. One lady writes on her comment card "men's suits unwearable". Derek from Kinetic tells us, "I mean I'm gay, but I was shocked," and that someone should have come on stage with a fire extinguisher, because Carey "flamed it". Jamaican import Muna tells us, "I could never buy any of Arrow's designs for any of my male friends. I don't know any man who would wear that. Let me put it this way, I know a lot more about Carey than I did before. Too much information!" It's time for The Donald and clothing designer Trina Turk to go backstage and tally the orders from the audience, who are purchasing for their stores. In the end, Arrow makes $19,000 while Kinetic makes over $20,000. So not only will Heidi and her team get to stay in the house another week and sit out next week's challenge, they will also get to spend some time at the Playboy mansion as a reward. Trump asks Trina Turk why Arrow lost. She said (prepared to be shocked) that no one liked their men's suits. I think we just heard the sound of the monkey jumping on the back of Carey. Later the winning team Kinetic is whisked away to the Playboy Mansion. As their limo pulls up the driveway, the team is greeted by a commitee of hoochies, Hugh Hefner's three girlfriends. Hef, wearing the same house robe he has worn since 1976, greets everyone later in the house. He tells them how he put up his furniture as collateral on a $600 loan so he could publish the first issue of Playboy. After that fascinating story, the team is escorted out to the swimming pool, where a bounteous bevy of bouncy, busty, bunny-eared bimbos await them (there's something about The Apprentice that inspires me to alliterate). As Hef has pointed out, most of the team are women. At least one of the men is gay. One has to wonder if this can really be considered a "reward" for most of the team. TrumpDaddy arrives at the party later, without his child-bride Melania. Hmm.... He makes it a point to bring Project Manager Heidi to the attention of Hefner. Marisa is not happy. She tells us, "I'm not so sure I love this notion that Heidi continues to be project manager. I just think there should be a chance for other people on the team to shine and showcase our leadership. I could have been project manager here. Christine could have been project manager... and I'm not thrilled with it." Wah. The next day, members of the losing team Arrow are all sitting around their tents discussing whom should be sent to the boardroom. Michelle realizes that no one on the team likes her and starts asking them not to recommend her for elimination. It's a little bizarre, since Carey is obviously at fault for the team's lost. Even if the whole team tells Trump that Michelle should be fired, he should be able to see that's only a matter of popularity and Carey is responsible. But the way some of these boardrooms go, who knows. The Donald may not be on his meds tonight. The Boardroom. The first thing Trump says is "Do you like losing? What's wrong with you people?" He then cuts through the bull right away and establishes Carey's godawful swimsuit as the reason Arrow lost this challenge. "I have a great body," he says, "I could wear that suit and you [Carey] could wear that suit. But no one else at this table could wear it." Great. Now I have to go to bed with the image of Trump in a mankini in my head. Carey tries to blame Michelle for the loss. He talks incoherently about how "there's always some piece that doesn't make the mechanics of a team work right". Trump asks Heidi her opinion. Heidi says that Nicole, as Project Manager, should have prevented Carey's mistake. Nicole asks Trump to ask the rest of the team whom should be fired. Almost everyone says that Carey should be axed, making sure to specify "for this challenge". They would like to recommend Michelle, but know they don't have a good reason. Aaron stands alone in recommending Michelle get fired. James, actually recommends Nicole be fired. Trump asks Nicole whom she plans to bring with her back into the board room. She wisely chooses Carey and Michelle. Trump, Heidi, and Little Trump pow-wow after Arrow leaves the boardroom. They all agree that they need to determine if Nicole approved Carey's hideous designs or if Carey "ramrodded them through". They call the the three back in. Trump brings out the infamous suit but picks it up with a pen. He says he can't bring himself to touch it, since it's "so nasty". Carey still tries to defend his design, but no one on the other side of the table is buying what he's selling. In the end, Trump says, "I'm going to give you the suit, but I'm going to tell you you're fired." Next week - Kinetic gets to live the life of luxury while Arrow has to sweat it out on their next challenge with the Laker Girls.