TV Review Pages

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Piers Morgan Wins the Celebrity Apprentice

Trump Fires Nice Guy Trace Adkins
CBS Thursday 9/8c 3/28/08

The Celebrity Apprentice Finale lived up to the hype. Finally an Apprentice season worth watching, with men who know how to defend themselves in the Boardroom. Two completely different styles clashed as Donald Trump pitted Piers Morgan against Trace Adkins.

Piers Morgan, the Brit most known for in the U.S. for co-hosting the show America's Got Talent, is quite well known in Europe. Portrayed as the ruthless, money-grubbing foreigner, Piers raised nearly $400,000 for the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund in the final task alone. The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund supports soldiers returning from the war with disabling injuries. There could be no argument that Piers Morgan knows what real money is, who has it, and what it will take to get it from them. Then Piers does what it takes. No more, no less.

Trace Adkins, the All-American cowboy (with a undeniably incredible voice, both speaking and singing), was playing for his daughter with severe food allergies. Trace's charity, The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network(FAAN) , supports research for the over 12 million Americans afflicted with severe food allergies.

For the task, Piers was in charge of Auction part, and Trace was in charge of the Backstreet Boys. Both had their hands full.

Piers picked Stephen Baldwin (I think just to keep Stephen from actually working for Trace), and Carol Alt (who he ignored). Piers filled the auction with incredible packages, and Stephen failed again to get anyone to answer his calls. Piers called in his friends, enemies, and people he had never met but knew they had money. Even a phone-in bid from Simon Cowell for $100,000 (for a shopping trip with Ivanca Trump).

Trace Adkins picked Lennox Lewis (so that he would not work for Piers) and Marilu Henner. He then had to contend with the Backstreet Boys (to which he asked, "Aren't they the Backstreet Men by now?"). The Backstreet Boys now need to come out with a press conference explaining that they were required to be extremely whiny and childish so that it appeared to be a hard task. The Backstreet Boys appeared to
need black fingernail polish and wheat grass juice(?), or they may not be able to perform.

In the end, the auction and Backstreet Boys concert were a huge success.

Back in the Boardroom, Donald Trump had a hard decision to make.
Donald Trump: Profile of a Real-estate Tycoon
Piers Morgan raised more money, on the last task alone, than all of the other contestants combined for the entire show. His team won 9 out 11 tasks. He always raised the most money, even the 2 times his team lost.

Trace Adkins is loved by all, and has something that make you want him on your side. Trace makes people want to put out their very best effort for him, they want him to succeed and will do anything they can to support him. He is not good at asking for money. While a proud characteristic in a man, a horrible one for a fund raiser.

At the end of the day, there was no real decision to be made. Nice guys finish last in business. I'm sorry Trace.

Piers, you're hired!

CBS.com


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