The Donald Quacks-up on Apprentice Finale
By J. James Estrada (12/16/05)
Imagine playing an entire NFL season, 16 games, and then the appropriate number of playoff games to reach the Super Bowl. To win the biggest game in sports is to be crowned by history as the best of the best. Now picture NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue, with the Vince Lombardi Trophy in hand, asking this question of the winning team owner: “Would you mind sharing this award with the other team?”
That’s basically what Donald Trump asked the winner of his season four Apprentice television program to do last night. New Jersey’s Randel Pinkett was hired during the live season finale, beating out 17 other candidates. As Pinkett was celebrating on stage at Lincoln Center in New York, Trump called him back to the boardroom table and asked him if he wouldn’t mind he if also hired the runner-up. Pinkett answered, “If you’re going to hire someone tonight, it should be one.” Who can disagree with that? Well, Andy Denhart can. His piece at MSNBC is titled, “Apprentice winner refuses to share title,” and he called Pinkett “aggressively selfish.”
Trump evidently didn’t think this strategy through. Ratings for the Apprentice have been dropping every year since the inaugural show. By picking two winners, he negates any hope of gaining audience for season 5, which has already been ordered by the network. Mark Burnett, the show’s producer, should be thanking his lucky stars that Randel balked at Trump’s insane suggestion. Would you watch the Super Bowl if you knew both teams would be declared winners?
Copyright 2005 J. James Estrada
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