With Raj gone, the show just got both more and less interesting, depending on how one looks at it. On the one hand, he’ll probably be back at some point for Robin’s number (nice try, big guy), but on the other hand, he won’t be around enough to provide the comic relief that this show so desperately needs. While I agree with Ivana that Raj probably does need “adult supervision” at times, like when he started making machine gun noises in the police force recruitment task, he added a spark to the show that the likes of Wes, Kelly, and Kevin don’t. Those guys are so level-headed and seemingly normal that they’re almost indistinguishable from one another. The Bachelorette would probably have been a better show for them.
I found it kind of funny that Trump was wearing a bow tie when he fired Raj. Maybe he’ll show up in a halter top to give Sandy the boot. All I know is that I’ll have to wait at least two weeks for that. Sandy ain’t going nowhere for the moment. And she’s earned that right. I thought Sandy’s performance on this task was fully deserving of a win. She had a minor meltdown mid-project, but she was able to do it quietly and on her own. After she dried her eyes, she got back to work and did a phenomenal job showing the house to the appraisers. Sandy’s presentation style was polished and confident, while Raj peppered his showing with excuses and qualifiers. Not that Apex would have been able to pull through with a win, anyway, as their renovation didn’t even compare with Mosaic’s. But a major part of business is pitching the product, and Raj was abysmal in this aspect of the project.
I expressed some skepticism last week about the return of the first four candidates to get canned. While Rob’s presence once again barely registered, Bradford, Stacie J., and Jennifer C. managed to make a few waves. I anticipated that Bradford would come back as a bit of a wounded puppy this time, which he did to a certain extent. Nevertheless, he was able to speak up in the boardroom and make Kevin squirm in his expensive swivel chair. He also got to tell Mr. Trump how hot he thinks Melania is (Really? I bet El Donald hadn’t noticed).
And Stacie finally got her props from Trump (as well as Jennifer) for making some great contributions to the task. Stacie also had the satisfaction of watching Ivana take a verbal reaming for trying to cut her down in front of the Donald. Of course, Ivana was probably just aching to get in one last dig at Stacie, who waltzed into the project and immediately confronted her, as did fellow returnee Jennifer C. (who was not as bitter as I expected). Jennifer M. was also way harsh with Ivana this episode and unleashed a level of aggression I’d never seen before. Although Raj took the walk down Loser’s Lane this week, Ivana got seriously shafted. I wonder if she’ll recover.
Ditto for Chris. Maybe now he’ll learn that using his mouth as a megaphone for his dick isn’t the best way to get in Trump’s good graces. Mr. Macho definitely needs to take it down a peg or two or Carolyn will bitch slap him again. Not that I wouldn’t love to see that, but I’m thinking about the behavior that would be in Chris’s best interests here. I can’t wait to see how he fares as project manager for the bridal task next week. I pray that I’ll have a chance to hear him use the word “underwears” again.
The rest of my observations about this week’s show center around some unanswered questions. I welcome reader input on these issues, as they are causing me to lose the beauty sleep I so desperately require to maintain my resemblance to Melania Knauss:
1. How come the candidates all had to wear hard hats, but Donald, Carolyn, and Matthew were bare-headed? Is this a religious thing? Do they hate yellow? What is it?
2. Where the hell is George? This is the third time he’s been gone. What business trip could be more important than The Apprentice?
3. Why didn’t Raj bludgeon the contractors with his cane as they sat there eating tacos instead of working on the upstairs bathroom?
4. Were the cigar-smoking guys standing on the front lawn of Mosaic’s house really contractors or were they just extras from The Sopranos?
5. When Wes referred to his reward helicopter ride as “a taste of greatness, a taste of power” did anyone else out there get the feeling he was really just speaking in code about his desire to make passionate love to the Donald at 10,000 feet?
6. When Trump, clad in a tuxedo in the boardroom, make his pathetic little joke about having a “formal firing”, didn’t Jennifer M. let out the phoniest giggle ever?
7. Will Raj ever get to do it with Robin? And if so, will we get to see it?
