The Apprentice: Martha Stewart
The Winner Who Acted Like a Loser
Commentary by Donna Emery
October 28, 2005
Jim is about as humble as Muhammed Ali, and about as retiring as Rip Taylor.
But he was the Project Manager for winning team Primarius, on this week's episode of Martha Stewart's Apprentice. Forget his boorish, manic posturing. Forget his flamboyant ways. Since the rest of his team members worked like ants hoarding for the winter, and won the task; Jim will remain in Martha's good graces for yet another maddening week.
Gosh, he is SUCH a train wreck. After returning to the Loft; from last week's near-dismissal in the conference room, Jim was immediately approached by two of his team members, who wanted to know if he was ready to put their differences behind him, and work with them to ensure their team's victory. Carrie spoke for the rest, saying: "are you ready to be part of this team?" As in: not your own person. Not out just for Number One. He agreed, though I'm not
sure why anyone would put any credence in his words, given his track record.
Both teams were then surprised by Martha, who made an impromptu visit to the Loft. She swept through the kitchen, and the rooms, making some dive for their rooms, to tidy up. Soon the real purpose of her visit was revealed. Whether due to strategy or to an ulterior motive, Martha reminded Jim that he hadn't yet been a Project Manager. She asked if he was ready, and he leapt at the opportunity. "I feel like Babe Ruth!" he shouted, and vowed to do all sorts of baseball-metaphor-type things to the project. I don't know about you, but using sports metaphors for a Martha task seems very wrong.
The teams were asked to meet Martha in the Connecticut studio, and they found her surrounded by dogs, and other animals. She told them that the task was to participate in an auction to benefit dog charities, such as shelters. The teams would be working with several celebrities; who owned dogs, and that they would create "experiences" with these celebs and their mutts. The Experiences would be auctioned off, and the team which earned the most money would win.
The teams began strategizing on their way back to the City, and Project Manager Jim was shooting ideas out like a popcorn popper. I'm not sure how his group was responding to these ideas, because he didn't stop talking long enough to ask. Matchstick's comparatively subdued Project Manager, Marcela, talked about keeping everything Under Control. Dawna agreed, saying "negotiation is everything."
At the meeting with Fran Drescher, Amanda quickly took over the discussion, and was admirably tagged-teamed with Dawna. The two of them charmed the former star of "the Nanny" into an appearance with Fran and her dog. Marcela demonstrated her definition of keeping control: when you have two people who work together so well, and the client is responding to them, you don't stick your two cents' worth in and ruin their rhythm.
The other team's first celebrity encounter was with football player Chad Pennington. Ryan was clearly star-struck here, and everyone noticed it and chuckled a bit. I admit it was amusing to see businesslike Ryan acting like a preteen girl at an Aaron Carter concert. Leslie and Ryan did show a lot of skill in their negotiation, while David stood by doing what would become his theme for this event: fading into the wallpaper.
Paul Sorvino, and his daughter, Amanda were railroaded, by Jim, into offering an opportunity for the winning bidder to have their dog on film. Jim talked about the experience as though it was a meeting with the Pope. Although the good-natured Sorvinos would probably have offered a great experience without Jim's suggestion, his relentless energy in the pursuit of this package left them with little choice for resistance.
Susan Lucci was charmed, by Bethenny, into agreeing to host a Diva Doggy Day; where the winner and their dog would shop with Susan, and her pooch.
John Lithgow and Joanna Gleason were found in rehearsal for Broadway's version of "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels." (Can't help but think Lithgow must be awesome in that play!) Although the package: a walk-on role in the show; was something that would be sure to gain a good price, I wondered if Jim had lost sight of the instructions to include the celebrities' dogs in the package. Jim didn't seem aware of much more than Jimworld. "This baby's in the bag!" he crowed.
Marcela continued to be.....
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