Episode 14 - The Interview Process
The final four candidates face their toughest challenge when they are interviewed by some of the biggest CEOs in the world of business, finance, and sports. After an intense battle in the boardroom, the two surviving candidates are given their final tasks. The final four candidates face their toughest challenge when they are interviewed by some of the biggest CEOs in the world of business, finance, and sports. Based upon their feedback, and after an intense battle in the boardroom, Trump fires two candidates and then sends the final 2 on their last assignment.
Thursday 12-09-2004 9:00PM
So, what one question would you ask the candidates to guage their suitability to run your Fortune 500 company?
HIRED
"Mr. Trump wants a young entrepreneur who is feisty and tough and would fit into his organization. I think I'd be a perfect fit."
"I'm the smartest and most talented and most qualified. This is a job interview, and job interviews are about getting the best candidate."
"I'm an intersection of personality, brains and sass." --- Many people say it should have happened sooner, but Ivana got fired for losing too much, and for taking of her skirt for a sale.
"Solutions that really drive companies come from younger people." --- 
"The Trump organization needs someone with balance, which I have." --- In 
"I try to keep very positive and make sure I'm not tearing down the very people I need to get the job done"--- Maria has been at risk for quite some time now. 
"[Trump] has a lot of people working for him with deep pedigrees, and sometimes you need somebody who's going to give you a different angle."
--- Chris saw the writing on the wall - "lose this challenge, get fired." Once the 
"It impressed me very much to see the caliber of my competition. But I'm better." >--- Raj, Raj, Raj. Chris handed you his head, and Trump pointed it out. In 
"This show seemed like it was made for me, like everything I've done prepared me for this moment." --- Elizabeth waffled her way right into the boardroom in
JENNIFER M. AND KELLY DISPLAY THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS:
- They are able to take risks
- They have the capacity to bounce back after failing
- They have the capacity to succeed in a cutthroat environment
- They go against the tide
- They remain focused
- They think creatively
- They have what it takes to be a leader.
HI EVERYBODY,
DO YOU AGREE WITH THE ABOVE ANALYSIS?
WHO DO YOU THINK WILL BECOME THE APPRENTICE 2?
Posted by: Paravastu Suri | 23 November 2004 at 02:05
I think that anybody supporting Jen at this point is either a few cards short of a full deck OR just comfortable with the declining ethical standards in global corporate boardrooms. Jen is a fraud, unethical and will NEVER lead a large organization.
Kelly seems to be the front runner, although I can't warm up to the guy.
Here is hoping that either Kevin or Andy are able to give Kelly a run for his money.
Posted by: Peter | 23 November 2004 at 15:31
A REQUEST TO DONALD TRUMP, GEORGE, AND CAROLYN KLEPCHER: PLEASE ADDRESS THE CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE OF JENNIFER M.'S SUPPOSED GUILT OF PASSING OFF IVANA'S ROTATING WHEEL LEVI JEAN CATALOG IDEA AS HER OWN IN EPISODE 11 OF APPRENTICE 2 SERIES. I, PERSONALLY, DO NOT BELIEVE THAT JENNIFER M. IS GUILTY OF THAT SIN BUT, MANY HAVE COME BELIEVE THAT THAT REALLY IS THE CASE. SO, IT IS TIME FOR THE THREE OF YOU AND OTHER DIGNITARIES AT NBC TO ADDRESS MANY OF THE APPRENTICE 2 VIEWERS' MISGIVINGS ABOUT THIS CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE STRAIGHT AND CLEAR. THANKS.
A sincere appeal to Peter, Lex, Stephen Harris, Maureen Moriarty, Brian Chin, Andy Dehnart, Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, Sam Solovey, Omarosa, Heidi, and all other enlightened "The Apprentice 2" tv series viewers, bloggers, commentators, and critiques!
Peter, I agree with you that moral turpitude is a serious offense and persons, who are guilty of it, have no place in the US Corporate World, especially considering the fact that, only recently, millions of innocent people, all over the United States, lost their life long earnings in the stock market crash, which most people, attribute to the greed, dishonesty, machinations, and loose morals of the people at the helm of affairs at Enron, World Com, and other major companies.
As regards to episode 11, I would have appreciated if Jennifer M. had informed Donald Trump and Levi's executives that, it was the team effort that culminated in the excellent performance of her team and her team's decisive victory. She would have won rave reviews if she had identified Ivana as the brain and major force behind the development of the turning wheel catalogue of Levi jeans, and she had also done her part to the team' success in a multitude of ways.
However, the above lapse apart, I find it difficult to agree with you, Peter, that "Jen is a fraud, unethical and will NEVER lead a large organization".
I would appreciate if you could show some evidence or point out to any incident wherein, Jennifer M. ever told anybody that the idea of a turning wheel is her's and that is her baby.
As far as Apex' presentation to Levi's team was concerned, as most people saw, Kevin set the ball rolling and Ivana followed him with an explanation of what the team had set out to do and what they had accomplished in the task. In fact, Ivana spoke about the turning wheel catalog first and Jennifer M. jumped in later to provide more information about the turning wheel catalog, and what it was supposed to accomplish for the Levi's jean's company with its customers. At no point, did I ever hear Jennifer M. say that the turning wheel catalog idea was hers.
Please do not take Ivana lightly. She is a very capable and an extremely articulate person, and she can take down her detractors very easily. She does not need anybody else's help in defending her turf and making a mincemeat of anybody who erred in her presence. She would have torn Jennifer M. to pieces, then and there itself, on the spot, if Jennifer M. had the temerity, stupidity, and audacity of telling anybody in front of Ivana that the rotating wheel Levi jean catalog was her idea and the team's success is mainly due to her.
In fact, now that Jennifer M.'s lapse has become a national controversy, it is expected of Donald Trump and other NBC stalwarts to acknowledge to the public that they have noted down public's ire about Jennifer M.'s supposed attempt to take the credit for Ivana's innovative idea and address the issue straight, squarely.
I urge all the enlightened people to write letters to Donald Trump and other luminaries at NBC about Jennifer M.'s act and urge them take corrective and remedial action about the matter.
We all know that the final two candidates have already been chosen and they will be battling out between themselves for the prized title of the Apprentice 2 on December 16, 2004, in a live 3-hour telecast. It is possible that Jennifer M. is not one of those two candidates or she could be one of the two finalists of the show. In the latter case, Donald Trump should ask Jennifer M. directly about the incident and ask her whether the public perception that she deceitfully took credit for Ivana's innovative idea in episode 11 is justified or not. Depending upon how Jennier M. addresses this matter, a final impression of her could be made. Until then, let us assume that Jennifer M. is not guilty of moral turpitude in episode 11 and let the matter rest!
Let Donald Trump, George, and Carolyn Kepcher give an opportunity to Jennifer M. explain about the public perception about her supposedly deceptive act in episode 11 of the Apprentice 2 series.
Posted by: Vasudev Brahma | 23 November 2004 at 19:43
The Apprentice ladies have found their way to the cover and pages of Maxim! The Dec 2004 issue features five of the ladies showing off their other assets. Kudos to Maxim for making the women look more beautiful than raunchy. The pictures were just released on the web today, so check them out.
If you remember, the Season 1's ladies had a layout in FHM, but I believe that it was after Bill was named the Apprentice. (Please correct we if I am wrong.) Maxim must have made it a point to be the first to get a photo op for the Season 2 ladies. Maybe the ladies of Season 2 were thinking more about the money they could make modeling underwear than winning the weekly tasks.
Interesting that Jennifer M isn't one of the five. Could this be an indicator that she is the ultimate Apprentice?! I can't imagine The Donald would allow his Apprentice to pose so provocatively while employed.
Posted by: Jeff B | 23 November 2004 at 20:24
The five Apprentice 2 girls on the cover of MAXIM magazine.
http://www.maximonline.com/girls_of_maxim/
Posted by: Maxim | 23 November 2004 at 20:33
The Five Apprentice 2 Girls on the Coverpage of December issue of Maxim are:
Jennifer C.
Pamela
Tracie J.
Sandie
Maria
It is now very clear that Sandie will not be one of the two finalists on the Apprentice show on December 16.
To pun on Jeff B.:
Interesting that neither Jennifer M., nor Ivana is one of the five. Could this be an indicator that either Jennifer M., or Ivana will be the ultimate Apprentice?! I can't imagine The Donald would allow his Apprentice to pose so provocatively while employed.
The five Apprentice 2 girls on the cover of MAXIM magazine.
http://www.maximonline.com/girls_of_maxim/
Posted by: Jeff B Dancer | 23 November 2004 at 20:41
We Get Down to Business With Donald's Babes, says the cover page of the Maxim magazine.
Who are Donald's babes that appear on the front cover of Maxim at http://www.maximonline.com/girls_of_maxim/
They are:
Jennifer C.
Pamela
Tracie J.
Sandie
Maria
Posted by: Sandie Gone | 23 November 2004 at 20:44
What is that all about!
First of all, I have a life. I don't go to bed worrying about whether or not we are being too hard on Jen M.
I call them like I see them.
I don't need pages of dribble.
The facts are that Jen clearly was not even UNDERSTANDING how the wheel would work.
Then, it LOOKED like she wasn't in favour of it. So much so, that Kevin, Ivana and Kelly left her there to do "busy work" while they finalized the details.
This was NOT because there was a conspiracy against her, but because they wanted to win the challenge.
Then, clearly Jen had to chance to CORRECT the mistaken perception that SHE played an integral role in the development of this strategy. She failed to correct the Levi's guy when he incorrectly assumed it was her idea when she jumped in and stole the microphone from Ivana. Then she continued this Academy award-winning performance by letting Trump congratulate her for "doing the best job on this task" WITHOUT having the decency to properly admitt that Ivana came up with the idea, that Kevin did a bang-up job at leading the team and Kelly probably put in his usual strong effort.
If she actually said all that and they just cut it out...that's one thing...but I think that a great display of humility like that would have made the final cut.
Whatever your name is, you should just admitt that you like Jen the most, that Jen is a relative, or friend of yours and you want her to win. That's OK.
I'm just saying that any corporation would not want to have a leader like that in the real world. If Trump wants to hire her because it makes for good TV...that's his business.
My OPINION, and it is MINE, and I don't have to change it for because of that lame-ass, whinny POST is: That Kevin and Andy are my fav's and that Kelly will probably win.
Out
Posted by: Peter | 23 November 2004 at 21:43
Peter,
You are good; real good. You stick up well for Ivana. You also do Ivana's dirty work of bringing Ivana's ace challenger Jennifer M. down to ground and throwing mud and dirt at Jen’s face.
Ivana needs some good supporters like you. You are doing a great job in discrediting Jennifer M. so real, unbelievably, well.
Please give your phone number. If Ivana wins the final on December 16, I will recommend to her to give you a call and thank you for your grassroots support, unless you already know her and she knows you well. I hope you are not Ivana's boy friend and you won't ruin my chances with her.
Keep up your good work, buddy! Keep fighting for Ivana! I assure you that Ivana will not let you down. She will definitely win on December 16.
We, both, shall rejoice on December 16.
Have a good sleep now, Peter.
Posted by: slepeer | 24 November 2004 at 01:28
Peter,
You have used this sentence in your posting: "Then, it LOOKED like she wasn't in favour of it."
Favour is British English and this is the word that you have used in your posting.
Are you a Britisher or are you from one of the former British colonies?
In America, we use the word favor.
Anyhow, you have taken a clear stand in favor of Ivana and you have been batting on behalf of her against Jennifer M.!
I do not see anything wrong with what you are doing. You are just being a great fan of Ivana!
Ivana will be happy to know that she has a great fan and supporter in you.
Thank you very much.
Hey, wait a minute, Peter. Are you the Raj Peter Bhakta of Apprentice 2 fame, who admires the 1950's British PM Winston Churchill and has his web site at http://rajbhakta.com/bio.html
If, Peter, if you are really the Raj Peter Bhakta, we really miss you!
Raj, Ivana and you would have made two terrific NBC TV personalities and it would have been a treat to watch you both on December 16, 2004, in Apprentice 2 grand finale.
Posted by: Brit R RajPeterBhakta | 24 November 2004 at 01:58
1) I think Ivana is THE MOST ANNOYING and anti-social contestant left. In order of annoying: 1) Little Stacey...2) Maria...3) Ivana 4) Stacey J.
2) If I was so high on Ivana, why in all my posts on this site, have I repeatedly called for her firing? Why have I stated my top three as: Kelly, Andy and Kevin?
3) I was an admirer of Jen. I even gave her credit for being the ONLY woman not to RIP Stacey J. and claiming that she was "scared for her safety when she freaked out". Ivana was the worst offender there. I can't stand Ivana...BUT she did basically win the challenge for her team last week. This only will give her a TEMPORARY pass...her time is up. She is so negative, it's crazy.
LOOKS LIKE JEN HAS A LOT OF FANS. THAT'S FINE.
I'm just saying she committed a major "foul" last episode. I'm also not the only one saying it.
Posted by: Peter | 24 November 2004 at 10:08
Well, the debate should be laid to rest now that in tonight's pepsi ep, Donald announces in his voiceover that Jenn likes to take credit from other people. And since all these Jenn supporters clearly didn't see anything wrong with what Jenn did, I just hope I don't have a couple of you working in my office.
Posted by: echo | 26 November 2004 at 01:42
To all you guys, tonight episode shows that Jen's boobs are fake. She is even more flat-chested than Ivana.
I would like to see Ivana or Kelly to win. HA
Posted by: Biff Bang Pow | 26 November 2004 at 02:25
I have been saying all along...Kelly is virtually unbeatable. The guy delivers. Not the warmest guy around, he may be cocky and may still be hiding something BUT he delivers. In the business world, THAT is the bottom line: results.
He may be too perfect. In APP 1, Bill was the strongest but showed some weaknesses. For example, he was a weak negotiator when he had to rent that renovated apartment out. Bill had people skills though.
Kelly hasn't had to rely much on Plan B or C yeet. Everything he touched turns to gold. I am curious to see how he handles adversity. The first time COULD have been when he was PM and the atsk turned out to be the wedding gown sale. Boy did he luck out having Sandy there.
All in all, this has been Kelly's gig to loose since he first demonstrated superior PM skills.
KEVIN is the only challenger and my favoUrite candidate. Ever since I read about his personal and career sacrifices for his brother, I was pulling for the guy. Big deal, he sweats under bright lights. The guy went to Wharton, started a busniness, played college ball, puts family first and gets along with everybody.
This MAY come down to the fact that Kevin might have the other candidates willing to go through a wall for him in the final challenge against Kelly. Kelly will not get that kind of devotion from his lot. Here's the thing...he may not need it. If he is that good, he will take over the task completely and that MAY be enough.
I am rooting for the underdog. Go Kevin.
I was surprised that Trump put up with that stupid cat-fight and let those ladies live to eye-gouge another day. Andy is a better team player than both of them.....BUT THAT BOTTLE...that looked like an alien sex toy...
Ivana, Jen and Sandy should all just be dumped in the Hudson River....
Posted by: Peter | 26 November 2004 at 12:42
The 2 finalists are:
Jen and Sandy.
I know. The NBA knows. Do the math.
Posted by: Secret Agent | 26 November 2004 at 14:50
UPDATE FOLLOWING EPISODE 12
HOW MANY TIMES HAVE THEY FACED THE FINAL BOARDROOM IN APPRENTICE 2 SERIES?
Thirteen of the eighteen candidates have been axed from the Apprentice 2 show so far!
Rob – Made one appearance and Donald Trump fired him in Week1!
Bradford - Made one appearance and Donald Trump could not stand him in Week2!
Stacie J. – Made two consecutive appearances and Donald Trump told her to go and open a super subway magic shop in Week3!
Jennifer C. – Made two appearances and Donald Trump gave her marching orders in Week4!
Pamela – Made two appearances and Donald Trump showed her the super skilled doors in Week5!
John – Made one appearance and Donald Trump bid him good bye in Week6!
Stacie R. – Made three appearances and Donald Trump told her that he had seen her enough in Week7!
Elizabeth – Made three appearances and Donald Trump told her not to see him again in Week8!
Raj – Made one appearance and Donald Trump advised him to go and find his date in Week9!
Chris – Made one appearance and Donald Trump reminded him that Chris has a wife waiting for him back home in Week10!
Wes – Made two appearances and Donald Trump told him to go and suffer a cab ride with Maria on his way back home in Week11!
Maria – Made three appearances and Donald Trump told her to go and ruin Wes’ cab ride back home in Week11!
Andy – Made record five appearances and was sent packing home by Sandy in Week12!
Five Remain Strong! They Are the Top Five Stars of Apprentice 2 NBC TV Series!
Sandy – Made two appearances and is a late bloomer! But, she made everyone sit up and take notice of her talents when she helped Kelly win big in episode 10: Bridal Cake Walk Show. Her ironwill and strong personality came to the fore in episode 11 when she pummeled and pulverized Maria into submission and made her to shed copious tears. It is relevant to recall here that the same Maria ran roughshod over her teammamtes in episode 11 and angrily confronted and ordered her project manager in that same episode, Wes, to backoff and Wes backed off to his eternal shame and inglorious exit in episode 11. In the last episode, that is episode 12, wherein Andy and Jennifer M. had formed an unholy alliance and brought charges of incompetence and under-performance against Sandy in the final boardroom meeting, Sandy to the pleasant surprise of Donald Trump, to the silent glee of Carolyn Klepcher, and rave praise from George, outgunned, out-dueled, out-smarted both Andy and Jenny and pounded and out-debated Andy to his unceremonious exit from the Apprentice 2 series. She has emerged now, in her own right, as a formidable candidate in Apprentice 2 series.
Ivana – Made three appearances and is proving her earlier doubting Thomases that she is no easy pushover. In the last two episodes, she won praise for her combativeness, sharp intellect, innovativeness, and creative ideas. She has also successfully built strong links with Kelly and Kevin to the utter discomfiture and dismay of Jennifer M. Ivana has made Jennifer M. to realize that she is not only a sharp critique but also a fearsome adversary to boot!
Kevin – Made three appearances and is still considered one of the strongest and superior candidates! He has great pedigree, having graduated from Wharton Business School of Management and is currently studying law at another great university, the University of Chicago. A great athlete and a devoted family man, who has countless number of people rooting for his success in the Apprentice 2 series.
Jennifer M. – Made one appearance so far and has moved a notch or two down because of her misguided, almost universally reprimanded, attempt of wrongly taking personal credit for Ivana's creative idea of a rotating wheel catalog for Levi Jeans and forming an unholy, duplicitous, alliance with Andy in episode 12 to hasten the exit of Sandy from the show. But, they are only minor blips in the otherwise stellar, strong, and superb performance of Jennifer M., so far, in the Apprentice 2 series and still remains one of the overwhelming favorites to be one of the two finalists! It might not be Jennifer M.'s fault but, being seen early as the overwhelming favorite to win at all, brought all and sundry to scrutinize each and every one of her moves, actions, and behaviors and start pouncing on her for every real and perceived mistakes of her. She could be paying a heavy price now for her own successes earlier. But, she is still a major contender for the coveted the Apprentice 2 title.
Kelly – Made no appearances so far and is all success, right moves, and great achievements so far. He is the strongest candidate, with proven leadership credentials and great individual talent, in the fray right now. But, it looks the gap between Kelly and other candidates is slowly narrowing down and Kelly may have quite an arduous task to pull it all till the end! But, the odds of his achieving crowing glory are very high!
Posted by: Vasudev Brahmadesham | 29 November 2004 at 14:26
CORRECTION!
IT IS CROWNING GLORY
Kelly – Made no appearances so far and is all success, right moves, and great achievements so far. He is the strongest candidate, with proven leadership credentials and great individual talent, in the fray right now. But, it looks the gap between Kelly and other candidates is slowly narrowing down and Kelly may have quite an arduous task to pull it all till the end! But, the odds of his achieving crowning glory are very high!
Posted by: | 29 November 2004 at 14:34
Jen M sucks like Stacy J and Jen C, I say Kelly, Sandy, Kevin and Ivana all the way.
Posted by: Jen Sux | 29 November 2004 at 18:49
i agree with peter. peter, you got your head on straight. i'm rooting for kevin too, the underdog. i think kelly has a leg up though.
jenn m sucks. she needs to get fired so she can get on maxim with a load of make up.
sidenot: who the heck is that person obsessing about how great the women are? it's not even worth it!
Posted by: steve | 30 November 2004 at 02:02
I'm also rooting for Kevin. I admired the way he defended Andy during the Fashion Week, when all the other men wanted to take him down, as instigated by Kelly. That is a good sign of leadership. There is something "phony" about Kelly - I can't put my finger on it. Nevertheless, Kelly deserves to be in the top 2 with Kevin being clearly the winner.
Posted by: Mirabella Jenoit | 30 November 2004 at 06:35
If Jen comes to Interview stage, she has advantage over Kevin (sweats...gets tensed),
Ivana (may be lack of polish and professionalism) and
Sandy (lack of formal education will be exposed because she may not be aware of some terminology, though she might know their meaning in real world).
Even though she may not able to implement her knowledge in real life, but since she knows it in theory she can talk herself out of the interview. Also, ofcourse, in a personal interview looks get to make a big contribution.
So Kelly Vs Jen final is still the best possibility, though I too would like a Kelly Vs Kevin one.
The toughest thing for Jen is to get through the Candy task. But it looks certain that Ivana is going here.
Posted by: Naveen | 30 November 2004 at 10:34
Ivana will go next according to the preview.
Posted by: | 30 November 2004 at 10:59
I agree with Mirabella....something about Kelly....the guy is TOO perfect
Steve....there are some wackos everywhere...there is this one person, the one who attacked you on the ep 12 screen....I'm sure they are changing names...
Naveen: you have isolated the key question: "Who will emerge from the intereview stage to challenge Kelly in the Final 2?"
That was a good post. I, like you, am worried that Jen may be able to BS her way to the final. An example of my worry is last season: TRUMP blindly took the advice of his other executives and picked Kwamee over Amy. Amy apparently did poorly in the interviews...but let's face it, those weren't intereviews...they were firing practice. I didn't think she did that bad...BUT I also knew that Bill would be uncontested against Kwamee. Kwamee was generally weak and lazy and lucky to get to the Final.
What is Kevin sweats and stumbles in the interview stage.....
I think Kevin will do well. Sweating is one thing, breaking down and crawling into a fetal position is another. He demonstrated he was a fine leader, a great worker and a consensus-builder (even trying to help Elizabeth).
Question: will it make a difference if Kevin goes up against Kelly and gets more help from his fellow candidates?
Posted by: Peter | 30 November 2004 at 16:53
JENN IS THE BEST, SHE REMINDS ME OF ANN COULTER, BEATIFUL AND INTELIGENT.
Posted by: GO JENN | 30 November 2004 at 17:05
Correction to posting by GO JENN on November 30, 2004 05:05 PM.
JENN IS THE BEST! SHE IS ANN COULTER COME AGAIN: BEAUTIFUL AND INTELLIGENT.
Posted by: Beau Jenn | 01 December 2004 at 01:20