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Trump Names Kelly Perdew 'The Apprentice'
By DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer
NEW YORK - Lawyer Jennifer Massey may have proved too feisty in her bare-knuckled fight to be on Donald Trump's payroll. Trump instead chose software executive Kelly Perdew, 37, to join his staff during the season finale of "The Apprentice" on Thursday.
Massey, 30, a Princeton and Harvard Law School graduate, attacked like a pit bull in the boardroom, even accusing Perdew of behind-the-scenes backstabbing. Her confrontational style eventually turned off Trump.
"Your teammates did not really like you too much and you did lose too much," Trump said in "firing" Massey.
It probably didn't help that she didn't escort Trump to a VIP reception during the reality show's final challenge. Instead, he walked to a helicopter and flew off.
Perdew was given the choice of a job in Las Vegas or New York, and chose to help Trump on his massive development on Manhattan's West Side.
He won after the two candidates were put through one last nerve-jangling competition: seeing who could manage a charity event more efficiently. Massey organized a basketball game involving NBA stars, while Perdew ran a polo match in leafy Connecticut.
Perdew had to referee squabbling assistants and decide where to paint a corporate logo on the grass and also learned a lesson about the care and feeding of Trump: His boss complained his seat at the polo match was dirty.
Massey landed NBA Commissioner David Stern to emcee her charity event and quickly produced a generator when the power blew backstage from too much video game playing.
But her brashness turned off many in the game show's audience, who overwhelmingly urged Trump to pick Perdew.
"She's getting thrown under the bus here," one of Massey's supporters said after a succession of people interviewed backed Perdew.
NBC did its best to make the finale a big event, renting out a theater in Lincoln Center, bringing Regis Philbin on to host and having the O'Jays perform the show's theme song, "For the Love of Money."
"The Apprentice" isn't nearly the hit it was last spring. The show averages just under 16 million viewers, down 19 percent from the 19.6 million it averaged going into the first season's finale, according to Nielsen Media Research.
The latest finale drew 16.9 million viewers, down sharply from the 28 million people who watched Bill Rancic get hired at the end of last season. The network notes that "The Apprentice" has been hurt by the loss of "Friends" on Thursday night, but that it's still a top 10 show among young people.
Since it was a game about corporate wiles, NBC wasn't afraid to do a little business itself: The network advertised talking Trump bobblehead dolls for sale, and stationed boxer Sugar Ray Leonard in the audience to tout "The Contender," producer Mark Burnett's next series on NBC.
"Your teammates did not really like you too much and you did lose too much," Trump said in "firing" Massey. It probably didn't help that she didn't escort Trump to a VIP reception during the reality show's final challenge. Instead, he walked to a helicopter and flew off. Massey landed NBA Commissioner David Stern to emcee her charity event
Last season Kwame did a much better job than both Kelly and Jen M, because he was more composed under chaos where Omarosa lost the Atlantic City concert star Jessica Simpson and when you compared that to Jen's lost of Chris Weber, Omarosa at least didn't do that bad. Otherwise The Donald would have to come to Atlantic City and Emcee the concert, like the NBA Commissioner Dave Stern.
He won after the two candidates were put through one last nerve-jangling competition: seeing who could manage a charity event more efficiently. Massey organized a basketball game involving NBA stars, while Perdew ran a polo match in leafy Connecticut. Perdew had to referee squabbling assistants and decide where to paint a corporate logo on the grass and also learned a lesson about the care and feeding of Trump: His boss complained his seat at the polo match was dirty.
Kelly is got to be the luckiest guy going in the Apprentice II series. He draws lot and gets PM position over and over again. He gets all the easy tasks when PM and he has lots of excellent supporting personnel when he's PM to carry out the tasks. Even when he makes mistakes, he gets away with it without devestation. Kelly said later in an interview.
As soon as they arrived at the box, Trump pointed out, with visible displeasure, that the seats were dirty, broken, and askew.
"Donald Trump is going to judge everything," Carolyn later observed in an interview. Kelly immediately replaced the old chairs with more suitable ones, and Donald was pleased. "All of the details, and I didn't take care of his box seat. But I'm not sure if that's going to come back to bite me," Kelly said afterwards.
I think based solely on their performances during the last task, Kelly deserved to win. I had only watched two or three episodes prior to this one, so I can't really comment on their performance over the entire series. But I just liked Jen and I thought she would be better to run a company than Kelly. She had more passion and drive for this kind of thing IMO.
I felt really sorry for her too, sitting there out the back and the audience all cheering for Kelly and then saying Kelly should win and most of the previous contestants were going for Kelly too. It must've been hard for her to come out and face that, but she did and she held herself really well in that final debate before Donald announced who he hired.
Also, I wasn't expecting the show to go to a live audience like that. I thought this was supposed to be a serious show looking for serious people to do a serious job. I thought the live audience gimmick kind of cheapened it a bit.
I think based solely on their performances during the last task, Kelly deserved to win. I had only watched two or three episodes prior to this one, so I can't really comment on their performance over the entire series.
watch video highlights -Rain, Rain Go Away (Select and Click that picture)When you get a chance, go watch all 15 episodes to see that Kelly was a lazy slacker but not as bad as Jen M. Kelly goes hot and cold week after week. When it counts for HIM, he's hot; when NOT, he's NOT. He's so predictable a slouch. Here's a song for Beth and her rainy post.
Rain rain go away
Come again some other day
Rain rain go away
Bring my love a sunny day
* Source: Bobby Vinton - the king of break up songs
But I just liked Jen and I thought she would be better to run a company than Kelly. She had more passion and drive for this kind of thing IMO.
Jen would have a very difficult time working with the existing Trump Organization. Seems like NO ONE respected her if The Donald had hired her. Matt Calamari the mustached dude HATED Jen and told The Donald to his face. He's the guy that went on TV at the show finale and lost his choice words. (probably better he not said anymore... without getting Trump his boss into more trouble.)
The Trump organization is still filled with snooty people. Adding Jen would make a welcome addition for that part.
12-18-2004 03:19 AM
Last season Kwame did a much better job than both Kelly and Jen M, because he was more composed under chaos where Omarosa lost the Atlantic City concert star Jessica Simpson and when you compared that to Jen's lost of Chris Weber, Omarosa at least didn't do that bad. Otherwise The Donald would have to come to Atlantic City and Emcee the concert, like the NBA Commissioner Dave Stern. 
Kelly is got to be the luckiest guy going in the Apprentice II series. He draws lot and gets PM position over and over again. He gets all the easy tasks when PM and he has lots of excellent supporting personnel when he's PM to carry out the tasks. Even when he makes mistakes, he gets away with it without devestation. Kelly said later in an interview. 
Jen M in own Lamborghini to Post-Apprentice Party 12/16/04.
watch video highlights -
Jen would have a very difficult time working with the existing Trump Organization. Seems like NO ONE respected her if The Donald had hired her. Matt Calamari the mustached dude HATED Jen and told The Donald to his face. He's the guy that went on TV at the show finale and lost his choice words. (probably better he not said anymore... without getting Trump his boss into more trouble.) 
The Trump organization is still filled with snooty people. Adding Jen would make a welcome addition for that part. 
