If you were hoping last night’s Larry King Live (transcript here) — featuring interviews with Donald Trump and The Apprentice’s season 4 finalists Randal Pinkett (far left) and Rebecca Jarvis (near left) — would provide some insight about and resolution to Thursday’s doozy of a season finale, well, no dice, folks. (For the uninitiated, Trump crowned Pinkett as the show’s champ, then asked on live television if he should hire Jarvis as well; Pinkett chose not to share his victory with Jarvis, responding that ”It’s not The Apprenti, it’s The Apprentice.”)
While Pinkett’s decision has prompted heated debate among Apprentice fans and polarized the blogosphere into pro- and anti-Randal camps, King’s segment failed to ask a lot of the questions that have been on folks’ minds: What was it about season 4 in general — or its two finalists in particular — that prompted Trump to push for the unprecedented decision to hire two Apprentices? How would Rebecca respond to Randal supporters who say she didn’t deserve to share The Apprentice title because her record didn’t match up with Randal’s undefeated tally, and because she failed to earn a single penny for her charity in the season’s final challenge? (Especially considering that earlier in the season, Trump fired four candidates for not earning anything during the sporting-goods challenge.) And why couldn’t King clearly state the question he kept dancing around: How would Trump respond to the observation that the only time he selected an African-American candidate as The Apprentice, he managed to put him on the spot by asking him to share his title?
I liked the fact that Trump pointed out no one would ask Miss USA to give the pageant’s runner-up a crown of her own. (Nice way to work in a mention his pageant franchise, too.) But for me, the most interesting revelation was this: After asking Trump what he thought of bloggers who had disparaged him, King admitted he doesn’t ”know how to touch a blog” and has never sent an e-mail. Seriously.
Seriously.
What questions would you like to have seen answered on last night’s show? And which side do you fall on: Team Randal or Team Rebecca? Holla back!
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I’m with Team Rebecca, which surprises even myself to say that since I had been a huge Randal supporter. I wish Larry would’ve asked Randal why he acted like such a brazen egomaniac. I hate when the race card is played. Had it been Bill Rancic and Rebecca this season, I think the same offer would’ve been placed on the table. Trump is trying to change up the tedious outcome. Both were qualified for that position. Hopefully Trump hires Rebecca anyway, and show who really has the final decision.
I can’t believe that Trump would let someone else decide if he should hire someone. Trump should have awarded the title of Apprentice to Randal and then turned to Rebecca and offered her a job as well. They did this in Survivor – giving Amber $1 as the winner and then giving Rupert $1 mill as the most popular player. You don’t hear Amber complaining.
If Trump offers Rebecca a job now, she would be wise to turn it down and find employement with someone who has the guts to ask her straight up to work for them.
When has Larry King EVER asked the hard question? The reason he gets all the big name guests is because he does nothing to embarrass his guests or put them on the spot. Why he even has a show is a mystery. The producers behind the scenes are telling him what to ask in his earpiece and the calls are carefully screened, and the callers are even told what question they can ask.
I’m sick and tired of listening to people gripe about Randal’s perfectly logical decision!
Randal clearly did the right thing – no matter how talented the competition, it’s ridiculous to think that anyone would want to share their moment in the sun after all the hard work it took to get there.
It was a stupid move for Trump to even suggest that Randal let Rebecca be hired, because “The Donald” is one person who clearly knows that not everyone wins all the time – there have to be losers in life as well, or what’s the point in winning?
Do Oscar winners call other actors up on stage and share their statues? Do Olympic medalists call their competition over and ask them to share the podium? Would you want your kid to give away half of his/her college scholarship to the runner-up? Hell to the no!
And I’m confident that Rebecca would have said the exact same thing had she won the game. She’s a smart cookie, and you’d have to be a fool with no self-esteem or self-confidence to do otherwise.
And the ever-classy Randal did give Trump an option to hire Rebecca – remember he said Trump should only hire one person “tonight.” By specifically adding that word to his speech (implying that only the Apprentice winner should be hired during the show), Randal was hinting that if Trump really wanted Rebecca in his organization, he should put her through a formal interview process.
Race had nothing to do with this show. Randall won and deserved to win, though i disagreed with his final answer. The whole season was about changing things up-four fired at once, two fired here, ect. This final Trump question was about continuing that trend. It had nothing to do with race. People are always looking to bring it up even when it doesn’t apply, and when you do that, its like Peter and the wolf. No one will pay attention when it actually is a racial situation.
What if Trump’s proposal to Randal was a final test or a trick question? What if Randal did say, “Yes, hire Rebecca, too.” and then Trump told him that was the wrong answer and fired him? I wouldn’t put it past Trump to do that, and I think Randal was very smart with his response.
A few comments on Padraig’s response…
“Do Oscar winners call other actors up on stage and share their statues?” Actually, Yes they have. I’ve seen it done in the past, most notably, Ving Rhames calling Jack Lemon up to the stage and handing him his Emmy Award because he thought Jack deserved it more.
“Do Olympic medalists call their competition over and ask them to share the podium?” You must not watch the Olympics to make that statement. Again, Yes, it happens all the time!!
“Would you want your kid to give away half of his/her college scholarship to the runner-up?” This is a poor analogy… apples and oranges. Mr. Trump was not asking Randall to share in his winnings. The job Rebecca wanted was different from the one Randall chose, therefore, it would’ve cost him nothing!
Finally, “Randal was hinting that if Trump really wanted Rebecca in his organization, he should put her through a formal interview process.” How do you know what or If Randall was hinting anything? LOL You made quite a few assumptions… and you know what that does…
I think a better response for Randall might’ve been, “That’s a decision you’ll have to make Mr. Trump.” It puts the decision back on Trump and gives Randall a graceful out! If he really didn’t want to share the spotlight, he also could’ve said something like, “How about asking me that question tomorrow!” Those responses might’ve saved him all the controversy.
Who knows if race mattered? We do know that when it was a white winner and a really good black runner-up Trump did not ask Bill if he should hire Kwame (sp?). But now its reversed and he puts Randall on the spot, when Rebecca was not a close second. Alla would have been a more formidable challenge. And Larry King treated Rebecca as if she had won. What a phoney jew he is.
I personally did not like Randall’s decision. Comparing it to a beauty pagent winner sharing her crown is not accurate. If they had both been hired, they would have been working on different projects and it’s not like Randall is the only apprentice because Kelly and Kendra are still working as apprentices (even if we never see them). Though I was disappointed that Rebecca didn’t get hired, after reading the interview, it’s clear she now has a lot more options than had she been chosen as the Apprentice and I know she’ll do well.
I think making race an issue is lazy and inaccurate. Regardless of the color of his skin, I don’t think anyone can deny that Randall was qualified to win. I think the idea of possibly hiring two people has nothing to do with race, but, rather the fact that two extremely talented people were in the final two and the show needed to create some sort of buzz since it has declined so much in the ratings.
Dear Margaret -
It’s so sad when people who are obviously not competitive try to understand the business world. Truly, your remarks were laughable at best. Rebecca lost the game fair and square, and no bleeding heart cry-babies shouting “Foul” can change the fact that Randal made the right decision.
You’ve given one example in the history of time (Ving Rhames), which does little to vindicate your point since Mr. Rhames expressed regret for that poor judgment later on. I guess you were not able to name one Olympic medalist who has voluntarily split their medal with anyone, ’cause it actually hasn’t happened, has it?
Mr. Trump was asking Randal to share the winning spotlight, and only a fool with no self-esteem would do so. Asking Mr. Trump to decide about co-winners would take away control from Randal, and only a loser with no self-confidence in their decisions would do so.
It’s business, not personal…the business world does not run on hugs or rainbows or unicorns. It runs on success and profitability, and Randal’s unbeaten record combined with Rebecca’s sad showing on the final task (no money at all?) doomed her chances.
The so-called controversy of Randal’s decision to not share the victory really just lies in the sweet, naive little heads of those who do not understand what it means to be a true winner.
If you need a reality TV fix, perhaps you could handle the much-gentler “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” instead. I hear it has a lot of hugs and rainbows.
If Donald Trump wanted to hire Rebecca, he should have just done it and not asked. As for Randal having respect of his teams, that makes no difference. Trump fired them all so it makes no difference what their opinion is. Does anyone really think that Trump is going to spend much time with Randal? I somehow doubt it.
Another comment I have is regarding the fund-raising. I find it hard to believe that no one donated to the Elizabeth Glaser Foundation. Envelopes were in the packet, and it is unbelievable that no one in the months that followed donated. It is just not as easy to identify the source of donations.
Padraig,
I have to write after reading your condescending remarks to Margaret.
Please, this is not business. The show is a game show. It is entertainment. In what business world do you live in where someone goes on a job interview for a position in real estate by building a Zathura parade float, dress a man up as a woman with ice cream hair for Dairy Queen, or write music for a satellite radio music station song?
This is just entertainment, and ratings for Trump. Randal knows that. Trying to pass off his selfish decision as business is just inaccurate.
Team Rebecca forever!!! Well, until I forget about the show in two weeks.
Padraig
You are serious as cancer. Last I checked this was a television show (and of all the lame and tacky shows to be so hardcore over!?!). Sounds like you could use some more rainbows and hugs in your life.
I think Trump was not just terrible, but taking the chicken way out by asking Randal if he should also hire Rebecca. First, it stole the well-deserved lime-light away from Randal upon his win, and secondly, I don’t think Rebecca was such a formidable challenger. I think it was shear luck that she made it to the final – as you recall, her record as a PM was much worse than Randal’s and it was his idea to replace the lack-luster actor from their video.
There is no reason that Trump or even Randal couldn’t have hired her after the show, but to do it in the eleventh hour and taking the winner by suprize like that was unfair. To be honest, of all 4 seasons, I think Bill & Kwame were the more closely matched finalists, and they weren’t put in that position.
Kudos for Randal. He deserved the win, but not the controversy.
Kosha
Rebecca deserved to win, no question. She had a badly broken ankle, of course she would have a worse record as project manager. She also had to deal with a lot of jealous girls on her team, which made it much harder for her to win tasks than Randal. Furthermore, when Randal was working for Rebecca on the radio task, he did a piss-poor job, and almost tried to lose (maybe he felt threatened by Rebecca). Randal did not always do a good job when he wasn’t the PM, and therefore would not make a good Apprentice.
I thought it was classless,tacky,and just downright stupid that Randall didn’t select her to work with him.
What a jerk,didn’t he see a goldmine there?
Two wonderful,smart,cool young people working together,
wow,he missed out on that one.
Ving Rhames gave Jack Lemmon his Golden Globe award not his Emmy. Ving has never won an Emmy. Randal was right if Mr. Trump wanted to hire Rebecca then he should have. Why is this controversy taking away from his win? Rebecca probably would have done the same thing he did. Like Randal said, It is the Apprentice not the Apprenti.
Kudo’s for commenting about Larry King..
yuk,this guy is stupid.
No class,poor grammar,brain like a pea.
Randall is a stiff wooden Indian..
Can you imagine working for him??
My gosh,people like him in my field are a dime a dozen.
Once you get past 4 degreees….does it frickin matter??
Most of those people are worthless,all they know is booklearning,and no hands on experience on anything.
Randal deserved to be hired as the apprentice. He earned it. What’s tough is that what we loved about him so much on the show was not only his business savvy, but also his sincerity and friendship with others. His respect from his castmates came not only from his smarts, but even moreso from his genuine kindness towards them. The night he won he came off as more arrogant and greedy than confident but kind. On the show he seemed to genuinely care about others and want them to succeed, and it just didn’t seem like he was the same person on Thursday night.
And it bothers me that he keeps bringing up “would you share your gold medal?”. NO, BUT YOU COULD GIVE OUT A SILVER.
Had Randal agreed to hiring Rebecaa, he would still be the deserving winner- and he still is. He just would have been a more gracious one.
I am so sick of Rebecca and the ankle. Yes it was hard but does anyone forget Randal had a death in his family. Much harder. Did he play on it OVER AND OVER
Get over it people.
Randal showed class the whole time.
To all the lame-o’s who keep saying “it’s The Apprentice, not the Apprenti”: Mr. Trump never asked Randal if Rebecca should be “another Apprentice”…he simply asked Randal “Should I hire Rebecca?”
Also, FYI, it’s “Apprentices” not “Apprenti”
Randal may have fifty degrees,but he doesn’t have one bit of common sense. I think Trump will be fed up with this egomaniac by the time the year is over. I don’t think he will be kept after that like some of the past winners.
If people want to criticize Randal for being too competitive–or as some have termed it, “selfish”–that’s one thing, although I personally don’t agree with them. And this assumes of course that there were no other factors involved, such as Randal wanting to show that a black man could win on his own.
But please don’t put Rebecca up on a pedestal as though she has all the class and talent that Randal supposedly doesn’t. When Rebecca, Randal, and Clay lost the XM task, Rebecca told Randal before the boardroom that she felt that Clay was the problem…and then while she was in the boardroom, the woman who was praised for her loyalty mentioned to Trump that she wished Randal had stepped up more. As Randal later said to the camera, she “misrepresented” him and she later apologized, but conveniently not in front of Trump. (And if you think that Randal’s mistake with the channel number justified her statement, the XM execs said that they were fired up by his presentation–in spite of the wrong number–and were disappointed by the actual song.)
And this wasn’t the first time she turned on someone. She singled out Jennifer W. as the problem back in the technology expo task during the results meeting, before the women even made it to the boardroom! Rebecca’s whole purpose in volunteering to be project manager for that task was to show that she wouldn’t be a liability on crutches, but her team didn’t respect her and she apparently didn’t check over Jennifer W.’s planning at all. By contrast, Randal had to deal with Markus and Clay in that episode (with some controversy), but still managed to put on a professional event and gained everyone’s respect.
Overall, I feel that Randal conducted himself with class and integrity throughout the entire season, while I wasn’t too impressed with Rebecca–not even accounting for what I believe is a significant difference between the two in talent, education, experience, etc. I think the next-to-last task (with Microsoft Office Live Meeting) summed it up well, when Rebecca and Randal were riding in the car, and Randal told Rebecca (winless as project manager thus far), “I’m going to get you this win. You deserve it.” Did she say “Thanks” or “I appreciate it?” No. Her response? “Yes, I do.”
Someone tell me what is it about Rebecca that justifies calling her true “competition” to Dr. Pinkett. She was 1-2. He was 3-0 on the show. She has a BA degree from an average college University of Chicago. He has 5 degrees including 3 from one of the toughtest colleges in the world, MIT. She has 2 years work experience. He has 13 years experience as an entreprenuer, the most recent ventures is a multimillion dollar consulting firm. She broke an ankle that heals. He lost a grandparent FOREVER. Why all the sympathy for such a below average, sub par, barely out of college simpleton? Also, Trump boasts about her loyalty to Toral. Yet he said nothing of Kwame’s loyalty to Omarossa? Double Standards. He also fired 4 people for not rising a dime of money, and he acts kind to her after she raised NOTHING for charity! Had Dr. Pinkett been white, and Rebecca been black, this would not even be a conversation right now. Funny what race believes in handouts now.
I find it interesting that Scott doesn’t know if racism was involved- the ONLY bigot here is Scott with his “phoney Jew” comment!
I wish Trump would have never put Randal in this situation. He should be celebrating his victory, NOT defending it. He deserved his win 100 %. Too many people are overlooking this fact. Randal is being robbed of his chance to shine. Damn Trump!
Before millions of viewers, Randal squandered the perfect opportunity to generate good will at no cost to himself. He had the job already. I wonder about the character flaw (arrogance?) that caused him to embarras himself so badly and to disappoint the folks like me who had been rooting for him since the first episodes. His beloved grandmother must be rolling in her grave.