If you didn't watch the "Celebrity Apprentice" premiere last night, you missed the chance to see UGA football star and Heisman trophy winner Herschel Walker test his leadership skills - and have them questioned.
How did Herschel Walker do? Take poll or comment below.
Herschel, who was chosen project leader, couldn't explain why his team name was chosen despite the fact that all team members didn't like it. He also couldn't control team members Dennis Rodman or Andrew Dice Clay when they wouldn't help during crucial times and he was reticent when asked to identify who his weakest link was.
We don't want to give it all away at once, so here's the show recap according to www.nbc.com: (Herschel Walker's name is highlighted throughout for your convenience.)
Herschel chosen leader, despite concerns
"The men decide to work on picking a name first, before finding a leader. They throw all kinds of ideas around (e.g. BIP Enterprise, Moneygetters, and Team FUBAR), before settling a suggestion from Andrew Dice Clay: Kings Of the Universe, or KOTU. Next they work on choosing a project manager; they decide Herschel Walker will lead the group for its first official challenge against the women. Privately, Dennis Rodman expresses his doubts about Herschel's leadership ability, but the die is cast."
"Team Athena (the women's team) and team KOTU assemble in the boardroom to discuss their leadership choices with Donald Trump. He explains that it's a risky job to be the leader - that the losing project manager is often the one fired. Mr. Trump lays out the first task: making and selling cupcakes on the streets of New York. The teams will work in identical facilities from the Institute of Culinary Education. The teams must create, bake, and then sell their original cupcakes from "mobile selling centers" of their own design. The team that generates the most money (including donations from the celebrities' various connections) will be the winner."
Dissention over Herschel's team name
"Trump asks next about the teams' names. Herschel explains how they got the name KOTU - and that as the leader it was his ultimate decision. Donald probes and discovers that several of the men don't especially like the name. He turns to the women. Joan Rivers eloquently explains the reasoning behind "Athena" and Mr. Trump is impressed. He asks Brande Roderick whether the women's team is unified; she explains that it is - and they're ready to do battle. Mr. Trump observes that KOTU seems to have dissension, at which point Andrew Dice Clay seeks to explain. Dice lets Mr. Trump know that a lot of the guys (himself included) were out all night and that when they came in to work in the morning there was nothing - no bagels, no cream cheese. He was disappointed that they weren't treated better and that they needed energy to do a good job. He stuns the room by blaming Trump, who gives him a rueful look. The moment passes and the teams split up to get started."
"The men face their first decision, determining where they'll sell their cupcakes in Manhattan. They're excited because they think that no matter where they go, they'll have greater celebrity than the women will and thus more drawing power. The women discuss locations, with native New Yorker Joan drawing on her local knowledge. Mid-town near Macy's is a consensus pick; Annie Duke disagrees, rubbing a few team members the wrong way. Brande suggests a location near the Playboy building: she can ask her Playmate friends to come down to drum up a crowd."
Dice rolls (And why can't Herschel keep his team together?)
"KOTU starts to divvy up the tasks. Jesse James and Brian McKnight will work on tricking out the look of the team's cupcake van, Tom Green and Dennis begin to focus on fund-raising, and the remaining teammates start to learn the ropes of baking from professional chefs. Hundreds of eggs, pounds of butter and flour are all furiously mixed together. Meanwhile, Andrew Dice Clay tells team leader Herschel that he intends to leave the kitchen to go to Sirius radio and try to drum up excitement and crowds for the sale the next morning. Tom Green shames him for bailing, but Dice and Rodman take off; Dennis gets Dice to admit that he hates making cupcakes and that he thought it was ridiculous."
I've never baked before
"The chef explains the importance of measuring very precisely and paying careful attention to every step. Some of the girls have never baked before. Joan, Brande, Melissa, and Claudia work with a marketing specialist to help design a great look for their truck. In the kitchen, Annie Duke takes over, rankling her teammates, but creating some really delicious looking chocolate cupcakes. The vanilla cupcakes, on the other hand, are a disaster: they fail to rise and in fact have sunken centers. Apparently the ingredients were mis-measured, resulting in the cakes not rising. The team scrambles, recalling Joan and company back from the designers to come help make up a new batch. Chef Thomas reassures them the cakes are still tasty and can be salvaged by topping them with a thick chocolate frosting. Athena gets to work finishing their cupcakes for the sale."
Little cupcakes, big mistake
"As the cupcakes cool at KOTU's kitchen, it becomes clear that something's wrong. The men have forgotten to add the sugar — their cupcakes taste "like ass," according to Jesse. They regroup and begin coating each cupcake with sweet syrup, hoping that the cupcakes can be salvaged. There isn't time to re-bake. The men frantically coat and re-coat their creations, hoping to turn the tide."
"11:00 a.m. and the sales window opens for both teams. KOTU has set up shop in Times Square and is attracting a substantial crowd. They've set their price point at $20. The celebs also tap into their networks, urging friends like Tony Hawk, Donny Deutch, and others to come down and make huge donations. Tom Green nabs local street musician The Naked Cowboy to get on top of the van and attract even more people. Business is booming."
Herschel can't control Rodman
"Dissention rises in the KOTU ranks when Dennis Rodman retreats to the driver's seat of the van and refuses to come out and market. His teammates are upset - they know Rodman's a draw and that customers want to have their pictures taken with him. Still he demurs, explaining that he doesn't want to become a distraction. Project Manager Herschel Walker is unhappy but doesn't get Dennis to budge. Ivanka Trump stops by and likes what she sees overall, though Dennis's recalcitrance is not lost on her."
"Donald Trump calls each team leader with a special task. Each team is to send a representative with a sample of their best cupcake to Crumb's Bake Shop on 8th Street, a premier New York Bakery. The owners of Crumbs will taste each team's sample and choose which they like best. They will then give that team $15,000 to add to the day's take. Melissa Rivers and Andrew Dice Clay represent their squads with their best creations."
Who'll win the taste test?
"Athena's offering is The Chocolate Bomb - their chocolate cupcake with chocolate ganoush filling on top. The Crumbs owners taste it and smile. Clay offers up KOTU's creation: yellow cake with chocolate fudge on top with sprinkles. The owner tastes and lets both representatives know that she'll be informing Mr. Trump of which one she prefers. In the cab on the way back, Dice explains that he's sure that his team's cupcake was the best. Melissa reports back to Joan, Brande, and Annie Duke. They're concerned that she brought the wrong flavor of cupcake to Crumbs — they would have preferred she bring the vanilla cakes - they didn't have the fallen center problem."
"The sales period draws to a close. Brande's got two big donors who come by - but inside the truck Annie's concerned they'll run out of cupcakes. She is reluctant to let Brande sell a whole box to them. Brande's outraged, later calling Annie "out of control, condescending." Joan tries to keep things calm. Eventually, the big spenders get their box and deliver a check for $9,000. With 15 minutes remaining, Athena has sold out of everything. The men also enjoy a mad, late rush, with "Big Idea" host Donny Deutsch coming through at the last minute with a check for $10,000. The challenge is over and both teams are euphoric."
Herschel doesn't want to point fingers
"Donald Trump meets the teams in the boardroom. He quizzes each about who the stars - and the weak links - are. Joan Rivers loves Brande; Claudia Jordan expresses that Annie was a source of tension. Annie defends herself, saying she was stepping up to get things done. Mr. Trump turns to KOTU and leader Herschel Walker. Asked who his weakest member was, Herschel is reticent. But Dice speaks up, confessing that he wasn't really into baking and essentially had to create a role for himself as a jester. He starts performing a bit of shtick in the boardroom, doing impressions - and at one point referring to Mr. Trump as 'Donny Trump' Again, the room is awkwardly silent."
"Trump announces that the women won the taste test at Crumbs - and will add $15,000 to their total. But first he asks daughter Ivanka to announce the men's total: $49,449. Donald Trump, Jr. then reveals that the women sold $61,267 worth of cupcakes. Joan Rivers explains that their sales will be donated to her chosen charity, God's Love We Deliver. Mr. Trump releases the women back to their suite at Trump Tower, inviting them to watch the upcoming grilling of KOTU on closed circuit TV. They settle in, enjoy a glass of champagne, and watch the proceedings."
"Trump grills the men's team, looking for accountability. Jesse admits the cupcakes "sucked," Jesse says that Dennis let the team down by hiding in the truck; Dice Clay complains that his notoriety wasn't used correctly."
Will Herschel be fired, as project managers often are?
"Mr. Trump grills Andrew Dice Clay. He says he doesn't want to be there if people think he isn't contributing, even when he thinks he is. Trump asks him point blank if he is quitting, telling him that he'll be known forever as a quitter and a loser if he leaves. Dice says he's not quitting - and says that if it were up to him, he'd fire Scott Hamilton, claiming he didn't do much. Trump asks Scott who he'd fire and he answers Dennis and Andrew; Brian McKnight would fire Andrew, Jesse would fire Dennis, Tom would fire Herschel. Trump agrees that the project manager is often the first choice. He presses Herschel, telling him to pick two team members and come back to the boardroom for the final reckoning."
"In the waiting area, Dice is anxious, wondering why it's taking so long. He paces nervously and makes small talk with the receptionist, suggesting that perhaps they should go out sometime. Donald consults briefly with his children then summons Herschel, Andrew, and Dennis back to the boardroom for the final questions and ultimate judgment."
'You're fired.'
"Dennis blames Herschel for not being organized and not taking advantage of his celebrity. Andrew would fire Herschel, claiming that he's got no real sense of command. Herschel blames the other two, questioning their desire and work ethic. They all begin arguing with each other, pointing fingers, and placing blame. Dice asks Mr. Trump if what's he's said made sense. Donald says, some of what he's said made sense - but not when he seemed to want to quit. Trump goes on to explain that Dennis and Herschel have shown tremendous fight, demonstrating that they really want to stay and that Andrew didn't. Dice is fired!"
"In the car ride home, a gracious Dice has no regrets, thanking Mr. Trump, and explaining he had a great time — and that he'd do it again the same way. The remaining contestants will return the next week to fight another battle."
