Celebrity Apprentice Finale

[Krom]

He hasn't become this successful and indeed have so many friends by being a nasty man.

However, do you honestly believe people are going to drop working with or him in the future?.Cmon thats just deluded, the real business work is more cut throat than this anyway, and Trump isn't like a shining beacon of fair play either and he's much worst but look at him now.

People keep acting like Piers is some kind of successful businessman in the real world. He's NOT. He's a media personality now, and a former tabloid editor. The contacts he's made are there due to obligations created by something other than classic business acumen. Tabloid editors do favors for people, or conversely hold threats over heads, on a daily basis, and Piers held that kind of power for YEARS. People owe him--either for things he DID for them, or in some cases for things he did NOT do to them, but could have.

What exactly did Piers do that was so underhanded for his charity? What makes him mean spirited and nasty?

Not his efforts towards his charity. Nothing there for anyone to criticize.

Of course "underhanded" and "mean spirited" are NOT the same thing. He can be the second without being the first. Does it have anything to do with who deserves the Celeb Apprentice title? Nope. Obviously Piers does. But that doesn't make him any less nasty. He's just successful AND nasty. He's a guy who knows a lot of people, and spent years building up a lot of favors, so he was successful compared to a bunch of mostly Grade B celebs (well, with some Grade A sports figures thrown in, but that's another subject), who weren't coming from jobs/backgrounds where they were able to have people en masse owing them favors.

I'm puzzled why we can't just see these folks like they are. Piers is a nasty piece of work, but also a smart man who deserved to win in a contest based on how smart you are. Trace is a charming man (with a nasty hidden background perhaps, but that's another topic), but his charm wasn't accompanied by the lifetime of contacts and obligation building that someone like Piers has.

Really, the only person who would have been a match for Piers at this was Gene Simmons. If he hadn't been such an egotistical jackass, and had actually stayed around.

[Google]

 

[Merlinslover]

This show, like all reality shows are staged, sometimes scripted and certainly edited to show what the producers want to show and create drama that otherwise might not be there. Gander over to SmokingGun.com and check out "Backstage" section. The riders for pop, rock, country, and a multitude of other stars are on that page. Backstreets' rider seems pretty tame by that standard. In fact there is something pretty fishy about that rider--large quantities of beer and wine for a group that has a recovered alcoholic and Southern Baptist gospel singer in its number? Loads of junk food for a group with a guy in the middle of a successful 50 weight loss? (Maybe the wheatgrass request was the ONLY thing real?lol) I highly suspect the Backstreet Boys were told by the producers to make whoever's job tough-in order to give drama for the show, for they have a reputation for being pretty nice guys in the industry. I mean did we ever actually see any of them deny Trace's requests? Any of them act obnoxious? Did they ever at any time actually refuse to go on? I doubt it. It would have made for GREAT TV if they had-surely the producers wouldn't have edited THAT out? We did see Trace make fun of them though, but nothing on Backstreet's side of it. Face it-if something hadn't been created by editing about "working with BSB" what WOULD have made the show interesting on any level?

[Veruka]

Originally Posted by Merlinslover

This show, like all reality shows are staged, sometimes scripted and certainly edited to show what the producers want to show and create drama that otherwise might not be there. Gander over to SmokingGun.com and check out "Backstage" section. The riders for pop, rock, country, and a multitude of other stars are on that page. Backstreets' rider seems pretty tame by that standard. In fact there is something pretty fishy about that rider--large quantities of beer and wine for a group that has a recovered alcoholic and Southern Baptist gospel singer in its number? Loads of junk food for a group with a guy in the middle of a successful 50 weight loss? (Maybe the wheatgrass request was the ONLY thing real?lol) I highly suspect the Backstreet Boys were told by the producers to make whoever's job tough-in order to give drama for the show, for they have a reputation for being pretty nice guys in the industry. I mean did we ever actually see any of them deny Trace's requests? Any of them act obnoxious? Did they ever at any time actually refuse to go on? I doubt it. It would have made for GREAT TV if they had-surely the producers wouldn't have edited THAT out? We did see Trace make fun of them though, but nothing on Backstreet's side of it. Face it-if something hadn't been created by editing about "working with BSB" what WOULD have made the show interesting on any level?

DOn't forget that the rider doesn't just cover food and beverage needs for the four guys whose faces make the cover of the albums. The alcohol and junk food could also be for the band and other support who travel with them. Don't forget, they originally wanted two dressing rooms - one for the four singing "boys" and one for the band.

[luvsginger]

Originally Posted by Krom

People keep acting like Piers is some kind of successful businessman in the real world. He's NOT. He's a media personality now, and a former tabloid editor. The contacts he's made are there due to obligations created by something other than classic business acumen. Tabloid editors do favors for people, or conversely hold threats over heads, on a daily basis, and Piers held that kind of power for YEARS. People owe him--either for things he DID for them, or in some cases for things he did NOT do to them, but could have.


Not his efforts towards his charity. Nothing there for anyone to criticize.

Of course "underhanded" and "mean spirited" are NOT the same thing. He can be the second without being the first. Does it have anything to do with who deserves the Celeb Apprentice title? Nope. Obviously Piers does. But that doesn't make him any less nasty. He's just successful AND nasty. He's a guy who knows a lot of people, and spent years building up a lot of favors, so he was successful compared to a bunch of mostly Grade B celebs (well, with some Grade A sports figures thrown in, but that's another subject), who weren't coming from jobs/backgrounds where they were able to have people en masse owing them favors.

I'm puzzled why we can't just see these folks like they are. Piers is a nasty piece of work, but also a smart man who deserved to win in a contest based on how smart you are. Trace is a charming man (with a nasty hidden background perhaps, but that's another topic), but his charm wasn't accompanied by the lifetime of contacts and obligation building that someone like Piers has.

Really, the only person who would have been a match for Piers at this was Gene Simmons. If he hadn't been such an egotistical jackass, and had actually stayed around.

As I mentioned before, I must have missed something because I didnt see him as a "nasty piece of work". Must have been some awful stuff he did to be referred to as "evil" AND a "nasty piece of work". What exactly did he do? Do tell!

[Impervious1]

Originally Posted by luvsginger

Celebrity Apprentice is not the "business world", it's just that, Celebrity Apprentice. A reality show on Thursday night television. IMO Piers did not act like an ass and he won fair and square. Not only did he slaughter his opponents he made for great television.
Job Well Done!

Couldn't have said it better myself, very well put.

[Krom]

Originally Posted by luvsginger

As I mentioned before, I must have missed something because I didnt see him as a "nasty piece of work". Must have been some awful stuff he did to be referred to as "evil" AND a "nasty piece of work". What exactly did he do? Do tell!

Well, obviously its a matter of interpretation. But you DID seem to insist that people were claiming he was "underhanded". I don't think he was--at least in this.

Also, I thought I made it clear that a lot of what makes him "a nasty piece of work" is stuff he's done in his former career. I never insisted it was all about what he did on this program. Although that certainly doesn't mean he WASN'T nasty here--he was to an extent. I mean the defense of him seems to be that he was just doing what he had to in order to raise money for charity. But that's kind of bull when his negative attitude was often mainly towards people on his own team--people who in theory were HELPING him raise that money. How does that fall under "what's necessary to raise money"? It doesn't. He was often nasty, merely because it served his ego.

And its not like his attitude HELPED him with Trump. The Hair made it clear that he picked Piers DESPITE his attitude, not because of it.

Now perhaps a lot of his behavior falls under the general heading of "calling it like he sees it". Okay. Fine. But that doesn't instantly turn it into a business skill. It's not. Again, he succeeded at something DESPITE his attitude. Because while people are often ruthless or direct in business, they usually don't succeed through personal insults.

Is Piers evil? Of course not. That was stupid propaganda by The Hair. But is he a jerk? Kind of.

How much of it was for the show and how much not is something we can only know if we looked at a lot of material about him from outside this show. And that's probably time wasted. But at the very least, a quick Googling shows he's not exactly revered--his career was filled with firings, scandals of both financial and journalistic natures, a business he drove into receivership, etc. And apparently he was on a celebrity version of the British Apprentice program and was tossed off--so maybe that's some argument that its not just Americans who "don't get him".

[luvsginger]

No matter how you look at it, Piers kicked ass during the finale and for that matter, he kicked ass the whole season. If Piers's past is brought up, its only fair that Trace's past is mentioned, too. No matter how you put it, any man that lays a finger on a woman is "evil". I am not saying Trace is guilty of domestic abuse but there seem to be many accusations against Piers's past. Fair is fair. Bring up Piers's past and bring up Trace's, too. So what, Piers upset a few celebrities? (allegedly) I'd take that over wife beating a bar room brawling (allegedly) any day of the week.

[MsDiva2007]

Originally Posted by luvsginger

No matter how you look at it, Piers kicked ass during the finale and for that matter, he kicked ass the whole season. If Piers's past is brought up, its only fair that Trace's past is mentioned, too. No matter how you put it, any man that lays a finger on a woman is "evil". I am not saying Trace is guilty of domestic abuse but there seem to be many accusations against Piers's past. Fair is fair. Bring up Piers's past and bring up Trace's, too. So what, Piers upset a few celebrities? (allegedly) I'd take that over wife beating a bar room brawling (allegedly) any day of the week.

Wow. Trace has acted like a gentlemen this whole show. Trace survived Omarossa, Steven and Piers and allowed them all to act like asses without losing his cool. Piers on the other hand from episode one has caused drama, called a man a " Fat Italian" which in my book is a racial slur. He kissed a man who didn't want him to and was just down right onery.

Trace let it all slide like water off a ducks back. I find Trace to be the better man.

[luvsginger]

Originally Posted by MsDiva2007

Wow. Trace has acted like a gentlemen this whole show. Trace survived Omarossa, Steven and Piers and allowed them all to act like asses without losing his cool. Piers on the other hand from episode one has caused drama, called a man a " Fat Italian" which in my book is a racial slur. He kissed a man who didn't want him to and was just down right onery.

Trace let it all slide like water off a ducks back. I find Trace to be the better man.

You're wrong, he called him a "very" fat Italian!

[nikkidancer]

You know... I've been a quiet observer up til now. But I have to chime in on this "Trace is a wife beater" thing.

I've seen the article about Trace's history of domestic violence. In it, it says that Trace's WIFE shot HIM. He also believes it was accidental, and did not press charges against her.

He admitted that there was a lot of alcohol abuse within the marriage - I got the feeling it was two-sided, but to be fair I can't say that for sure. He also specifically denied that he ever abused her.

There may be articles I'm unaware of. But someone posted the article I'm referring to on these boards and hollered about his history of domestic violence. Based on that article, I'd say the only violence proved was his wife at the time's violence against him. Not his to her.

Now he does admit he was in a lot of bar room fights in his past, so he does have some history of violence involving fights with other *bar room patrons* in his past. He obviously was no angel back in the day (though I've seen nothing to suggest that this behaviour has followed him to recent times - in fact, he was shot by his then wife in 1994 - that's 14 years ago!). But please, someone post an article or admission that he is a *wife beater*. That is a HUGELY serious allegation and if there is nothing to found it on, I think it's a horrible defamation of character.

I'm cross-posting this in Trace's thread as well, as there is plenty of the same talk in there.

Thank you for pointing me to this evidence, or dropping the allegations.

Nikki