Wow, Carolyn got the boot

[MissThing]

http://money.cnn.com/2006/08/31/news...ex.htm?cnn=yes

Trump tells Carolyn: 'You're fired!'
Kepcher, blonde assistant of 'The Apprentice,' loses job after Trump tires of her.
August 31 2006: 10:39 AM EDT


NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Carolyn Kepcher, the blonde co-star of Donald Trump's 'The Apprentice,' has been fired.

The 36-year old sidekick, who in addition to her role on the show ran the Trump National Golf Club in posh Westchester County north of New York City, was fired earlier this week.


Donald Trump and Carolyn Kepcher

Rhona Graff of the Trump Organization confirmed to CNNMoney.com that Kepcher no longer works at the company.

Trump's daughter Ivanka has replaced Kepcher in the role, while Trump's son Don Jr. is the successor to the 78-year old real estate lawyer George Ross on the show.

The show's Web site states Ivanka and Don Jr. will "fill in for" Kepcher and Ross "during multiple episodes of 'The Apprentice'" in the fifth season.

Ross is still "very much a part of the company," Graff said, but because the show is taped in Los Angeles, his appearances on it will be limited this season.

Graff said Trump wishes Kepcher well but had no other comment on the matter.

An article citing unnamed sources in Thursday's New York Post, which first reported the story, indicated Kepcher's lack of focus as a reason for the firing.

Kepcher had agents at ICM handling book and TV offers, while Westport Entertainment managed her speaking engagements and product endorsements, the newspaper reported.

Trump had had trouble reaching her recently as she had been away on a trip to give a speech, the sources told the newspaper.

Marketing Evaluations, which conducts surveys of the public's familiarity with and opinion of various celebrities, found that while 80 percent of general U.S. population knows who Trump is, only about 25 percent know Kepcher and Ross.

And among those who know those three personalities, the view of Trump is far more negative than the view of Kepcher and Ross.

"That (Trump's high negatives) is not necessarily a bad thing. It's just the way he enlists an emotional response," said Henry Schafer, vice president for Marketing Evaluation, which uses the survey to compile "Q Scores" used by networks and advertisers to judge personalities' appeal. "He's someone people love to hate."

A source knowledgeable in the matter told the Post that Trump advised Kepcher to "take some time off and spend it with her family, and then get another job."

Kepcher is married and has a son, Connor, 6, and a daughter Cassidy, 4.

[PhoneGrrrl]

I just saw this on cnn.com too, MissThing. I can't believe it! You could probably say a lot of bad things about Carolyn, but "lack of focus" does not come to mind. Ivanka does fine, but Carolyn has more gravity in her roll and a more serious roll model for business women. And, as far as I know, Carolyn's never posed in skimpy outfits sprawled out on a desk, unlike Ivanka in a recent issue of Maxim or Stuff or one of those not-quite-porn lad mags.

[Veruka]

Is it just me, or does it sound like Trump's biggest problem with Carolyn was that she followed too many cues from the boss?

[Mariner]

Wow. Carolyn was my favorite part of this show. I may be officially done with The Apprentice.

[dzzyedge]

I'm surprised too. The reason for her 'firing' sounds suspicious to me.

I like Carolyn because she didn't 'pull any punches' with the apprentices. Ivanka is okay, and I guess Donald wants to keep it 'family'.

I'm disappointed.

[Cornedbeef]

Turning this show into a family affair might spell the end of the show. I found Carolyn to be a very good judge of character and never held back in letting a would-be apprentice where they messed up. I will miss her.

[Veruka]

It doesn't shock me that Trump would replace Carolyn on the show. It makes total sense to me that he'd want to use it as an opportunity to pimp his daughter, although I agree it'll spell the end for the show. What shocks me is that Carolyn got fired from her golf course job.

[Qboots]

Wow. Carolyn was my favorite part of this show. I may be officially done with The Apprentice.

My sentiments exactly. It wouldn't surprise me if that was the real reason behind her firing. Because she was many people's favorite part of the show.

I'm stunned.

[MissThing]

My sentiments exactly. It wouldn't surprise me if that was the real reason behind her firing. Because she was many people's favorite part of the show.

I'm stunned.

So, suffice it to say that it wasn't a Q Boot.

[Qboots]

So, suffice it to say that it wasn't a Q Boot.

If I was going to Qboot anybody from that show it would be Mr. Floppy-hair himself.