12/9 Show Discussion *Spoilers*

[KennyLuv]

The finale's tasks were ridiculous. What was Trump trying to hire? An apprentice to conduct business and supervise projects at an international level, or was he trying to hire an "event planner"? The finale's tasks were just event planning. Make a list of things, execute them in a timely and orderly fashion and you are good.

[Alexxxx]

And she composed her answer under pressure while Clint was talking.

Awww, that's nothing. The best BS is always composed in a moment of panic. Anybody ever come home way past curfew in high school?

[Rabid Dingo]

Perhaps this was Trump's way of making up for not hiring Jen M. back on Season 2.

With that said, I don't agree with the outcome.

[echo226]

The finale's tasks were ridiculous. What was Trump trying to hire? An apprentice to conduct business and supervise projects at an international level, or was he trying to hire an "event planner"? The finale's tasks were just event planning. Make a list of things, execute them in a timely and orderly fashion and you are good.

I think one of the main purposes of that task was to see which candidate was a "fit" in the Trump organization.

Trump knew they were both competent, and some of the "tests" of the final task were really just superficial. The real test here was to determine who was the better fit.

Truly, Brandy and even all the others looked like they belonged, while the VIP's would view Clint as "the help".

At best Clint would be seen as a potential workhorse in the organization which I don't think was the goal in choosing the next apprentice.

[Dragonlady]

I'd like to offer my 2 cents on why I think Clint lost. In his act Jeff Foxworthy has a bit where he talks about sounding Southern. One of the points is "you may like the way I sound but I guarantee you wouldn't want your brain surgeon sounding like me."

It is a regional bias that Southern people can't be themselves and still be polished and intelligent enough to succeed outside the South. The cultural bias is reinforced with shows such as Beverly Hillbillies.

Southern people know this, and some still want to fight the stereotype and be themselves. I think Clint is one of those, and he fell victim to the bias against southern people.

I'm Southern born but the least Southern person you will ever meet -- for a reason. I don't want to fall victim to the same bias. I do not live in the South, and my speech is as far from Southern as I can get. Sure an occasional Y'all slips in, but I'm a blonde girl so it works. I also try to keep y'all in a casual or flirtatious setting and not in the business setting.

My sister is the exact opposite. She was a flight attendant and she loved to show off her drawl on the airplane PA before flights. She viewed it as an asset that men loved. And I guess every man has a bit of an Ellie Mae fantasy so to speak so maybe she's right, but in the business world you will never be taken seriously sounding like Jed Clampett. Clint did not realize that and he paid for it.

I don't think Brandy won because she was the pretty one or because she was smarter than Clint. I think Brandy won because she was more polished and sounded more intelligent. In the minds of Americans strong Southern dialects do not sound intelligent. Clint needs to realize this and change his makeup a bit. You can be a proud southerner but you'll never get the big job with someone else if you talk like it. I think there's a reason Clint's success has been self made. When you work for yourself you don't have to change to please the boss. But in the grand scheme of things Jethro would not be taken seriously in a Trump boardroom.

I'm sorry if I offend any proud Southerners here, but I think if you will do some soul searching that you will realize that Clint beat himself by sounding too much like a hick.

I think you are right on the button here.
Maybe the accent/drawl wouldn't be so bad but combined with not wearing the tie, looking somewhat disheveled and just basically not as polished was what put Clint in second place. Otherwise, they were both fit for the job.

[graycat11]

I he couldn't believe it when Clint lost, thought he was much better than Brandy.

Brandy's team messed up several times:

When she wasn't there to meet DT and the guests at the golfing event.
Everyone was off and running to golf, Kathy Griffin wasn't even there to greet them in time.
Golf bags prizes left behind.

[MHcarrollton]

So because someone has a Southern accent they are unpolished. That is complete and utterly foolish. Brandy looks no more polished than half the women in the Country. She is not anywhere near pretty, she is average at best. Trump better stick to his superficial beauty pageants if this is what he wants. What a crock.

[yoelmo21]

Trump has kept and fired who he wanted the whole season. Why change now?

[AJane]

So because someone has a Southern accent they are unpolished. That is complete and utterly foolish. Brandy looks no more polished than half the women in the Country. She is not anywhere near pretty, she is average at best. Trump better stick to his superficial beauty pageants if this is what he wants. What a crock.

I have to agree. Brandy is nothing special, and that cold aloofness she cultivates would be a turnoff if I was interviewing her for a job. Not to mention that Snooki-ish heavy eye makeup. Urgh.

[Jexter]

The finale's tasks were ridiculous. What was Trump trying to hire? An apprentice to conduct business and supervise projects at an international level, or was he trying to hire an "event planner"? The finale's tasks were just event planning. Make a list of things, execute them in a timely and orderly fashion and you are good.

I work in non-profits and events are a big part of that world. The thing about events is that they require amazing amounts of detail. Anyone without much experience is easily overwhelmed. You have to do a bunch to get good at them.

And, don't under estimate the importance of events, by the way. They can yield HUGE profits if that is the goal. They can also lose HUGE amounts of money if not managed properly. Running certain large events, e.g. citywide conferences, etc. is like running a business. They have the same components - product development, production, multi-million dollar budgets, sales and marketing, etc.

But a golf tournament and lounge act (sorry Liza....that's what it's deteriorated into)??? No way. Even a concert at an Atlantic City hotel can't be a huge deal.