# "Apprentice" finale -- 12/15/05 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 15, 2005, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apprentice-finale-12-15-05/335721 "2005-12-15T14:57:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![LilyoftheValley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@LilyoftheValley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilyoftheValley)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apprentice-finale-12-15-05/335721/41 "2005-12-16T04:09:13Z")
Whoa sorry for that double post. Hit the wrong button on the first post. ---
**Author:** ![GraceTX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c4cdca/32.png) [@GraceTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GraceTX)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apprentice-finale-12-15-05/335721/42 "2005-12-16T04:09:28Z")
I don’t think Donald had a back-up plan for Randel saying no. ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apprentice-finale-12-15-05/335721/43 "2005-12-16T04:10:12Z")
[QUOTE= And WWDTD? I think Randall might have had it in the back of his mind that DT would have fired him for saying yes.[/QUOTE] you may have something there… or at lest randall wasnt taking any chances ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apprentice-finale-12-15-05/335721/44 "2005-12-16T04:11:19Z")
> [@Lil' Mahoney](#): > > I don’t think Donald had a back-up plan for Randel saying no. he sounded kinda shocked didnt he? and not fake actor shock… lol ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apprentice-finale-12-15-05/335721/45 "2005-12-16T04:14:07Z")
> [@Lil' Mahoney](#): > > I don’t think Donald had a back-up plan for Randel saying no. Damn – he sure didn’t! ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apprentice-finale-12-15-05/335721/46 "2005-12-16T04:16:10Z")
LOL I feel kinda dirty because this is the first Reality TV show thread I have responded to. Damn, I like this show, and not for Trump… I cant stand him… but I love the challenges! its the first season ive seen… I will watch the next if im off work early enough 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apprentice-finale-12-15-05/335721/47 "2005-12-16T04:16:44Z")
Wow, Randal _totally_ missed his cue there. Donald fed him the opportunity to say, “She’s so wonderful, Mr. Trump, you shouldn’t let her get away” – but instead he got a resounding “Hell no!” And then Trump couldn’t ignore what he said without cutting him off at the knees – which wouldn’t exactly be the best way to begin their working relationship. Randal just made his first big boo-boo for the Trump organization, it appears. ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apprentice-finale-12-15-05/335721/48 "2005-12-16T04:20:14Z")
> [@Mama Tiger](#): > > Wow, Randal _totally_ missed his cue there. Donald fed him the opportunity to say, “She’s so wonderful, Mr. Trump, you shouldn’t let her get away” – but instead he got a resounding “Hell no!” And then Trump couldn’t ignore what he said without cutting him off at the knees – which wouldn’t exactly be the best way to begin their working relationship. > > Randal just made his first big boo-boo for the Trump organization, it appears. yeah it was totally the unexpected reaction… lol but I think Trump will respect it as a choice that he offered and that was rejected for the better of the one rather then for the two… lol… I think trump might praise that ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apprentice-finale-12-15-05/335721/49 "2005-12-16T04:21:13Z")
I loved it that Randal wouldn’t share his victory. For one thing, I think just don’t like Rebecca. I think she’s kind of a fraud and that she’s way too impressed with herself. For another thing, I agree with Randal that hiring both candidates would kind of ruin the point of the show. I want there to be a single winner. Let’s not turn this into some kind of nursery school activity where nobody is a loser. ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apprentice-finale-12-15-05/335721/50 "2005-12-16T04:23:24Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > I loved it that Randal wouldn’t share his victory. For one thing, I think just don’t like Rebecca. I think she’s kind of a fraud and that she’s way too impressed with herself. For another thing, I agree with Randal that hiring both candidates would kind of ruin the point of the show. I want there to be a single winner. Let’s not turn this into some kind of nursery school activity where nobody is a loser. Big ass point right there! Good job. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apprentice-finale-12-15-05/335721/51 "2005-12-16T04:26:51Z")
Yeah, but when he had the exits sealed and the people who cheered for Rebecca’s hiring slaughtered I thought it was overkill. Randal may have just gone from “the guy everyone loves” to “the ass everyone hates” in record time, even for reality TV. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apprentice-finale-12-15-05/335721/52 "2005-12-16T04:27:16Z")
Part of me hates that he said no, but another part thinks he was right. Hiring both of them would have diminished his achievement, it would have looked gimmicky, something done for ratings. If he truly thought that highly of Rebecca’s abilities and that she’d be good for the Trump organization, he should have said yes. I wonder what would have happened if Randal had some time to think about it, like over a commercial break. Good one, Lil’ Mahoney – Trump not having a backup plan. 🙂 Rebecca sure has more poise than Randal though. He needs to work on his poker face. I wish they would have talked with all the candidates. That section of the stage was dark when Randal asked his fans to stand. I couldn’t tell if everyone stood up or not. ---
**Author:** ![Rusalka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecd19e/32.png) [@Rusalka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rusalka)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apprentice-finale-12-15-05/335721/53 "2005-12-16T04:28:40Z")
Am I the only one who thinks Randall is kind of a fraud? Anyone with a real sense of accomplishment wouldn’t have been so narcissistic. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apprentice-finale-12-15-05/335721/54 "2005-12-16T04:35:00Z")
Would anybody have any interest in watching a show where you could no longer count on having a single winner? Would there be any point to the final task anymore? Randal doesn’t owe Rebecca anything and was right not to diminsih his victory by sharing it, kindergarten style, with an underserving opponent. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apprentice-finale-12-15-05/335721/55 "2005-12-16T04:36:32Z")
I think what hurt him more than anything else was the reason he gave. “This isn’t the apprentae, it’s the apprentice…”. It made him sound insecure and selfish. Had he said “Yes, hire her! I need a good personal assistant and you can always use another mistress!” it may have seemed better. ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apprentice-finale-12-15-05/335721/56 "2005-12-16T04:39:24Z")
Personally, I never thought Rebecca had a chance of being hired as the lone apprentice, but also don’t ever recall Trump not making his own decision. If he wanted Rebecca and Randal, he would have simply made that decision. I loved Randal’s line about Rebecca writing about businesses while he runs businesses… ---
**Author:** ![MaddyStrut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@MaddyStrut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaddyStrut)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apprentice-finale-12-15-05/335721/57 "2005-12-16T04:39:34Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > I loved it that Randal wouldn’t share his victory. For one thing, I think just don’t like Rebecca. I think she’s kind of a fraud and that she’s way too impressed with herself. For another thing, I agree with Randal that hiring both candidates would kind of ruin the point of the show. I want there to be a single winner. Let’s not turn this into some kind of nursery school activity where nobody is a loser. Very well said. The way DT was talking after Randall was hired, I thought he was going to offer Rebecca a job (though I never expected him to ask Randall’s opinion). I was hollering at the TV “No! There should be only _one_ winner. This isn’t _T-Ball_!” ---
**Author:** ![Jurhael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@Jurhael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurhael)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apprentice-finale-12-15-05/335721/58 "2005-12-16T05:04:39Z")
Personally, I think Randal did the right thing. There’s no doubt that Rebecca would make it anyway and I see the Apprentice like the Highlander–there can only be one. From a logical standpoint, he was right. Yes, it was disappointing and very infuriating to see Alla and Felisha emphatically saying “NO!”, but I don’t fault Randal for doing what he did. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apprentice-finale-12-15-05/335721/59 "2005-12-16T05:12:26Z")
Did anybody else get sick of hearing about the broken ankle? I think Trump made way too big a deal out of that. Thousands of people break bones everyday and still go to work with casts and crutches. It’s really nothing at all remarkable. I thought it was kind of lame when Trump was saying that nobody else would have stayed in the game with a broken ankle. Was he kidding? Doesn’t he know anything about famewhores. They’ll do anything to stay on television. You could hobble the lot of them _Misery_ style and not one of them would quit. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apprentice-finale-12-15-05/335721/60 "2005-12-16T05:17:17Z")
Randall’s reply was classless and his rationale was lame. There were other ways that he could have responded. He could have said, “Mr. Trump, I do believe that Rebecca lacks the experience to be your apprentice. However, she is an intelligent and talented individual. Perhaps your organization can use someone like her somewhere.” If Randall meant what he said when he spoke positively of her, then this would have been an honest reply on his part. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apprentice-finale-12-15-05/335721.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apprentice-finale-12-15-05/335721.md?page=4)