SMB-IL

briank

Two things:

Randall early on in the show mentioned that "he should be the SOLE APPRENTICE" and asked people to stand up.

Trump mentioned "this makes it easier" when each picked separate job assignments.

So I think the contestants knew the option was there and it was planned/setup for this ending.

TwineTime

DRG

Whether he knew about the option ahead of time or not, it's still a pointlessly selfish move on Randall's part. Esentially deny a huge opportunity for someone who was supposedly a good friend of his throughout the competition, someone he supposedly respected, for the sheer reason of claiming sole possession of an ultimately meaningless title (because the job he wanted was his either way). So good job, Randall, you're the "sole Apprentice". Unfortunately for you, you'll probably be better remembered from now on as "the Apprentice who pulled the dick move on the finale".

I'm not against contestants on reality shows being cutthroat, lying, backstabbing, etc. But this event stands out because he gained NOTHING from it, except his claim to be the "one and only Apprentice". Except of course Bill, Kelly, Kendra, and whoever wins the next dozen or so editions until the show gets cancelled.

I can't wait to see if Trump & co. do some kind of damage control, or if he'll just try to ignore the whole thing.

Bill Needle

Also, when he asked Randal, you could see most -- probably 12 out of 16 -- of the candidates either shaking their head or shouting "No!" behind him. And then when he made his comments, they applauded him and nodded agreement. There may have been more to Rebecca than met the editor's eye. Clearly for some reason he would have lost some amount of respect from a majority of people who knew them both very well throughout the course of this process.

Maybe the actual final decision wasn't made until the broadcast, but this was certainly not off the cuff. I did catch The Donald still on mike off camera as they were going out saying "Did you like that?"

PacMan2006

Why, after watching this show for three months, would you want to see BOTH people win? So what if they were both qualified--you hire the better person. I can't imagine watching this years past Superbowl, and as the Patriots raised the Lombardi trophy, the NFL Comissioner comes up and states, "New England, you played great, but you know, the Eagles played their hearts out too. I think they deserve a Superbowl Ring as well."

If Trump wanted to hire two people--hire two people. State at the start of the season you are looking for two winners. But don't pull a stunt hire at the end just so viewers can turn to each other and go "Oooooh! I didn't see that coming."

While hiring Rebecca wouldn't have HURT Randal, I can understand where he's coming from. I'd also be upset if I was the CLEAR winner--in regards to PM wins, experience, education, raising $11,000, and having the support of most of my fellow collegeagues--and Trump wanted to also hire someone else I've been working hard to beat. If that's the case, why even have the final comeptition?

Hiring the two of them would've been a cop-out. Just hire the best person or re-configure your rules for "The Apprentice 5."

Patman

Make that "The Apprenti 5"

maingon

i cant believe randal did that, they both wanted different projects. if i were recbecca i would be PISSED

DRG

To me, it's not an issue of "both people winning". Randall was the clear winner. He was THE Apprentice.

I thought the whole reason Trump did it the way he did was to make it clear "I've picked Randall. He won. But I like Rebecca too so I'l be nice and give her something too." I thought Trump's question was clearly a rhetorical one that he mistakenly assumed Randall would give a stock answer to like "She'd make a fine addition to the Trump organization" or something to that effect. But Randall went a whole 'nother way with it, making it into a territorial pissing match. Now, I could see the problem if they both picked the Atlantic City task and Trump wanted them to work side-by-side and be 50/50 equal partners on the project. THAT I could understand giving the Don a big "hell no" to.

I don't think he planned it from the beginning of the season. And I do think he went into the finale planning to hire them both. But out of respect for the game AND for Randall he did the right thing and made Randall the winner. I thought the fact he was putting the decision in Randall's hands (even though he intended a specific outcome) was to *further* the fact that Randall was the winner and put the power in his hands to some small degree. He was basically saying, "Randall, you hold the power over Rebecca's future in your hands". If that's not a crystal clear indicator of who the "one and only" winner is, I don't know what is.

Yes, Trump could have simply hired Rebcca himself, but he tried this token gesture that blew up in his face. He misread Randall, as did many people. At that point, what could he do? Say "Well screw you, Randall, I'll hire her anyway!"... in doing so Trump is definitely marginalizing the winner. So instead Trump is forced to shut his mouth and pray for 11:00 to arrive.

zebop

I can imagine Trump would work something out with Rebecca if he wanted to. You know Randall was probably still pissed about her comments about him in the boardroom. On the one hand I can see why he would say yes--but on the other, I can totally see why he floated Trump a no. Rebecca's the opponent and she's not above drilling him in the back to score points.

Matthew Chmiel

That's what exactly I was thinking. I thought Randall was giving a complete bitchslap to Rebecca after she almost got him fired over the whole XM mishap.

DJariya

I totally disagree that Randal was a prick for not letting Rebecca get the job. Both were good and well qualified, but if Randal would have allowed Trump to hire Rebecca as well, that would have meant that he went through the 13 week process for nothing. It also would have set a bad precedent for future shows. I mean Trump's already firing 2-4 people on some boardrooms. Do you really think it would have been a true finale if he would have hired 2 people?

It would be like on The Amazing Race, if 1 team finishes 1st and wins the million dollars, but Phil says to the 2nd placer, "Since you guys played your hearts out, I'm also giving you 1 million dollars."

So, I agree Randal got the job fair and square. I know Rebecca's probably cursing a shit storm calling Randal every profanity in the book, but hey that's life and that's TV.

Newfrd

Randal made some bone-headed decisions on the final task and he may have be concerned that if she was also hired they would then be compared to each other (and maybe she would outshine him).

Goldblum

I don't think Randall had much time to think of any of these things. He said the first thing out of his mouth, which shows that in actuality he is more of a prick than most of us thought.

tcoursen

On the first apprentice didn't Trump offer the 2nd place person ( Kwame ) a job? So it isn't like offering a job to the 2nd place person is unprecedented.

JHosk

I can see both sides of the story here. Sure....Randal won fair and square and I can understand him wanting all the glory for having won the competition fair and square. On the other side, it was pretty lame to not have Rebecca have the other project. It was a pretty selfish move on his part.

I'm just not sure how this will play out for Randal in the long run. I think Trump may think less of him for being such a bad winner. It was clear what Trump wanted to go down, and Randal would have nothing of it.

Schloob1

To all those who felt Randal was a prickfor saying that, whatever, you have your opinion and that is fine. Randal did not say you should "never" hire Rebecca.He simply put that this is "The Apprentice" and there should only be one winner. Trump very easily that night probably told her that I would like to offer you a contract to work for me later anyway.

Now for something that no one has brought up and that continued to drive me crazy any time it came up. Rebecca had an f'in broken ankle, that's it. It was not like she had a ruptured spleen and was fighting a debilitating sickness that gave her a constant fever and she was naucious the whole time of the show. Millions of people in America have to go to work everyday with injuries that affect them in adverse ways yet they still do their job. I give way more props to Randal for his performance after losing his Grandmother which is something that can affect you emotionally/mentally which is what this show truly tests you on. This is not the Amazing Race or Survivor where I would give total props to someone that won despite the ankle or other physical problem. I definitely know I saw Randal more than once give kind of a roll of the eyes or raise an eyebrow when she would bring that up and I totally agreed.

josepotato

Randal is the Apprentus.

Timber

Yeah, I don't know why people are just disregarding this. The majority of the contestents wanted Randall to win and when Donald asked about hiring Rebecca as well there was a bunch of contestents that were shaking there heads in disapproval.

nazz

Randal may have been more popular with the other candidates but this isn't a popularity contest. I think it's clear that Randal was declared 'The Apprentice' and offering Rebecca another position in the company does not take away from that.

The lovefest between Randal and Rebecca leading into the boardroom was so extensive that I was getting very tired of it. Randal went on and on about how much he admired and respected Rebecca and how deserving she was to get as far as she did. That was all unnecessary in his goal to win if he was not sincere. There was no reason to turn against her after he had won the competition.

I mentioned earlier that he was arrogant in his celebration as well. I couldn't believe how many times Trump had to yell at him while he was high fiving the others. He disrespected Trump more than once in the finale. He really just seemed to go off on a trip of showing his true colors which proceeded to his selfish decision to deprive Rebecca of an opportunity of a life time. He then ends it by walking to the edge of the stage and bowing and waving to the entire audience as if he had just given a perfromance in front of an adoring audience of his fans.

Randal is an arrogant prick who managed to fool a lot of people during the season.

Patman

Well, Randall should have been more diplomatic in his answer:

"Mr. Trump, I respect that you have great admiration for Rebecca's abilities, and should you find a spot in your organization in need of her skills and leadership, you should do what's best for the Trump organization. Having more good people working with you is always better than having too few."

Randall got too closed-minded about the competition and didn't see the big picture at the end. It's about winning with grace, and Randall flunked that test in many viewers' eyes. So Randall is crowned "The Apprentice", that title's good for about 15 minutes before fame moves onto the next person.

GuessWho

Randall is the one and only WINNER, but it's a free country and trump can hire any workers he wants.


BTW, I've had a major crush on rebecca all season--being from Chicago-- was a good touch too. Hell, I even forgave her for dating a Napoleon Dynamite lookalike...

Butr that hairdo last night aged her 10 years, and not in a good way.

Goldblum

Randall's stock crashed. Now he'll be remembered as the Apprentice who acted like a prick. I feel bad for the girl because there was the slimmer of hope for a second and then Randall shat all over it.

Robertwoj

Kinda like what happened with Rupert from Survivor. After being a fan favorite, they just wanted to give him a million dollars, so they concocted the fan vote.

THX7966

With all that education, Randal doesn't know the plural of "apprentice" is "apprentices" and not "apprenti"?