'The Apprentice 5' - Ep. 6 -or- "What's a Jingle? A Bell?"

Well, here we are at the sixth week of the fifteen week interview. Gee, that's longer than some people I know have ever held a job! No, I'm not referring to me. I've been gainfully employed for a number of years. Um ... decades. Okay, more than a score. Eek. At least Donald Trump is older than I am!

Back to the show - As Gold Rush awaits the non-fired, they want it to be Tarek gone. Alas, no go. Even though Charmaine and some of the others think Tarek holds the team back, he's not the one fired. Bryce decides to take Tarek under his wing and help him. He calls a team meeting to discuss how they should get off to a fresh start and forget past problems. Yes, it's a great idea, but it doesn't seem to go over too well. He's volunteered to the the Project Manager, but will his team listen to him? Will they respect him?

Of course, Tarek blew the play nice party when he decided he was oh-so-great-and-powerful and told them that's why they target him. After all, they're the coyotes chasing after the buffalo (him). Yes. I'm rolling my eyes. Aren't you?

All the rain they kept showing looked very familiar to me. It rained for a good part of September here. Sure enough, it was filmed during Yom Kippur - another holiday that Lee took off to observe. I don't fault him for doing so. Religion is a personal issue and most businesses allow folks the time off for such purposes. I will say it's a shame that the show was filmed when it was as Lee has had to miss part of the "interview." Even though he definitely had a valid reason to go, it can create problems on the team to have a member missing for a task. Or, it can if the Project Manager delegates responsibility properly.

Trump summoned the teams downstairs to the lobby area of Trump Tower where he showed the display cases with the Trump branded merchandise. I took the photo above in the same area of Trump Tower the last time I was in there. (No, I wasn't there for an interview, but I do recommend the public restrooms there!) He then introduced two Arby's corporate bigwigs to the teams and told them their task this week is to create a jingle touting Arby's new all natural chicken line, the only fast food chain offering such. The rest are unnatural, I guess. Aren't nuggets a body part?

They had to write the lyrics and the melody or tune with the aid of a professional band to perform the finished jingle. Lenny wanted to know what a jingle is. Even after it was explained, he played Russian about it all. I know he's smarter than that. It's something I feel just wasn't a strength of his and he fell back to acting like he just stepped foot into modern society. I don't buy the act.

Sean decided to be the Project Manager for Synergy and, for the first time, I personally thought both teams worked well on the task. No one really fought; no catfights. Andrea was almost nonexistent except for working along. Gold Rush made a horrible error which cast a shadow on anything they'd do in the task, though. They showed up 25 minutes late for the meeting with the CEO and other bigwig. Yikes! Dumb move!

This week's Donald Trump lecture and quote was about needing the respect of your employees. I think he was pulling straws with this one. In other weeks, it was evident who would lose the task by the lecture point. This time, I found it a bit murky. Neither Project Manager was really not respected. Out of the two, perhaps Bryce was a bit disrespected as his smile on your brother meeting didn't work. But Gold Rush did pull together as the task went on. I think Trump could have gone with a "Nice Guys Finish Last" quote and lecture, but it wouldn't put him in a great light, would it?

The jingles were played for the bigwig folks, Trump and a bunch of Arby's customers. Donald danced to the Synergy one. I think I'll probably have nightmares tonight. Unfortunately, Gold Rush left out the vital "Arby's is the only natural chicken" and, combined with a bit catchier tune from Synergy, they lost. They will have to go to the Boardroom.

Synergy won a fancy-schmancy meal which included $4,000 a pound white truffles. The girls fawned all over Shawn while poor Michael (who is an attractive young man) was left out. Shallow, shallow. Thankfully, Andrea was a bit quiet. Me? I'd prefer a meal at Arby's, probably going for the roast beef and not the chicken.

As Gold Rush prepared to go to the Boardroom, they were all getting along and really wanted no one fired. Heck, they even forgot how much they disliked Tarek! Bryce did something very right in leading this team in the task. While they lost, they had worked as a team. Bryce also held his head high and refused to backstab or place blame. I think his actions were pretty admirable, but it was a bit like Dead Man Walking to me. Unless he blames others, it will be him gone as he was ultimately responsible for the entire team as the Project Manager.

In the Boardroom, we didn't see fighting as in previous weeks. Lenny knew he didn't contribute much to the task and was resigned to his fate of being chosen to be a fired possibility. I think Bryce took the easy way out by choosing Lee to go with them. He knew Lee wouldn't be fired and that had he brought Charmaine or Tarek, one of them might be. I believe he figured he was a goner. He didn't want Lenny fired either. But, someone had to be fired. He was the Project Manager. He was responsible. Plus, he argued with Trump which sealed the deal.

"Bryce, you're fired!"

When he rode off in the taxi, he was a bit arrogant. But I think he may be right. Watching him bring Gold Rush together on the task this week, he worked miracles. I think Bryce may be the best candidate not hired yet. He wasn't perfect, but he got that team working as a team. I understand the firing - he was the logical candidate in this case. He'll do well in life without winning the show.

Your thoughts?

Dollar bills, y'all...