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THE FINAL THREE
BECOMES THE FINAL TWO
Primarius waited in the loft for someone, anyone from Matchstick to return
from the conference room. After several hours, the unthinkable became
reality: both
Ryan and
Marcela were dismissed, and
Bethenny,
Dawna, and
Jim were now the final three. To narrow the
field down to two,
Martha Stewart subjected the remaining
three to a demanding four-part interview with four top MSLO executives.
After considering the executives' opinions, Martha came to a conclusion of
her own. For his unpredictability, disruptive behavior, and his insistence
on treating the process as a game, Jim would be sent home.
For the deciding task, the two finalists would each be charged with running
a large-scale charity event. Bethenny was assigned Apple and Eve Presents
the Big Apple Circus to benefit the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. Dawna
would manage the Liz Claiborne Fashion Show and Charity Benefit for Safe
Horizon. Each finalist was allowed to pick three former candidates to be
their employees during the final task.
With nothing less than the ultimate prize on the line, Bethenny and Dawna
threw themselves headlong into their daunting tasks. Every aspect of these
massive events was their responsibility. One group ran afoul of their main
sponsor for fumbling one of the most important facets of the event. As
logistics began to back up on the other group, their leader was caught
spending too much time on fundraising. Internal strife threatened one
finalist's quest for glory, as one of her new employees held a grudge from a
previous conference room. With the pressure mounting and crisis looming,
which finalist has what it takes to become Martha's Apprentice?
RAPID FIRE JOB
INTERVIEWS
Three candidates remained, but only two could make it to the final task.
There would be no more corporations, no more project managers - each
candidate would stand on their own as they proceeded through a series of
interviews with four key MSLO executives: Susan Lyne, President and CEO,
Jonathan Chernes, Senior Vice President of Retail Merchandise, Gail Towey,
Chief Creative Officer, and Margaret Roach, Editorial Director of
Publications.
The interviewers asked the candidates all the tough questions: Why do I want
to hire you? Where would you fit in? How would you describe our brand? Is
there anything you regret? The last pointed query was directed at Jim by
Susan Lyne. She questioned Jim's admission during a reward dinner that he
was treating the process as a game.
In the conference room, the executives reported their impressions to Martha.
Dawna was "almost the whole package," but maybe too predictable. Bethenny
had great energy, but perhaps had trouble focusing on one career. Jim was
seen as a loose canon, and someone who would take too much time to refine.
Based on these comments, and Jim's own comments about his use of strategy in
the loft, Martha took a hard line against the haphazard candidate: "The game
is over, Jim. You're out of here."
TACKLING THE FINAL
TASK
After an overwhelming number of applicants, 16 candidates, and 12 weeks of
demanding tasks, Martha Stewart at last had her final two: Bethenny and
Dawna. Their last task would be their most strenuous yet: manage two huge
charity events. Bethenny would be in charge of Apple and Eve Presents the
Big Apple Circus to benefit the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. Dawna was
challenged to run the Liz Claiborne Fashion Show and Charity Benefit for
Safe Horizon, an organization dedicated to helping victims of domestic
violence.
The two candidates would be responsible for every facet of their events -
from planning, to organization, to execution. They each chose three former
candidates to assist in their copious duties. Bethenny selected
Carrie, Jim, and Ryan, while Dawna picked
Amanda,
Howie, and
Sarah.
Charles and
Alexis, as ever, would monitor the planning
of both events and report back to Martha. And of course, the stakes were
higher than ever.
BIG TOP CANDIDATES
Bethenny's Big Apple Circus event was so sprawling, she declared that
"everybody has to do everything". There were three main areas of
responsibility: sponsor relations, VIP reception, and the circus itself.
While Jim and Carrie handled design and printing of the program, Bethenny
and Ryan toured Crobar, the Manhattan hotspot that would play home to the
event. When a representative from the Boys and Girls Clubs of America
informed Bethenny that the charity typically raises a whopping $1 million
per event, the finalist realized she needed to focus her energies on
fundraising. However, the leader had yet to unify her group. Carrie still
carried a grudge from their conference room confrontation that ended in her
dismissal. When Bethenny attempted to downplay Carrie's feelings as old
news, Carrie concluded that although she would work hard for Bethenny, she
could not endorse her for the position of Apprentice.
Dawna's employees, however, immediately pledged their support to help the
finalist run the Liz Claiborne Fashion Show. With so much to do, Dawna
delegated specific responsibilities to the group: Amanda and Howie would
handle the fashion show, while Dawna and Sarah would put together the VIP
reception. As the latter toured Capitale, the venue for the event, the
manager of the event staging company wasn't seeing a clear vision from Dawna.
Meanwhile, Amanda and Howie met with Liz Claiborne executives to select
outfits for the show. The duo's lack of fashion knowledge transformed them
from capable professionals into bewildered bumblers. As the day drew to a
close, the men celebrated their return to the loft with wine and spirits,
while in private, Dawna worried about Howie's ability to perform after a
long night of drinking.
The next morning, Bethenny set herself up in a corner of Crobar and
dedicated herself entirely to fundraising. Meanwhile, a hungover Howie and a
doddering Amanda blew their meeting to finalize the fashion show with Liz
Claiborne - and a disenchanted executive told Dawna she faced potentially
fatal problems. Back at Crobar, Bethenny's group floundered without
sufficient direction. The finalist's distraction reached a crisis point as a
massive crew of circus performers arrived at the venue with nowhere to go
and nothing to do. Could Dawna prevent a fashion disaster? Would Bethenny be
able to pull her event from the brink of collapse? Tune in next week for the
live finale to find out which finalist will become Martha Stewart's
Apprentice!
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