For the first half of tonight's The Apprentice: Celebrity Edition, Donald Trump held interviews and an extended boardroom in order to immediately fire two of the final four contestants.  It seemed like an arbitrary way to go about the last two firings – it happened in one night, right after the previous firing of Stephen Baldwin.  After that, the two finalists began preparing for their final task – a star-studded celebrity auction.  We'll see the auction go down next week in the two hour Celebrity Apprentice finale. 

The Celebrity Apprentice begins with the four finalists (Piers Morgan, Trace Adkins, Carol Alt, and Lennox Lewis) being brought right back into the boardroom.  Trump tells the final four that before the night is over, two of them will be fired.  It's going to be a long and brutal boardroom.  Each of the final four will be interviewed by Erin Burnett and Jim Cramer – both NBC cable news personalities.  Piers is confident – he feels if there's anything he can do, it's talk.

The interviews are all inter cut with each other.  They talk about their respective charities.   Lennox is the only one who flubs that part of the interview.  Everyone one of the finalists give reasons why the others shouldn't be in the final two.  Piers arrogantly states that he hasn't made a mistake in the competition, to which Cramer is indignant.  Trump then talks to Erin and Jim about the interviews.  Erin says she liked Piers the least.  Jim doesn't like him either, but admits that he will make you money.  Both really like Carol.  Erin says Trace is her favorite.  Jim's picks are Trace and Carol. 

Trump brings the final four into the boardroom.  All the finalists make their pleas. Lennox makes the mistake of saying that Piers was the driving force behind Hydra and Trump promptly fires him.  Trump and Piers get into a little verbal tussle.  Trace talks about the ruthlessness of Piers, and how Trace will give it his all in the finale. 

Trump then arbitrarily fires Carol because he wants to see Piers and Trace fight it out. 

The next day, Trace and Piers come back to hear about their final task.  They are going to hold a grand charity event.  Four former contestants returns to help: Carol, Lennox, Stephen Baldwin and Marilu Henner.  Piers and Trace each choose two.  Trace picks Lennox first.  Piers picks Stephen.  Trace picks Marilu, and Piers takes Carol last.  One finalist will handle catering and produce a charity auction.  The other finalist will take care of décor and handling The Backstreet Boys, who will perform.  Also, each team will be judged further on ticket sales and on the auction proceeds.  Each finalist can bring in their own auction items, as well as be provided with some. 

Trace, because he's a music guy, takes the show and décor.  Piers takes the auction and the catering.  They then negotiate the given auction items. 

Trace concedes that Piers will make more money, so his focus will be on bringing big faces to the auction – he's chartering two jets to bring country music people up.  Everyone is trying to pick up some celebrities – it's difficult on one day's notice.  Trace picks up some country artists that I've never heard of.  Marilu does her manic planning thing while planning the party décor. 

Carol and Stephen head up the catering planning.  Stephen has a good time sampling the finger foods. 

Piers calls in the big guns.  He brings in his old friend Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York.  Fergie loves working for charity and she WANTS TO WIN.  She offers up a great auction item – Tea with the Duchess. 

Marilu is a little weary of all the items that The Backstreet Boys want in their dressing room.  Trace calls their manger and gets a little perturbed.

Piers talks with his charity's manager, and says that they should give twenty auction tickets to actual wounded veterans, which is what his charity is for.  Trace then meets with The Backstreet Boys, which is pretty funny just in general.  Trace gets pissed off at these punk kids – Nic Carter asks for wheat grass. 

Stephen is in charge of bringing celebrities in.  He seems to be failing.  And that's how the episode ends. 


-Oscar Dahl, BuddyTV Senior Writer
(Image Courtesy of NBC)