Anyone who caught last night's episode of The Celebrity Apprentice saw the celebrity meltdown of the century when the Rivers women finally went off the deep end. When team Athena lost, Brande, Annie and Melissa were called into the boardroom. When Brande started to bring up the amount of money she raised, the tables were turned and Donald Trump decided to fire Melissa Rivers. Melissa then stormed out of the building with her mother in tow.

Things seemed to be going okay for Melissa in the boardroom. She hadn't really stuck her foot in her mouth but she hadn't made any good points either.  When Jim spoke up to tell Brande he didn't feel any passion from her, Brande lets it all loose. She firmly tells them that they'll lose a ton of money if they fire her because she has proven she can bring in the money. I felt the intensity in her conviction from my living room couch. I'm guessing everyone in the room felt it too.

Then something happened that I've been waiting all season long for: Melissa interrupted Donald Trump. Now the old Donald would have laid into her about business etiquette and respect and blah blah blah. The new Donald is a docile version of his former self. Instead, he writes a note and sends it over to Jim. When Jim gives the nod, Trump takes over the conversation to ask Jim who he'd fire. Well I'm guessing Donald Trump already knew who Jim would fire because of their little school girl note passing.

Here's the clincher: Jim doesn't want Joan to leave if they fire Melissa. I'm guessing Donald Trump didn't want her to either, which is why he doesn't lay into Melissa Rivers for her inconsiderate behavior. Melissa boldly tells them to not worry about her mother and they fire her on the spot. Then she begins the meltdown of the century.

Here are some choice statements from the Rivers women:
"You have now got a Nazi and a follower." -Joan (she also called Annie the devil earlier in the episode and said she didn't want to insult Hitler by comparing the two)
"I don't work with scum" - Joan
"Those two little **** pit vipers. Whore pit vipers!" - Melissa
"I want my sh** and I want it now. I'm not going without it and I'm not coming back for an interview." - Melissa
"You are a piece of sh** and you are a stupid blonde. It's that simple. You have been so manipulated. So manipulated. She is going to knock you off. Do you think you are going to win? You are not going to win." - Joan
"Oh, suddenly it's about money." - Joan (well Joan, I don't know what you wanted to give your charity other than money)
"Your people! You give money with blood on it. I met your people in Vegas for 40 years; none of them have last names. None of them! They have cash fulls of... You're a poker player. A poker player. That's beyond white trash." - Joan
"I want my sh** now. I want my purse. I want everything. And David, you're not getting an interview." -Melissa
"Lying f****rs." - Melissa
"Get the F*****g elevator. I'm f*****g done." - Melissa
And the last line: "F*****g Bu*****t. Lying Whores." - Melissa

Now, I'm not one to judge but overreact much? You're on a reality TV show. Don't pretend like you just unfairly lost your job. Brande steamrolled Melissa when she brought up funds raised. There are plenty of articulate ways Melissa could have fought back but she didn't say anything of value. Then Joan Rivers has to go off on Annie and Brande who didn't do anything to demean Melissa in the boardroom. What did the two of them think? They could gang up on Donald Trump on his own show so that they would win without deserving to win?

Not only that but I loved when Joan Rivers tried to tell Brande Roderick that she only cared about money. I'm not sure why Joan Rivers was participating in The Celebrity Apprentice but evidently she didn't care much about giving money to her charity. All the comments floating around the web about Brande only being there because Donald Trump had a crush on her are just completely not true. She's been a fierce player all season and I've spoken to the lady; she's extremely intelligent and has great business smarts. Would you rather have Joan Rivers and Melissa Rivers work for you or Brande Roderick? That's kind of a no-brainer.







-Kim Wetter, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
(Image Courtesy of NBC)