It
has been written and it will continue to be written for a while I feel sure, that
yesterday the UK (or London more specifically) witnessed an event that has not
been seen in many a long year. And an
event that has never been seen on prime time television before!
No,
I am not talking about the 1000 boat strong flotilla that graced the Thames
yesterday for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, but instead the fact that Claude Littner
(the best interviewer on the series the Apprentice) did not tear one of the
candidates to shreds!
Interview
week is without doubt my favourite week of the Apprentice series. It is great to
finally see the candidates, who have over the course of 10 / 11 weeks made
themselves look like idiots by acting less mature than primary school children
in the boardroom (I really do always expect to see tears and not just from the
girls), come under fire for their own self importance and arrogance.
If
you’re not sure that the candidates always act immature, you must though agree
that they certainly say some absolutely ludicrous and cringe worthy things. My
two favourite quotes from the series have to be from Duane Bryan and Jenna
Whittingham. Duane told another of this year’s candidates that; “you must never
look a gift horse in the eye.”
Honestly
this doesn’t even need a satirical remark from me as this mis-quote speaks for
itself. But really, why oh why would you ever use a saying that you weren’t
sure you had right. Though maybe I’m doing him a favour by thinking he
mis-spoke, perhaps he genuinely didn’t know that that wasn’t the saying. Yet
this either makes him a fool or forgetful, neither great traits when trying to
become Lord Sugar’s business partner one wouldn’t have thought. If anyone who
knows Duane is reading this, its mouth by the way and not eye! “Never look a
gift horse in the mouth!”
In
fairness to Duane though, his quote was nothing in comparison to Jenna’s
blunder. Jenna during one of the tasks and on route to Edinburgh (where the
task was set), asked fellow candidate and Scot Laura Hogg if she’d be able to
understand and talk to the people if they spoke in Scottish. If you didn’t see
this episode, find a clip and watch it because Jenna was being deadly serious!
I
have to say when I was watching this episode and that comment was made, I was
ready to pull out a vuvuzela from somewhere and blow it. That comment should
have been an instant fireable offence on the grounds of stupidity!!
Anyway,
back to topic – Interview week.
This
is the week where Lord Alan Sugar brings in his most trusted advisors and lets
them rip on his remaining candidates. As television goes, I always find this to
be comedy and entertainment gold. Although I do wonder if any of these
candidates have ever had interviews before? Yes, I appreciate that the advisors
are possibly told to go OTT, and there is the extra pressure on the candidates
because they know it’s televised, but still! If you apply for the Apprentice (and
by this I mean the newer version of the Apprentice where it’s not for a job but
to be Sugar’s business partner), then why can’t you answer basic questions on
your business plan!
Aside
from my issue with the candidates being occasionally open for ridicule, the
entertainment gold comes from the interviewers. Who needs to watch a David
Attenborough program on nature, when interview week is on? It is just like
watching predators stalk their prey in the Serengeti, and they all have that
give away look where you know they are about to pounce on the candidate, from
Margaret Mountford’s eyebrow (love it!) to Claude Littner’s lean (brilliant!)
Yet
yesterday I felt a little robbed. Claude Littner who has always provided the
very best of the best entertainment from interview week – his best line ever
being when he was interviewing Stuart Braggs – the Brand! The Brand (as he
called himself) claimed that he was a big fish in a small pond. Littner’s response
was; “you’re not even a fish!” It came after the end of a long drilling at
which point Braggs looked like he was about to cry. I know I shouldn’t find
someone else’s misery and pain entertaining, but isn’t that what reality
television is all about!
But,
imagine my disappointment yesterday when Littner didn’t attack yet more cajole
Ricky Martin (winner of the Apprentice). I found it highly disheartening when
he told him he thought he had a good business plan – that’s not entertainment
gold, that’s like watching the good kid in the class’s parent evening! Dull!
Thankfully though, Littner still made excellent attacks on the other three
candidates, so I wasn’t left feeling totally short changed on my viewing amusement.
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