Someone's not done their research properly...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/apprentice/candidates/biographies/c_400006.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/apprentice/candidates/biographies/c_400006.shtml
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The Apprentice
Yeah. Everybody knows that all prominent caterers used to play for Rangers. No, really, they did. -
The Apprentice
Mmm. At least a full-filling career now.
Sorry.Comment
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The Apprentice
People are on there, seriously, complaining that this "makes a mockery of the show".
Morons.Comment
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The Apprentice seems a museum piece from the age of casino capitalism (and like spread betting and poker very much spawned by that era).
For starters, 'you're fired' isn't some jokey cliche but something millions will be fearing they'll hear.
Secondly, the 'traits' the show valorises - showy, egotistical braggarts who think they're masters of the fucking universe - is clearly modelled on some self-actualising swaggering cockfarmer of a noughties-capitalist superhero, who, well, really needs to fuck off back to Krypton and whom we certainly don't need more examples of.Comment
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The Apprentice
NHH wrote:
Good point. I think that might be why here in the US, the regular version of The Apprentice is not heavily promoted--don't know if it's even on anymore--while Celebrity Apprentice gets more attention. I think they're more comfortable showing "celebrities" get humiliated and "fired".The Apprentice seems a museum piece from the age of casino capitalism (and like spread betting and poker very much spawned by that era).
For starters, 'you're fired' isn't some jokey cliche but something millions will be fearing they'll hear.Comment
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The Apprentice
Forced to give up football because of arthritis?....could have just transferred to Newcastle instead? [quote]
Had to laugh at that one on the link above.
Fantastic show. Head and shoulders above any other reality show. And
Most of the 1980s timewarped Thatcherite types are generally shown up for what they are ... arseholes who trot out cliches like 'thinking outside the box', 'pushing the envelope', 'step up to the plate' and (my personal fave) 'blue sky thinking'.
Having said that I don't think anyone should be ashamed of making a few quid.Comment
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The Apprentice
NHH wrote:
Yeah, but isn't the main reason people watch the show because the 'egotistical braggarts' are ultimately exposed as erm, egotistical braggarts. No one actually emerges from this show with their credibility intact. They're all seen for what they are, which in most cases is deluded, self-promoting, secondhand car salesman lacking wit, imagination and self awareness.Secondly, the 'traits' the show valorises - showy, egotistical braggarts who think they're masters of the fucking universe - is clearly modelled on some self-actualising swaggering cockfarmer of a noughties-capitalist superhero, who, well, really needs to fuck off back to Krypton and whom we certainly don't need more examples of.Comment
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And "Sir Alan"?
The level of fawning over this con-artist and bully is astonishing.Comment
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The Apprentice
Great show, but I do wonder about Sir Alan's motives for sacking the girl, was it all because of her performance on the task or really just because she had a face like a bulldog chewing a wasp.Comment
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I'm not sure I buy the whole 'but we're laughingat them' defence of The Apprentice. Sure, the hapless contestants might get ridiculed but the show's ringmaster, Alan Sugar, does not - we're not invited to lampoon his bullying, nasty world view. Nah, he gets asked to do adverts for the government.
The Apprentice ultimately venerates that whole ugly world, that whole ugly life-ambition. Nasty, misanthropic programme. NHH is right on this one.Comment
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The Apprentice
Can you imagine having to sit next to Alan Sugar at a wedding reception, and listening to him barking drivel for two or three solid hours.
You'd end up pouring a pint over him. Two pints.Comment
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If that's all you did to him, you'd have to be commended for your restraint.
Disgusting man, disgusting television.Comment
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The Apprentice
No one actually emerges from this show with their credibility intact. They're all seen for what they are, which in most cases is deluded, self-promoting, secondhand car salesman lacking wit, imagination and self awareness.
Yes, but for all this, they'll still be what they are after the show pretty much what they were before it. They'll have learned nothing about themselves (which is where you're spot-on with the lack of self-awareness bit) and will still go on in life as the same crass cartoon go-getters, having not even gained a moment's introspection to look at themselves. They'll probably have regrets about doing it wrong in a business sense, but have none about acting the brusque, deluded pseudo-arsekicker. It's a stance that near enough becomes an object of pity - unless they have second thoughts, they'll just be these 'make it to the top' success machines, who couldn't achieve one iota of success if they went without sleep for a month.Comment
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The Apprentice
TonTon wrote:
My mother-in-law worked for him and his dad before she went to work for Robert Stigwood (dirty name-dropper by association,me).And "Sir Alan"?
The level of fawning over this con-artist and bully is astonishing.Comment
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The Apprentice
What meregreen said. I don't mean to defend the show as such, but the reason I watch it is precisely to watch these talentless, arrogant cocks fall apart under pressure. Like the time that one team had to do a themed food night at a pub, completely ballsed up the planning abnd organisation, and ended up buying frozen fucking pizzas.Comment
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The Apprentice
I partly buy the "laughing at them" defence, in that that's why I used to watch it (I stopped because it's now so bloody samey and boring, rather than out of principle). I think "Dragon's Den" and "Beat the Bosses" and programmes like that are in some ways more insidious, because of the way the assumptions of what I'm going unapologetically to call Capital are so tacit.
"Beat the Bosses" (if I've remembered the title right; the one with a team of kids v a team of pros) I especially dislike because of the involvement of children. I'm starry-eyed enough to think that people should start out in life wanting to better the world, rather than increase the proportion of it that they own.Comment
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E10 Rifle wrote:
Sugar plays a cartoon-like role within the show.I don't think he does act the bully, certainly not compared to the way the contestants behave. Brusque he may be, and not someone I'd want to work with, but the scale of ambition you decry is most evident among the candidates.I'm not sure I buy the whole 'but we're laughingat them' defence of The Apprentice. Sure, the hapless contestants might get ridiculed but the show's ringmaster, Alan Sugar, does not - we're not invited to lampoon his bullying, nasty world view. Nah, he gets asked to do adverts for the government.
E10 Rifle wrote:
I disagree. I think it ridicules it. It's more a case of 'take a group of people who assume they're masters of the Universe and demonstrate why most of them are virtually unemployable'.The Apprentice ultimately venerates that whole ugly world, that whole ugly life-ambition. Nasty, misanthropic programme. NHH is right on this one.
1ian.64:
We don't really know what the people are like when they leave the show, but there have been several individuals who, when confronted with examples of their unpleasant behaviour in the after-show programme, did display hitherto unseen levels of humility.Yes, but for all this, they'll still be what they are after the show pretty much what they were before it. They'll have learned nothing about themselves (which is where you're spot-on with the lack of self-awareness bit) and will still go on in life as the same crass cartoon go-getters, having not even gained a moment's introspection to look at themselves. They'll probably have regrets about doing it wrong in a business sense, but have none about acting the brusque, deluded pseudo-arsekicker. It's a stance that near enough becomes an object of pity - unless they have second thoughts, they'll just be these 'make it to the top' success machines, who couldn't achieve one iota of success if they went without sleep for a month.
Ultimately, though, the point of the programme is not to act as therapy for those taking part. You're right, most will carry on acting the same way, but in a way, so what?
I agree with Why on Earth in that the main problem with the programme is that it's become formulaic and predictable.Comment
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The Apprentice
It's quite interesting to see the difference between the UK and US version. At least based on the first couple of seasons (I haven't watched it since) the American one really does venerate its candidates, or at least their ambition. And it is (or was) much more focused on the possibility of them earning loads and loads of money, whereas the UK one always talks about what it means for their career.Comment
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The Apprentice
Agree with that so I'd like to see a candidate give a bit back to S'ralan.
I agree with Why on Earth in that the main problem with the programme is that it's become formulaic and predictable.
In much the same way that George Costanza did to Steinbrenner this episode of Seinfeld.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Opposite
He got the job.Comment
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The Apprentice
Ultimately, though, the point of the programme is not to act as therapy for those taking part. You're right, most will carry on acting the same way, but in a way, so what?
I agree with Why on Earth in that the main problem with the programme is that it's become formulaic and predictable.
And that the last two words of the first paragraph accord nicely with the second - it's become a televised 'so what?'
To answer your question - or give you one answer at least - I agree, you can think it might not make an iota of difference (it certainly won’t give me sleepless nights), but then I don’t really like the underlying foundations and appeal of the programme, that of getting a bunch of hateful cunts to work for a hateful cunt so that we may hate and loathe them in return, and watch them fall on their arses and laugh about it and at them for ending up not only hateful cunts, but hateful cunting failures on top of all that.
Actually, it is therapy, but for the audience, who, after a hard day at work, can settle down and indulge in the human coconut shy that the programme represents, that little bit of antagonistic poison that arises in game shows where you not only have to be seen to beat your fellow contestants, but also be seen to put them aside for a comfy chat where you verbally shit on them (I'm amazed that the new Chris Tarrant game show, The Colour of Money, doesn't have a bit where the contestant's family congregate in a green room and begin verbally tearing him or her a new arsehole for losing £25,000).
My wish is that a virus that stimulates self-awareness in those Apprentice combatants to the point of epiphany prevents them from presenting themselves as human clay pigeons to be shot down by an audience's loathing, and to save themselves the burden of sitting before a prune-faced, city-version of a second-hand car salesman who should really fuck off and take his methane-rich personality somewhere else.
It's quite interesting to see the difference between the UK and US version. At least based on the first couple of seasons (I haven't watched it since) the American one really does venerate its candidates, or at least their ambition. And it is (or was) much more focused on the possibility of them earning loads and loads of money, whereas the UK one always talks about what it means for their career.
And it also has Donald Trump (with hair by Lucasfilm), who, unlike Alan Sugar with his constipated stare and yapping tone (it's like listening to a bad impersonation of himself), has conviction in exuding power and looks as if he could take over your business just by staring at it.Comment
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The Apprentice
There's something extra appalling in this programme for me, in that it's the BB-fucking-C fawning over Sugar.Comment
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