Episode Recap: Week Eleven (December 1)
Alla was thrilled to see Felisha return to the suite. Hugs were given out all around as Alla, Rebecca, and Randal embraced her back into the interview process. Later on, the final four trouped off to dinner at Grand Central Station. It was social and peaceful, but under the surface all four were gearing up for the battle ahead. The teams arrived at NASDAQ to meet with Trump, Carolyn, Bill, and two Microsoft executives, Janice and Dustin. Microsoft is not only the top company on the NASDAQ, but its software also powers the exchange. It was no surprise when Trump announced that this week's task involved the technology giant. Dustin explained that Microsoft Office Live Meeting enables a large number of people to simultaneously work on any kind of document without being in the same location. Each team was to create a 60-second promotional video for the software with Justin and Janice acting as the final judges. Felisha and Alla volleyed back and forth as to who would be project manager. Both wanted the job, but Felisha wound up in that pivotal role, though Alla was clearly peeved. Randal and Rebecca had an easier time deciding. "You deserve a win," Randal told Rebecca as she stepped up to the plate to become Excel's project manager. Felisha and Alla met with their production crew to go over their video, which would focus on a harried business traveler whose life would be made easier by Microsoft Office Live Meeting. Felisha then went over their roles: Felisha would be the actor and Alla the director, though Felisha made it clear that she would also have creative input. As before, the two women went in circles over the division of power and creative control. Excel had a similar concept: show two businesspeople struggling to get files, materials, and travel arrangements together for a meeting and then show them conducting the same meeting using the Microsoft product. Unlike Capital Edge, they decided to hire professional actors for the job, but when Rebecca had a difficult time getting the right performances, she asked Randal to step into the role instead. As their crew looked on in frustration, Alla and Felisha bickered on a New York street while setting up their first shot. Alla felt that Felisha was frazzled and unable to take any real control over the project. Throughout the day, things never got any better. Capital Edge's problems continued into the editing suite when their editor informed them they had about 2 1/2 minutes of material. Alla took charge and found a way to condense their footage into the required 60-seconds by using various graphics and voiceover narrations. She felt it was a "stroke of genius." Editing went much more smoothly for Rebecca and Randal. As they finished their video, Carolyn came by to check up on them and to preview the video for herself. Rebecca got "freaked out" when Carolyn asked how much time they took, assuming that Carolyn didn't think they put enough effort into the task. A Zen-like Randal told her to let the question "float off your shoulder." Excel presented their video to Janice and Dustin. When they finished, Randal said a few more words to the two ambivalent-looking executives. If the execs seemed non-committal with Excel, their reaction to Capital Edge's video was crystal clear. As they watched the video flicker by, both of them screwed their faces into confused knots as they tried to decipher the graphics quickly flashing across the screen. "It was very interesting," Dustin told them flatly. Trump arrived at Microsoft to get the final results. Janice felt that Excel did a good job, especially with their "storyline approach." Dustin said that Capital Edge did a good job showing a strong "call to action," but that they failed to present a clear storyline and relied too heavily on confusing visuals. Therefore, the clear winner was Excel. At Typhoon Restaurant and Bar, Felisha wept over dinner as she told Alla about all the "hell" she's been through during her life. Though Alla nodded her head, she later told the cameras that she looked down on people who got depressed and couldn't understand Felisha's "mentality." For their reward, it was relaxation time for Excel as they sailed around Manhattan on Shearwater, a 1920s schooner. Before setting sail, they were joined by two surprise visitors: Randal's wife and Rebecca's boyfriend. Felisha told Randal that the impending boardroom was going to be extremely difficult for her since she considered Alla to be her close friend. Because of this, Felisha decided to take a diplomatic approach to the boardroom, not knowing that Alla was ready to "destroy her" if Felisha went on the attack. In the boardroom, it didn't take long for Alla to go after Felisha. Alla accused her teammate of focusing not on the task, but on trying to outshine her. She gave examples of Felisha giving her control and then putting on the brakes when she was getting "too good" at a specific job. Felisha denied saying or doing these things, but Carolyn felt that her lack of leadership was the reason the team lost. Felisha made an impassioned plea that all she cared about was winning the task - not about Alla or how she came across to anyone else. She agreed with Trump that Alla was very difficult to manage, but she had to admit that she made a poor decision when she had Alla take on the role of director. After reviewing the video, Trump felt that there was too much information too unclearly presented. Bill chimed in that its biggest problem was the video's choppiness and all the text flashing across the screen. Felisha said that it had been Alla's idea to "chop up the video," but Alla denied having anything to do with this decision. "Felisha, shame on you," Alla told her. Alla continued to hammer on Felisha even as Felisha was giving Alla credit were it was due. "She's being so nice to you, and you're just killing her," Trump said. Felisha broke down in tears as she admitted to not being up to snuff on the task, but that she wanted to become the Apprentice more than anything else. Alla jumped in, but Trump cut her off, "you have to stop brow beating her." Trump asked Felisha if she felt she was strong enough to work in New York. Felisha said that she was, but Trump said otherwise. "Felisha, you're not strong enough to be here· Felisha, you're fired." Alla started to get up, but Trump told her to sit back down. "Alla, the fact is· you're very difficult to manage. Alla, you're fired."Source: http://www.nbc.com/The_Apprentice_4/recaps/week11_p1.shtml
Alla was thrilled to see Felisha return to the suite. Hugs were given out all around as Alla, Rebecca, and Randal embraced her back into the interview process. Later on, the final four trouped off to dinner at Grand Central Station. It was social and peaceful, but under the surface all four were gearing up for the battle ahead. The teams arrived at NASDAQ to meet with Trump, Carolyn, Bill, and two Microsoft executives, Janice and Dustin. Microsoft is not only the top company on the NASDAQ, but its software also powers the exchange. It was no surprise when Trump announced that this week's task involved the technology giant. Dustin explained that Microsoft Office Live Meeting enables a large number of people to simultaneously work on any kind of document without being in the same location. Each team was to create a 60-second promotional video for the software with Justin and Janice acting as the final judges. Felisha and Alla volleyed back and forth as to who would be project manager. Both wanted the job, but Felisha wound up in that pivotal role, though Alla was clearly peeved. Randal and Rebecca had an easier time deciding. "You deserve a win," Randal told Rebecca as she stepped up to the plate to become Excel's project manager. Felisha and Alla met with their production crew to go over their video, which would focus on a harried business traveler whose life would be made easier by Microsoft Office Live Meeting. Felisha then went over their roles: Felisha would be the actor and Alla the director, though Felisha made it clear that she would also have creative input. As before, the two women went in circles over the division of power and creative control. Excel had a similar concept: show two businesspeople struggling to get files, materials, and travel arrangements together for a meeting and then show them conducting the same meeting using the Microsoft product. Unlike Capital Edge, they decided to hire professional actors for the job, but when Rebecca had a difficult time getting the right performances, she asked Randal to step into the role instead. As their crew looked on in frustration, Alla and Felisha bickered on a New York street while setting up their first shot. Alla felt that Felisha was frazzled and unable to take any real control over the project. Throughout the day, things never got any better. Capital Edge's problems continued into the editing suite when their editor informed them they had about 2 1/2 minutes of material. Alla took charge and found a way to condense their footage into the required 60-seconds by using various graphics and voiceover narrations. She felt it was a "stroke of genius." Editing went much more smoothly for Rebecca and Randal. As they finished their video, Carolyn came by to check up on them and to preview the video for herself. Rebecca got "freaked out" when Carolyn asked how much time they took, assuming that Carolyn didn't think they put enough effort into the task. A Zen-like Randal told her to let the question "float off your shoulder." Excel presented their video to Janice and Dustin. When they finished, Randal said a few more words to the two ambivalent-looking executives. If the execs seemed non-committal with Excel, their reaction to Capital Edge's video was crystal clear. As they watched the video flicker by, both of them screwed their faces into confused knots as they tried to decipher the graphics quickly flashing across the screen. "It was very interesting," Dustin told them flatly. Trump arrived at Microsoft to get the final results. Janice felt that Excel did a good job, especially with their "storyline approach." Dustin said that Capital Edge did a good job showing a strong "call to action," but that they failed to present a clear storyline and relied too heavily on confusing visuals. Therefore, the clear winner was Excel. At Typhoon Restaurant and Bar, Felisha wept over dinner as she told Alla about all the "hell" she's been through during her life. Though Alla nodded her head, she later told the cameras that she looked down on people who got depressed and couldn't understand Felisha's "mentality." For their reward, it was relaxation time for Excel as they sailed around Manhattan on Shearwater, a 1920s schooner. Before setting sail, they were joined by two surprise visitors: Randal's wife and Rebecca's boyfriend. Felisha told Randal that the impending boardroom was going to be extremely difficult for her since she considered Alla to be her close friend. Because of this, Felisha decided to take a diplomatic approach to the boardroom, not knowing that Alla was ready to "destroy her" if Felisha went on the attack. In the boardroom, it didn't take long for Alla to go after Felisha. Alla accused her teammate of focusing not on the task, but on trying to outshine her. She gave examples of Felisha giving her control and then putting on the brakes when she was getting "too good" at a specific job. Felisha denied saying or doing these things, but Carolyn felt that her lack of leadership was the reason the team lost. Felisha made an impassioned plea that all she cared about was winning the task - not about Alla or how she came across to anyone else. She agreed with Trump that Alla was very difficult to manage, but she had to admit that she made a poor decision when she had Alla take on the role of director. After reviewing the video, Trump felt that there was too much information too unclearly presented. Bill chimed in that its biggest problem was the video's choppiness and all the text flashing across the screen. Felisha said that it had been Alla's idea to "chop up the video," but Alla denied having anything to do with this decision. "Felisha, shame on you," Alla told her. Alla continued to hammer on Felisha even as Felisha was giving Alla credit were it was due. "She's being so nice to you, and you're just killing her," Trump said. Felisha broke down in tears as she admitted to not being up to snuff on the task, but that she wanted to become the Apprentice more than anything else. Alla jumped in, but Trump cut her off, "you have to stop brow beating her." Trump asked Felisha if she felt she was strong enough to work in New York. Felisha said that she was, but Trump said otherwise. "Felisha, you're not strong enough to be here· Felisha, you're fired." Alla started to get up, but Trump told her to sit back down. "Alla, the fact is· you're very difficult to manage. Alla, you're fired."