I think the correct final 2 are in place.

http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20090503-ENTERTAIN-90503016

Clint Black made his final cluck-cluck-cluck-splash Sunday on “The Celebrity Apprentice.”

The final five contestants were tasked with creating a jingle and 30-second spot for Chicken of the Sea. And by five, I mean Joan Rivers came back after saying she wouldn’t at the end of last week’s show. No surprise there.

Hitler” Duke interpreted her return: “Joan is completely full of sh** in everything she does. … There’s a reason she got fired from the TV Guide channel, by the way, ‘cause she’s a complete b**ch.”

Speaking of… Annie named herself project manager of Athena.

Because he’s a Grammy winning songwriter, Clint Black was the obvious choice to be project manager for KOTU.

Sadly, Clint’s slow, country-heavy jingle wasn’t what the Chicken of the Sea executives wanted. It was too country, and the 30-second spot never mentioned the convenience factor, which the executives wanted to highlight.

Instead, they chose Athena’s peppy jingle and 30-second spot, focusing on moms chatting with each other.

And oh Lord, did Annie’s ego just boost itself another thousand points.

Annie, even before the boardroom: “No matter what happens tomorrow, I wrote an amazing jingle. … If we win, that would be one of the high points of my life.”

After the boardroom: “I just beat Clint Black in a songwriting contest. … He just got beat by a poker player, who’s never sung anything in her life.”

Clint, who is now free of these people, had a good perspective leaving the show.

Clint: “Life is too short to be around people that you don’t enjoy.”


JOAN IS BACK!
Jesse James' gut tells him Joan is not coming back.

Joan and Melissa Rivers make everything personal, Annie Duke and Brande Roderick decide. True enough.

Brande: “I hope that Joan is coming back. It would give me such pleasure and satisfaction to beat her at this game.”

This “dumb blonde” wants to take Joan on!

Clint Black’s brother shows up. Clint is competing for International Rett Syndrome Foundation, a disease that killed his niece.

He hands his brother a check for $20,000 for the foundation.

Joan not there for task delivery the next day, when Trump and company walk in.

But, of course, she walks in.

Joan: “My taxi was late.”

Joan: “My team should not suffer because of something that is personal.”

Annie said she’s not surprised Joan came back. “Joan is completely full of sh** in everything she does. … There’s a reason she got fired from the TV Guide channel, by the way, ‘cause she’s a complete b**ch.”

Ugh. Speaking of complete b**ches.


CHICKEN OF THE SEA CHALLENGE
They have to write a jingle for Chicken of the Sea.

Brande is worried because this is what Clint does – he’s a Grammy winning songwriter.

Brande: “Holy s-r-a-p … I mean c-r-a-p.” Dumb blonde alert!

They shouldn’t worry, since supposedly the last challenge – on ads – was a Jesse specialty, and instead Clint took over and nailed it for KOTU.

They should just hire Jessica Simpson. She’s the queen of Chicken of the Sea.

Jesse said he and Clint have to work together and put their personality differences aside.

Joan is worried the commercial won’t be funny and that will be a bone of contention and she will lose.

Annie and Brande are convinced they will lose, which probably means they will win.

They can’t carry a tune.

Annie: “If my musical ability is described as slim, Brande’s is described as none.”

Clint is in a music studio – his “second home” – and plays a nice ditty on his guitar. That’s their jingle.

Joan: “It was a magical moment.”

Jesse: “That’s a catchy tune, man. It’s catchy catchy.”

Annie and Brande are cracking each other up – actually, Brande is cracking Annie up by attempting to sing. But it’s getting old fast.

Joan is concerned that the jingle should be peppier. (I agree.) She is using Jesse as her liaison.

They do one a little more up tempo, but it’s still pretty mellow. Still, it’s better than something slower.

For Clint, “the lazier feels more comfortable.”

Joan disagrees, but she keeps it quiet.

Brande asks Donald Trump Jr. if he wants to see Brande in a mermaid outfit. He said nothing would make him happier.

Joan is adding funny ideas in the background for the end of their (slow, lazy) jingle.

Joan: “Cluck, cluck, cluck, splash.”

Clint decides that’s a risk he’s not willing to take.

Ivanka said it sounds a bit more classic and old fashioned.

Ivanka: Is that something they wanted?

Clint said they wanted something contemporary.

Ivanka tells the camera it’s going to come down to did Clint listen to what the clients wanted?
Annie said she wants to let Brande have ownership of the 30-second spot.

Which means if it doesn’t work, she can blame Brande.

Everything with Annie is covering both sides.

Clint wants to use “poseur voice” for the ad. Exaggerated. “Did you know?!”

Jesse has a better voice than the guy they have. But the girl is good. Better than Joan. But Joan wants Jesse and herself to do it.

Annie is struggling. This is the first time she hasn’t been able to do something, she felt. But she’ll probably win anyway.

Clint is micromanaging the jingle. Joan is frustrated because this is a two-part challenge and she and Jesse need to do their commercial.

Joan and Jesse did their commercial in two takes, then Clint went back to what he wanted to do.

Brande said she and Annie were both doubting themselves, but then things started clicking. Their tune is actually catchy. Dang it! I don’t like Athena!

Annie: “No matter what happens tomorrow, I wrote an amazing jingle. … If we win, that would be one of the high points of my life.”

Oh heaven, the last thing we need is something to boost that woman’s ego.

Joan still thinks their jingle needs a “button” at the end.

Joan: “Clint should not question the comedy.”

Clint doesn’t love her “cluck, cluck, splash” walk across the stage. He likes the walk, but not the words.

So Joan said she’ll do it “the Helen Keller way.”

If he doesn’t want to listen to “The world’s no. 1 icon in comedy,” that’s fine, she said, clearly meaning the opposite.

Athena performs the jingle and 30-second spot. They didn’t have “bells and whistles,” Brande said, but they love it. Annie is so proud of herself.

Clint felt confident after presenting the KOTU jingle and 30-second spot. I think Athena is going to take this.

Joan said they are confident in Clint’s musical ability and she would be surprised if “the girls” did better, but it’s possible.

Joan: “Annie can do anything, you know. If tasked, she can walk on water.”


BOARDROOM
Clint said whatever happens he’s proud of their effort.

Annie goes on about how she and Brande determined Annie was the least tone-deaf of the two and “The two of us just found our heart.”

Trump wants to hear the Athena jingle. They sing along with it. It is peppy and fun.

Joan actually said the Athena jingle was adorable.

Clint said it was very musical and very lyrical. “I happen to believe everyone has music in them.”

Trump thinks Annie has good rhythm.

Jesse: “It’s not bad.”

Annie said theirs is different, but she’s not sure it’s better, because it’s Clint Black. They are also putting all their eggs in the Clint Black basket.

As predicted, the executives wanted more focus on the convenience of the KOTU product, which is what they were ultimately were trying to highlight. They were also concerned about so much country music.

Executives loved the job that Annie and Brande did. Ugh. Annie is tearing up. She’s so proud of herself she may burst.

Poor Clint.

Annie: “I just beat Clint Black in a songwriting contest.”

She’s going on and on about hit.

Annie: “I’m the winningest project manager … and I’ve raised 30 percent of the total.”

Brande is going on about how she’s not a dumb blonde.

Ivanka liked KOTU’s jingle more. But it came down to listening to what the executives wanted.

Jesse said it wasn’t a truly creative working environment. “This was Clint’s show.”

Jesse said Clint listened “a little bit” to his and Joan’s ideas.

The radio spot didn’t mention convenience.

Joan does her “cluck, cluck, cluck, splash” at the end of the jingle.

Trump is stone-faced. In the other room, Brande and Annie said it was not funny at all.

Annie: “It’s about as funny as Hitler.”

Clint is fired. It’s a quiet, fair firing.

But Annie wasn’t done.

Annie: “He just got beat by a poker player, who’s never sung anything in her life.”

Shut the s-r-a-p up!

Clint: “Life is too short to be around people that you don’t enjoy.”

Fair enough.

Finally got around to watching my DVR full of Celebrity Apprentice this weekend. I agree - final two are correct. Annie is talented, but I have more appreciation for Joan Rivers after watching her on this show and will be rooting for her (the daughter's reaction at getting booted, not so good, but I do agree she should have stayed over Brandye). A preview of next week shows the teams - looks like Joan got the better bunch.

I knew the final 2 would be Annie & Joan.....as soon as Clint was fired.......but I agree that it is the correct final 2........and I am rooting for Joan.......I think Annie is very smart but she is so such a poker player....in everything she does.......and sometimes she becomes too arrogant.....personally I liked Clint's jingle better and I am not so sure the execs chose the right one...good for Ivanka to state she liked Clint's better too.........what else was Clint going to do?? rap?? pop?? hip-hop?? the guy is a good country singer......worked for that country singer (whose name escapes me at this second) last edition........

Trace Adkins and Annie isn't a poker player shes a Pokah Playa.

Thanks abc.......I knew his name but couldn't remember it.......country music fans are the most loyal fans and there is a huge audience so how the execs picked Annie's/Brande's tune I'll never know.....

I hope Joan wins and I hope she wins BIG.

Annie needs someone to kick her a$$.

Absolutely!!!!

I hate to say it, but I think Annie deserves the title of Celebrity Apprentice. Joan is tough competition though...

And Jesse, wow, what a snoozer.

I agree I liked Clint's better. And saying that country would not reach all fans is ridiculous. There are so many commercials on TV today with modern songs that are beyond bad. It is funny My husband watches very little TV but when these songs come on he mocks them by singing badly.
\

I agree this is the right final 2 but still wished Jesse was there over Joan. I respect him in so many ways. First and foremost because even when his going home was likely he refused to use his wife's fame. Second he is a blue collar worker.

As I dislike both Annie and Joan I don't care who wins but I think Annie has earned it.(The same way Piers did last year)

I am not sure Annie has earned it as much as she was smarter......remember she deliberately refused to be PM until she was called out for it by Ivanka.......then she won.....but there was less competition...so she let others be the PM and let them crash & burn......early on....Melissa & Brande came up with the ideas and worked harder......

I got the impression this whole season that Clint Black was an inflexible control freak, and it finally bit him.

As far as the final 2, the "interview" w/ Piers was a joke. I feel like he totally just came back & told DT what he knew DT wanted to hear, which was to pick Joan & Annie. It will probably make better ratings.

I'm sorry to see Jesse & Brande go, though. He seems like a genuine, decent guy, and she seems like a decent person who is smarter than people give her credit for (spelling faux pas notwithstanding--I mean, read 1/2 the episode recaps on this website and these people are professional "writers".)

I know he's always had an issue with direction....but Annie/Brande didn't mention the pouch packaging or the product name as many times.........it seemed the execs liked the comedy of Clint's better......

Both Jingles were actually really good! I liked Clint's because it was short, simple and would easily get caught in my head(Plus I personally like the country music aspect).
Annie's was good too though! Still pretty catchy, and it just included more... the right team definitely won the task... plus their radio spot was better in the sense it was more professional. Joan's voice on the radio ad sounded like they were selling a meal replacement or something like that!
And it was fair to see Clint get fired, as PM there really wasn't any out for him.

Now as for the Final 4 interviews and such... I'm not really a fan of Joan making it to the final 4, I personally liked both Brande and Jesse much more. Jesse seemed just way too reserved, he needs to start speakin up a little bit, but on the other hand, the guy has a very successful business and if this were the REAL apprentice he would easily kick everyone's ass!
Brande was probably most deserving to be in final 2 besides Annie. She was successful on most tasked, worked well with pretty much everyone, and was able to raise the appropriate funds to help her team win many times.

Joan should not be in the final 2, she's rude and has been extremely trashy towards Annie the entire time. I honestly cannot see her winning at all! That being said... the finale is going to be one of the dirtiest, most messed up things on TV! She is going to be so petty and rude, that it will just make it worth watching.

As for Annie... there was absolutely no way she wasn't going to make it into the finale! Her track record was great, her fundrasing superb, and she knows how to play The Game(as she stated to Piers). I have a feeling that she will win by a landslide, and if she doesn't, and Joan somehow wins, that will be a HUGE must see shocker.

But they did. They mentioned the convenience of the pouch and all other packaging in the 30 second ad that they did with the two soccer moms.[/quote]


I told the wife as soon as Clint's jingle sounded country (of course it was a natural for Clint to go that way) to a limited audience, Annie's team would win...they may have won anyway as they did a heck of a job and I'm not a Annie fan...I would have been, but tired of her I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, me, me, me, me, me, week after week!!!

It was pathetic how she went on about how the odds were greatly in Clint's favor!

I'll be pulling for Joan for that reason. If Annie wins, she'll certainly have billboards installed worldwide that read...I, I, I, I, I, I, I, etc., etc!

I finally had some time to catch up on Apprentice...

First of all, I did like both Jingles and was surprised by how well Annie and Brande did after their rough start. In the end I had to agree with the executives choice though; their jingle was a bit more catchy.

What did bother me was Annie's ego - again. I completely agree with Carnac about the I, I, I stuff being so annoying. She does not give enough credit to her partners and others on the task, and in this case Brande, who we saw working side by side with her throughout the task. In the final task she'll be asked to work on a significantly bigger project and is she going to do it all? Or just take credit for doing it all when it's over?

I hope Joan ultimately wins. I just can't stand any more of Annie. Having said that, I think Annie's chances of winning are quite good.

But they did. They mentioned the convenience of the pouch and all other packaging in the 30 second ad that they did with the two soccer moms.

[/quote]

Well...there was something they didn't do enough of that Donald mentioned that the execs said was lacking.......either way....it comes down to preference....

That's what bothered me string as well.....the I, I, I stuff......

.... I still haven't seen Sunday's episode yet (will be watching it tonight), but I'm already sick of Annie's "I...I...I" stuff.

But they did. They mentioned the convenience of the pouch and all other packaging in the 30 second ad that they did with the two soccer moms.

[/quote]

Well...there was something they didn't do enough of that Donald mentioned that the execs said was lacking.......either way....it comes down to preference.... [/quote]

For you.

Yes, Joan is definitely right about Annie's ego. She really knows how to congratulate herself... a lot!

I felt happy for her that she beat Clint at his own game in that most recent assignment, but after she won and she kept talking about how great she did and how amazing she was for beating Clint, I started to not like her again.

I finally finished watching this morning. I paused when they showed the boardroom shot.

Joan's team is

and Annie's team is

I'm going by memory here because I thought someone would have already posted them!

Thanks for posting the teams~~~should be interestin'

Annie's team looks to be the weakest. This was a set up again by Trump to get the most mileage out of the season just like last season. Pitting the two women against each other in light of the animosity between them is good TV and Trump plays to the drama.

yep