Welcome to L.A. L.A. Land. This season of the Apprentice it's California, Trump Style. Can the west coast handle the Donald?

Trump pulls up to his new Mansion (real? who knows?). Out the doors comes Melania with his son Baron and we are warned that the boardroom lies inside Think about all the blood about to be spilled.

But first, some surprises.

The candidates pull up to the mansion and enter the grounds They get a look at their new digs and are quite impressed, but quickly have to put on a show for introductions.

James, an Internet entrepreneur from Seattle
Jenn, a publicist from Phoenix
Aaron, a community Sales Manager from Fredericksburg, VA
Martin, an attorney from Atlanta
Stefani, an attorney from Los Angeles
Muna, an attorney from Matawan, NJ
Angela, an Olympian from Oyster Bay, NY
Derek, a vice-president of business and legal affairs from Los Angeles
Tim, a tutoring company owner from Los Angeles
Kristine, an attorney from Los Angeles
Frank, a founder and CEO of a contracting company from the Bronx
Michelle, a real estate consultant from Los Angeles
Carey, a president and owner of a marketing firm from Atlanta
Marisa, an attorney from Wellington, FL
Surya, a brand manager from Cincinnati
Nicole, and owner and broker of a real estate corporation from Chicago
Heidi, an international sales manager from Santa Monica, CA
Aimee, a territory manager from Chicago

Immediately the candidates are pressed with their first task. They will have to construct a tent. Trump feels that this will be a great way for everyone to get to know one another and wow was he right. The candidates are fighting tooth and nail initially until Heidi steps up, announces that she is a long-time camper, and that she can easily direct people how to put things together. Then Frank seemingly tired of being bossed around begins to talk over Heidi. Heidi steps back a bit and the tent is completed, eventually. Of course none of this could have been done with Martin standing on a rock and acting like Napoleon.

As they finish, everyone begins to freak out. They realize that Trump asked them to come to the boardroom following completion and think that this may be their first official task with someone getting fired.

Little do they know that the twist is that the losers of each week’s challenge will be sent to live in Tent City.

In the boardroom, the candidates are introduced to Ivanka who will be taking Carolyn’s place this season.

They discuss the putting up of the tent and Trump learns that the group feels Heidi and Frank were the best leaders. As a result, Heidi and Frank will be picking teams schoolyard style. No one cares who is picked first, it’s all about who is last. Last was Martin. Here are your teams.

Heidi
Derek
Aimee
Marisa
Angela
Surya
Kristine
Muna
Jenn

Frank
Carey
Tim
Aaron
Nicole
James
Stefani
Michelle
Martin

Task #1

A Car Wash. That’s right, a simple car wash. The team that makes the most money wins.

Might we add some more twists? The winning team’s project manager will remain project manager until he or she loses.


Frank and Aaron take off down the road in search of something and over the phone Frank stresses that they do not need to make things complicated as the other team is probably already washing cars. He tells them to just change and get started and with that his team wonder where the heck Frank is going that could be so important.

Ivanka stops by Heidi’s team to see if they are truly washing already, and they are. They have chosen to avoid detailing and just work sheer volume. They are in West Hollywood and have hired 2 shirtless men to attract the local gay clientele. On of the boys asks Ivanka if she would be willing to jump in and take off her shirt and Ivanka quickly passes. (Hmm... where Ivanka’s Stuff Magazine cover again?)

Back at franks team, Carey has convinced Frank to get some poster board and markers, saying that a sheet of paper with writing will not make a car pull over.

Back at Heidi’s team, the marketing is working very well, in fact too well. They have a backlog of cars and customers are waiting upwards of an hour. Angela points out that their only weakness is the chaos.

Frank’s team finally has signs with only about an hour to go. They now have cars and they are focusing on selling wax and detail packages. Everyone seems to be doing well, but the tem seems to feel as if Martin is not holding up his end of the bargain.

Time’s up! Only the boardroom will tell who won and lost.

The Score

Frank’s Team $2,345.54

Heidi’s Team $2,463-

Heidi’s team wins! They head into the mansion and will enjoy the lap of luxury.

Frank’s team is headed to the back and begins to set up the second tent.

One more twist, the empty chair next to Trump in the boardroom will be filled by the winning project manager. So Heidi will be in the boardroom, helping the Trumps.

One argument erupts in the middle of the night as Tim ponders how he will answer the question of who should be fired. He says this to Frank saying that marketing was the flaw and for that Frank must be blamed. Frank is outraged saying that the loss was only 60 dollars and a loss that small can’t be placed on marketing. Why not look at sales? Tim does back off stating that not everyone put in 100% and that the loss could be due to marketing or sales.

On reward, Heidi’s team heads to dinner with Trump and Spago, a Wolfgang Puck establishment. To no surprise, Melania is there and better yet, Wolfgang will be joining him.

While Heidi’s team dines, argument number 2 breaks out in the backyard. Martin wants to put the heat on Frank and chooses to question the $10 price point.

The Boardroom

Heidi has already said that she has the strategy of protecting the weakest member of the opposing team; let’s see if it plays out.

Ivanka attacks the team saying that she didn’t see much of a strategy. Martin jumps on this saying that many critical mistakes were made. Frank stands behind his choices, but is clearly nervous.

There is much bickering, but the majority of the team seems to think that Frank is the one that should be fired. However, a few members think that both Martin and Frank should be fired.

Tim, who Frank says was in charge of Sales, seems to be flying under the radar. Every time he is accused of blame, everything gets pointed back at Frank.

With that, Trump asks for 2 names and Frank provides him with Martin and Tim, everyone else gets the fortune of heading back to tent city.

With the 3 men on the hot seat sitting in the lobby, Trump asks Heidi who she thinks should be fired. She admits that she would like to keep the weakest player in the game, but if she were Trump she would fire Martin

The men come back in and quick as a flash, Tim is dismissed and sent back to Tent City.

With Tim gone, Frank seems to realize that he is in deep trouble and he shows arguably more fire and passion than any previous Apprentice candidate. He points out that the entire candidate group selected him as a leader and that his loss was only by $60. Martin says that $60 is still a loss and does not excuse Frank being absent for the first hour of the task. Frank says that during this time he was doing marketing and that they definitely had enough cars so he must have done something right.

Trump asks Ivanka who should be fired and she says that she can’t see Martin meshing with the Trump organization. Donald can see Martin as a great lawyer and an even better Professor, but not as an apprentice. Martin, you’re fired!

The new season is off to a bang. Can Heidi’s team hold court and their place in the mansion? Tune in and read on.