Nov 21 — In last week’s episode of The Apprentice: MCA, things got even worse for the Third Force as Datuk Seri Ong Trump Keat fired Youth chief Datuk Wee Cartier and Wanita chief Datin Paduka Chew Mango from the presidential council along with six other henchmen.
The dismissal was controversial as the eight seemed to have been dismissed for their refusal to endorse products from a main sponsor of the show.
Trump said he had no choice as “We can ill-afford to have leaders who are against the GAP. Twenty-nine central committee plans back GAP, after all.”
The show has come under heavy fire recently from critics who say that “it is no longer relevant” as it “does not represent the corporates” anymore, who have instead been watching Survivor: PR State Governments.
“The Apprentice is no longer selecting leaders based on who is more qualified but on which brands they back,” one industry insider said, insisting that it was different with Survivor, even though it was sponsored by Democratic Action Video Officials (Davidoff), Parti Keadilan New York (PKNY) and Parti Ulama SeMalaysia Tanahair (Paul Smith).
“Survivor: PR State Governments don’t get Ferrari funding the production cost you see, so they need sponsorship,” he added.
While the Third Force is not fully off the show yet, they are certainly losing the battle against Datuk Seri Dr Chua Sony for the coveted prize at the end of the 7,639-episode show — the position of deputy bum-polisher.
President Trump has been on a mean streak recently after first attempting to vote Sony off the party. But Sony used an immunity lifeline successfully after completing a bonus task and this resulted in the Third Force being slowly decimated. First they lost four central committee members, then the entire disciplinary board resigned, removing those who had first called for Sony to be kicked out.
Now, Cartier and Mango, two strong ambassadors for FCUK in the Third Force, have found themselves booted off the presidential council, leaving vice president Datuk Seri Liow Topshop isolated in the highest decision-making body of the show.
Packing their bags and leaving the mansion, both Cartier and Mango were in tears but maintained that even though they had not impressed Trump, they had learnt a lot from their experiences and would work hard to prove him wrong, beginning with their dramatic slow-motion walk out of the mansion.
Topshop has also lost some popularity recently as he has been outwitted by Sony’s gamble of accusing him of wanting to displace Trump and even offering to quit the show if Topshop could “end the crisis, ensure stability and unity” and be honest by declaring “I, Topshop, want your posterior.”
“Don’t change the goal post,” Sony said acidly at Topshop.
Topshop did call Sony’s bluff by insisting the posterior was “not his to give,” realising that he could not legally acknowledge Sony as the No. 2 bumpolisher behind Trump but viewers had by then already expressed being impressed by Sony’s chutzpah.
Even Topshop’s attempt to get fans to lobby for him to stay in the fight fell flat, as only 60 sombre-looking kids came to show their love for the health minister.
However, Sony has also not come out of this smelling of roses despite using Hugo Boss cologne. He is still seen by viewers as being greedy for a new cabinet of designer clothes, an accusation he has denied, saying that he has never thought about changing his wardrobe as he is already glamorous.
But there has been continuing drama off-screen. Cartier has been unwilling to let go, calling not just for a fresh draft so he could get back on the show, but that it should be done sooner, not in March.
Ostensibly, the months ahead off the show would diminish his popularity but Cartier explained that the rationale was that “I do not see the need for delay simply because I am scared of having so many central committee and presidential council meetings... every time we have these meetings, there is sure to be someone who ends up getting axed,” he said, but not bursting into tears this time.
Topshop has also gone so far as to go to Best Network (BN) boss Datuk Seri Najib Rupert to push for the fresh draft, arguing that it would save the show from Trump’s “slash and burn” style. He has also told the press that GAP defies the EGM held by the participants of the show where they passed a resolution not to “support brands that have been involved in sweatshops.”
However, Rupert may back Trump as media coverage and hype has never been higher for the show, even if many are critical of Trump’s style. In any case, it may be that none of the current posturing may matter at all as Rupert revealed that he has already advised Trump on a “secret formula” that would be the best outcome for the show.
Trump himself has not gone unscathed as probably the most heated season of The Apprentice has progressed. His own political secretary has decided to quit, unable to take the pressure of the high stakes game.
Who will get voted off the party this week by Datuk Seri Ong Trump Keat? More, after these messages from our sponsors...
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