Autism Speaks Official Blog

This week’s episode starts with Bret Michaels generously presenting a check to the American Diabetes Association and sharing his experience with other young Type 1 diabetics. In his spiffiest Ed Hardy t-shirt (the first of many he wears on this episode), he tells two kids “there are times that I feel great, and then out of nowhere … BOOM.  I don’t know if you are ever playing sports and it just drops out from under you …” and trails off. The kids kind of giggle, suggesting they have seen “Rock of Love” or read The Dirt, which hopefully implies they know the biggest enemy to Bret’s health is not tossing a ball around on the field and getting dehydrated through exercise.   

Tonight’s challenge is sponsored by Kodak^®. The task is to re-launch Kodak^® moments by creating, capturing and sharing the most unique “Kodak^® moment” in a storefront. The ex-Governor of Illinois names Sinbad as the project manager for Rock Solid.  Wrestler Maria is named project manager for Tenacity. When planning the task, Maria describes her vision but everyone is distracted by what appears to be a hat on her head. Luckily, Holly comes up with a Hollywood Red Carpet theme. The WWE project manager talks the group into setting the storefront up to look like a wrestling ring – and in the end, it is a hybrid of the two. While Cindy learns how to use a digital camera, Holly is closely listening to the Kodak^® executives and picks up on the use of catchwords like “share.”  Foreshadowing …

In the boys’ room, nobody can understand what Sinbad is saying. As everyone is standing around in an empty storefront waiting for something to happen, the ex-Governor does some business on the phone. The cameras capture him swearing at someone, and wondering if he is going to be set up in some sort of lie. (Insert obvious joke here.) Bret is pacing around nervously, Darryl is about ready to spark up a smoke, and Sinbad is talking a mile a minute. Honestly, it is very difficult to figure out what is going on. Please reply if you understood what was happening with Rock Solid. Apparently their campaign involves running around taking pictures of one another man-handling each other and innocent pedestrians.  There is general consensus among the more level-headed members of Rock Solid that this strategy may be weak. On the other hand, Tenacity has invited some kids from the Make-a-Wish Foundation to be photographed and participate in the campaign.   

There was a moment, when we all hoped for the Omega Boys Club (Sinbad’s Charity), that it seemed like those embarrassing, self-aggrandizing photos that the guys took of themselves were lost at the printer. Unfortunately, they showed up at the last minute. The Rock Solid store was set up in stations highlighting what each member is known for, or at least, wishes he was known for. For example, Darryl Strawberry is holding a baseball bat. 

Tenacity, led by a skinny girl wearing a feather bustier and leather pants named Maria, opens its doors. Sharon Osbourne infects guests by coughing her sickness all over the cupcakes and Kodak^® water being given out.  Hey, where is the Trump Ice?!

The power keeps going out at Tenacity’s store, and chaos ensures, but thankfully, there is no looting of the giant wrestling belt props or digital frames. The Kodak execs are very complimentary to both sides, but points out to big D that Rock Solid spends more time showcasing themselves than the cameras. They choose Tenacity as the winner, because guests spent equal times with the product and with the celebrities.   

In the boardroom, the teams evaluate the strategies used, and The Donald announces to Holly (check out the Autism Speaks pin!) and the rest of the team that Tenacity won the challenge.  Make-a-Wish Foundation takes home $20,000.

Rock Solid is shocked. After all, everyone loooooved getting their picture taken with Darryl Strawberry, and they said they handed out cards with the Kodak^® website where anyone who visited the showroom could sort through every single photo taken during the day to download it.  What could go wrong with that?  Still flabbergasted, the team tries to figure out what went wrong. Fingers are flying from Sinbad to Bret back to Sinbad again. Everyone kind of agrees that Sinbad could have done a better job delegating tasks on day one, but still in denial about losing, not one team member is able to identify why they lost to begin with. Sinbad brings Bret and the ex-Governor back to the chopping block with him.  Bret, because he melted down mid-task, and the ex-Governor, because Sinbad couldn’t figure out who else should be nominated. A lot of words were exchanged during tribal council, but none of them really made sense until The Donald announced, “As project manager, Sinbad, YOU’RE FIRED.”  Bye-bye Sinbad. In the words of a great comic, you were a bad cat. Your charity didn’t get any cash, but here’s a plug as the consolation prize:  www.street-soldiers.org/. 

Would you like to be next week’s guest blogger? Send your recap of “Celebrity Apprentice” to editors@autismspeaks.org, prior to 8 a.m. next Monday. We will select our favorite for posting here.