» The Race Card: Ethnicity on TV Options

[Odyssea]

I think it's always okay to say "this talent is being overlooked, and these are the stupid reasons why." That conversation doesn't have to be about minorities -- we could be talking about women, seniors, Canadians, anybody.

I guess I mean I'd feel stupid saying "More black people on TV!", but I'll still say "More Bernie Mac! More Stacey Dash!" (What? Shut up, she's awesome.)

This post has been edited by Odyssea: Dec 15, 2005 @ 9:23 pm.

[caseyg]

Apprentice: I am absolutely delighted that Randal won and I am even more so delighted that he didn't allow Trump to play the game with him.

That bastard Trump actually asked the Winner Randal whether Rebecca should be hired tonight as well?

Are you kidding me...never ever, ever has that Trump asked the winner whether the LOSER should be hired as well. What a big ass coincidence that it happens when a black man FINALLY wins the damn show.

I call bullshit on Trump's so called twist and I don't like it at all. It was meant (and it has for some people) to mar Randal's win. I am soo happy Randal wasn't playing the bullshit game that Trump wanted him to.

This post has been edited by caseyg: Dec 16, 2005 @ 1:44 am.

[mightymos]

Apprentice: I am absolutely delighted that Randal one and I am even more so delighted that he didn't allow Trump to play the game with him.

That bastard Trump actually asked the Winner Randal whether Rebecca should be hired tonight as well?

Are you kidding me...never ever, ever has that Trump asked the winner whether the LOSER should be hired as well. What a big ass coincidence that it happens when a black man FINALLY wins the damn show.

I call bullshit on Trump's so called twist and I don't like it at all. It was meant (and it has for some people) to mar Randal's win. I am soo happy Randal wasn't playing the bullshit game that Trump wanted him to.

Thank you!! I thought it was me. I don't even watch the Apprentice. I just started watching last week. But to see how the world (online) has turned on Randall. He's probably going to be the most hated "winner" of anything ever. Here's a man who probably deserves his win more than anyone else EVER, yet he will be known as an asshole. Was he a little pushy? yes. But he wanted the job. Hell no, that girl shouldn't have been hired. Hire her tomorrow. Can a brotha have his moment? I have no idea if Trump is so clueless that he couldn't see the ramifications of this but... if I didn't already dislike him for his hair...
I'm stunned. I feel sorry for Randall. He shouldn't have been put in that position and he should be proud of himself for sticking to his guns and refusing to play the game but he just made his life really, really difficult.
I'm going back to never having watched The Apprentice because my pressure is up. I couldn't even read TA thread. People keep saying that this is the lowest moment of reality TV. THIS?? Everything on MTV and on Fear Factor and wherever but this is the lowest thing you've seen. Sure. I wonder why.

[CaptainSnarky]

The Apprentice Bullshit was so fucking calculated. And y'all are right--only NOW when a black man wins the Apprentice does Trump (who obviously cannot deal with a black person with more intelligence and education than him) say, "Hey, should I hire the runner up too?" He didn't do that shit in season one, when Kwame arguably should have won, and he sure as hell didn't do it in seasons 2 or 3. But now? On top of it, either way, Randal loses. If he says "yes," then he becomes the Apprentice* not The Apprentice. If he says no...well, we're seeing the result of that choice. In other words, there's really no room for educated black people on these kinds of "reality" shows.

[bohemianne]

I agree that it was very wrong of Trump to put that to Randal. So wrong! I think Trump must have thought that Randal would have easily said sure, go ahead. I think it was a major miscalculation on Trump's part, and put Randal in a terrible, last minute spot. I saw an interview with them on local news and Trump had his bitch-face on and Randal looked stunned. How sucky that his victory has been marred by this! I really feel for him right now. It should be this happy, victorious moment and Trump ruined it for him. I don't blame him at all for what he said. Especially being put on the spot like that. His victory lasted all of 5 seconds. And I say this as a Rebecca fan. It was just wrong to mess up Randal's victory!

[Petuni]

I'm so proud of Randal. He knew what was up. So he's going to become "unpopular". Big deal. As long as it didn't affect my MONEY, I wouldn't give a daaaaaaaaamn. Trump should be ashamed of himself. This is "The Apprentice", not "King Kong".

[deejoy]

Go head on Brotha Randal! I can't believe people are saying Rebecca and Randal are on the same level. The hell? I also don't know why people are getting angry at Randal for saying that Trump shouldn't hire Rebecca. In the end, Trump could have still hired Rebecca, regardless of what Randal's opinion was. He's doing the hiring, not Randal.

This post has been edited by deejoy: Dec 16, 2005 @ 3:42 am.

[Divagalore]

Apprentice: I am absolutely delighted that Randal one and I am even more so delighted that he didn't allow Trump to play the game with him.

That bastard Trump actually asked the Winner Randal whether Rebecca should be hired tonight as well?

Are you kidding me...never ever, ever has that Trump asked the winner whether the LOSER should be hired as well. What a big ass coincidence that it happens when a black man FINALLY wins the damn show.

I call bullshit on Trump's so called twist and I don't like it at all. It was meant (and it has for some people) to mar Randal's win. I am soo happy Randal wasn't playing the bullshit game that Trump wanted him to.

Oh my I had to come over here, because "The Apprentice" thread is out of control. Why so many folks felt Randal should agree to Rebecca getting hired is beyond me. They have gone from loving him to downright hating him, because he wanted to have this win all to himself...crazy! When did Trump ever ask any other winner to share the spotlight with the runner up? Never! So why when he has a stellar candidate, who just happens to be black, he's expected to share his victory? I'm telling you, no matter how many outstanding credentials Randal has, how well he performed during the series, as well gaining the respect of his peers...he's still not good enough in Trump's eyes. I've been saying for awhile that Randal is too good for Trump, because he doesnt seem to have true respect for him. That was proven even more tonight when he gave him the option of saying whether or not Rebecca should win as well. I have a feeling this was just a way to soften the blow by having a black man win this time around. Trump knew Randal was one of the best candidates this year, yet he still found a way to rain on his parade. I'm just glad Randal didn't fold by agreeing to sharing his win. If Trump wants to hire Rebecca that bad, he can do it at another time....no need to spoil Randal's celebration as "The Apprentice". Go Randal!!!

[aisela]

Whew! I came in at the last 10-15 minutes of the finale and watched up until Randal won. Then, after doing a little victory cabbage patch around the family room, I rewinded (rewound?) back to the beginning to watch the entire last hour last hour. I knew nothing about the offer to Rebecca until I went to the TA threads. What fresh hell is this? I don't know, maybe I just need shiny happy things in my life right now, but I won't say for certain that Trump was Trying To Keep A Brotha Down. It's entirely possible that this twist would've happened regardless of who the last two were, or he could've offered Rebecca first and asked her if they should hire Randal, which would've been even more offensive, IMO. To offer another job to the runner up was bad, no doubt. I just don't if Trump was gettin' all racial.

All I know is a couple of weeks ago on Survivor, when the woman won a car and had a chance to keep it for herself or give cars to the remaining three tribemates decided to keep it for herself? And her a couple of her tribemates were a bit disgruntled? I heard hardly a peep about her being selfish or hated or anything. All I heard was how ridiculous it was for anyone - even though two of the remaining tribemates didn't have cars - to expect her to give up a car. In light of that, I totally don't get the villification of Randal. With his sleek, ebony behind. Go Randal! And also: Randal said "show and prove". Heh.

You know that thing your mom and dad used to tell you when you were a kid, about having to work twice as hard to get the same opportunities? That's ringing all through my head right now.

ETA: I read this over on Randal's TA thread, and thought it was hysterical...and possibly true:

I think Randal was thinking like, "Oh...Trump's trying to play a brotha...we'll see about that!"

This post has been edited by aisela: Dec 16, 2005 @ 3:32 am.

[deejoy]

I believe the double hire idea was planned long before the winner was determined. But I think it was a shitastic, stupid idea. It just seems pointless to go through all of that, have them face off in a final task, bring them to the boardroom for the why should I/should I not hire this person, etc only to end up hiring both.

[ShoppingGirl]

Damn right, Randal didn't have to share his win. What kind of bullshit is that? Trump can hire anyone he wants, whenever he wants. It sucks that he put Randal in that position and has tarnished his win like that. I like Rebecca, I think she's extremely competent. But Randal won the competition and deserved his moment.

[ChocolateCherry]

I believe the double hire idea was planned long before the winner was determined.

I agree, but in this situation it had serious racial implications that no one in production thought about. You could also throw some gender issues in there as well. It reminds me of a question I used to ask all my teachers in middle school - Who will be president first a white woman or a black man? Basically does gender trump (ha) race or vice versa.
Anyway, it was gonna look messed up either way (particularly to people who examine the role of race in everything and have overly active imaginations) - This is an exaggeration please don't take me too seriously.

1. Randal wins - "Hey overly qualified black man; Could you give the pretty white lady a break and let her share your spotlight? It's not like you deserve to be special, I mean I know you have 5 degrees, but you're black and half a win is better than no win, right?"

2. Rebecca wins - "Hey pretty white lady? You see that black guy over there, he's smart; how about you help him out with a job? Go ahead, decide the fate of this black man."

Even if Randal had won and NOT been asked about Rebecca there probably would still have been some kind of "this is reality tv affirmative action" backlash. No one wins on reality tv.

[IshKabibil]

Randall was right not to share the spotlight, and Trump was a fugly haired ass for putting him on the spot for the hire. The only thing I will say, as an Apprentice watcher from it's inseption(sp), with the exception of the first season, the final 2 have performed lopsided in the final task(The loser usually sucks, Tana I'm looking at you). Randall should have won hands down due to prior performaces and the final task performance. Rebecca did hold her own in this final task and would have beat the last 2 season's winners. In all reality a black man should have won the first season(putting on my "I love Kwame" button), but he was utterly destroyed in the final task, by one of his teammates, whom I refuse to name. With all that said, I find it sad that over on TA thread, Randall is being bashed around for his decision and I do feel that they are refusing to cut a brotha some slack. Just as it was said upthread, white lady on Survivor acts "selfish" and pretty much everyone on the forums agreed, but the Randall hate is quite disturbing indeed. In conclusion
*****GO RANDALL GO*****

[SueBarbri]

Randall is being bashed around for his decision and I do feel that they are refusing to cut a brotha some slack.

And also (and I'm quite reluctant to say this but think it needs to be said), what's with people (Imus, Khatie Couric, not just on the....internet) saying Randal was being mean, vicious and angry? Randal is a highly educated, experienced, people-pleasing, (at least borderline) genuis, but even he is not immune to being attacked with the usual "Angry Black Man," bullshit? What should he have done, kept smiling, shucking and jivving? What the hell is going on here?

This post has been edited by SueBarbri: Dec 16, 2005 @ 10:39 am.

[brightfan]

I'm just gonna say it: Donald Trump doesn't care about black people!

I'm exaggerating of course. But I do find it odd that Season one's Bill Rancic was not asked to "share" his victory with Kwame, a formidable competitor.
I feel as though Randall is someone who's probably had to work twice as hard to get where he is and now Trump is telling him to share the limelight. Hell to the no. Yes, nothing would have been taking away from him professionally but there's no reason he should be expected to share any part of his win with someone else.

ETA: Oh shit. Omarosa is gonna have a field day with this.

This post has been edited by brightfan: Dec 16, 2005 @ 10:20 am.