The task is to develop a drop box for consumers to recycle used Crocs shoes for needy people. What surprises me about this opening scene is that it takes place in front of an escalator. Over the summer, there were some media reports of children getting injured when their Crocs got stuck in escalators - I thought they'd mention something about this on the show. Since they didn't, I thought it was in poor taste to shoot this scene in front of an escalator. Oh well. Who asked me.
The project managers are Carol Alt and Piers Morgan. (Nely Galán and Omarosa have expressed a strong desire to get Alt fired.) The two teams have adjoining meeting rooms; Morgan thinks the women are eavesdropping on his team's meeting, so he stages a loud argument with Vincent Pastore (his least favorite teammate at this point) as an excuse to kick Pastore out and have him work as a mole on the womens' team.
Pastore goes to the Empresario meeting room to offer his services. The women are skeptical at first, but take a vote and decide to hire him anyway. (Morgan gloats.) They come up with a slogan: "Share the love." Pastore suggests that Alt be the model (wow, that's true genius, nominating the supermodel for the modeling job!)
Omarosa suggests that the drop box be shaped like a giant Croc, whic I have to say may be the first and only great idea I've ever seen her come up with - but it was a really great one. At some point, Omarosa even makes a positive comment about Carol's leadship skills.
In the next room, Morgan's decided to have Lewis be the model, donating a giant pair of Crocs (alas, not big enough to be the drop box). Trace Adkins concocts a slogan: "Wear them, share them."
Pastore really gets into his role as Empresario newcomer. Away from his new teammates, he confides that he likes having his ideas appreciated for a change. (I remind you, his "idea" was to have the professional model be the model for the drop-box sign...) However, he clearly doesn't let that stop him from passing a note to Hydra. It's just the slogan, with no information about the Croc-shaped drop box. Stephen Baldwin balks. He thinks it was a cute joke to send Pastore over to Empresario, but thinks it'd be cheating and un-Christian to take advantage of the situation. Lewis says it doesn't matter, since they've got their own idea for the promotion anyway. Morgan calls Baldwin a hypocrite.
Meanwhile, Pastore gets a mildly guilty conscience and tells Marilu Henner that Morgan sent him to spy, but he claims to be on Empresario's side now.
Ivanka finds out that Pastore has changed teams and wonders if Omarosa is up to something. (In my opinion, a scheme like this isn't petty enough for Omarosa; just wait till episode 7.) When the men tell Ivanka what's going on, she says she's a big fan of sabotage. They assume this means that she approves of what they're doing. Ivanka seems more concerned about the women.
Pastore tells Donald Trump Jr. if it's indeed sabotage. Pastore admits he realizes he could get fired. Adkins worries when Pastore doesn't rejoin the team to finish up the task, and disapproves of the entire scheme. (Sure, now that it's too late.) Morgan continues with his cocky attitude; Baldwin tries to evangelize to him; Morgan criticizes the need to be born again.
Morgan taunts Galán, then the rest of Empresario with their slogan and gloats. Realizing that Pastore had leaked some information, Alt calls Henner, who is working with Pastore at another location. Omarosa goes on and on about what a "snitch" Pastore is and tries to fire him, even though she's not the project manager. The other women are not happy to know that Henner had already heard his confession; on the other hand, Henner is not so happy that his "confession" neglected to mention that he'd slipped the men a note about their slogan. Nevertheless, Henner assures Alt that everything's under control.
Then a lot of time-consuming drama ensues as Pastore complains that the guys ratted him out as a spy, and he's a rat, and fears that he will be "killed" by his team the way the mob kills its own rats, etc. etc. He confronts Morgan for letting the women know that he'd been spying. Morgan scoffs, gloats some more, and taunts the women again.
Finally, it's time to present the drop boxes to the Crocs executives. Morgan is miffed and confused when Pastore doesn't join the men for their presentation; Lewis is shocked by Pastore's "disloyalty." GIVE ME A BREAK.
By the way, this is the exact moment at which I officially began hating this show. I don't expect much from the likes of Morgan and Omarosa, but I really thought Lennox Lewis had more class - at least enough to know that you don't treat people like crap and then expect them to continue being loyal. Pastore brags to Hydra that he came up with the womens' concept.
At the presentation - the giant Croc drop box is awesome, and so is Empresario's presentation. Trump asks Omarosa why they chose Alt, the professional model, as their spokesmodel - Omarosa doesn't mention that it was Pastore's idea.
Hydra also presents an impressive-looking drop box, but Morgan delivers an incredibly pompous speech. The Crocs executives seem to prefer Hydra's slogan "Soles united - wear them, share them," but Empresario's drop box. Oh, decisions, decisions.
Pastore recaps the events of his betrayal in the boardroom. Baldwin thinks it was a joke. Pastore admits that he was "acting" when he first showed up on Empresario's doorstep. Ivanka and Morgan both feel that the women were only too happy to take advantage of his help (or to keep him around as a scapegoat if something went wrong). Ivanka tells Morgan that it was the wrong way to conduct sabotage - you don't use someone you don't get along with as your confederate. Adkins openly disapproves of the scheme.
Junior asks the team who they prefer - Pastore or Morgan? Baldwin and Adkins prefer Pastore. Lewis prefers Morgan. (Tito Ortiz didn't participate in this task - he had some other commitment.) Morgan admits that he set Pastore up. Baldwin suggests that the womens' team keep Pastore, but no one else likes the idea, including Pastore, who wants to go home.
Getting back to the task, Trump warns the men not to over-use Lewis in all of their promotions. Empresario wins the task - "It wasn't even a contest," Trump tells them. Alt is tearful with shock and joy when she's told that Crocs will donate 10,000 pairs of shoes to their own charity, and she'll get $20,000 for her brother's memorial fund, which raises money for scholarships and other things to benefit children.
Pastore is disgusted when the women don't give him any credit for their victory, and quits. Trump sends the women out, keeping Pastore with Hydra. He asks Pastore if he would stay if he fired Morgan instead. Pastore says yes. Baldwin reiterates his preference for Pastore over Morgan, saying integrity is even more important to him than success. Piers is red-faced and sweaty. Then Pastore changes his mind and quits again, this time for real.
The episode ends with the same song and photographic effect as the last episode of The Sopranos.
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