Here's the current lineup:
Hydra: Marilu Henner, Piers Morgan, Carol Alt, Lennox Lewis.
Empresario: Stephen Baldwin (project manager), Tito Ortiz, Trace Adkins, Omarosa.
Still seething over the recent experience with Omarosa, Morgan calls his charity to let them know about the money he's won for them. Afterwards, he says that the phone call helped him put things into perspective. He adds that getting Henner in exchange for Omarosa is "like replacing the devil with Nelson Mandela."
The teams choose their project managers. Baldwin takes charge of Empresario on the condition that he be allowed to direct the segment. No one objects. For Hydra, Morgan suggests that Mandela- er, I mean Henner take charge, since she's the only one on the team who hasn't won money for her charity yet. (For Empresario, Omarosa has been PM twice and still hasn't won any money, and Adkins hasn't won yet either, but he was PM for the previous task and Omarosa just the week before.)
The task this week is for each team to select a product and sell it in a ten-minute segment on QVC. Morgan semi-confidentially complains that Lewis is hung over from last night's celebration. Lewis says he's merely tired, and semi-confidentially complains that Morgan has diarrhea of the mouth.
Morgan wants to put Lewis in front of the camera; Lewis is tired of always being the frontman, and would rather produce/direct instead. Henner has been on QVC before to promote her books, and Alt worked there for five years. They have the option to either have two team members do the presentation, or one team member with one QVC host.
The teams have to choose different products, but both prefer a stepladder that unfolds to become a cart. (Henner REALLY likes the ladder.) Rather than waste time debating, they agree to flip for it. Alt wins the coinflip; much to Henner's delight, Hydra gets the stepladder. Empresario's second choice is a lightweight, cordless carpet sweeper.
Henner is clearly very excited about the stepladder and keeps talking about how great it is. Alt thinks she'd not get a chance to say much with Henner there, so they agree to let Henner do the presentation with QVC host Rick. (Alt tells us that she's a stabilizing influence on Henner, and that she "has her back.") Henner tries to give Rick a little ride on the cart, but the wheels roll out from under the top-heavy load, and he falls! Luckily, he isn't hurt.
Empresario chooses Adkins as their pitchman. He dwarfs both the carpet sweeper and Lisa, the QVC host. Omarosa thinks it would be a good idea to do a dry run before they go on the air, but Baldwin nixes the idea.
Junior Trump checks in with both teams and observes that "Marilu likes to talk. A lot."
Baldwin asks if QVC offers a payment plan for viewers (he says the Lord gave him the idea). He's told that the maximum number of payments is five - so he decides to sell the sweeper for 5 payments of $11.99.
It's air time. Alt helps out on the set, while Morgan works in the control room. He scoffs at Lewis's excitement about directing Henner. Trump and Ivanka note that Henner is talking a mile a minute. When the QVC host asks a buyer a question, Henner misunderstands and replies, talking over the buyer. When the host thanks the audience, she replies to this as well!
Adkins seems slightly nervous at the beginning of his segment, but quickly relaxes, demonstrating the product with nuts and bolts, talking about his daughers' crafting messes, etc. Trump and Ivanka wonder how his super-mellow approach will play after Henner's frenzied presentation.
In the boardroom, one of the very first things Henner mentions is the "learning curve" of being with Hydra. (Odd, since she's done many tasks with Alt, so only Morgan and Lewis were new to her.) Morgan lavishly praises Henner's great "energy." As for Empresario, Ortiz reports that Adkins was the star of their team. Baldwin adds that Omarosa did an excellent job.
The results are revealed: Empresario sold 716 sweepers at $59.95, outpricing and outselling Hydra, who moved 703 ladders at $49.99 each.
Morgan hesitates to blame Henner for the loss, saying that her energy and enthusiasm were beyond reproach, or somesuch. The subject of payment plans comes up; Henner says she wasn't aware of the payment plan. Alt, who worked at QVC for five years, hesitates before saying she didn't know about it either. Morgan tries to pin the blame on Lewis for being hung over. Lewis says he was merely tired, and only during the morning. Morgan calls him "Sleepy Boy," and Trump disapproves of the epithet. Morgan argues that it's British humor that Lewis surely appreciates. Lewis disagrees. (Watching in the suite, Omarosa and Baldwin think Morgan is going to be fired.) Henner jumps in and says that Lewis was very "low-key" and that she had trouble "finding his energy." Trump tells her that she's overdoing it!
Lewis states that their project manager is accountable for their loss. So does Alt, who said earlier that she's always got Henner's back. She does add that the team agreed with all of Henner's decisions. Perhaps in response to this betrayal, Henner states that price point and lack of payment plan was their downfall. (Up in the suite, Baldwin notes that Morgan is being very subdued.)
Trump says that Lewis does okay "sleepy," even in the boxing ring. He asks Henner who he should fire. She hems and haws. He tells her she talks tooo much, but she still doesn't give him an answer. He asks who she'll exempt. She continues talking, but after a sharp word from Trump, she sends Alt back.
In the boardroom, Ivanka says that Henner did do most of the work. Junior says he's surprised she let Alt go back to the suite. In the lobby, Morgan says he thinks Alt knew about the payment plan. (I'm inclined to agree.)
They're called back to the boardroom. Trump asks why Henner let Alt off the hook. Henner feebly says that Alt is a hard worker, while Lewis is sleepy (dammit, Henner, Trump already told you that argument's a lost cause!). There's more discussion of Alt and the payment plan. Trump notes that Morgan is sweating - odd since no one is blaming him for the loss! Henner tries again to pin the blame on Lewis. It doesn't work. With regret, Trump fires Henner. After two stints as project manager, hasn't won any money for her charity, Physicians' Committee for Responsible Medicine; Baldwin gets $20,000 to donate to the Carol Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund, on top of the $69,000 he won the first week.
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