The Apprentice
To say I did not enjoy my time (bar the odd task or treat) on The Apprentice would probably be an understatement. To say the final edit of The Apprentice is a true reflection of what really happened would, in my opinion, be a blatant lie!
I am often surprised, or more accurately dismayed, that people still remember me from the series! What’s more, they remain intrigued with my opinion of The Apprentice and why I am one of its biggest critics. So I have dedicated this page to explaining why I tell people not to believe what they see, and to think very seriously before applying to be on the show – unless they have nothing to lose, or just want to be famous for a few months.
Before I continue, I would like to make it clear that I take nothing away from any candidate that has been on the show, or won it. Everyone who sets out to be on the show are setting out to win it (whether or not they are interested in a job with Sir Alan), and if they achieve either, then they deserve to be fully applauded.
So onto the show, and what the show’s producers would like us to believe. We are led to believe by the program that Sir Alan is in control and makes the decisions to hire or fire candidates. We are led to believe that The Apprentice is a program based on business ability where progression depends solely on ones performance in a task. We are led to believe that the candidates have the free will to choose the path they wish within a task to achieve the results they want. We are led to believe, that Sir Alan and his advisors, watch the candidates intensely in order to come to an informed and justifiable decision in the boardroom over who goes and who stays. We are led to believe that the final edit is a true reflection of what really happened.
But after having spent 9 weeks on the first show it is clear to me that: (and if you are an apprentice fan….this is the point where you should look away!):
Sir Alan Is Not In Control.
Forget what you hear, Sir Alan does not rule the roost on The Apprentice. The only people who are in charge are the producers. Sir Alan is as much a participant in the show as any other candidate.
Sir Alan’s Advisors Have No Purpose.
Sir Alan’s aides are hardly ever around to monitor the candidates on tasks. From my experience they were there for about 20% of the time. It’s the producers who advise Sir Alan and their advice is based on what makes good TV, not who performs the best.
Candidates Are Set Up To Fail.
The rules and regulations set up around tasks are extremely restrictive and force candidates down a certain path. Yet we are led to believe in the edit that it was their decision to take a particular course and they end up being ridiculed for something that was, in truth, not their decision or fault.
The Producers Decide Who Is Fired.
The Project Manager decides who should be in the final firing line, but the Producers have the greatest influence over who should or should not be fired from the final three. Sir Alan’s role is simply to justify the firing as best he can – he can’t rely on the advice of his aides because they are never there to monitor what’s going on!
The Camera Does Lie.
I have heard so many people say that ‘the camera never lies’. Well, unfortunately it does when we are dealing with professional editors and producers! From my own experience, they frequently took a speech or statement out of one episode and placed it in another, or deleted words from a statement stringing together the rest of the sentence together to misrepresent the truth – something which I find a disgrace and immoral.
These are just a few of the many many reasons why, for me, The Apprentice has nothing to do with business and is simply nothing but entertainment, albeit good entertainment for people who can watch the show without wanting to throw their shoe at the TV!
Admittedly, I have not watched The Apprentice since half way through the first series, but from what I have heard from other candidates, nothing much has changed.
