The Apprentice 4 is the fourth season of The Apprentice, with Donald Trump as the executive producer and host. The show was aired on Thursday nights at 9 p.m. on NBC and started September 22, 2005.
This was the first season of the show not to place in the Top 20 Nielsen Ratings; it averaged #38 with 11.01 million viewers.
Starting with this season, frequent boardroom adviser George H. Ross began to lessen his involvement with the show, with The Apprentice first season winner Bill Rancic effectively sharing the role with him throughout this and the following season.
Candidates Unhappy with both the choice of candidates and the "street smarts" vs. "book smarts" premise from the preceding season, Trump went to the auditions and hand-picked 17 of the 18 candidates in season 4. In addition to candidate handpicking, Trump decided to go back to the premise of men versus women (there was eventually corporate restructuring). The all-women team named their corporation Capital Edge while the all-men team named their corporation Excel.
Recalling how some of the contestants in season 3 such as Michael Tarshi and Tana Goertz abused their exemptions from getting fired by choosing to be lazy instead of continuing to work hard on the tasks they were given, Trump made a new rule for exemptions in this season. The winning project manager, throughout the season, may be exempt from firing for the following week only if the majority of the other members in their team believed he/she did a satisfactory job. In the previous two seasons, the winning project manager would automatically be exempt from firing. The season had 3 episodes end with multiple firings, 2 of them were double firings, and one was a quadruple firing, the largest in the show's history.
Team 1Team 2Capital EdgeExcel
CandidateBackgroundOriginal teamAgeHometownResultRandal PinkettConsulting firm ownerExcel 34Somerset, New JerseyHired by Trump(12-15-2005)Rebecca JarvisFinancial journalistCapital Edge 23Chicago, IllinoisFired in the season finale(12-15-2005)Alla WartenbergSalon & spa chain ownerCapital Edge 31Las Vegas, Nevada10Fired in week 11(12-1-2005)Felisha MasonReal estate developerCapital Edge 29Kansas City, Missouri10Fired in week 11(12-1-2005)Adam IsraelovRisk managerExcel 22Atlanta, Georgia10Fired in week 10(11-24-2005)Clay LeeRealtorExcel 28College Station, Texas10Fired in week 9(11-17-2005)Marshawn EvansRecent law school graduateCapital Edge 26Atlanta, Georgia10Fired in week 8(11-10-2005)Brian MandelbaumPrint company executiveExcel 23New York, New York10Fired in week 8(11-10-2005)Markus GarrisonInventorExcel 41Sarasota, Florida10Fired in week 7(11-3-2005)James DillonSales executiveExcel 27Alexandria, Virginia10Fired in week 6(10-27-2005)Mark LamkinWealth managerExcel 35Louisville, Kentucky10Fired in week 6(10-27-2005)Jennifer MurphyBeauty pageant contestantCapital Edge 26Los Angeles, California10Fired in week 6(10-27-2005)Josh ShawBeauty company ownerExcel 30New York, New York10Fired in week 6(10-27-2005)Kristi CaudellSales executiveCapital Edge 24Gainesville, Georgia10Fired in week 5(10-20-2005)Toral MehtaInvestment bankerCapital Edge 29Philadelphia, Pennsylvania10Fired in week 4(10-13-2005)Jennifer WallenRealty company ownerCapital Edge 31Anthem, Arizona10Fired in week 3(10-6-2005)Chris VallettaMarketing executiveExcel 27Dallas, Texas10Fired in week 2(9-29-2005)Melissa HolovachReal estate investorCapital Edge 30Tampa, Florida10Fired in week 1(9-22-2005)
Weekly results CandidateOriginal teamWeek 5 teamWeek 6 teamWeek 7 teamWeek 9 teamFinal week teamApplication resultRecord as project managerRandal PinkettExcelCapital EdgeCapital EdgeExcelExcelExcelHired by Trump3–0 (win in weeks 3, 7, & 10)Rebecca JarvisCapital EdgeCapital EdgeExcelExcelExcelCapital EdgeFired in the Season Finale1–2 (win in week 11, loss in weeks 3 & 9)Alla WartenbergCapital EdgeCapital EdgeCapital EdgeCapital EdgeCapital EdgeFired in week 111–1 (win in week 6, loss in week 10)Felisha MasonCapital EdgeCapital EdgeCapital EdgeCapital EdgeCapital EdgeFired in week 111–2 (win in week 9, loss in weeks 4 & 11)Adam IsraelovExcelExcelCapital EdgeCapital EdgeCapital EdgeFired in week 100–1 (loss in week 7)Clay LeeExcelExcelCapital EdgeCapital EdgeExcelFired in week 92–0 (win in weeks 4 & 8)Marshawn EvansCapital EdgeCapital EdgeExcelExcelExcelFired in week 81–0 (win in week 2)Brian MandelbaumExcelExcelExcelExcelFired in week 81–1 (win in week 5, loss in week 8)Markus GarrisonExcelExcelCapital EdgeCapital EdgeFired in week 71–0 (win in week 1)James DillonExcelExcelExcelCapital EdgeFired in week 6Mark LamkinExcelExcelExcelExcelFired in week 6Jennifer MurphyCapital EdgeCapital EdgeExcelFired in week 60–1 (loss in week 5)Josh ShawExcelExcelExcelExcelFired in week 60–1 (loss in week 6)Kristi CaudellCapital EdgeCapital EdgeFired in week 50–1 (loss in week 1)Toral MehtaCapital EdgeCapital EdgeFired in week 4Jennifer WallenCapital EdgeFired in week 3Chris VallettaExcelCapital EdgeFired in week 20–1 (loss in week 2)Melissa HolovachCapital EdgeFired in week 1
Elimination ChartNo.Candidate1234567891011121 Randal IN IN WIN IN IN IN WIN IN IN WIN INHIRED2 Rebecca IN IN LOSE IN IN IN IN IN LOSE IN WIN FIRED 3–4 Alla IN IN IN IN IN WIN IN IN IN LOSEFIRED Felisha IN IN IN LOSE IN IN IN IN WIN BRFIRED5 Adam IN IN IN IN IN IN LOSE IN INFIRED6 Clay IN IN IN WIN IN IN BR WINFIRED 7–8 Marshawn IN WIN IN IN IN IN INFIRED Brian IN IN IN IN WIN IN INFIRED9 Markus WIN BR IN IN IN INFIRED 10–13 James IN IN IN IN INFIRED Mark IN IN IN IN INFIRED Jennifer M. IN IN BR IN LOSEFIRED Josh IN IN IN IN INFIRED14 Kristi LOSE IN IN INFIRED15 Toral IN IN INFIRED16 Jennifer W. IN INFIRED17 Chris INFIRED18 MelissaFIRED The candidate was on the losing team. The candidate was hired and won the competition. The candidate won as project manager on his/her team. The candidate lost as project manager on his/her team. The candidate was brought to the final boardroom. The candidate was fired. The candidate lost as project manager and was fired.
Episodes
Week 1: Let's Get Physical Air date: September 22, 2005 Sponsor: Bally Total Fitness Project: Teams had to create and promote a workout class for Bally Total Fitness. The team that generates the most renevue of profit wins. Judges: Donald Trump; Carolyn Kepcher; George H. Ross Trump Monologue: Can't We All Get Along - It is a lot harder to be successful if you can't work with people. Capital Edge project manager: Kristi Excel project manager: Markus Winning team: Excel Team's profit: $527 Reason for win: Markus executed the key strategy of offering a lower cost & deluxe packages, which increased sales and was key to the victory. Excel had a better location than Capital Edge and focused their efforts on Bally's existing customers, taking advantage of the captive audience. Exemption: In a new twist, the winning team would have to vote if their project manager would be exempt from being fired. When Trump asked if Markus should be exempt, only Adam and Randal voted yes, which was not a majority vote and did not grant Markus immunity from the next firing. Excel's reward: Friar's Club lunch with Donald Trump. Losing team: Capital Edge Team's profit: $516 Reasons for loss: Despite a narrow loss of $11, the marketing was ultimately deemed critical to the loss. The flyer that came out from the graphic designer included XXX in between "Triple Threat" rather than outside of the words as Kristi requested, suggesting the class had an illicit and inappropriate theme which alluded to pornography and implied that the place was a strip club. Sent to boardroom: Kristi and Melissa. - Kristi asks if she could bring only one person back into the boardroom. Trump complied, making it the first time in Apprentice history that only one candidate was brought back, when they had the option to bring back two. This would not be the only time, as future candidates would also only bring back one person to the boardroom in this season. Firing Verdict: While Kristi was sharply criticized by Carolyn for her role in the loss, a majority of Capital Edge said that Melissa was very negative, dramatic, and obnoxious with Marshawn being the lone dissenter as she blamed the team's loss on Kristi and her marketing skills, though she did agree that Melissa was disruptive. Several team members pointed out that the loss could have been prevented had Melissa's behavior had not been untenable. Fired: Melissa Holovach – for being unable to work with women and for her disruptive behavior throughout the entire task. Melissa virtually destroyed her chances of being hired by Trump and continuing on the show when she admitted (repeatedly) that she can not get along with women. She also added that women generally dislike her because they feel threatened or intimidated by her beauty and intelligence, which did not impress Trump or his advisors. Notes: After splitting the candidates into the two teams, Trump offered a reward to the first person to reach his helicopter, which was on the other side of the golf course. The winner's team would be granted the use of the helicopter for the duration of the task. Mark, from Excel, reached the helicopter first. This is the first time that an all-male team won the first task and the first time that the eventual winner won the first task. Josh said that, unless the PM was at least 50% of the victory, the men did not intend to grant any winning project manager immunity during the course of the season, as they felt that no candidate could single-handedly be responsible for a team's victory, believing Markus was "less than 5%" of the reason for victory. Ultimately however, every other victorious project manager this season (apart from Clay in Week 8) would be voted to receive immunity by their teammates, and it was clear in retrospect the men denied Markus the immunity because they did not like him and were not willing to give him any tangible credit for "leading" them to a victory. Starting with this season, the end credits aired after the exit interview. In all prior seasons, the end credits aired during the exit interview. Melissa's firing marked the first time that a female competitor was the first person to be fired from the show. All previous seasons featured a man being the first one fired. After Melissa's elimination, Kristi made a smug smirk and Trump immediately chastised her for it, saying she had "nothing to be proud of". Melissa later appeared on a Dr. Phil episode where she continued to blame Kristi for her firing (though she did not refer to Kristi by name) before conceding that she had not done a good job and needed to look more closely at herself for that. During the filming of the first task, Randal was told that his grandmother had died. After announcing Excel's win, Trump gave Randal the opportunity to leave the show. Randal declined, saying he felt that his grandmother would have wanted him to stay on the show. During the filming of episode 2, Trump allowed Randal to borrow his helicopter and attend the funeral. Episode 1 Recap from NBC.com
Week 2: There's No Little "i" in Team Air date: September 29, 2005 Sponsor: Lamborghini Project: Teams had to create an advertising campaign for Lamborghini cars. Judges: Donald Trump; Carolyn Kepcher; George H. Ross Trump Monologue: Be Flexible - In business it is important to adapt, and if you don't adapt you are never going to be good in business and you are never going to be successful. Show flexibility, be able to make a change. Capital Edge project manager: Marshawn Excel project manager: Chris Winning team: Capital Edge Reasons for victory: Their campaign was very strong overall and had no significant weaknesses, and the Lamborghini executives particularly liked the fact that their campaign conveyed the message through images and emotion alone, without needing too much text. They also liked their advertisement, presentation, and the video.