On Sunday night, the finale of NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice Season 2 saw comedy icon Joan Rivers defeat World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Annie Duke in a complex task featuring a silent auction prior to a performance of Cirque du Soleil’s Wintuk. On Monday, the poker industry reacted to the decision by real estate mogul and show host Donald Trump.
On the online poker community PocketFives.com, the mood was mixed. Many of poker’s faithful sided with Duke, while others noted that Rivers won the show’s featured task. One PocketFiver noted, “Joan did win the final task. Standard TV entertainment. At least some charities benefit.” In fact, Rivers’ charity (God’s Love We Deliver) and Duke’s charity (Refugees International) earned over $1.2 million combined from the reality series. They will also experience residual exposure from Celebrity Apprentice in the future. On the finale, Celebrity Apprentice Season 1 winner Piers Morgan boasted that his charity, the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, was able to construct a $60 million wing at its offices by virtue of the publicity on popular reality program.
Other poker players took exception to the terms used by Rivers and her daughter, Melissa, to describe poker players during the season, which lasted 11 episodes. The Rivers family labeled Duke a “whore,” “pit viper,” and “Nazi” and called poker players “trash.” Duke compared Rivers to a “cancer” in a battle of words. One PocketFives.com poster noted, “Annie deserved to win. And I believe there are a LOT of poker players (who also dabble in the world of business) that may want to b**** slap Joan and Melissa sometime… borderline slanderous statements may come back to bite her.”
Team PokerStars Pro member Daniel Negreanu weighed in on the outcome of NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice. In a blog posted on Full Contact Poker, Negreanu noted, “Going into the last task, it was pretty clear that Annie was a huge favorite to win. Of the five criteria, she had one of them in the bag- fund raising.” Negreanu revealed that Duke’s brother, Howard Lederer, donated $100,000 during the silent auction. Ultimate Bet’s Phil Hellmuth told Poker News Daily that he contributed $80,000. In total, the event raised $460,000, which was triple the take of Rivers’ gala. Negreanu questioned Duke selecting ally and Playboy Playmate of the Year Brande Roderick with her first pick: “She could have picked Brande last, as Joan did. I was surprised to see this obvious mistake. Seriously, it was a major tactical error. Herschel ended up being a rock star on the challenge.” The elder Rivers selected her daughter with her third and final pick, knowing that Duke would not draft Melissa Rivers to her team.
In the final boardroom, which played out in front of a live studio audience in New York City, the two finalists from Season 1, Morgan and country music star Trace Adkins, were asked for their opinion on who should be the next Celebrity Apprentice. Both favored Rivers, with Morgan claiming that she deserved to win after taking down three of the five criteria on the final task. Adkins’ answer was more cryptic; the singer merely said that Rivers “had that charitable thing.” Negreanu hypothesized, “His vote, and this is all speculation, I think had a little bit to do with the charity chosen. That’s just a total guess on my part, but I think with him being a full-blooded American, he preferred a charity that would benefit people in the U.S.” Duke was playing for Refugees International, an organization that she works closely with as part of Ante Up for Africa.
World Series of Poker (WSOP) Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack extended his congratulations to Duke even though she did not win the reality program’s second celebrity installment. In his Twitter feed, Pollack commented, “Proud of [Duke] 4 an incredible season on C.A. + representing the poker community w/smarts, style + grace! U r our champion + hero!”
The Celebrity Apprentice will return in early 2010 for Season 3, the ninth installment of the show overall.
Haha is that really your response? Pathetic.
Joan picked her daughter last knowing Annie wouldn’t select her. Annie could have done the same thing with Brandi, but she didn’t…not a smart move. I think it cost her in the long run. Not to mention Joan won the last challenge. Regardless of who you were rooting for they both raised a lot of money for charity(which is whole point), and the women who won the last challenge won the title.
The Patriots went undefeated in the regular season only to lose in the superbowl, but what the majority on here is saying is that the Patriots still should have been the world champions??? Annie lost, period.
hey Riley,
Your AWESOME!!!!! Loved everything you have said and the tips of where to look for info. THANKS!!! :)
If the Patriots played all season long where a touchdown was worth 6 points, an extra point was worth 1, and a field goal was worth 3 points but all of the sudden the Superbowl comes along and the commissioner decides to award 5 points based on the ridiculously subjective criteria of who has the better looking fans then yea the Patriots are probably going to be pissed off. You can’t change the rules because somebody is getting destroyed fair and square. It’s mind-boggling. Which is basically what happened to Annie. I have never seen a competition that did not have clearly defined rules as to how it was going to be judged. How do you even begin to quantify celebrity? And that is exactly why Donald Chump chose to use it because it basically gave him the freedom to choose whoever he wanted – which he did. Losing is one thing but having no real chance from the start is a shame. It just doesn’t sit right with me and it never will.
RILEY,
I did send a email to LifeLock as well as ALL SMALL AND MIGHTY for allowing JR and MR to be in the LAME commercial.
just a thought.
If you wanna use a sport analogy its more like the undefeated team lost the final due to an unfair ruling by the empire who had money riding on the underdog.
I GUESS I AM JUST DISAPPOINTED!!!!!!!!! I HAVE ALWAYS REALLY LIKED CELEBRITY APPRENTICE. LAST YEAR WHEN PIERC WON, I WAS SAD BECAUSE I LOVED TRACE, HOWEVER, PIERC DESERVED THE TITLE. HE WAS THE BEST MAN FOR THE JOB. HE PLAYED THE GAME &; HE MADE THE MOST MONEY. THIS YEAR, JUST FELT LIKE A “JERRY SPRINGER SHOW” TRUMP WAS UNFAIR TO CERTAIN PEOPLE, THE PEOPLE THAT HE ASKED A QUESTION TO AND LET THEM RANT AND RAVE, AND GO ON AN ON…..LIKE JOAN AND DENNIS RODMAN (HES THE REAL JOKE) THEN THE OTHERS WHO WERE ASKED A QUESTION AND TRIED (HENCE THE WORD TRIED) TO ANSWER BUT WERE NEVER GIVEN THE CHANCE. IT IS JUST DISAPPOINTING. DURING THE FINALE WHERE RODMAN WAS ASKED A QUESTION AND WENT OFF ON JESSE JAMES SAYING THAT JESSE CALLED HIM OUT ABOUT HIS DRINKING. WHEN IN FACT IT WAS RODMAN HIMSELF WHO CALLED HIMSELF OUT, BY HAVING A DRINK IN HIS HAND THE ENTIRE SHOW. JESSE JUST SAID WHAT EVERY ONE ELSE WAS SAYING, BUT THEN, DON’T FORGET KLOE, KLOE WAS TRYING TO FIX HER MISTAKE AND BASICALLY GETS A TONGUE LASHING FOR DRINKING.(WHILE TRYING TO FIX IT) AND RODMAN IS MADE OUT TO BE SOME HERO. HA. I GUESS I JUST WASN’T READY TO GIVE UP CELEBRITY APPRENTICE YET. NOW I HAVE TO. I CANT SUPPORT THE TRUMP OR HIS STUPID SHOW ANYMORE.
Ten Or So Reasons The Apprentice Lost Credibility, chose the wrong victor, and is not worth watching next season.
Joan Rivers is a Liar – She caused the event coordinator to quit partially because of her rudeness. It was clear to see. She and Donald must have taken a mental vacation during the airing of the show in order to miss something so obvious. She flat out denied the allegations Annie made and interrupted her relentlessly. In her defense, she was not getting what she wanted and I believe the guy she was dealing with was a sour-pussed spineless gay novice who was out of his league. However, he quit, his company decided not to be involved in the show and that negatively impacted Annie. Joan, you blatantly lied about that!
Joan Rivers is a quitter – When Mellissa stormed off the set after being fired with her “I’m taking my ball and going home” mentality, Joan fully supported her. Mellissa didn’t even do an exit interview and was tossing around swear words that would make any rapper blush. Naturally, Joan then quit as well saying she was leaving and never coming back. Further proof that her words aren’t worthy of belief. She should have never been allowed back on the show. As he did when Gene Simmons and others who resigned..Donald should have called her what she is, a quitter!! I’m surprised this wasn’t brought up in the finale. Maybe Clint Black has it right…fire the editors!
Joan Rivers is Rude – The regularly weekly maligning towards Annie and Brandy displayed an unbelievable lack of self control by the twilighting comedienne. Maybe she’s upset at her plastic surgeon for turning her face into Jack Nicholson’s doppelganger as the joker in Batman. That skin is pulled so tight one can’t even see the white’s of her eyes on camera. She looks Satan with black mascara on TV. She insults anyone when she doesn’t get her way..Clint, Brandy, Annie, the event planner. Joan, it’s time to retire and let Melissa carry the torch….ok, never mind!
Joan Rivers was part time player – First of all she walked out on the show. She also missed several days due to prior engagements and thus got many breaks from the constant grind of the filming the show that no one else I can readily recall received.
Joan Rivers is an enabler – She raised Melissa to be just like herself…only not as funny, as hard working, or talented. Let’s be real people, Melissa is a nobody with out Joan. So what we have is a shell of Joan Rivers and all her worst qualities. Let the baby out of the crib already so she can fall on her own.
Piers Morgan would have lost to Annie – Annie won more events than Piers, raised more money, and was better at his own game. Last year it came down to the money raised and PM success. This year Donald displayed untypical inconsistency, did an about face and failed to pick unquestionably the best overall player. Piers then sheepishly says Joan should win! Like Bloody hell she should…bugger off brit and go home. The needle on the respecto-meter isn’t even moving after that bit of game playing. You tried to improve your personal value and market says no Piers.
Speaking of the Market – Does anyone really care at all about Spasatrom..aka Jim Cramer the Mad money dude. Unless you’re client number 10, no one on this show wants to hear from you or takes your input seriously. Btw..thanks for that Level3 tip in 2006..Yeeeaa-Uhhh Jimbo, you make my local weatherman look like a genius.
Cool Under Fire – Getting blasted every week by her geriatric rival Annie maintained her dignity in the heat of battle. Joan aimed at her integrity, her profession (as did Donald in the finale) her peers, and everything else she could think of. Joan’s a loose cannon when she doesn’t get her way…(Church Lady Voice) “Hmmm, sounds a lot like that little like that silly little disrespectful brat Melissa now doesn’t it?”
Jesse James is a wimp who talks like Garth from Wayne’s World – There’s no question that Sandra Bullock must have testicles because Mr. blue collar who has trouble responding to simple questions and sounds like a prepubescent teen asking a girl to the sock hop must have ground his off in a freak shop accident. He did nothing the entire season other that to say..”See, a regular guy who’s wife makes 20 million a movie can do pretty good at this game.” Give me a break, the only thing he did was to avoid the leadership roll at all cost. The others lost, Jesse, you never did a thing other that to prove Clint Black has more marketing savvy than yourself. Maybe you should enter in the ‘No Balls Biker Build off at Daytona next year Garth!
Muddy Waters – Donald’s handling of the River’s ‘be-yatches’ was ghastly and irreproachably nauseating – Allowing Joan and Melissa to act as they did and attempting at the midnight hour to hold Melissa accountable for her exit tantrum. “I understand family…blah blah blah”…Donald muttered. Mr. T, you won’t have me back watching your show next year. I’m not sure what Joan has on you, but it must be as you would say something YYuuuge! I can understand helping an old lady cross the road, but your street cred is now in chapter 11. Lucky for you it’s a familiar neighborhood!
Tom Green is a waste of Human Space; Rodman a slight notch above – This guy is just a Mow-Ron. He’s never been funny, his confidence is built on a foundation of paper Mache, and he’s more irritating than Zha Zha Gabor after getting a traffic situation. How long did it take Drew Barrymore to figure him out…perhaps as soon as she stopped drinking? It’s a good thing Rodman has basketball because he appears to posses the intellect of that stuttering guy in Fat Albert..gesturing wildly, looking erratically from person to person while uttering “Wh wh wh well I ba-dont’ ba-know ba-Donald!!” Sadly, he will never recover. He’s too ultra self-centered to care about anyone else’s world other than his own! R-Man, pick up a copy of Seven Habits of Highly Effective People and read it…seriously.
Kudos to Ivanka – She always looks spectacular, stays on task, asks great questions, allows people to speak, and finds the meat of the issue at hand. She is sharp, intelligent, and has the looks to boot. Keep on keepin’ on baby!
George, I’d ask you to come back to the board room but I won’t be watching the show next season. Donald Jr., slow and steady, you keep improving..nice job.
Annie – A little too much me me me. You fought hard, played the game with integrity and dominated every aspect of it. Everyone knows you are the true champion. You obviously come from the school of self improvement so read the Bible, brush up on humility and you will be the perfect woman. No need to toot you’re own horn, people recognize greatness on their own. The ones who don’t…well, they turn to plastic surgery;-) Poker players rock! Annie don’t get your gun, you intellect is the only armor you need!
Kate,
Thanks for the backup, I’ll look into e-mailing those two companies as well. As far as your Khloe Kardashian comments go I couldn’t agree more. On a personal level I can’t stand her or her family but that still doesn’t give D-Chump the right to hold her to different standards than the other competitors. Especially when you have somebody like Rodman running around half stiff at 9 in morning. I’m a Chicago native who grew up cheering for the Bulls throughout their championship runs so I actually like Rodman the athlete a whole lot. However, you can’t even classify what we all witnessed as a “competition” because Trump turned the celebrity apprentice into a complete joke.
I REALLY AGREE WITH SOME PEOPLE NOT TO WATCH “THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE” ANYMORE, HOW CAN IT BE A “ROLE MODEL” FOR ALL AMERICAN WOMEN AS JOHN RIVER AND HER DAUGHTER? EVEN ANNIE DID NOT WIN THE TITLE, SHE’S STILL A SMART WOMAN AND I WILL SUPPORT HER CHARITY REFUGEE INTERNATIONAL.
Joan Rivers my arse… And her “charity” is no charity… “God’s love we deliver”? “God’s” love is death, prejudice, hatred and hypocrisy! Joan Rivers is a perfect advocate in delivering that though!
I’m wondering if any disgruntled CA watcher poker players who would normally play in the USPoker Championship at Trump’s Taj Mahal would consider finding something else to do that week.
I’m more that half-joking. Yes, as much as I’d love to see Trump’s tournament fail, I also think this is a silly proposition. I can imagine only a handful of people who would even consider this. I believe that Duke doesn’t even play east of the Mississippi, for what it’s worth.
I don’t know anything about any Vegas outfits who have an axe to grind with Trump, but if there were one, and if a first-class tourney in Vegas appeared on the calendar at the same time as Trump’s USPC, I think that would be awesome. I’d play in it.
Hmmm! Ivanka designs high-end jewelry and Joan is in the business of selling jewelry.
Would any decent board CEO allow the ranting and name calling to continue unchecked???
Annie, your (low-life) friends certainly came to post for you and your charity–how will any future contestants be able to do what you did when Trump disregards the amount raised for charity in favor of his own personal biases?
I, too, will not waste my time watching any hokey future Apprentice programs.
I LOVE ANNIE !!! Thank you for suggesting gluten-free foods to Schwans.
I will never watch again,the show was set up and DT plays the viewers
for fools!
I think Trump enjoys seeing the drama trumped up–on the last Apprentice Piers that won the competition was blasted by Amerosa about being a bad father, and said his kids hated him. That kind of crap should be material for a lawsuit–so I think Trump doesn’t step in because he thinks it makes for better viewer numbers.
Seeing a 75-year-old gal–who did so much feeding the homebound people of New York, over a self-centered female who can’t get along with anyone because she has linked her poke ability with having the smartest brain (she thinks)–was a joy.
Jeannie do you think Annie’s $450,000 will help more people or Joan’s $100,000?
“Seeing a 75-year-old gal–who did so much feeding the homebound people of New York, over a self-centered female who can’t get along with anyone…”
Joan really showed her ability to get along with others by having the designer quit after being in her presence for about five dreadful minutes.
“she has linked her poke ability with having the smartest brain (she thinks)”
You know who else “thinks” she’s smart? The University of Pennsylvania which awarded her an NSF Fellowship scholarship for graduate school to study psycholinguistics.
Jeannie, I’m not even upset that you are in favor of JR because you have displayed the same kind of ignorance that she did throughout the season. Your comments actually help strengthen the argument that Annie should have won – so thank you.
I think that Annie’s last pick should have been Melissa. She should have locked her in a sound proof recording booth and recorded her until the finale. Then when Annie sat down at the final table she could just press play when ever Joan began to rant. Stereo BITCHES uncensored on live TV.
Annie was the clear winner. Even the Kodak exec said he liked the charity being played on the Kodak frames. I saw more celebrities in the ADuke side. Sorry but I can’t count cross dressing impersonators as celebrities.
Mr. Trump did not play fair or abide by his own rules. Is this how he conducts his businesses?
I had admired his books and savy business dealings but no more. This was not only unfair to Annie who outplayed and outraised any one else on the show but it was unfair to viewers to see such injustice. JR leaves the show but is allowed to come back on. JR was allowed to assassinate another persons character in a board room. JR was able to destroy a contract by her bad behavior and Mr Trump never acknowledged this truth. There is a Trump on the board of JR charity. To me this is conflict of interest!
I have previously liked this show but after seeing that being curteous, professional and doing the best job does not win you the title I see no reason to suject myself to this again.
For those of you who criticize Annie for being self centered regarding her achievements, realize that this is a quality that is needed to be a successful business person or for that matter a winning poker player. None of that should color your view of her…..she was honorable and did the job she was asked to do. Forget that she used the “I” word, it is not important or a negative in achieving the goal set forth.
I think that everyone on the website that said that Annie should win because she wasn’t badmouthing and being childish, you all are saying bad things about JR, just say that you think that Annie should win.
I think that Joan should win because she is straight up on what she feels. I think that she was cruel, and made some bad commet. I think that Annie was backstabbing, and not a leader that would be good in a leader position in a corporation. She doen’t know how to be a team player.
I think that Annie probably sid things that we didn’t hear, we only get to see an hour or two of the show. What we do see is just to make more people watch.
The Trump’s “verdict” was ridiculous. The only think which I am happy about this year’s Apprentice is that millions of people saw on their own eyes what kind of person Joan Rivers is. What a rude witch, lier…with artificial face! And her daughter! What a couple! Also, is Donals a nice guy?? He is arrogant and rude… what could we expect from him?? His decision to declare Joan a winner speaks for itself.
Disgusting that Joan Rivers won. I was Joan Rivers fan until I watched that series and she (and her daughter) are disgraceful. Donald Trump seemed to ignore the fact that the event planner quit because of Joan (also fired Chloe because she had a past DUI and let Melissa return for the finale). Joan also did a great job raising her white trash daughter…
If someone in the Trump Organization acted like Joan did they would be fired immediately. Clint or Brande did more work throughout and would have been a better candidate than Joan Rivers. Not that it matters that I was a big DT fan but SHAME ON YOU MR. TRUMP for not being fair. Annie did better better in the finale and throughout the series.
Everyone that I know who watched every week of “Celebrity Apprentice” knows that Trump was wrong in firing Annie Duke. You can still vote “No, Annie was clearly the better player” at http://www.nbc.com/the-celebrity-apprentice/
I will never watch this show again. I will write to NBC and tell them so.
What Annie should have done was picked Melissa Rivers first and then watched Joan’s head explode.
ANNIE WON HANDS DOWN .DID ADMIRE AND RESPECT DONALD TRUMPT AND USED TO DEFEND HIM TO MY FRIENDS AT BEING A SMART BUSINESS MAN BUT PICKING JOAN RIVERS WITH HER NASTY VILE LYING MOUTH I/M THROUGH.YOU FAILED MISERABLY AND WITH YOUR SON &DAUGHTER SITTING THERE WATCHING. WORST SEASON YET I REALLY LIKED THE APPRENTISE BUT YOU RUINED IT FOR ME. DONALD JR WAS A LOT SMARTER ON THIS ONE HE KNEW WHO WAS THE REAL WINNER ANNIE DUKE BEST PLAYER & SMARTEST &RAISED MORE MONEY DONALD TRUMP YOU CHANGED THE RULES FOR FRIEND JOAN RIVERS BOY DID YOU MESS UP ? ANNIE WAS MORE OF A LADY THAN JOAN ON YOUR SHOW. NO MORE WATCHING THE APPRENTISE.
It is all part of getting publicity, people. Do you really think that somebody will get such high position in prestigious tournament and at the same time be such lowlife, I doubt it.
Like so many, I was disgusted. From the beginning it appeared that “the Donald” was going to choose Joan. Joan was rude and obnoxious and more – she was racist. She repeatedly remarked how she was jewish yet it was OK for her to make comments to Annie about her being like the Nazies. Is that not reverse racism? Donald refused to ask the party company why they quit and I can’t believe that Mr. Trump would think that a better party was worth more than the several hundred thousand dollars that Annie raised held more credibility. As for the non-stop yelling, screaming, name calling and nasty treatment of every other player – I can’t see him wanting that in his boardroom. I wonder what she has on him for him to select her. Must be something really awful. Annie didn’t have some organization skills but those can be learned and she played fair all the way through. Grat drama but I guess Donald has shown his true colors and they stink. Even Pierce, the last celebrety apprentice was disgusted with Joan’s behavior and Donald didn’t seem to want to listen to anyone. I REPEAT: what did Joan have on him for him to choose her?? Sorry Donald, like so many others I have no respect foryou but, I bet you can buy another year on the tube with this garbage. Annie, everyone I know loved you for your behavior and until the very end when you finally broke, we felt your frustration and pitied the man who that Joan’s foul vile behavior was great. Like so many others, I will no longer buy any of her products. She is now in the trash. Love you Annie.
I forgot to add: maybe this controversy is exactly what Mr. Trump wanted. If that is the case, how dare he insult the public with his arrogance. How dare he inflict Joan on us. How dare he allow what in most of society would be called abuse. If Joan had been a man would he have allowed her to speak to any of the other parties the way she did. Mr. Trump talks the talk about abuse but he can’t seem to walk the walk. I know he has the money and I never will, but I have something he now seems to be lacking = ethics. = Just read DAniel’s comment. My new question is: Did she pay Donald to have him select her?
Duke should have won. Trump was definitely biased on this one.
Annieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! you are indeed psycho and two-faced!!! I wish i could have yanked you out of my television. yeah,…………..if you win, you deserve the credit because it was your sole idea….but if you lose, you should not be fired because the job was dedicated to you????? C-R-A-P!!!
Calling someone a hitler, jew and crap and such foul disgusting names to another player was totally wrong and I cannot believe americans supported that and the fact she even appears on E! Maybe you after really like hitler and all. Shame on you all and specially shame on you Donald trump for accepting that dont care if it was for ratings. It was all for charity for goodness sake.
Poor Annie, she was dubed to think she had a chance, really how can donald fail a jewish celeb even if she is arogant/selfish/racist in new york??
usually watch the show apprentice to see management issues and negotiating tricks.
I just saw the end of the apprentice 2.
I think a true leader is well known for his ethics, integrity, loyalty teamwork, mind calm, clear objectives, get the best from everyone on the team.
I learned from you, Anna
Sometimes. It’s good to give seniors a seat, and let them enjoy their vain trophies.