Episode Report Card Miss Alli: B | 1 USERS: A+ YOU GRADE IT Ad nauseam
By Miss Alli | Season 1 | Episode 2 | Aired on 01.14.2004
Trump asks George what he thinks. George comes right out and says that he cannot for the life of him visualize Sam working for Trump. That's what he literally says. Seriously. One crazy weirdo per company, that's my guideline. Trump repeats his theory that Sam will either be totally great for somebody, or a total disaster, and Carolyn agrees. Trump maintains, though, that Sam is not the reason that they screwed up this particular assignment. Time to bring the guys back in.
The first thing that happens when the guys return is that Nick asks for "a chance to defend [him]self." Trump says that's fine. Nick asks for permission to stand. Permission granted. Nick says that he's there to win through good performance, and he has no idea why Jason picked him for the Boardroom. He also reminds them that he gave a crash course to Kwame in presentation style, and has Jason back him up on it. He then asks Jason, if Jason thinks he's not a good candidate, why Jason had him give a critique of the presentation before they took it to the client? Jason: "[Silence.]" Trump tells Jason to explain to Nick why he picked him. "I had to make a decision," Jason sputters. "Why did you choose me?" Nick says. Jason: "Because it has to be somebody." Trump repeats to Jason that his concern about picking Nick is that Nick was the one guy who backed him at the meeting. That's just not smart. Finally, Trump turns to Nick and tells him that he can sit down, because he's not being fired anyway, so he has nothing to worry about. Heh. I loved that. That's how guys with power act. They give the information they want to give, when they want to give it, and they may take you off the hook or they may not, depending on whether they like you and whether they feel like it. It's kind of revolting, but also kind of fascinating. "So now, we're down to these two," Trump says, turning to Sam and Jason.
Sam has something to say. He just wants to point out that "Jason's making a lot of mistakes." He thinks, in fact, that Jason shows "a high capacity for making mistakes." Donald again asks Sam about not meeting with the president. Wasn't that a mistake? Yep. Sam is only too happy to agree. Trump then wants to know where Sam gets off saying anything, since he was asleep. Oh, BURN! Sam insists that he did not sleep. You know, hon, they do tape this stuff. Jason protests -- Sam was curled up, on the floor, in a fetal position. Asleep! Sam points out that Nick is smiling, amused by this conversation. Nick is trying hard not to smile, and Trump admonishes him not to act like an asshole and say anything or do anything to put himself back on the block. Nick tries. Trump points out that it's Jason and Sam who are "fighting for their lives." "I don't think I'm fighting for my life, Mr. Trump," Sam says confidently. "I think you're fighting for your life," Carolyn puts in. "I think you should be fighting for your life." Heh. Listen to the woman, little man. Trump says that it can't be avoided that Sam is, in many ways, "a disaster." Jason returns to his high horse, lecturing Sam about the evils of falling asleep on the one task that Jason gave him to do. Jason also encourages Trump not to just focus on the fact that he didn't do the face-to-face meeting. "That's a big fact," Donald says simply. Trump suggests that perhaps Jason has learned a lesson. Jason tries for humility and says that he did indeed.