S15.E06: I'm Going Full Ballmer

[MarkHB]

The teams must create a high-energy presentation to promote a basketball-team brand and also design a T-shirt for its fans. Later, the stars must sell fitness equipment on QVC. The advisers are Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and Leeza Gibbons

[Bronzedog]

As much as I loathed Lisa in previous weeks, I really didn't think she did anything to get fired tonight.  She mentioned, a few times, that she should have been on camera on the QVC thing.

I really hope Brooke doesn't win.  

[mtlchick]

Lisa was dammed if you do and dammed if you don't. Yes she could have translated the data better but Carson really didn't utilize her well.  Then again, I wasn't sure how the product worked (it does have some pretty good reviews on Amazon.)  The slider is something that has been on the market for a decade, so I wasn't sure why that was one of the products. 

[Mumbles]

If we still had "The Soup" they would have run Arnold's boardroom rant on the second task, from his internal monologue by the housewife who doesn't want to undress in front of her husband to his hypothetical sale of protein powder on Muscle Beach (gold when he gestured to Patrick and said, "I wouldn't send HIM out, I would do it myself!"). I was laughing all the way through it. He gets so worked up!

I also got warm and fuzzy when George let out a delighted "Carson!" when he got reunited with him during the team rejiggering.

Anyone but Brooke. My face is George, but I wouldn't mind the Ninja Warrior guy either because he geeks out and gives it his best.

[Bronzedog]

I think my choice for the win would be the Ninja Warrior guy.  George would be fine but I think he was always in his comfort zone in writing and performing songs.  Not that that's easy, it's just what he does, it's his job.  Seems like the other guy was more creative.

[Blissfool]

Although I was hoping that I was wrong, I knew Carson was going to lose. His product seemed cumbersome and, although they described it as providing a total body workout, it really seemed to only target the arms. The slider looked fun and more cardio-oriented. And, although it probably wouldn't have made a difference,  Boy George should have started using the product on camera, not just walked away.

Another thing, I couldn't believe that Brooke snapped at Ricky when he accused her of laying low to protect herself.  She said "I don't play that game."  But, in one of the first episodes didnt she say in one of her talking heads that she didn't want to step up to be project manager because that was her strategy to last longer. I hope she doesn't win!

Edited January 31, 2017 by Blissfool

[rhys]

What was on the back of the red Clippers t shirt that was clever? I missed the first minutes of the show.

[Bronzedog]

If Brooke wins she'll probably have to give a speech thanking her husband for showing her how right he was to never sit behind her.  Manly man that he is.  I won't hear it though, because I'll be busy puking.

[Jextella]

The thing is I don't know Lisa other than what I see on the show.  I do know Laila and Brooke though.  I'm guessing a lot of women are like me.  Lisa on camera wouldn't have been a selling point for me.  Another thing is that she is really tall and I wouldn't feel I could relate.  I could relate more to Boy George's weight loss than Lisa.  The logic worked for me.  Although I get why it wouldn't work for others.

Anyway, sad to see Carson leave.  He kind of fizzled, unfortunately.  I really like the remaining 4 though.  I've really enjoyed Boy George.  I like his calm demeanor.

[Steph619]

That Clippers song was so catchy! I love how creative Boy George is. On a shallow note, his purple eyeshadow looked great.

Aww, I'll miss Carson. I agree that he should've been fired because he made the wrong call in not putting Lisa out there to demonstrate the product, but I still wish he had made it to the final two along with my other fave, Boy George.

I don't know what it is about Brooke that makes me not like her. I've felt this way about her since she was the co-host of DWTS. She seems nice, but just something about her bugs me. Kudos to her winning the task though because fitness is her strength and she did a great job demonstrating the product, but I think Laila was the one that ultimately helped spike the sales.

Edited January 31, 2017 by Steph619

[Blissfool]

38 minutes ago, rhys said:

What was on the back of the red Clippers t shirt that was clever? I missed the first minutes of the show.

They managed to make it into a commemorative tshirt by adding something that symbolizes each of the Prima team members---Lisa's jersey number, Boy George's hat, and some Carson phrase. Frankly, i thought the symbols were really random and they should have just screenprinted their autographs.

[LakeGal]

I am happy Lisa is finally gone.  I just didn't like her.

Boy George got lucky.  He missed one challenge and this time did very little on the last challenge.  Yet he outlasted Carson.

I suspect that Matt and Brooke might be the final 2.  Matt kept mentioning that Brooke was his biggest competition.   

[RealReality]

1 hour ago, Jextella said:

The thing is I don't know Lisa other than what I see on the show.  I do know Laila and Brooke though.  I'm guessing a lot of women are like me.  Lisa on camera wouldn't have been a selling point for me.  Another thing is that she is really tall and I wouldn't feel I could relate.  I could relate more to Boy George's weight loss than Lisa.  The logic worked for me.  Although I get why it wouldn't work for others.

Anyway, sad to see Carson leave.  He kind of fizzled, unfortunately.  I really like the remaining 4 though.  I've really enjoyed Boy George.  I like his calm demeanor.

Lisa is in great shape, but she is not in the shape I would ever want to be in.  

Now Laila Ali is absolutely stunningly gorgeous.  And I say this as a straight woman.  You tell me how I can get that body, and I will buy a few.

Even with all the exercise in the world, women aren't going to end up looking like Lisa Leslie (if that is what they aspire to).  So I could see the logic of having an actual weight loss story on the show.

BUT, the story lost a lot of oomph when you find out that Boy George didn't actually use the product, and he didn't really talk about using a similar product to lose weight.  Or even what the potential benefit would be of the product (I could carry this when I travel, its portable, so I will actually use it instead of just making it a paperweight, I can get a great workout in in 10 minutes)

[zulualpha]

I'm really going to miss Carson but I think the right two people got fired based on the results.  Lisa should have told Carson and George that the needle wasn't moving and they weren't selling product, that was her job.  Maybe they could have changed it up and sold more units, they could hardly have done worse and at least they would have had a chance.  I don't think having Lisa up there would have made any real difference but who knows.  That thingamabob looked like a thigh master to me so that's all I could think of, a $20 thigh master being sold for $100.  No thanks.  I guess Mr. zulualpha will have to learn to love cottage cheese thighs.

[Vermicious Knid]

Cell phone recordings of those Clippers pep rallies have to have been floating around. Does anyone know if they're using George's song?

Lisa was rightly fired for not doing anything on the QVC task, and saying the metrics didn't change meant she had nothing to tell them is bull. She was the only one on the team with eyes on the viewers and they needed the feedback. Sorry to see Carson go, but it was his decision on the equipment and pricing.

Snerk that Brooke's career nowadays consists of infomercials and QVC.

[RealReality]

23 minutes ago, zulualpha said:

I'm really going to miss Carson but I think the right two people got fired based on the results.  Lisa should have told Carson and George that the needle wasn't moving and they weren't selling product, that was her job.  Maybe they could have changed it up and sold more units, they could hardly have done worse and at least they would have had a chance.  I don't think having Lisa up there would have made any real difference but who knows.  That thingamabob looked like a thigh master to me so that's all I could think of, a $20 thigh master being sold for $100.  No thanks.  I guess Mr. zulualpha will have to learn to love cottage cheese thighs.

yeah, I sort of thought it looked like a thigh master too.  I could see them sort of using it in a variety of ways, but it looked complex, and hard to explain in eight minutes.  I don't see why they didn't pick the trampoline, which looked like a lot of fun, easy to use/explain, and easy to demonstrate.

I think Carson just really missed the mark in demoing the product so the viewer could see all the ways you could use it to work different muscle groups.

Even then, the trampoline looks like more fun.

2 minutes ago, Vermicious Knid said:

Cell phone recordings of those Clippers pep rallies have to have been floating around. Does anyone know if they're using George's song?

Lisa was rightly fired for not doing anything on the QVC task, and saying the metrics didn't change meant she had nothing to tell them is bull. She was the only one on the team with eyes on the viewers and they needed the feedback. Sorry to see Carson go, but it was his decision on the equipment and pricing.

Snerk that Brooke's career nowadays consists of infomercials and QVC.

What was her career?  I just remember her being married to Bruce Willis for two minutes.

[RealReality]

In other news, I'm really starting to warm up to Arnold S. as the new host.  His stories remind me of Lord Sugar from Apprentice UK (maybe the last of the franchise that hasn't gone "celebrity"....its so much better when its regulars).  And I think he asks pretty good and hard hitting questions.  His nephew sort of looks like a goober, but he is pretty cool.

I doubt I'll watch next week because I don't like Jessica Alba, but I'll watch if they do it again next year.

[DebbieM4]

19 hours ago, RealReality said:

yeah, I sort of thought it looked like a thigh master too.  I could see them sort of using it in a variety of ways, but it looked complex, and hard to explain in eight minutes.  I don't see why they didn't pick the trampoline, which looked like a lot of fun, easy to use/explain, and easy to demonstrate.

I think Carson just really missed the mark in demoing the product so the viewer could see all the ways you could use it to work different muscle groups.

Even then, the trampoline looks like more fun.

What was her career?  I just remember her being married to Bruce Willis for two minutes.

You're thinking of Brooke Burns, who was with Bruce Willis for a short time years ago.  I don't think they ever got married.  But in any case, that's a different Brooke.

I've been vaguely aware of Brooke Burke for years, and something about her has always rubbed me the wrong way.  I never really paid a lot of attention to her until DWTS, where I found her to be pretty dull and very unlikable.   I was happy when she was replaced.  And then she turned up here!  At this point, I don't care a lot who wins.  I would love it to be Boy George, but I think that's unlikely.   Other than that, anyone is fine with me.  As long as it's not Brooke.

Edited February 1, 2017 by DebbieM4
punctuation, spelling, temperamental keyboard

[Callaphera]

4 hours ago, Vermicious Knid said:

Snerk that Brooke's career nowadays consists of infomercials and QVC.

Also bladder leakage products (Poise? Maybe?). All I know is that the commercial plays every break when I watch this show and it has something to do with paddleboarding. Because y'know, when I think incontinence, I think water sports. 

[Eolivet]

4 hours ago, RealReality said:

In other news, I'm really starting to warm up to Arnold S. as the new host.  His stories remind me of Lord Sugar from Apprentice UK (maybe the last of the franchise that hasn't gone "celebrity"....its so much better when its regulars).  And I think he asks pretty good and hard hitting questions.

I agree -- for the first time this season, I think he came into his own, during the boardroom of the second task. Maybe it was because it was something he was familiar with, but I really started to see personality and not...cue-card reading (up until then, you could've made a drinking game around the phrase "in my bodybuilding days...")

Ugh, I don't want to see Brooke win either. My one comfort is her edit has been pretty "negative" -- would they really show the winner being like "I want to play it safe until everyone is gone?" She's also gotten VERY lucky that they have done two fitness tasks. But they love Boy George's creativity -- I'm thinking (spec, no spoilers) he's going to be the first CA season's Trace Adkins (creative, but no real leadership) to Matt's winning Piers Morgan.

(again, only their CA "archetypes", not bearing any resemblance to them in real life)

[BusyOctober]

A win for Matt or George will be OK for me.  Can't stand Brooke and I can't pin down why.  She just irks. Laila is just OK. I've seen her on other things...Food Network I think...and she is OK in small doses.  I really will miss Carson.  He's smart, sharp and knows PR and marketing well.  Hopefully he gets paired up with Boy George again in the finals.  Don't they usually bring back the "losers" for the final task?

Maybe they edited it out, but why wasn't it mentioned in Brooke's QVC pitch that the device she was shilling wouldn't be shipped for a month?  Carson's team mentioned the immediate availability of their product on air.  I know I personally would think twice before buying something I can't get as soon as possible.  That may have affected Brooke's sales if it were mentioned.  But, then again, as a person who does not workout, the slide thing looked easier and more fun than the tension thingy Carson picked.  If I saw that laying around on a table and knew nothing about it, I'd guess it was part of a garage opener pulley system.  And they should have shown how it worked "the whole body", not just arms.  I guess in hindsight, as good as Carson is in front of the camera, he should have had Lisa and George up front.  Or George in the truck.

[MarkHB]

Honestly, the tension thing looked like cheap plastic to me, and it was interesting that the fitness models drove the call volume down for Brooke's team.  I was also surprised that Brooke was all "I wanna improv" when they went live, seemingly without even a breakdown of what they wanted to do when.

[TaraS1]

8 hours ago, Blissfool said:

Although I was hoping that I was wrong, I knew Carson was going to lose. His product seemed cumbersome and, although they described it as providing a total body workout, it really seemed to only target the arms. The slider looked fun and more cardio-oriented. And, although it probably wouldn't have made a difference,  Boy George should have started using the product on camera, not just walked away.

I remember watching the segment live on QVC whenever it aired last year, and I could have sworn that he did use it on camera, but I could be totally wrong.  It was an eight minute segment, so I'm pretty sure he was out there longer than what we saw last night.  But again, I see everything with George colored glasses, so I could be wrong lol.

8 hours ago, Jextella said:

The thing is I don't know Lisa other than what I see on the show.  I do know Laila and Brooke though.  I'm guessing a lot of women are like me.  Lisa on camera wouldn't have been a selling point for me.  Another thing is that she is really tall and I wouldn't feel I could relate.  I could relate more to Boy George's weight loss than Lisa.  The logic worked for me.  Although I get why it wouldn't work for others.

Anyway, sad to see Carson leave.  He kind of fizzled, unfortunately.  I really like the remaining 4 though.  I've really enjoyed Boy George.  I like his calm demeanor.

I could absolutely relate more to George's weight loss story (I did mine through Weight Watchers), but I knew they were in trouble as soon as Arnold's nephew questioned them about not using Lisa on-air.  And then when Leeza brought it up again and they still stuck with the plan for Lisa to produce, it was obvious they were toast.

But I am so thankful George made it through!  When Leeza was in the boardroom saying, "George, you've been quiet..." I was yelling from my couch, "Shut up, Leeza!  He doesn't have to talk if he doesn't want to!"  Talking too much frequently leads to the choppa and I was afraid he'd talk his way into being terminated.  And then when Arnold said he was firing two of them, I think my whole family gasped in fear (we really love George at my house lol).  Of course I hope he wins, but I'm thrilled for him that he made it this far.  And I'm team Anybody But Brooke.

[Amarsir]

8 hours ago, RealReality said:

His stories remind me of Lord Sugar from Apprentice UK (maybe the last of the franchise that hasn't gone "celebrity"....its so much better when its regulars).  

I've been wondering for a while if I should watch that. The only international version I've seen is New Zealand. (The boss of which went bankrupt the year after.)

"The Partner" (Marcus Lemonis's version of this kind of show) airs in March so that's where I'm placing my hopes for something real.

2 hours ago, MarkHB said:

Honestly, the tension thing looked like cheap plastic to me, and it was interesting that the fitness models drove the call volume down for Brooke's team.  I was also surprised that Brooke was all "I wanna improv" when they went live, seemingly without even a breakdown of what they wanted to do when.

I think her experience in exercise equipment definitely showed there, even if Laila was better at inspiring calls. At first I was impressed by Carson: "Oh wow, I wouldn't have thought to ask about inventory." "Smart thinking on the $99 price." But those are external to the product. Brooke picked a product she might actually use.

[AwesomO4000]

10 hours ago, zulualpha said:

That thingamabob looked like a thigh master to me so that's all I could think of, a $20 thigh master being sold for $100.  No thanks.  I guess Mr. zulualpha will have to learn to love cottage cheese thighs.

I didn't get to see the second segment - so I'm sorry to hear Carson got terminated - but even though, yeah, $100 is a lot, I must say that I miss my Thighmaster so much, so I might've been tempted if the thing wasn't complicated looking - though it sounds like it was. I actually had two Thighmasters - the second one you could adjust the tension on - and wore them both out. I haven't been able to find a replacement since, despite looking. (Most young persons in fitness stores nowadays don't even know what one is and think you are a little nuts when you try to describe one to them.)

I haven't tried online I admit, because I hate purchasing things online when I can't see and touch the product first. Maybe I might have to break down and do so, though, because those things were very convenient. I used to be able to just sit comfortably, watch TV, and go to town... then just throw it in the closet when I was done.

[RealReality]

51 minutes ago, Amarsir said:

I've been wondering for a while if I should watch that. The only international version I've seen is New Zealand. (The boss of which went bankrupt the year after.)

"The Partner" (Marcus Lemonis's version of this kind of show) airs in March so that's where I'm placing my hopes for something real.

I highly recommend The UK Apprentice.  I think its a much, much more interesting program than any celebrity version.  But, it has everything I love, awesome accents, real tasks, real people, Lord Sugar, and two really good and sharp advisers.

 I watched NZ Apprentice too, I had no idea the guy went belly up!  But I also thought that went to a "celebrity" format.

[Racj82]

4 hours ago, BusyOctober said:

A win for Matt or George will be OK for me.  Can't stand Brooke and I can't pin down why.  She just irks. Laila is just OK. I've seen her on other things...Food Network I think...and she is OK in small doses.  I really will miss Carson.  He's smart, sharp and knows PR and marketing well.  Hopefully he gets paired up with Boy George again in the finals.  Don't they usually bring back the "losers" for the final task?

Maybe they edited it out, but why wasn't it mentioned in Brooke's QVC pitch that the device she was shilling wouldn't be shipped for a month?  Carson's team mentioned the immediate availability of their product on air.  I know I personally would think twice before buying something I can't get as soon as possible.  That may have affected Brooke's sales if it were mentioned.  But, then again, as a person who does not workout, the slide thing looked easier and more fun than the tension thingy Carson picked.  If I saw that laying around on a table and knew nothing about it, I'd guess it was part of a garage opener pulley system.  And they should have shown how it worked "the whole body", not just arms.  I guess in hindsight, as good as Carson is in front of the camera, he should have had Lisa and George up front.  Or George in the truck.

Leeza brought the issue directly of availability in the boardroom.

[Gregg247]

Boy George has really surprised me this season.  For some reason, I assumed he'd do this show with a bad attitude of "Oh, I can't believe I'm reduced to being a contestant on some cheap reality show in America!".  Instead, he's been delightful.  He seems so upbeat and happy about everything that he makes you want to root for him.  A big part of this show is a positive attitude and likeability, and he has both.

I don't think there's any question that when Arnold waxes nostalgic in his own mind, it's about body building rather than acting.  he LOVES talking about all things exercise, doesn't he?  He was hilarious talking about how the average woman at home was feeling about her thighs and flabby arms.  Leeza Gibbons looked aghast! LOL

[RealReality]

1 minute ago, Racj82 said:

Leeza brought the issue directly of availability in the boardroom.

I think it was brought up in the boardroom, but not during her pitch.

I think its a pretty fair critique.  I would want to know if something I was purchasing wouldn't be there in a month.

1 minute ago, Gregg247 said:

Boy George has really surprised me this season.  For some reason, I assumed he'd do this show with a bad attitude of "Oh, I can't believe I'm reduced to being a contestant on some cheap reality show in America!".  Instead, he's been delightful.  He seems so upbeat and happy about everything that he makes you want to root for him.  A big part of this show is a positive attitude and likeability, and he has both.

Me too, I always had a soft spot for Boy George and he is just so darn likable!  I suspect that this show will do good things for him.....even if there aren't that many people watching.

[MarkHB]

24 minutes ago, AwesomO4000 said:

I haven't tried online I admit, because I hate purchasing things online when I can't see and touch the product first. Maybe I might have to break down and do so, though, because those things were very convenient. I used to be able to just sit comfortably, watch TV, and go to town... then just throw it in the closet when I was done.

The original Thighmaster is still out there....

[TaraS1]

47 minutes ago, Gregg247 said:

Boy George has really surprised me this season.  For some reason, I assumed he'd do this show with a bad attitude of "Oh, I can't believe I'm reduced to being a contestant on some cheap reality show in America!".  Instead, he's been delightful.  He seems so upbeat and happy about everything that he makes you want to root for him.  A big part of this show is a positive attitude and likeability, and he has both.

I think his commitment to his sobriety and to healthy eating/living has really changed him, or rather matured him, in such a beautiful way.  He's talked plenty about how he used to be so bitchy and unhappy, but that he's grown up a lot and is more positive and much happier for it.  And it really shows in everything he does now.  I've seen him with Culture Club four times since last summer and you could just tell how much he was enjoying himself and the experience of being in front of an audience.  He mentioned his sobriety a couple of times during the shows and you could see he was genuinely touched by the outpouring of love he got in return.  I mean, I very specifically remember being eight years old and my parents getting me out of bed to watch a news report about his heroin use on Good Morning America and I was just so worried about him, even as a kid.  And then to watch his very public relapse a decade ago, with him sweeping the streets while being swarmed by paparazzi, going to prison in the UK, etc., it just broke my heart because his music had brought so much joy to my life for so many years.  So, fast-forward to this past summer when I finally got to meet him and hug him and see him looking so happy and joyful - I could get all verklempt just thinking about it! lol

Which is my extremely long-winded way of saying ITA @Gregg247 and @RealReality - he's been a delight on this show!

But I did feel bad about Carson getting fired.  It was the right decision, but I still loved his spirit throughout all the tasks.  You could tell George was really sad to see him go.

[RealReality]

@TaraS1 -- what a beautiful story.  I remember watching a VH1 special on him, and how he had had a relationship with a bandmate that had gone south, and it sounded a little like the guy was in the closet and didn't want to acknowledge George.  It was just so very sad, especially for someone with a gentle soul.  From what I remember, it really seemed to crush him.  

He is a joy and I love to see him smile because its just so natural and happy.  

I have been just as touched by his die hard fans, and I know he is too.  So, I hope he can continue to surround himself with positivity so he doesn't fall back into it.

I was sad to see Carson go, and I wish he could have stayed past Brooke -- who I also just don't like.  If he had just chosen the trampoline!!!

[Amarsir]

By the way, what was the point of the Clippers task?

Normally when a task is just a live event and busywork I assume it's to get the name on TV. But that makes no sense here. Either 

A) You're a basketball fan. You know who the Clippers are.
B) You're not a basketball fan, but you live in L.A. You know who the Clippers are.
C) You're not a basketball fan and you don't live in L.A. Who cares if you know the Clippers or not?

Plus it didn't highlight the team in any way, only the owner. So I wonder if Steve Ballmer just really wanted to be on the show and this was his way of buying in? Either that or he really really needed a t-shirt designed by Brooke Burke.

[mertensia]

I love George's purple eyeshadow. I need it.

Yeah, I knew Carson was toast as soon as I saw Lisa just sitting in the booth. 

George does seem to be having fun-who knew he would be?

[TaraS1]

1 hour ago, RealReality said:

@TaraS1 -- what a beautiful story.  I remember watching a VH1 special on him, and how he had had a relationship with a bandmate that had gone south, and it sounded a little like the guy was in the closet and didn't want to acknowledge George.  It was just so very sad, especially for someone with a gentle soul.  From what I remember, it really seemed to crush him.  

He is a joy and I love to see him smile because its just so natural and happy.  

I have been just as touched by his die hard fans, and I know he is too.  So, I hope he can continue to surround himself with positivity so he doesn't fall back into it.

I was sad to see Carson go, and I wish he could have stayed past Brooke -- who I also just don't like.  If he had just chosen the trampoline!!!

Thanks @RealReality!  The simplified version is that Jon (the Culture Club drummer) denied their relationship for a long, long time, and married a woman and had children.  But once he was able to be truthful about George, they eventually found a way to repair their friendship and work together again.  And they've been touring the world with the other two original members of the band for the better part of two years now and things seem great between all of them.  

And ITA about Brooke - I so wanted her fired.  I still think she should have been fired on the task with her husband.  If Carson had her spot in the final four, I'd truly be happy with any one of them winning.

[zulualpha]

7 hours ago, MarkHB said:

Honestly, the tension thing looked like cheap plastic to me, and it was interesting that the fitness models drove the call volume down for Brooke's team.  I was also surprised that Brooke was all "I wanna improv" when they went live, seemingly without even a breakdown of what they wanted to do when.

"I wanna improv" was Brooke being shady imo.  I think she wanted to set Matt up to fail, like Lisa did, so she could get rid of her major competitor.  She was so dismissive of Matt when he was trying to get direction from her, it was borderline rude and it was pretty transparent to me and maybe Matt.  ( I think Matt also saw through her giggly heifer routine).  Luckily, they won so Matt was never in danger but Matt also wrote his own script in the booth, took control and fed Brook info that she clearly used.  Matt's smart and I think he's going to be tough to beat.

[Ananayel]

With Carson gone, my F2 hopes are now Matt/George. Make it happen, Governor!

[GoGamecox]

I think Team Carson missed a big opportunity to talk about their lives on the road as celebrities and how that gym tool could be easily packed in a suitcase or a tote bag (they said it was only two pounds). They could have focused on a "you could do this in a hotel, you could do this at work" angle that would have made it more accessible and interesting and showcased a quick full-body workout anyone could do with it (other than just the arms that they started with). Boy George should have done more talking with the audience like he was a support club meeting -- "All of you out there like me know how hard it it not only to lose weight but to keep it off. Here is one way you can keep burning some calories with an easy-to-transport tool."  Then they could have showed him using it, too. His testimonial didn't have the marketing angle it needed. 

But FWIW I think they missed the mark picking that over the trampoline, too (which some of you have said earlier). Much more fun and sexy for TV sales. 

I giggled several times as Brook was working out on camera and Iseman couldn't stop grinning. He definitely has a huge crush on her. 

Edited January 31, 2017 by GoGamecox
typos

[Mumbles]

I too am a Boy George fan from way back when, and I remember his incredibly surly phase. (My burning memory is when he was asked about his song "War is Stupid" with the lyrics "War, war is stupid/and people are stupid." He recited the lyrics and said to the reporter, and YOU are stupid too. Which was on one hand kinda funny, but mostly hostile and betraying a deeply unhappy person.)

Anyway I was kinda expecting a diva here but he has been cooperative, supportive, a problem solver, and a value-adder. It really does seem like he's turned a corner and has a healthy happy life. Even his attitude toward his heavier self isn't tinted with self-hatred, which a lot of people who go through that suffer from. 

I hope he can build on this.

[PepperMonkey]

I had TWO thighmasters when they came out back in the day: regular and pro. They gave me thigh gap before it was a thing. Just had to throw that in.

I find Laila Ali beautiful on the surface and surly underneath. I find nothing appealing about her except her physical beauty and her unabashed love for her dad. I wish she had gone when they sent Ricky home, but I have grown to love Ricky on this show. When it first started, I thought he was going to be possibly like Eric Dickerson turned out to be, but he surprised me with his enthusiasm on nearly every task. AND he wore Hufflepuff on Matt's geekweek HP task and that's my house. BADGERS forever!

I'm rooting for Matt and George as the final two and honestly wouldn't care who wins between the two of them.

Edited January 31, 2017 by PepperMonkey

[cooksdelight]

4 hours ago, RealReality said:

I think it was brought up in the boardroom, but not during her pitch.

I think its a pretty fair critique.  I would want to know if something I was purchasing wouldn't be there in a month.

The editing on this show is so shitty, it's anyone's guess if it was mentioned during the pitch. It might have been in the fine print in the price box they throw up on the screen.

Brooke comes across as entitled and a know-it-all, so I hope she gets canned next week before the final. Matt or Boy George for the final, but I think of the four of them, Matt has consistently done the most work, the most research, the most thinking.

[mamadrama]

I thought Ballmer was way harsh on Matt and I felt secondhand embarrassment for him. I don't think Arnold liked it, either, because he seemed to be subtly agreeing with Matt in the boardroom. I mean, they research Warren Buffet to find out his favorite candy and get praised. They research Ballmer and get called "shameless" and almost chastised. These billionaires are weird. 

[Callaphera]

I was a little confused by the basketball task and who won, because I could've sworn that the other team would be handed the win. I've been to a grand total of one NBA game in my lifetime (hey, my hometown team moved to Memphis) so I was looking at it from a hockey fan's point of view, and I've been to more hockey games than I can count. When fans gets involved, there aren't sing-alongs. There are chants. Easy, repetitive chants. "Go Canucks Go" is the standard go-to. A couple years ago, chants for the goalies we had at the time ("Luuu" to sound like boo, and "Ed-die" for the back up, our current goalie gets nothing). The most creative is probably "Ref you suck". But easy and repetitive is the way to get the whole arena joining in.

So "I love this team" sounded like a winner to me. I preferred the look of the black tee shirt to the whatever of the red tee shirt and didn't realize it was supposed to be a commemorative shirt. I was a little baffled by the whole first task, honestly. Either I missed something in translation or hockey and basketball fans are far far away from each other when it comes to expectations of crowd involvement. 

[Jextella]

17 hours ago, LakeGal said:

I am happy Lisa is finally gone.  I just didn't like her.

Boy George got lucky.  He missed one challenge and this time did very little on the last challenge.  Yet he outlasted Carson.

I suspect that Matt and Brooke might be the final 2.  Matt kept mentioning that Brooke was his biggest competition.   

I'd like to see Matt and Brooke as final 2.  Out of all of them this season, they seem to want the win most.  And, they are similar in terms of both drive and skill and possibly the ability to earn money.  It would be a good show-down.

As to Brooke's likeability factor...I think she has a monotone voice with a tone that is kind of sharp.  She's just flat.  She does seem like she'd be loads of fun in real life, though.  I like her but I get that she doesn't resonate well with others.

[RealReality]

36 minutes ago, Callaphera said:

I was a little confused by the basketball task and who won, because I could've sworn that the other team would be handed the win. I've been to a grand total of one NBA game in my lifetime (hey, my hometown team moved to Memphis) so I was looking at it from a hockey fan's point of view, and I've been to more hockey games than I can count. When fans gets involved, there aren't sing-alongs. There are chants. Easy, repetitive chants. "Go Canucks Go" is the standard go-to. A couple years ago, chants for the goalies we had at the time ("Luuu" to sound like boo, and "Ed-die" for the back up, our current goalie gets nothing). The most creative is probably "Ref you suck". But easy and repetitive is the way to get the whole arena joining in.

So "I love this team" sounded like a winner to me. I preferred the look of the black tee shirt to the whatever of the red tee shirt and didn't realize it was supposed to be a commemorative shirt. I was a little baffled by the whole first task, honestly. Either I missed something in translation or hockey and basketball fans are far far away from each other when it comes to expectations of crowd involvement. 

I think it was probably close, but in the end, the idea of evening up the teams played into the final decision.

I guess you could have moved someone over from Ricky's team for the next task, but I think its too close to the end for all of that.  And besides, as much as people may like Ricky, I think he isn't that big or likable of a personality to make the finales.  And he doesn't seem to have enough talent or big money donors to make it worthwhile to keep him to the end.

However, I agree, the big chant that the crowd can get involved in seems to be more of a sport thing than a song.  But, George's song was very, very catchy, and I had to actively not hum or sing it after I watched the show.

In that way, I think Lisa's team brought something more unique to the table.  WE LOVE THIS TEAM  is a neat play on Ballmer's words, but its something that anyone could have come up with whether or not they knew about his Microsoft speech.  George's song could work as a catchy little theme song of sorts if they wanted to use it.

I wonder if Ballmer got a lot of heat for that speech or if people made terrible fun of him for it, which is why he is a little sensitive about it.

Now, speaking of money, in the last few years of CA, I think the final task has been a fundraising task.  And it has always ended up being a clash of the big money contestants.  Joan Rivers v. Annie the poker player.  Penn Teller v. Trace Adkins.  

I think Boy George and Laila Ali probably have some big money donors.  Matt already said he doesn't have many big money donors and I can't see how Brooke would have any big donors.  So I don't know if it will be another fundraising task or if it will be something else.

[seacliffsal]

I just did not need to hear Brooke 'Entitled' Burke say to Carson after learning that her team won that she would have been mad had he beaten her on a fitness task.  There was no need to try to demean or embarrass my beloved Carson just after he learned that his team lost.  Yet, that's kind of the impression I have of Brooke-that's she really just a mean girl.  I think that the editing for her has shown a bit of a nasty side, so I am hoping that indicates that she isn't winning the season.  

At this point I would like to see George and Matt in the finale.

Edited January 31, 2017 by seacliffsal

[jumper sage]

7 hours ago, AwesomO4000 said:

I haven't tried online I admit, because I hate purchasing things online when I can't see and touch the product first. Maybe I might have to break down and do so, though, because those things were very convenient. I used to be able to just sit comfortably, watch TV, and go to town... then just throw it in the closet when I was done.

From the Suzanne's website.  It seems like Walmart, I have never shopped there, sells a selection of them including one from Gold's Gym.

12 minutes ago, seacliffsal said:

I just did not need to hear Brooke Entitle Burke say to Carson after learning that her team won that she would have been mad had he beaten her on a fitness task.  There was no need to try to demean or embarrass my beloved Carson just after he learned that his team lost.  Yet, that's kind of the impression I have of Brooke-that's she really just a mean girl.  I think that the editing for her has shown a bit of a nasty side, so I am hoping that indicates that she isn't winning the season.  

At this point I would like to see George and Matt in the finale.

Yes and I agree.

Carson was the best and loved when George squeeeed, "Carson!"

[Katmai]

Ah-nold has really grown on me. I had quit watching the Orange Chee-to long ago due to his brash rudeness - that just isn't anything I enjoy watching.

I scared my cats when I laughed over Ah-nold saying "hasta la vista, babies!" with that smile on his face. That just tickled me unexpectedly.

Matt or Boy George to win.

[scootypuffjr]

Arnold fumbling with and commenting on the rolled up, taped t-shirt in the boardroom was all kinds of funny. I must have replayed that  four or five times.

Sorry to see Carson go, but his leaving does make it easier to narrow it down to rooting for (preferably) Matt or George. Coming in, I had no idea who Matt Isener was, but he seems like a good guy, smart and charismatic, a hard worker who is very natural and comfortable in his skin, which makes him very appealing.

[zulualpha]

3 hours ago, Jextella said:

I'd like to see Matt and Brooke as final 2.  Out of all of them this season, they seem to want the win most.  And, they are similar in terms of both drive and skill and possibly the ability to earn money.  It would be a good show-down.

As to Brooke's likeability factor...I think she has a monotone voice with a tone that is kind of sharp.  She's just flat.  She does seem like she'd be loads of fun in real life, though.  I like her but I get that she doesn't resonate well with others.

The thing Brooke has going for her is that she seems to actually really want to win.  Ditto Matt.  Laila and George, I don't know.