In Sunday's (March 13) episode, the teams had to write, publish and perform a children's story. The men won by tapping their personal strengths and producing a book that was whimsical and easy to follow. The women lost for creating a book and concept that was too sophisticated for their audience - four to five-year-olds.
So, what was Lisa's problem? We don't believe she saw the game as seriously as she should have. That was the first mistake. The second was surprising for an actress of her experience. She couldn't even fake confidence in her own performance. And when Star and Dionne noticed that she couldn't in effect lie about how she felt about her performance as project manager, there was very little they had to say. She eliminated herself.
It started with the team choosing her for P.M. She was too honest about not wanting to assume the lead in the first place. Anyone who watches "The Apprentice" knows Donald Trump expects every person to give every challenge their all as if it were their last.
Once she was bullied into the role, she did indeed let the team run her for a while. We believe that Star was clearly taking on as much as she can to the point where she can call Lisa out on allowing her to do most of the work. And when she took a stand over not approving the book cover for Lisa, that was something she was stowing away to use as a weapon against her later. It was ridiculous for her to ask to be credited as the writer of the book on the cover, but that's just Star. It's all about her.
On the other hand, we don't believe Dionne had it in for Lisa from the beginning. She's just a person who is set in her ways, used to being a diva, and wants things as she wants them. Last episode, it was Star who got in her way at the cash register. This episode, it happened to be Lisa. So, we believe she'd act as stubborn and cruel to anyone who got in the way of what she wanted. But when she followed in Star's steps and asked to be credited for creating the concept? Really, Miss Dionne?
All that said, we'd love to point the finger at someone else, but Lisa's dismissal lies with Lisa. It's clear she isn't used to playing a game like this. It's clear she wears her heart on her sleeve. And it's clear she may not have the business acumen of Trump, his sons, or Star.
Lisa was too busy feeling hurt by the venom, then trying to strike back at those who stung her. She couldn't pick up on the clues Trump and his sons were giving her about attacking the things the team actually lost for - Star's writing and Dionne's complex theme - because she was too wrapped up in the emotions she was feeling. And while A.S.A.P.'s book was meant to teach children to be true to themselves, that didn't work for the actress. Because in the world of adults (and Trump's boardroom), being honest about one's shortcomings gets you fired.
