Puh lease! There is NOTHING great about being a poker player. It's a job that means she can do nothing else in life. Come on. Poker players are not celebrities. They play cards. For money. People do that everyday in their houses. Nada special about that. All this means is that Annie has now gotten her 15 minutes of fame. And it can't end soon enough.

I agree. Joan Rivers and Melissa have done nothing but bring drama. If you recall Melissa was talking about the conversation she overheard with Annie on the phone and yelling at her friend. Remember how she was telling Trump that she has two different personalities. Well-Melissa certainly showed her "other" personality last week at the end of the show. I wonder if she and Joan can actually add up how many times they had to bleep Melissa. Not to mention Joan and the words she used for Clint.

To me JOAN RIVERS AND MELISSA RIVERS are no celebritys! They want to talk about "BARBIE"-please
Joan has had so much work done and she still can't look like a BARBIE.

For Joan to call Annie trash and a hitler. Its amazing how a charity could even want either one of the Rivers to represent them.

However, I think Trump has his pecking order. I doubt that Jessee, Brandy, or Annie will be the last ones standing.. hope I am wrong but...

I agree that Joan should never have compared Annie to Hitler, but I really can not stand Annie Duke. She is a backstabbing, egotistical witch and she would absolutely sacrifice anyone, including her own, to get what she wants. She is all about "me", "me", "me". That is all she talks about is herself. Every task won was because of her and only her. She does not give any credit to anyone. What a jerk she turned out to be. With who's left, I hope that Jesse wins. He has kind of stayed under the radar. Actually, ANYBODY but Annie would be ok.

Annie turns the knife in the back when you are not looking. She puts on a poker face of innocence but behind the innocence is something very ugly. Joan just says what she thinks up front and to your face. She isn't playing Annie's poker game. She sees Annie for what she is and says it. Joan went over board and should have refrained but at least I can accept up front expressions of feelings instead of back stabbing manipulation.

If Annie wins, I am done with Apprentice. I won't watch it ever again for any season for any reason.

Annie has to go!

I dislike Annie with a passion. She attacks everyone, and shes sneaky about what shes doing. I want Joan Rivers to win because shes got the smarts and confidence. She may not be the best looking, but she funny, and shes well rounded. Annie thinks shes the queen, shes the "poker player" that everyone fears. I think she must go.

Annie...."I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I"

Hi everyone, I'm new, but after watching Annie the past few weeks, I couldnt resist spitting out an opinion.
Bottom line: this is a GAME, and Annie Duke is a professional game player. She is playing everybody very smoothly and efficiently. You have to admit that. Look at how she is playing Brandy, and Brandy is foolishly and stupidly being her puppet and doesnt have a clue.

That said, I can't stand Annie. I find her obnoxious, self-centered, and selfish. Period.

oh my, Brandy just got fired!! NO SURPRISE THERE.

Trump is a punk, he's actually scared of plastic mug Joan, I know there great friends, did you see how it was scripted into the show for Joan to be able to say how her family was killed by the Nazi's, It should be Annie and Brandi going heads up as them 2 raised the most $$. And for Ivanka to say, I bet Medlissa is so proud of you, gag me with a friggen spoon will ya. I knew from day 1 Joan would be in the finals. For those of you who will be foolish enough to watch this scripted so called reality show, wait and see who the oldest is and how Trump interacts with them and watch how that person will be in the final. Joan has lost in a task as PM, she's quit but she's in the final, and she is one phoney azzed poor sport also, For trump to allow the race card to be used is disgusting.And who the f^&% is Pierce to be judging someone with only 2,3,5 min. chats, trump says he a good judge of character, pppffftttt Well I know I'm a good judge of character and Pierce is a lil Biiotch ! He wants so hard to be like simon cowell. Good-bye CA, you lost a viewer with the B.S. outcome.

As a man who had Holocaust survivor parents, I am appalled at Joan's use of Hitler to describe Annie. If she thinks she is vilifying Annie, she is very wrong.

What she is doing is to minimize Hitler's impact on the world. Joan said she lost her family in the Holocaust. She should know better. The use of the "H-bomb" in inappropriate circumstances is an offense. I suggest Joan call the ADL and find out how wrong she is.
Annie is not a saint but she does not deserve to be called Hitler.

I will be rooting for Annie to win.

I have to agree. My problem is that Donald Trump is allowing washed up has been Home Shopping Network trash on his show. I thought he had class, he has trully shown that NBC will do anything for ratings. Annie is just doing what she does best playing a game. Insteading of applauding her game playing ability she is being personally attacked. I would like to see Joan show her face in Vegas after the comments she made about them. Joan should have been fired when she personally attacked her, or maybe Annie could have her Mommy come on the show for the finale. HaHa

I agree!! I was appauled by Joan's behavior last week, along with her spoiled rotten daughter. Any respect I ever had for Joan disappeared. Talk about spoiled rotten...I'd like to see just one of them walk in Jesse James' shoes or any blue collar worker. They would crawl home and wouldn't last a day. They don't even have a clue what hard work is....money ruins most people....but not all! I understand Jesse and would of liked to see him in the final, he would of brought it all to the table and would not need his wife to do it. Most of you rich bit......es don't understand the common hard worker. In the end hard work, honesty and integrity wins...too bad the majority like Trump ruin it for the little people.....go Jesse!!! Jesse is so much richer in life than anyone knows and I hope he realizes how much people .....harding dirty working people look up to him and respect him!!

Joan is a putz!!!

"Being a comedian is a job??? They berate and put down people....Annie is better off as a poker player than a hazben comedian who picks on others to make herself feel like a big person."

I have never enjoyed a reality tv show as much as this one. I agree with all of Trumps decisions; he not only keeps the most talented people on the show, but he knows how to spike the show's ratings. However, I believe improving the show' ratings and keeping the greatest competitor on goes hand in hand; the very nature of the show allows this.

I believe Annie vs Joan in the finals is a perfect match. Lets face it though, in the business world the most intelligent and ruthless succeed, like it or not. However, this show makes the business world even more ruthless than it has to be, that is why I love this show. In most jobs you can not get away with calling some one Hitler, but keeping Joan on the show makes it more entertainment. Besides , she is the most qualified person. Jesse was holding back and didn't seem to care much about winning. The playboy model would have had no chance beating Annie in the final two. Annie will most likely win this, her biggest problem: she talks too much. Those who talk the most reveal the most about themselves to their opponents. However, she is ruthless, manipulative, and intelligent; which are three traits that helped her win against her competition. The only other problem with Annie. Although I believe she could rise to the top of an organization, she may be the type to run it into the ground once she gets there. (This happens with plenty of CEOs). I believe Trump sees this weakness in Annie. However, if Annie does somehow lose, its only because she miscalculates, not because of her ruthless nature.

What is truly great about this show is it creates a vision for America; one where business can become even more ruthless and calculating. This is a great vision for America, where only the strong prosper. Nice people truly do finish last, especially in Trump's world.Trump's vision for America is capitalism at its greatest.

You guys are all insane, now don't get me wrong Melissa Rivers really got on my nerves during the show, and Joan's no Mother Teresa either, but Annie is on completely different level of cut-throat bi***. She's so phony in the boardroom, like on this episode she's saying "I love Joan and completely respect her", and later in the confidential interview, and the loft she does nothing but badmouth her. Not saying that bad-mouthing is wrong but don't lie to Trump. Bottom line Annie's a bully who thinks she is better than everyone else at everything, didn't know who she was before this show and i wish it had stayed that way. Go Joan. Trump don't be fooled by Annie's 2-faced personality. And Annie may not be Hitler but she's still and A-hole.

If Trump truly wanted to increase ratings, he should have made it Annie vs. Jesse. He just lost the male demographic. Brande or Jesse would have kept a lot of guys watching. Jesse is a true business man. He did not become famous by marrying Sandra Bullock. He became famous for his work. I just find it appauling that the horrible things that Joan says are allowed on TV. Ratings or No. MEAN PEOPLE SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tonight's semifinal went exactly as I expected (and predicted weeks ago). Choosing Annie for the finale was a no-brainer, since her performance in this game has been much superior to anyone else. She won the most challenges, raised the most money, and was never a candidate for firing. Even Annie haters would have to admit that musically challenged Annie REALLY did well tonight to outduel Clint on the jingle challenge. Love her or hate her, Annie deserves to be in the finals.

Whether or not Joan deserves to be in the finals is debatable, but it was also inevitable because (1) Donald Trump is intimidated by Joan, as many have said; (2) he used Piers [is that his name?] for cover for picking the final two, so that he (Donald) would not be blamed for picking her; and (3) Annie vs. Joan makes for great theater and may increase the show’s sagging ratings.

I reluctantly concede that his choice of Joan is not unreasonable, despite her hateful remarks leveled at Annie, but if firings were based strictly on merit, then Joan should have been fired weeks ago during the “jewelry challenge”, in which she as project manager did everything wrong: (1) she selected the wrong person to pick out the jewelry (Natalie), she picked the wrong person to be auctioneer (Clint), and (3) despite the fact that she constantly reminds us of her huge celebrity status, she failed to raise much money. Even Donald Trump criticized her for that tonight, and Joan had no response (she likely knew that he would be picking her for the finale anyway, so why bother).

Joan also did not distinguish herself in tonight's challenge. Did you notice Donald’s blank stare when Joan mentioned her silly “cluck, cluck, cluck, splash” idea. That would have doomed the project for sure. Joan parading around with a sign (her idea) during the presentation was also silly. Her third idea, to speed up the song, was perhaps more reasonable, although the musicians did not like her idea. Having said all that, I have no serious problem with Donald firing Clint, who should have known better than to make the jingle obviously country, which is what the executives didn't like.

The final should be interesting. On a level playing field, Annie would easily win. However, my next-to-last prediction is that Donald will “unlevel” the playing field as best he can by (1) assigning a disproportionate number of weak players to Annie’s team (e.g., Dennis Rodman, who I saw sitting next to Annie in the preview clip; surely Donald would not stoop so low as to assign Melissa to Annie’s team to sabotage her team’s performance, would he?); and (2) structuring the final challenge in such a way as to put Annie at a big disadvantage. That is very much what he did tonight, but Annie rose to the challenge and won anyway. However, do not look for a repeat of this in the Grand Finale.

All along, it has seemed clear to me that Donald has wanted Joan to win. Although I certainly cannot prove this, I believe that it is possible that he promised her that he would choose her as winner in the end. And that promise, along with Joan’s demand that Melissa also be on the show, were the only conditions under which Joan would agree to be on the show. Donald and Joan are good friends, he is intimidated by her, and he barely knows Annie Duke. There is just no way he would ever fire Joan, no matter how poorly she performs in the finale (which will likely be heavily edited to make Joan look good). My final prediction: Donald will fire Annie, and Joan will win the Grand Finale. Although I will not be happy, I have to keep in mind that it is a silly game show after all.

Okay. I give up. I'm weighing in. Trump clearly is playing to the audience by making Joan and Annie the final two because of the clear dislike they have for one another.

Let's cut to the chase. In the previous apprentice shows; it was rather clear that the winner has been and should have been the person who was best able to complete the tasks, manage resources, and lead the people working the tasks. Considering none of these people are seeking employment; the celebrity apprentice seems to be solely about the ability raise funds for charity. By hook, crook, and any means necessary.

In this case, Annie, will win hands down. This is evident by the fact that she is in the final two in spite of her clear absence of morals, ethics, and ability to be straight with anyone, including herself. She is clearly talented at playing poker. Unfortunately, she seems to take the lying with a smile, bluffing, and bullying into every facet of her life. Clearly, the only people she befriends are people that she can control. This is evident in the way she raised so much money with yelling and screaming (bullying) her 'friends' into giving. Sad.

Joan will not win this game because she is too honest. She clearly has tried to teach her daughter to be honest and to try to do the right thing at all times and unfortunately Melissa hasn't learned that doing the 'right' thing will not always translate into winning. Hopefully, she has learned this lesson; it's too bad she learned it on television in front of millions. Anyway, I digress. Joan will not win this because, Trump hasn't figured out with this latest political swing (Obama as President) that people in this country are starving for something hopeful to believe in. I think we'd like to believe that Joan can win this thing; but recent history has taught us that doing a great job and being able to look yourself in the mirror at the end of the night and truly say you've done it with your head held high is a thing of the past. Oh well, I guess....Annie, congratulations.....on stealing, lying, and conniving your way into the winner's circle. Oh yeah....you played Brande like a fine tuned piano and you're playing Trump just as well.

I was very disappointed that Joan returned to the show after last week's offensive behavior. At the very least, her return should have been only on the condition that she publicly apologize to Brandie and Annie and to everyone who watched the show. Mr. Trump told her tonight that she was professional, but her behavior after Melissa was fired was anything but professional. It's too bad that The Donald is showing such favoritism toward her. I hope that Annie wins.

And someone should tell both Joan and Melissa to lay off the plastic surgery. Joan doesn't even look human any more, and it looks like Melissa is following her down that path. It's a shame; they both used to be attractive women.

First of all, Joan Rivers couldn't be a has-been if she tried. Years from now when Annie whatever-her- name-is is a blip on the screen of 15-minute fame, Joan will still be studied by ALL new comedians on HOW to be a successful comedian and entrepreneur. Whether you like her or not does not change that fact. It cannot change that fact. She is as famous at her age as she is because she is good. Like I said, like her or not, she makes you laugh in spite of yourself. THAT IS TALENT. It never gets old and it never fades. Let's face it Jerry Lewis is a jerk and Mel Gibson is a nut and Angelina Jolie is a first-rate home wrecker, but we still watch, listen and read about them. I cannot tell you the single name of the highest winner at poker in Las Vegas, nor do I care to try. If Mr. Trump's point on this particular game is to introduce us to the type of soulless ego-maniacal human debris that raided our banks and gave themselves bonuses for work poorly done and left hard working men and women in the lurch then this Annie person will win. If all it takes in the corporate world is a lying mirror and a good personal lie about one's worth then Annie is top of the heap in THAT world. I will understand what it takes to be a CEO of a corporation, a winner in the game of money, a game that even plays charity work like a straight flush. If it weren't for the fact that Mr. Trump's children obviously adore him and look up to him and seem to be relatively good and intelligent human beings I would have pegged him as the same kind of evil entity as the wealthy thieves of late. He gloats over the possibility that Rosie O'Donnell may be having a bad time in her life forgetting that there are children and family members who depend on her and her talent. To wallow in her hardship should be beneath him and his station in life. If he saw her children as valuable human beings he would only have laughed off what occurred with Rosie, not tried to be a harmful force in the lives of her children. He would have seen her children as much in need of a good life as his own, but he is still bitter over nothing. But, I still have hope that a woman who gave us SO MUCH(Joan) and has lived through SO MUCH(Joan) will win over an over-bearing , narcissistic gambler. But, who knows. I guess the answer to that question will educate us all.

Wow. Okay, Proud Mom of Annie....I assume that's what proudmomofapa stands for? I could be wrong....

Annie did not win this task alone tonight. She had someone, albeit a follower, on her "team". Also, did anyone else not notice that it was rather interesting that Clint Black, on camera, came up with the hook of "ask any mermaid that you see.....chicken of the sea" somehow also, word for word, the same hook was sung in Annie and Brande's jingle? Give me a break. This is not "reality". There is so much help going on behind the scenes, it's not funny.

Let's recall that if Clint had taken Joan's suggestion and sped the "jingle" up a bit then they could have won the task tonight. Let's also recall that when Annie, Melissa, and Brande lost last week, that throughout the task Annie kept taking responsibility for everything (typical) but somehow when they lost the task she successfully convinced Trump to fire Melissa. What a woose. He clearly is either dazzled by Annie or intimidated by her. Oh no. I get it. As long as she is willing to bully her friends into giving money; he'll find a way to keep Annie around. Thus, the note passing last week. Annie was the obvious choice; but Annie yet again was able to manipulate the situation to stick around.

Hmmmm. Makes a momma proud.

I agree that people in this country are looking for something hopeful to believe in, but it certainly is not Joan Rivers. Do you really believe that she can "hold her head high" after all her hateful comments directed at Annie as being "worse than Hitler", etc, her profanity-laden exit and carefully staged return (despite her promise not to return if Melissa were unjustly fired), and other cruel remarks that she has leveled at Brande, and Clint (among others)? I would hope not. Did you notice tonight that Clint (who has vowed in the Houston Chronicle never again to do a reality show because of the unkind people he had to deal with) told Joan Rivers just before he left "Stop being mean to people"?

Speaking of President Obama, Joan made fun of his big ears, saying that he needs to pin them back, and that is not the sort of remark that I find as funny either, and such critical remarks of our President would not make me want to hold my head high.

And finally, Joan WILL win in the end. She is a friend of Donald's, he is intimidated by her, and he would never dare to fire her, no matter had bad her performance in the finale. This is sad.

Umm, it was specifically stated in the task instructions that both teams were required to use the phrase "Ask any mermaid you happen to see, what's the best tuna? Chicken of the Sea". Clint didn't "come up with" it, it's been their tag line for 50 years.

Okay so the Final two are none than expected Joan and Annie. Come on it really does make for great tv. Two mixed matched women going at it. If you love reality tv, this is a great match up. I mean this is something you will see on VH1 in years to come on a show "Celebrity TV Best Fights"! I think Donald made a perfect decision, although Jesse would have been a close second to Joan. I know he wasn't able to use his strategic plan of using his deep pockets for when it counted the most, but he took a gamble. I would have love to see him stun everyone. What I didn't like so much is that Donald and Piers made it seem that Jesse had to use his wife just to win the competition. I think if he really desperately needed her he would have asked, but I think their relationship works so well that they have separate interests and that he is not using his wife's celebrity to succeed. He a hard working man and not a leech. I think for a man, especially Jesse that is important.

Nevetheless we find ourselves with Joan and Annie. Now it truly goes unspoken is how people interact with others. this is the difference between Annie and Joan. It doesn't necessarily make you great but it makes you stand out in a crowd. I understand to a point on how Joan thinks especially on how she has played the game. Yes she has said some mean and hateful things, but you have to understand her as a person. I watched a documentary on Jewish comedians and surprisingly they have A LOT of jokes about Hitler. They have taken someone who has really devastated a mass population and they able to joke about him and they make constant references to his existence in others. I know that as a black women I have had some adversities from to over come and I know that I can take whatever anyone throws at me. So you can call me whatever name in the book of hate and I still will wake up and know who I am. Yes people should in this day in age know that words are strong and have consequences behind them, but this is television. You can keep watching or you turn it off. Was it a good call bu the produces, yes people are talking about it right? I think Joan is a great women she is 75 years old and moving around like a least a 40-50, she makes no excuses for who she is and what she says. She may be washed up to some people, but she has a iconic legacy in the entertainment business and there is not a huge list of those going around. Joan is not for everyone that is why we have a choice.

Now Annie a poker player, she has played this game well. She is the kind of boss or player who would throw you under the bus in a minute, of course with some sugar coating to make it appear that she is innocent. Honestly, I say if your going to be ruthless lay all your card on the table, don't sugar coat anything for me. Let us all know your a snake, it makes for a better conversation. It is very convenient that she places her self in a position almost every time;if she wins she takes all the credit and if she loses she is not the one to blame. When I saw her strategy I was like "brilliantly played". I want to stand up and give her a round of applause. I don't mean it sarcastic, but she had played the game well and better that Piers. I think she is bright and makes all the right moves to put herself in a good position. That is the object of any game especially when dealing with money.

I think where theings went worng is that liek the very human conditon uis to play with your heart and not your brain. Theonly emotion we say out of Annie what the fact that she won the jingle cometiton and then it was still a one owman show. Yeah Brandi recorded the voice over stuff, but she didn't have nay crative control. Honesly Brandi should have been removed from the "idently theft" Challenge. I mean all she did was talk to the shop people while Jesse was in the bathroom. She could have been a lot more effective than reminecein aout her days when she once was in shop class.

Joan has played this game with high emotions and quick witted humor. She needs to drop the emotions, in business we can not rule by what our hearts think. If so this world would be a little less organized. You have to come to the table with rational decisions that benefits all (an not just one self). I see Annie as being emotionless, and she did not win all these challenges by herself, she has work with a group of people other know as the team. A leader is someone who can delegate responsibilities appropriately and still accomplish the task at hand. We don't have to be completely heartless but there is a should be a middle ground. This show has a bunch celebrities from all walks of life who to a certain degrees never hard putting together a task list.

This show gives mixed messages to the youth of today. One you can be ruthless and walk all of over people just as long as you have the better idea. Two you can rule with the heart and you will get shredder to pieces. If this is what we continue to tell our children why should we expect a different way of life for our future. This particular example stretches far beyond the this show. I see this commonality in the professional world and it is disturbing, but I guess if you can sleep well at night it doesn't matter. “Power perceived is power achieved.” This type of attitude will only foster the same morals and ethics to next generation. In a race there are some people who have tunnel vision and only see the finish line, but there are others who see the the crowd cheering and the family on the other side of the finish line. How you are raised and the decisions you make in life makes you one or the other and barely either in between.

So who will win I would love it if Joan wins, its that slap in the face from the underdog that I kind of like. Honestly at this point i would like to see Piers and Annie in the finals, because last year he had no challenge, he had a Rolodex longer than the next version of the bible. If Annie wins kudos to her, she did what she needed to do, no hate its all love. I still applaud both women on reaching this far. Sorry for the long message but I had a thought and even though I know I probably have contradicted myself, but at the end of the day I know who I am and the decision I make are the right ones and one one can take that from me.

I am a huge lover of poker and I USED to like Annie Duke before this show. It's not the back stabbing or lying that I take issue with, that's the game. I CAN'T STAND WHAT AN EGO MANIAC THIS WOMAN IS. She makes me want to vomit!

I think Joan did an excellent job, biting her lip in the beginning and it just built up to the point that she just had to blow, that snappy personality is the same reason that she is famous. As far as Annie, she really makes me ill, and I wouldn't trust her at all. Yes she is smart but, she is a weasel and a backstabber. I never thought someone could have a bigger ego than Joan Rivers but, Annie has the biggest Head I have ever seen. Personally, I would love to see Joan kick Annie's rear and I would LOVE to see JESSE JAMES WIN!!!

Closing this topic.

If you would like to discuss Annie vs. Joan in reference to tonight's episode, please post in

811:Chicken of the Sea Jingle

If you would like to discuss Annie vs. Joan in reference to the final episode, please post in

812/813: Celebrity Apprentice Silent Auction - Season Finale