So since the other thread for voting included everyone who was still in the game I wanted to make a poll based only on who made it to the final two.

If you want reply and say how you voted, but you don't need to if you don't want to.

I voted neither because I think they are both horrible choices and I wanted Jesse to win.

The show is all about money! just listen to the themesong. I like Joan and her bluntness! I really hope Joan wins!!! However, I will not be surprised if ugly Annie raise all the money. It's cool to help refugees, but I just wish she picked a charity helping our Americans just because of the kind of economy we have right now.

Voted for Annie. Annie hasn't done have of the conniving tricks that Joan has. Annie deserves to win it all and the only reason Joan is in the final is to add to the drama. She certainly didn't earn it. Raised no money, horrible jokes. "Did you know?", all I know is that comedian wrote horrible jokes. Cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, splash", give me a break. Did you see Mr. Trump's face when she said she wanted to add that joke? His blank look said it all.

Jesse has done more than her to help his teams. Joan spent too much time sneaking over to see what the other team was doing, not to benefit her team but to benefit Melissa. Trying to team Annie and Melissa against Brande. The funny thing is when she told Brande that Annie would only turn on her in the end. Well of course. What is Annie going to do, work up till the end then step aside and tell Donald Trump to let Brande win? Joan forgot that this was a competition. Not a gimme for poor Melissa.


Go Annie. Love you girl.

Although I would love for Annie to win (and I voted for her), it is almost certain that Joan will win for a variety of reasons, given in several of my other posts. I truthfully believe that Donald arranged in advance for Joan to win. He allowed her to slip into the finale despite her terrible performance as Project Manager, and her insubordination directed at Donald himself by walking out of the show in protest when Donald fired her daughter Melissa. Now we find that there is actually a family connection between Donald Trump and Joan’s charity. Donald’s brother’s wife Blaine Trump is on the Board of Directors of Joan’s charity (see http://www.glwd.org/about_directors.html). Moreover, Blaine and Joan are more than casual acquaintances. Joan refers to Blaine Trump as “my very good friend” (see http://joanrivers.com/blog/Default.aspx?YearMonth=2006.10) and they are frequently seen and photographed doing things together (e.g., http://www.flickr.com/photos/godslovewedeliver/3113697342/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/godslovewedeliver/page4/
http://www.glwd.org/events/race_to_deliver_post_race.htm).

I concede that I may be making too much of all this, and it is certainly possible that Donald could legitimately ignore this family connection, but at the very least, it gives the appearance of a huge conflict of interest. This family connection, taken together with Donald’s obvious favoritism of Joan during the game, at least raises some questions as to whether or not he has arranged for Joan’s (and his brother’s wife’s) charity to get the big bucks in the end. However, even if the final outcome were predetermined, it is not the end of the world, since it is a game after all, and a game that benefits charities, and Joan’s outrageous antics have made for some fascinating and entertaining moments during the season.

I voted Joan as the lesser of the two evils, because although I usually enjoy Joan, I have not been a huge fan of her behavior in this show. Joan's work has been generally wonderful, her attitude has been pretty rotten. Joan just bothers me less than Annie, because of Annie's tendency to toot her own horn (constantly), choosing to be a catty brat instead of telling them to their face she has a problem, and that she appears to have personal knowledge of what Trump's behind tastes like.

I would choose Joan out of the two remaining. Annie Duke is just ridiculous...

I really wanted Jesse in the finals. I think he would have rocked it.. He carried a lot of the PM's through a lot of the challenges. I hope Joan wins. Just so I can see Annie's head explode. haha

I voted neither, they are both bad choices.

I liked Annie through the first three quarters, but then her ego just kept getting larger and larger and more and more annoying at times. In the beginning she worked as a team and at least attempted to give equal credit to others, but in the end, it started becoming all about her and "I did this, I,did that, I beat...."

Joan annoyed me through most of it. It is almost like she is manic, up one moment then down the next. Plus the favoritism shown her drove me nuts. Tionne got kicked out just for volunteering to go in and support a friend, but Joan can threaten to quit multiple times, pack her bags and say goodbye to everyone and be allowed to walk back in the next day like nothing happened. (To be honest, if she had been treated like everyone else, she would not even be on the show anymore.) Someone else can say they do not want to answer who to send home and Trump gets mad and considers them weak, when Joan does it, she is so full of heart and love. Plus a lot of her insults completely crossed the boundaries and were not the least bit funny, they were just vulgar, demeaning, petty and repulsive.

Add to this, it became obvious who was gonna be the last one standing once Joan and Annie got into a feud. It was not based on ability or talent, it was based solely on drama. Prior to the fight, I think the plan for the finale was Melissa and Joan for the mother/daughter drama, but Annie conveniently angered her enough to create better drama for Trump to cash in on and I feel no desire to root for someone who only made it because of possible ratings and not because they were automatically qualified. It is no wonder the ratings this season suffered as everyone pretty much figured out who would be in the finale before half the season was even up. This is the first season I can honestly say, it was far more scripted for who would go home then ever before and the whole boardroom bits and even Piers picking the final two was nothing but a waste of time, Trump knew who he was firing before they entered the room.

I agree 100%. That's why I signed up for this. Just so I could voice my opinion, I strongly believe that all of the charities should be American. I'm all for helping others but really feel we (America) should be all set first! It would be nice if that was a prerequisite to being on the show.

Very much agree with all these points. I voted for Annie because she has managed to remain professional, conducts herself well, and her performance speaks for itself:
- Best fundraiser ($265,000 raised)
- Best record as PM 2W 0L
- Best team record 7W-3L

Joan's performance statistics don't even come close. However, task performance measurements like PM and team wins and losses, and the funds raised for charities, should be of primary importance when deciding if a person qualifies to win the Celebrity Apprentice.

Also, differently from Annie, Joan has not conducted herself professionally, but has done her best to make every confrontation personal, to insult other people by calling them names, and throwing around vague, unsubstantiated, and defamatory allegations. As many posters have pointed out, she has also walked off the show (quit), and constantly threatens to quit if something does not go her way. This is true that if regular standards had been applied to her, she would not be on the show any more. Therefore I don't think that she has any chances of becoming the Celebrity Apprentice.

She has shown very bad attitude on the show. As an extended clip on NBC website demonstrates, she walked out again when Annie was trying to talk to her (very nicely) after the last boardroom. Joan basically said that she will make sure "America does not hear Annie" and that "she only talks to her equals". Not exactly the kind of attitude fit for an Apprentice finalist.

I voted neither not because they were horrible choices, but because I wanted Jesse to win. My girls want Joan to win because they really liked Melissa and my husband just thinks we're all crazy.

I voted Annie. She has consistently triumphed. She pushes herself, protects herself and knows how to play the game. She has no problem tooting her own horn. Most men in business do this without any prejudice against them. It's just the way it is. There is nothing wrong with being proud of accomplishment, which Annie has done outstandingly. It's no small wonder she is a success at nearly everything she does. She has played the game for her charity, taking no prisoners.

I didnt know Annie before this show. I did not like her at first, but she has gained my respect and impressed me with her ability to play the game. Business should never be personal. The only thing she did recently was choke up in the boardroom which would be difficult to recover from in the real world. Given the circumstances of her beating outrageous odds against her, I see that as not so much a weakness. Ultimately business is to be based on performance and productivity. Period. It's not all "let's hold hands and make sure everyone gets a happy star". That's school.

Annie has schooled Joan however. Joan is breaking down because she cannot stand the fact she cannot get under Annie's skin. Joan has been mean spirited, openly opinionated, disrespectful of others consistently at every turn. She consistently back stabs everyone and then shakes her head in front of Mr. Trump saying "Awww, I just cant fire anyone". Sure Joan. Fire? Not. But rake over the coals? Joan has no problem. She was incredibly broken when Annie played her and her daughter by siding with Brandi instead of forming a union with them. Why didn't Joan expect it? Have a contingency plan? Everyone knows this is standard "survivor" essentials whether island or corporate, when the shirtsleeves roll up and the gloves come off.

My opinion of Joan was neutral but it has lowered since watching the show. I am aware of her type of comedy. She spent her life pretty much as a female Don Richles, mercilessly tearing down people and celebs like Elizabeth Taylor for being fat and Russell Crowe, then later her daughter joined her so that she could tear down everyone for what they wear. That's her living. That's fine. But she really has not a leg to stand when professing she has morals. She doesn't really, from the evidence of her long career. She loses credibility by even suggesting it, especially with the ridiculous nature of her tirades, and how without any self-containment or control she lashes out and says ludicrous thing. There's no place for her in a real business. Perhaps that is why she owns her business and why it is better that everyone must work for her.

Now they decided that Brandi would have been an embarrassment to Mr. Trump's reputation if she were 'hired', but it is without a doubt equally as embarrassing for Joan to 'get the job' given her inability to control her emotions. The people that I have seen work in a manner that would represent Mr. Trump's empire effectively have been Annie, Brandi, Jessie, and Herschel. That team would have been perfect, and the small personality idiosyncrasies that may have appeared would have been manageable, if not corrected. Perhaps if Melissa could have learned to stand on her own, she also would have made that cut. Her mother did her damage.

In conclusion, the only prize Joan has earned by her performance is perhaps banishment from Las Vegas. And the only logical choice for apprentice really is Annie. She has been consistent, a go-getter, and takes pride in her work. She has won more than once. She is not prone to outbursts. Amazingly even when she is being yelled at and called vicious names to her face she stays on course. The accusations she is a narcissist /egomaniac are silly. True egomaniacs do not have that self control. She has that control. Annie should win. Go Annie.

LOL

I thought I might like Annie at the beginning of the season, because it's great to see a strong woman do well at her profession. And then she opened her mouth. I knew I was going to dislike her as soon as she started holding her Crackberry like a hot dog. Really! That's what did it for me - isn't that stupid? I know! Annie has been on my last nerve and I love to hate her in the same way I loved to hate Erica Cain.

I voted for Joan as a fan. I like her for the same reasons Jesse James liked her. She's been a blast, and she's smart as heck. I think if anyone can give Annie a fight it's going to be Joan.

Both of these women are interesting to watch. I love a good grudge match every now and then.

That is very true. Donald Trump, for example, always talks about his achievements, and has even written extensively on how important "branding" is in business. There is nothing wrong with Annie highlighting her achievements on the show. She is definitely a deserving winner of the Celebrity Apprentice.

Many of Joan's supporters knew much earlier than that. Way back in November, before the first episode was even aired, someone (most likely Joan, but possibly Donald Trump on some one else sympathetic to Joan) leaked to Joan's charity several days before the Grand Finale's silent auction that Joan was in the Finale (see http://www.nypress.com/blog-2934-trumps-fi...-the-bean.html). That way, Joan's charity was able to send out E Mails before the actual auction event encouraging their supporters to come out and bid for Joan's charity. That way Joan and her team did not have to spend a lot of time on the phone contacting supporters of the charity for their support. It was a huge (and unfair) advantage to Joan's team and is just one of many reasons that she was pre-determined to win and will do so in the end.

Still, as a protest, I voted for Annie.

my mother and I who watch it together and get in heated debates both want joan. My mom who is 65 and never swears called annie the B word last week. it was really funny.

Seems many call Annie names. Why? Because she plays a good game and makes all others look bad.

Joan has no business being anywhere near the final. What has she done?

Raised no money.
Made horrible jokes that weren't funny.
Made personal attacks.
Threw temper tantrums (along with champaign glasses).
Went against her own team's best interest to protect poor little Melissa.
Threatened over and over to quit if Donald didn't see it her way.


She isn't funny, she is sad.

Definitely Joan should win. She's a straight-shooter and calls a spade a spade unlike Lil' Annie who slithers around bad-mouthing obviously mostly off screen afraid to tell the truth. Joan says it like it is that's honesty with, the background of an honest livelihood making people happy and laugh, that's a genuine spirit of character and strength. Lil' Annie is way out of her league in comparison to Joan and her wannabe poker face has been bowing to the intimidation. Annie is obviously back-stabbing, with inflexible grandiouse ideas of her participation with the team basically excluding the them of any real participation to "her wins." She would rather have named the team Annie rather than Athena....my Goddess the girl is her own viper with her own sword and thats just what she would do to a company....pushing a company right back onto it's sword. Anne gives Poker Players a bad name and thats what Joan was moreless implying in her rightful spite in the face & rage at a liar, cheater, coniver and morally inept sewer dweller.
Now, that being the case I would love to see Joan beat this obviously insecure, jealous, small-minded and egotistical chump! But what concerns me is that there is not always a place for fairness when you are involved in an unfair game, and I do think Melissa got the shaft bad as the blonde, was not sterotypically stupid but just not the sharpest tool in the shed for sure. Hopefully they'll be no note passing during this firing and Professionalism will prevail along with the Strongest Assest. Mrs. Joan Rivers.

I don't think the fact that Annie Duke is the superior fundraiser ought to be reason for her to be named The Apprentice. But as a poker player, surely it was a deliberate move on her part to cultivate Brandy and then have the two of them give Melissa the cold shoulder to knock Melissa off-balance, get her eliminated, and ultimately make Joan look like a crazy person - isn't poker all about reading people? If that's the case, then WOW she sure ought to get points for that because Joan has just totally gone off the deep end, and it's not pretty!

That being said, Annie's been a bully from the get-go - she's pushy, a know-it-all, and actually didn't do that great a job with the identity theft software task or the detergent viral video because of it. Also, she looks like sociopath when Joan is yelling at her and her poker face doesn't move a twitch.

So I think America's rooting for Joan to win. She's an icon, she's smart, she's tough, she's a loving and protective Mom, and she's faced hardship and triumph and lasted in a VERY tough business. Annie probably deserves to win, but I just don't like her.

Go Team Rivers for the win! Joan we love you!

Wow, you didn't watch Joan and Melissa fight like cats and dogs a few years ago. They were verbally abusive towards one another after Joans husband committed suicide. Sorry, but that is when family "true love" should come out and then they didn't speak. And she hasn't "lasted"..she has been fired from several jobs (a lot of previous posts having links showing that). And Annies "poker face" didn't move???...umm I don't think Joan's face moved much either with all that plastic surgery during the whole season haha

I want Annie to win because she is, by far, the lesser of two evils and throughout the series. Plus even though every one of her ideas wasn't a winner..she had more winning thoughts and concepts than Joan did (plus more wins as PM) and brought in more donors. She may have had a "me me me" attitude and wanted Kudo's for her contributions, but those "me me me's" never hurt her team as much as the things Joan did or didn't do for her team "cluck cluck cluck..splash!!!"

Joan doesn't deserve it due to:

1) The attitude she had from the beginning (towards Clint Black at first) and then towards Annie and Brande. It just showed from the get go that she is a rude person. Sorry, but just because they were trying to push her daughter out wasn't a reason for her to be mean. ITS A GAME. They weren't even teamed (its one thing to be a protecting mom when its warranted, but it wasn't. It was just because they teamed up against her) Joan doesn't even know if the firing of Melissa was warranted or not..again, she wouldn't know since they weren't on the same team. They were just playing a better game than Melissa and got her fired, so what, that shouldn't have been her concern. That was the name of the game. EVERY season people have thrown others under the bus and manipulated people, that is part of it. This wasn't Celebrity "charm school" (even though Joan should attend that)

2) she didn't have nearly as many good ideas as Annie and she didn't contribute towards her team's wins as much(the only thing she did was save Clint during the auction) but that really didn't help them win.

3) Joan didn't bring in any donors (not even for herself when she was PM) it showed that she didn't care to have her donors contribute to any charities (or its just they wouldn't for her).

4) She quit! She vowed (more than once..not even counting the time Mel WAS actually fired) not to come back, and she did leave with her stuff. So there were games played by her and Trump to get her back and put her in the final two where Trump has connections with someone on Joans Charity board.

Jessie and Brande deserved it even more than Joan did to be in the final two. They both actually did more contributions on tasks than Joan and Brande even brought more money in.

Not sure how my previous post went in when I had rewrote it during...haha. So here is the revised edition..conspiracy..haha.

The ONLY reason Joan is there is due to ratings. If it were someone else (and if her and Annie weren't having that cat fight) for all those reasons stated above, she would have been fired!!! I would like to ask Trump what the contributions and things she did that put her above any of the others. I doubt he could even list them. But he wouldn't have been renewed if he wasn't good at putting the ratings up haha.

I vote Annie, she has raised the most money, (for all the charities) Joan the least, all the while belittleing and namecalling anyone who upset or ignored her. As far as Jesse goes, he should be gone.
I know many blue collar workers who would work hard to get $'s for ANY charity not just the ones they support given this opportunity.
Those who hate Annie so much must of hated Piers as badly, and after it was all said and done last time Piers won because he brought in the most money and that's what the show is about.
By the way, I wanted Trace to win last time around.

Joan is completely right about Annie, she is a liar, cheat and conniving. Joan played well and honestly, I don't blame her for being emotional about the way her daughter was treated, I would want my mom to be the same!

I think Annie is a true blue BULLY. I don't think fundraising should be the be all and end all. Annie has taken credit for everything and then also set up to not take the credit "in case we lose." Melissa handled her situation poorly but she was DEAD ON. If you are non-biased and wtched the show you would see that. People who wanted Jesse in the finals are silly. He is way too laid back for a finale here. My hope is Joan wins and the reason she wins is Annie is STUPID enough to call back Dennis Rodman for help. That right there means she is not all there. He is a time bomb and I watched Trump on the View and he said Dennis has "promised" him he will go to rehab -but wait - not til after the finale. Isn't that nice of Mr. Trump-caring more about ratings than the man getting help. Speaks volumes.

I complete agree.

In my opinion, for a variety of reasons posted elsewhere, Joan is preordained to win. What other explanation could there be for allowing someone with a dismal performance record and hateful attitude who actually quit the show as an affront to Donald to be the finals?

However, I concede that there could be another possible explanation, and it is given in your last paragraph - ratings. It is my understanding that the show has not done particularly well in the ratings department this year, and others have posted that Donald has said that this is the last Apprentice (or Celebrity Apprentice) show that he will be hosting. To go out in a blaze of glory, he decided to ignore merit, and to structure the Finale to increase viewer interest by evoking controversy, debate, and speculation. And he has succeeded. I expect that the Annie vs. Joan shootout at the OK corral will substantially increase viewer interest and ratings. The problem is that there is really no one in the white hat to root for now among the two for various reasons stated by both sides

I was quite biased and still would rather see Annie win. She did wayyyy more for her team than Joan did. If you take what each contributed to their teams and put that in the finale it would be Annie.

What do you mean by, "the reason she wins is Annie is STUPID enough to call back Dennis rodman for help." Call him back for what, Annie doesn't call anyone. Trump chooses who the people are that return. No Apprentice finale has had the 2 finalists call people to come back. Yes Rodman said that about going to rehab but as of yet he hasn't.

I would like to see Joan enter some type of anger management and have it Mother, Daughter special offer

Where is everyone getting the Dennis with Annie thing for the final task? On the trailer I saw for the show Dennis is sitting with Joan, not Annie. Joan probably thinks she can save Dennis from himself and if she can't she can blame Dennis if she loses. I think Annies team will be Brandi, Hershel and Clint while Joan has Dennis, Melissa and I think it's Tom. Sheeees back so get ready for the MOUTHS of New York working in tandum!!!

I went through Youtube tonight looking unsuccessfully for the trailer. I am almost positive that I saw Dennis sitting with Annie, not Joan, and several have posted that the final four are Annie, Brande, Tom, and Dennis vs. Joan, Melissa, Clint and Hershell. I cannot confirm this; we'll just have to wait and see tomorrow.

While I was looking, I found an interesting interview with Joan Rivers on Youtube taken before the show began. It is called "Celebrity Apprentice: Joan Rivers Interview" and runs about two and a half minutes. In this interview Joan said that she had met all the women on her team and they were a "sweet group" that will do very well against the men because "Women are devious; women are conniving; women are OK". Later: "I will laugh all the way through.... It's all about winning." Interesting comments, don't you think, in light of subsequent events? In particular, it appears that Joan feels that it is certainly "OK" for a woman to be "devious" and "conniving", as long as the woman is on your team. Hmmm.

I voted for Joan because i think Annie has a very BIG potty mouth.

I would like to see the Donald take out a big bar off soap and use it on Annies potty mouth

I want annie over joan any day! joan does not even belong there, she walked out because her spoiled brat was fired and her mouth is worse than annie's ever was. to call someone hitler and white trash only showed me how much white trash joan is and besides she isnt funny and her face looks like it belongs in the wax museum.

have you not listened to joan all season!!!! were have you been getting the soap! she has been horrible and if she wins after walking out i'll never watch another one.

Joan Rivers vs Annie Duke

I think the obvious winner should be Joan Rivers. She has continually given good ideas, shared her own business savvy with her team members & leader and hasn't made any qualms about what she has achieved. And she shouldn't be bashful about it either. Now I am not saying that I have agreed how she has attacked Annie (with her choice of words), but call a spade a spade (pun intended). Joan calls them how she sees them. Right, wrong, totally indifferent - it is what it is. I appreciate that Joan has a charity that is helping those in need, here in our own COUNTRY. Not that any of the charities here or abroad don't deserve during these economic times.

To this day, I have never even heard of Annie Duke. I mean what is her basis for even being on Celebrity Apprentice? Is her only claim to fame is that she is a poker player tournament winner? That is it? That apparently qualifies you for being a 'celebrity'. Okay?! And while I am not condoning her behavior either, she too has issues she needs to 'reel-in'. I think that her ego is huge . . . and her being on Celebrity Apprentice only gives her more credibility! That is too bad.

In the end, only one can be chosen - I think that Joan Rivers has all that is required to become the Celebrity Apprentice!

annie is 2nd one i pick to win she pick Rodman,1st i pick Joan because she pick her daughter to make up with her mom i dont think Clint should be on Joan team he should be on Annie team

Joan Rivers is an ancient rude women. Her daughter is worse. No class at all. Never thought she was funny either.

OMG If that NASTY Joan Rivers wins, I will NEVER watch this show again. It will have been fixed by Donald Trump and I can't stand him to begin with! Annie brought in the most money and that is what it is ALL about!

I'm going to close this topic for now so that no one accidentally posts any spoilers for the West Coasters.