Next Week, Martha Stewart Teaches Her Apprentices A Little Trick She Learned In Prison
The Apprentice executive producer Mark Burnett found himself in a quite a pinch. Yes, he'd promised a bored Donald Trump that he'd finally let him experiment with a nontraditional method of dismissing inadequate candidates, but Martha Stewart's struggling series really needed something fresh and daring to make a last-ditch grab for new viewers. Burnett knew in his gut (he'd always followed his gut—always) that Stewart's lackluster catchphrase, "You just don't fit in," would acquire a heightened poignancy if delivered after the homemaker diva vigorously tossed a downsized Apprentice's salad, an exciting, filthy version of Michael Corleone's kiss of doomed Fredo. The Donald would have to settle for a special two-hour "rusty trombone" edition of his show during sweeps. He'd understand; Burnett and Trump, savvy businessmen both, know that the keys to success are compromise and teamwork.