The Apprentice (IRL)

NaiveMelodies

Sizzler wrote: »

And Bill, fcuk me, doesnt have a clue god bless him. If the contestants were asked to go and pick a new colour for postboxs in Ireland and they picked yellow he would just turn around and say "sure why didnt yis just stay with the green an tha' " He just makes no sense. He made out both teams werent "daring" enough (granted thats what the customer said) but you can bet your a$$ if a team went off the brief he would have castigated them and say "sure jaysis lads, yis didnt even keep to the aul brief, sure what sort of carry is on tha' ?" Clueless.

Somehow, ive a feeling that his bank balance completely puts that statement in the bin.
Your clearly a very touched person if you feel he doesnt have a clue.

Just because he doesnt have your preferred accent doesnt mean hes clueless you idiot.

AARRRGH

only1stevo wrote: »

Just because he doesnt have your preferred accent doesnt mean hes clueless you idiot.

I agree he's not clueless, but he can't speak properly, has terrible taste in women (he's banging Yoda), and is utterly full of himself.

Our man in Havana

anotherlostie wrote: »

Aren't the contestants all supposed to give up their jobs in order to take part, thus creating an element of risk on their behalf?

Yet we have Mark who seems set to head back to the Da's scrapyard, and Breda owns her own wedding dress business, so she can just waltz back in if she's not successful.

Most of them simply take unpaid leave from their current jobs. Then they are fired they slope back to their jobs. The whole process takes alot less than 12 weeks somewhere closer to 8 weeks would be more accurate.

I would assume that the bridal shop owner has someone looking after it and she is in contact via mobile phone. So she could be running it alright.

KnifeWRENCH

Glad Mark was fired. He was fairly useless from Day 1 tbh.
Nicky was a terrible project manager but she handled herself very well in the boardroom. If she becomes a Project Manager again and is more successful, she may still be a potential winner.
Brenda still looks like the best candidate.

squiggles wrote: »

Ive heard Joanna gets fired next week for cheating.

Next weeks task is set in Naas where she would have a lot of contacts as her own business is in that area. She gets her husband to have the other businesses leave out their recycling so her team will win...

:eek:

If that's true, next show will be very interesting indeed! Can't wait for that psycho to get the boot

hot fuss

Check out today's Evening Herald. There's a story about the 'real' reason Mark was fired. Seemingly he got into a blazing row in the Renault showroom with one of Bill's customers and they had to be separated. He was also dragged in by producers for sneaking out of the house to meet his girlfriend! Now why didn't they show the row? Surely that's good tv!

Poloman

He was white before he even entered the boardroom for the first tiem let alone the recall. There may be some truth in that and they wouldnt show an argument to keep customers going to Bills garages and to protect the identity of the customer I guess.

Is it true? i dunno.

Our man in Havana

Are they locked up in the house at night and in between tasks? Do they have access to newspapers/tv in the house?

Jip

only1stevo wrote: »

Somehow, ive a feeling that his bank balance completely puts that statement in the bin.

Bill Cullen is not rich because of his business acumen, he happened to be in the right place at the right time to get the distribution rights for next to nothing for Renault, mostly luck more so than a good business head.
What has he done since ? I'm guessing all the 'real' Irish entrepreneurs were too busy or had more sense to take this gig.

BaZmO*

Bond-007 wrote: »

Are they locked up in the house at night and in between tasks? Do they have access to newspapers/tv in the house?

When Mark & Bill were on Ireland AM one of the complaints that Mark had was that he was getting fed up having to stay in the house for so long and that there were little cliques forming, something that he was into. He also said that the little cliques would want to watch Gladiators (and the like) on TV all the time which didn't appeal to him so he'd spend most of his time on his own in his bedroom. Strange really, I thought the likes of Gladiators would be right up his street.

I got the impression from the interview that they were all kept together in the house till the end. Seems like an odd way to do it considering the contestants in the English series would do a couple of tasks in a week and were then allowed go home at the weekends.

hot fuss

Poloman wrote: »

He was white before he even entered the boardroom for the first tiem let alone the recall. There may be some truth in that and they wouldnt show an argument to keep customers going to Bills garages and to protect the identity of the customer I guess.

Is it true? i dunno.

Well Brian Purcell is quoted in the article as saying that Mark did get into an argument with a customer but that he wasn't in the showroom at the time so he can't comment on it.

I would guess the customer didn't want it included in the final programme

paulieeye

It would be weeks of hell living in that house

Utopia Parkway

paulieeye wrote: »

It would be weeks of hell living in that house

Eating your porridge in the morning and seeing Joanna's serial killer grin across the breakfast table from you every day.

Ckal

I don't 'get' Bill Cullen at all. He seems to be a bit bad at this. He asks a question and they try and answer and he keep interrupting. I find it nauseating. And his bit on the side isn't any better.

I think the tasks are a bit too easy. I'm no businessman, but if I was given a show room full of cars and people... you know, it's not rocket science. The UK Apprentice is a lot more difficult and they seem to get it done. It's bizarre.

Joanna is weird. She's just one big smile. I'd hate to see her when she's actually happy.

MagicMarker

To be fair, some of the tasks are stupid and some are genuinely tough, and that's the same for all versions of the apprentice.

In this one you have them selling burgers and cars, but you also have them organizing events for EA games in a short period of time and making a commercial for that development in Cork, which was no mean feat.

Likewise with the UK one, i think one episode they were selling ice creams, and next they were designing the brochure for a BMW or something (most likely getting shows and cars mixed up there!)

The next season's contestants should consist of people on the dole who haven't worked a day in their life, i think i'd find that a little more entertaining.

Fulton Crown

Ckal wrote: »

I don't 'get' Bill Cullen at all. He seems to be a bit bad at this. He asks a question and they try and answer and he keep interrupting. I find it nauseating. And his bit on the side isn't any better.
QUOTE]

Whaaaat ! You don't get the Penny Apple man - quick potted history...

Started out on a stall in Moore Street - worked hard...learned the selling game ... "nice peice o haddock here Missus" - generally underpriviledged background - you keepin up ??

Moves up in the wur-eld an buys the Renault Franchise - developes it into a world class business - but still retains his working class roots - says "youse" all the time to constantly remind you of that.

Marrys a model and successful businesswoman - his bit on the side as you call her.

Likes the sound of his own vice (sic) so constantly interrupts the apprentices - well it's his fcukin boardroom after all !

As he constantly tells us he is a self made man - need to constantly re-enforce this to a wider audience - hence a TV programm was too good an opportunity to turn down.

Not a bad guy in fairness - has achieved a lot and moved far away from his humble origins - some latent guilt about that perhaps.

There now ....feeling better ??:D

BaZmO*

All this talk about the weekly tasks has just reminded me that we still have the Interviews to go. Now THAT will be fun!

MagicMarker

BaZmO* wrote: »

All this talk about the weekly tasks has just reminded me that we still have the Interviews to go. Now THAT will be fun!

I can just imagine it with my ''dole people'' idea....

Interviewer: ''So Declan, why do you think we should offer you the job?''

Declan: ''Cos i'm fúckn rapi!''

Aidric

BaZmO* wrote: »

All this talk about the weekly tasks has just reminded me that we still have the Interviews to go. Now THAT will be fun!

Ya for sure. The interviews episode is always the best week. The British interviewers are tough as hell. It'll be interesting to see who he'll line up for it. At least it'll be a weeks break from the chimp Brian and leather face Jackie.

Ann22

This is my first time watching the series. What happens in the interview episode? Are they all interviewed?

Ckal

Fulton Crown wrote: »

Whaaaat ! You don't get the Penny Apple man - quick potted history...

Started out on a stall in Moore Street - worked hard...learned the selling game ... "nice peice o haddock here Missus" - generally underpriviledged background - you keepin up ??

Moves up in the wur-eld an buys the Renault Franchise - developes it into a world class business - but still retains his working class roots - says "youse" all the time to constantly remind you of that.

Marrys a model and successful businesswoman - his bit on the side as you call her.

Likes the sound of his own vice (sic) so constantly interrupts the apprentices - well it's his fcukin boardroom after all !

As he constantly tells us he is a self made man - need to constantly re-enforce this to a wider audience - hence a TV programm was too good an opportunity to turn down.

Not a bad guy in fairness - has achieved a lot and moved far away from his humble origins - some latent guilt about that perhaps.

There now ....feeling better ??:D

Um, I know his history, I just don't see why he tackles the board room the way he does. Just because he sold fruit on Moore street when he was 4 doesn't give him the right to interrupt people when he asked them a question.
Alan Sugar asks the questions and listens to their answers. Bill asks the questions and then when they are two words in he waffles on about how he wants warriors. It's ridiculous.

MagicMarker wrote: »

To be fair, some of the tasks are stupid and some are genuinely tough, and that's the same for all versions of the apprentice.

In this one you have them selling burgers and cars, but you also have them organizing events for EA games in a short period of time and making a commercial for that development in Cork, which was no mean feat.

Likewise with the UK one, i think one episode they were selling ice creams, and next they were designing the brochure for a BMW or something (most likely getting shows and cars mixed up there!)

The next season's contestants should consist of people on the dole who haven't worked a day in their life, i think i'd find that a little more entertaining.

I guess some of them are genuinely hard, but the recent one was a joke. The contestants were given the showroom, the cars, and the guests and they had ample time to sort everything out.

The contestants were hardly inviting with the EA task when asking people to attend their 'party'. My sister and her friends were there that day and the contestants would not back off. They couldn't take a hint. No means no and I think the contestants need to know when to back off. It was Mark, btw. :P

Ckal

Ann22 wrote: »

This is my first time watching the series. What happens in the interview episode? Are they all interviewed?

They all have a number of interviews with high-profile business people. It's cringe TV at its best.

Aidric

Ann22 wrote: »

This is my first time watching the series. What happens in the interview episode? Are they all interviewed?

In the British series there were 3 interviewers drafted in by Alan Sugar, trusted senior business people. They put each applicant through a rigorous interview process examining all aspects of their character and experience to date etc etc. It makes for great tv if they really get stuck in to them.

BaZmO*

Ann22 wrote: »

This is my first time watching the series. What happens in the interview episode? Are they all interviewed?

Are they all interviewed in the interview episode? What makes you think that Sherlock?

Ann22

BaZmO* wrote: »

Are they all interviewed in the interview episode? What makes you think that Sherlock?

I meant to say 'are they all interviewed', smart a*se:p.

BaZmO*

Ann22 wrote: »

I meant to say 'are they all interviewed', smart a*se:p.

Ha, you did say that!

Ann22

(Haha!I meant to highlight the 'all')Can't wait for that so. I'd love to see Joanna squirming.:) I like Brenda and Stuart at the moment. Think Bill was disappointed with Mark's loss of heart.

Sizzler

Only managed to catch this weeks show tonight on TV3.

Nikki - Lacking any skill what so ever apart from grade A ar5e kissing in the boardroom where she begged to be kept in because she could do so much better. The first time she was put under a bit of pressure and she was visibly melting. I wouldnt let this girl take my dog for a walk around the block. She is probably at the right level in her previous job "auctioneer", AKA estate agent.

Mark - Silly silly boy. Yes he wasnt at the races but fcuk me he certainly went out of his way to make it known. He handed Bill his bollix on a plate. Maybe it was a double bluff and thought it would pay off for being such an honest chap or maybe Im not giving him enough credit and he just wanted out as he realised he was involved in a total farce for the previous 6 weeks If he had have kept his mouth shut he more than likely would have been fine. Cullen wouldnt have had the dexterity to work out how lethargic he was and Nikki would have been exposed as the shambolic PM that she truly was.

At this stage I'm thinking Orla seems the most grounded and might actually have a chance of doing well. Joanna is WAY too obvious and will get booted out, make no mistake.

brainiac

Been watching this since day 1, great show imo. A few things have annoyed me though throughout:

1- Joanna ofcourse :P

2- They do be launching a game, or running a SuperMacs and the women also just go "Lets get some dancers over here", I dont think in any episode where they've been running something has someone not suggested dancers. This really annoys me some weeks, What have dancers got to do with anything!?!

3- I think Mark really let himself down this week, he was my favourite to win. Every week he was doing great, and then this week, crash and burn. Pity .

Sizzler

Sizzler wrote: »

Joanna is WAY too obvious and will get booted out, make no mistake.

Seems like I was right! The headline on the front of The Sun this morning is saying she has been fired....for cheating!

afatbollix

mark just wanted out and that was it.... he was happy to be leaving and you could see he was looking for a way out in the board room...

i think its getting better they are getting used to the cameras and are acting more natural.. bill is getting a bit better on what he says to them :P