Episode 13 - Vote for Lee!

Mazal Tov to Lee Bienstock! He's one of two finalists (with Sean Yazbeck) who can become the next Apprentice.

Tonight's episode was Gold Rush all the way. Lee demonstrated his business and marketing savvy and Sean provided his metrosexual skills. Their skills complemented each other well and took both candidates to the finals.

Lee put himself in the shoes of the judges. He pointed out that it didn't matter what the executives wanted. Since the hotel employees were judging the task, Sean and Lee needed to learn what the employees wanted in their uniforms. Lee listened to the Embassy Suites team members and learned that they only wanted tweaks to the current design; not a complete redesign. Most importantly, the clothing had to be functional.

Synergy, on the other hand, felt that they knew what the employees should want. Allie Jablon had trouble listening to the employees. Roxanne took a low profile, hoping that only Allie would take the fall if they'd lose. Instead of asking the workers for suggestions, Allie recommended culottes to the housekeepers. She received blank stares but moved forward with her design idea. Allie emphasized style over function. That wasn't what the employees had in mind.

Sean's reaction to the Synergy designs: "It was horrendous!" The hotel employees agreed, with 69% of them choosing Gold Rush's uniforms.

One employee commented, "Gold Rush rocks!"

As a reward, Sean and Lee dined with the Trump children at Aquavit, a Scandinavian restaurant in Manhattan. Lee enjoyed a green vegetable salad. [Not that it's relevant, but the pastry chef at Solo, an upscale kosher restaurant, previously worked at Aquavit.]

We told you a week ago that two candidates would be fired this week. Allie and Roxanne were the victims of the latest double-firing.

Next week Sean and Lee will start planning and preparing for the final tasks (read about them in the previous post). On June 5 we'll see how the final events turned out and Mr. Trump will choose the next Apprentice.

Now it's time to vote for your choice on Yahoo's The Apprentice site. Show your preference for Lee by wearing a Vote for Lee button or tee shirt. You could also get a teddy bear, beer stein, even boxer shorts or a thong.