Why I selected Annie Duke for Celebrity Apprentice

To annie duke." life is an end in itself, and the only questions as to whether it is worth living is whether you have enough of it."

Obviously it is the personalities of and interaction between the celebrities you have chosen for this years shows that create the desire to "see what happens". I hope that what we see is as genuine as possible and not a product of creative editing and producer suggested reaction. I am skeptical because the first trailer shows Joan Rivers throwing a small tantrum that includes a glass of water. A reaction that one would automatically expect (from her). We peer into this show to see how these people deal with unfamiliar situations while maneuvering around each other's personality.

Mr. Trump-

Did you choose Annie because you are fooled by her? She has already bragged that she won, she also strong arm people to donate money. You should call a few people that were on her list. She got corporate money. She was part of a cheating scandal on Ulitmate Bet.

Annie will do anything to win, anything. This program has just showed people how to be horrible to win in life. Don't treat others with respect.


ANNIE DUKE WINS CELEBRITY APPRENTICE. She has told everyone in the poker world. Look at Wicked Chops she needed an invite to NBC Heads Up Championship.

Awesome! This will really add some spice to the boardroom debates. She looks like she can handle the pressure of competitors. Her skills in playing poker have taught her how to "play the game and win."
Sounds like fun!

She is a take-charge person. She raised a lot of money in last nights first celebrity apprentice this season.

She does like to win..in the controls. Maybe..step back and watch others fall short... is not what she wanted. A great talent!

Poker in vegas? Maybe, we will see her in a poker game. She is very good!

When I first saw Annie in action in the preview clip, I thought- what a strong player. Now that I saw the whole show, I'm not that sure. Her whole team seems to hate her. Generally when that happens, you get picked as a project manager and your whole team postures themselves to throw you under the bus in case they lose- so you can't afford to lose. Piers managed to be hated and still win- but he had allies. I didn't see that Annie had any allies. Really hated that she tried to sabotage one of Brande's deals. Annie came in saying that she was going to raise the most money- but it seemed to me that Brande had the most heavy hitters. Think that a woman with a web site that sells the phrase "Financially Hung" (Brande) will be a hard person to beat in a game where raising the most money wins- because she is the founder of a social network where everyone there promotes their wealth. If Annie had succeeded in trashing Brande's donors, the tallies would have been too close for comfort- except for the $15K taste test.

At first, I was upset that so many of the men were being featured in these "Why I Picked" posts- but now that I see that Andrew Dice Clay was one of the first ones out, I'm glad because I want the women to win. And now that I see how Annie plans on winning, I'm glad to see her featured early in these posts because I want her out. One of the big differences between the real Apprentice and the Celebrity Apprentice was that in the real Apprentice show, playing fair and being loyal to your team was a primary value- but in the Celebrity Apprentice, it is all about the money and playing fair doesn't mean anything. That is why there are some who said that if Trace did not win, they would never watch the show again. Trouble is- if you're addicted to the Apprentice- you'll watch. Let's hope that everyone watches and the celebrities win lots of money for their charities because in the end- that's what it is all about. No one is playing for charities that help victims of family violence,which is my passion in life, so I don't really care who wins the pot.

I did not know who Annie Duke was before this, but I do now. She is a bully and does not know when to keep her mouth shut. She did meet her match though with some pretty powerful women. She is not in a room with cigar smoking thugs. She is in a room with skilled, entrepreneurs.

Prior to this I was not a fan of Joan Rivers or her daughter. Your clips did not give a better impression of Ms. Rivers. I did feel that Ms. Rivers would be thrown under the bus as the first project manager. She did volunteer for the job, but that is Ms. Rivers.

I was quite impressed with her. She took charge as a true project manager. She listened to her people, she made suggestions, some forcefully, but had the good sense to know a good idea when she heard it and flew with it. For instance, instead of Penn Station, going uptown.

She got on the phone and called her friends for donations, she got down and dirty and baked the cookies, as opposed to Mr. Clay. Nothing was beneath her. She exhibited patience when the chips were down.

When Ms. Duke was in her face, she had the hootspa to get back in her face and not let her control the conversation. She commanded with a regalness that I didn't think she had in her. She also let her daughter control where she knew she had the strength as Mr. Trump does with his children. She has groomed her well to take over her empire. And her daughter did a good job.

Ms. Duke has made enemies. She almost lost 9K by wanting to "be incontrol" , something I thought of Ms. Rivers. Not so. Ms. Rivers knows when to let go for the good of the team. Ms. Duke does not. That is the sign of a good leader. Poker is a game where you play for yourself, one person. It is not a team sport. Ms. Duke has proven that.

Ms. Duke's days are numbered. My hat is off to Ms. Rivers. I have a greater respect for her than I have ever had before and that of her daughter. I also have great faith in the team as a whole. Team Athena is a great name for intelligent warrior women. Just weed out those that have no concept of what Athena stood for.

Suggestion to Mr Trump...


How about doing a International Apprentice (each country represents their best)?

Who wrote all these anti-Annie blogs? Joan Rivers?

Annie is the only one who deserves to win this game - and Joan - it is a game.

Annie is professional. Joan is vile. Annie a snake? Then Joan is a failed and unhappy woman.

Annie attacks - Joan always compares anyone she doesn't like to Hitler.

Shame on you Joan and Melissa.

Annie, you are great!

The Donald SHOULD have FIRED Joan on the spot for her MORONIC and SLANDEROUS ‘Hitler’ remark. I can see the show’s sponsers taking a long hard look at what was aired.

Joan and her brat need to be taken out back of the tool shed and spanked!

There is a very good reason that Johnny Carson banned JR from his show… she’s a total ****.

Unfortunately Melisa was raised by that female cur and took on most of its traits when having interpersonal intercourse. My guess is that Melisa has been in therapy most of her life. She sure can’t go for more than an hour without praise.

Mr. Trump,

With respect to Celebrity Apprentice, it's a great, entertaining and learning experience. However, I have one comment, Annie Duke is someone who I believe represents against everything Donald Trump and all of the Trump organizations as a whole. Annie is dishonest, untrustworthy , full of herself and more importantly, unethical. I don't believe Mr. Trump, Annie is the sort of individual or personality representative of your policies and/or expectations.

It would be very sad to see someone like Annie win the Apprentice. Simply because her reputation precedes her and she is truly underserving. More deserving was Chloe.

I am and have been a member of Trump U since its inception. I've attended many of the webcasts and receive tickets frequently to live events.

I love your show and, Mr. Trump, you and shared a mutual friend who passed away a few years ago, a well-known individual in NY and LA circles was my employer. A great man and wonderful man. He owned several popular restaurants in NYC.

Best to you always and I look forward to future Apprentice shows! I don't miss a single episode. Although this season with Annie Duke, was dissapointing because of Annie Duke knowing she represents everything you so greatly teach and expect from those who work for you!

Maria S.

Joan should have been FIRED for her colossal foul-ups as PM during the jewelery auction.

No auction brochure
No START bids for the pieces.
No STOP bid for the pieces.
Very POOR control of their donor money.
Not bringing back out the first piece at a $10K starting bid price.

IF and only IF someone with a BRAIN had controlled the KOTU shill KOTU would have won. Just think about it... bidding got up to $70K for the piece the shill was bidding on! STOP BIDDING ON IT!!! Put the $83,500 on another piece!! 70K + 83.5K + 12K + xK = $165,500+, thats more than $20K more than Athena!

I've been a fan of Annie's since I first saw her in the 2004 World Series of Poker.

After seeing her on Celebrity Apprentice, I've come to think of as being bigger than life. She reminds me of the women who settled America, especially those brave, strong women who came west in the wagon trains. Especially the women of:

The Forgotten Journey – The Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Saga —
A documentary on the first wagon party of pioneers to make it successfully from the Missouri River frontier, over the Sierras and into California with wagons. party of 50 men and women starts out in 1844 and arrives in Sutter's Mill, (Sacramento) in 1845 with 52! Two women giving birth along the way.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephens-Townsend-Murphy_Party
http://www.heritageparkmuseum.org/murphy.html

I see Annie as the type of woman who wakes up in the morning, pre-dawn, to a baby kicking in her womb, rolls out of bed, exits the tent and starts a fire then grabs a pail and heads to the river for water for cooking and bathing, ... spots an elk and brings it down with her sling, drags the elk and water back to the camp, skins and butchers the elk and starts a stew cooking, taking time out for lunch and to have the baby then going back to butcher the elk and then processing the hide by finish cleaning and tanning it, finding a few veggies for the stew and having a nice warm meal ready for her man when he comes back to camp from a day's hunting with a pair of rabbits which she cleans and butchers and then tans their hides too.

Mr. Trump:

I am confused. Since the first season you have openly displayed distain for quitters. ie, Rodman this year. Why then is Joan Rivers still there. Surely, you review tapes and have to admit she walked out on the whole show because of her daughter.

Given the fact that last years champ suggested that keeping the former Playmate would cheapen the show somehow, does it not do likewise you keeping a quitter.

I'm not trying to insult you and I'm a big fan--I just don't understand.

Rivers should have been let go from the show when she used comments such as hitler and white trash.These comments which some people consider to be racist have no place on a prime time tv show let alone being said at all.If anyone on that show had made a similar remark w/regard to Rivers and her being jewish they would have been verbally torn apart by you Mr.Trump,yet you have let this hateful woman and her hateful daughter bring vial disgusting behavior to your show just for ratings.I am totally disappointed by your acceptance of this behavior.I would have expected you to control and advise Rivers when she called Duke hitler and when she called all poker players white trash,but you decided to do nothing and check the ratings for your show.And instead of your daughter calling Rivers out on the hitler comment she asked Duke how that felt.How do you think the reaction would have been had someone called Rivers or her daughter hitler.Come on the jewish community would have demanded you dismiss that person immediately and you know it. I am done watching your show including the final one,I have a feeling you will give it all to Rivers for being the low life that she is.She is the only comedian to be banded for life from the tonight show by Johnnie Carson,check the facts.

Congratulations Annie and Brande for winning the last contest. Absolutely fantastic.

Joan Rivers should have been fired twice on last Sunday's show. That's four times in the past three weeks that she SHOULD have been FIRED!

The ONLY reason Joan made the finals is some MORON in production thinks the RATINGS will be better with a LOUD MOUTHED DING BAT going up against Annie. OR she gives great HEAD.

Piers Morgan's comment that Brande would 'cheapen' the show if she won CA, was totally ASSININE. Piers has lost all credibility with me and most of the people I've talked to. I and some of the others are even going so far as to no longer watch America's Got Talent, a show where he's a judge, until he's replaced.

DT's firing Brande was boarish & boorish at best and just plain WHITE TRASH sitting in power.

For the producers & sponsers: You MORONS have lost every fan ... exfan, that I've talked to, at work and my circle of friends. We've all decided to never watch another Apprentice nor will we be supporting TA/CA's sponsors. I guess you all could say that we've FIRED all of you.

Annie should have won this contest! She was by far the superior player, and held her cool much better in the boardroom where it counts than Joan did. It was also very obvious that Donald Trump favored Joan during discussions in the boardroom, and would quiet Annie more quickly than Joan while allowing Joan to rant and rave, and spew disgusting accusations and name calling. Joan referred to Annie as white trash - Joan is white trash. Annie will hold her head high while Joan and Melissa have shown the world on national television what type of woman they truly are.

Annie Duke was the consistent superior performer on this show. Unfortunately, overall superior performance was not rewarded. From the start, I wondered how Donald Trump would be able to fire a legend like Joan Rivers, who runs in the same social circles as he. Rivers should have been fired a long time ago like her daughter for the spoiled temper tantrums, hateful personal attacks, interruptions, twisting the truth to suit them, stomping out, and very average performance. Okay, I've given it a try, but this is my last Celebrity Apprentice.

Donald, sorry, but you are fired! Love you Annie - you give me hope that some Americans still have integrity. Donald, you are fired! - Oh, said that already.

I used to like Joan, but now I don't. She is the one that showed the lack of class. It's funny how some people with money look down on playing cards, it's a talent. It doesn't show someone's character.
I have more respect for Jesse, he tells it like he sees it. He isn't fake, and when he called Dennis stupid he is dead on. That's how he sees it, and the "that's not nice" comment by Donald was lame. They are just words, Americans has to stop being so weak.

Nearly every blog spot on the web requires that participants refrain from abusive behavior and yet you continually allowed Rivers to say whatever vile thing entered her mind about Duke. Rivers lacked gamesmanship and social "skills". She resorted to derision and insults to beat her competition. I used to adore Joan Rivers. Now I sense that much of her humor comes from a very angry place. How sad that she seems oblivious to just how awful her demeanor was. Duke should have won. She brought everything she had "to the table" and performed brilliantly. Making Rivers the winner quite literally put a stamp of approval on the mentality, "If I can't outwit you, I'll win by beating you up". You don't reward people for being sadists - at least I don't and I believe you made a mistake. Best wishes.

People like donald trump and joan rivers live in a different world then most people out here. annie duke, you can hold your head high. in any other board room and ur performance against joans and your behavior u would have been the one staying. not a fan of those people. dont watch the show. dont like trump or rivers. i like watching poker on tv and wish we saw more of the women who play. u run in a better circle of people, annie. hopefully they wont support the other two in playing at trumps bankrupt casinos or going to show joan is a part of.

Trump and NBC should be ASHAMED of cheating Annie Duke of the
Celebrity Appentice title. She consistently won !! She also raised
the most money in the final auction which is the most important thing
in an auction. She was the only one to integrate the charity message
in the Kodak frames - even the kodak exec said that. One Dennis Rodman
is greater than a million fake celebrities. Annie was a winner throughout
and should have been declared the winner. Trump - u r the biggest cheat!!!

Never again will I waste my time watching Celebrity Apprentice. Your Rivers pick obviously was arranged, fixed prior, and disgusting. Annie was the real winner. Her Charity received more than rivers raised including the crum given by trump. Kodak must be despart to go along with this mess. What a farce!, NBC, sham on you.

carlito david

I watched this whole season of Celebrity Apprentice and agree with a lot of other people... Donald- You're Fired!!! You showed why you have been filthy rich and backrupt multiple times in your life... you have no ability to read people... you just take stupid risks. It is like going all in in poker on every hand. You will win quite a few hands, but when it counts, you will NEVER win. I agree with the previous post that I really hope Joan gives great head- and you show that you must have LOVED George W. Bush as a president. Like him or hate him, he was in the position he was in life because he knows how to villianize good people. Sorry Donald... you are a washed up has-been. Enjoy your life of marginality!!!

I watched this whole season of Celebrity Apprentice and agree with a lot of other people... Donald- You're Fired!!! You showed why you have been filthy rich and backrupt multiple times in your life... you have no ability to read people... you just take stupid risks. It is like going all in in poker on every hand. You will win quite a few hands, but when it counts, you will NEVER win. I agree with the previous post that I really hope Joan gives great head- and you show that you must have LOVED George W. Bush as a president. Like him or hate him, he was in the position he was in life because he knows how to villianize good people. Sorry Donald... you are a washed up has-been. Enjoy your life of marginality!!!

I agree with everyone except you Mr. Trump. You made a very poor choice for your new Apprentice.
It is quite obvious that Annie Duke is the superior business woman. She maintained her professionalism and integrety the entire season. Annie would have made a much better employee. Annie is my hero. Donald, I've lost respect for your decisions. Annie, you're a winner.

Congrats To JOAN! At 1st i don’t like her plastic face, her sensitivity and her protection towards her daughter. But after all the episodes I watched, I learnt that she has a "GOOD HEART" towards people surrounds her, specially the ill people, and any other contestants around , except "Annie" and thats because she is a very manipulative person, a cut throat person and a backstabber (even to Brande her partner/friend). Annie is good in fundraising but not in BUSINESS. No body wants to have business with a snake & a cut throat , they will bleed silently. Actually i’m surprised that Joan is winning (eventhou I’m hoping she’s winning) cuz i saw annie’s performance is stronger week by week & at the same time, u can see that she played the game just like a poker & wanted to win just to get the "TITLE" and changed the World’s perception that A POKER PLAYER is something U could proud of ( Just like Brande). However, I’m amazed by Joan’s strength & power and didnt know that she’s 75. Incredible!! instead she should be just a grandma relaxing at home=

The "finale" lacked any credible amount of authenticity. clearly the outcome was rigged. which is why i will never watch another episode of apprentice.

I think Annie Duke was fantastic: bright, clever and highly likable. I would hire her any day for whatever task, she would like to take on. Her achievements were by far the best throughout the whole challenge.

I do not get the outcome of this season. I was wrenching myself in my chair watching Mrs. and Ms. Rivers. That was painful. The fact that Mr. Trump was not able to see this, is even more painful.

I am in awe of especially Ivanka, and will miss her clear sight.
But I will never watch Celebrity Apprentice again. It has lost all dignity.

July 16, 2009



Donald Trump and Co.
725 Fifth Ave (Cnr. 56th Street)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10017 USA


Dear Donald /Mr. Trump, Ivanka et al ( Copy to Annie Duke and Joan Rivers please)

RE: THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE – FINAL EPISODE
1. Hullo from ‘Down Under’!
2. I have enjoyed your shows, though you don’t always pick the right person to be your Apprentice (like last night) when the last episode of The Celebrity Apprentice was shown on Arena and ‘won’ by Joan Rivers
3. I have read one of your books " The Art of the Deal" a long time ago and I know what you have done and are doing for charity. You are to be commended. Highly!
4. By the way, no need to marry a woman as they will take 50-60% of what you’ve got when things go wrong! – as they do.
5. You don’t know me at all, so it’s my own opinion.
6. You, Piers Morgan ( did not want to get on the wrong side of you) and the others contrived ( quietly) BEFORE the Final Show ( yes contrived or conspired that sounds more accurate ) so that Joan Rivers would win and Annie Duke would not.
7. Joan Rivers is no saint and I don’t have anything against her.
8. Joan Rivers DID abuse personally Annie Duke and the event organizers and DID call Annie Duke ‘ a little Hitler’ and ‘you’re just a poker player’ and Brande a ‘ dumb blonde’ - was she really? Brande spoke up when she had to. You brushed over this fact.
9. I am not a poker player, but I think Annie was right when she said that poker players have a lot of integrity or similar words .I watch World Poker Tour and other contests.
10. Annie Duke was not fired in the boardroom and raised the most money – almost twice ( 2) what the winning prize and almost three times ( 3 ) what St. Joan ( in people’s eye’s) raised ( but was not good enough) because she lost 3 out of 5 other tasks. What poppycock!
11. Annie Duke should have been the winner not St. Joan . Not that my vote amounts to anything! But it should.
12. I think you show has lost a lot – make that immense – credibility.
13. I bet you or your office won’t reply to this letter.

Yours Sincerely

John Newland
Sydney,Australia
0011390418 211 244
001139294603636