Home : Why I Selected Joan Rivers for The Celebrity Apprentice

Why I Selected Joan Rivers for The Celebrity Apprentice

Posted by Donald J. Trump on 3/5/2009 at 1:08 PM
Posted in Apprentice

Blog Image Joan’s a powerhouse--and that’s an understatement. An amazing woman!

I know few people who are as industrious as Joan Rivers, www.joanrivers.com. She is always fresh, funny and insightful. Joan is a comedienne, Tony-nominated actress, best-selling author, Emmy Award-winning television talk-show host, playwright, screenwriter, motion picture director, columnist, lecturer, syndicated radio host, jewelry designer and cosmetic company entrepreneur, red-carpet fashion laureate, businesswoman and, most importantly to her, a mother and a grandmother. (Whew!)

Joan caught the eyes of America back in 1968 when she appeared on "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson. Less than three years later she had her own daytime TV show and went on to become the first sole guest host of "The Tonight Show." Joan helped launch the Fox Network with her own variety program, "The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers," in 1986, for which she won an Emmy and received a much-deserved star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Along with her daughter Melissa, Joan created and defined red carpet mania by hosting television specials leading up to all the major award shows. Every celebrity made it a point to tell Joan who their gown, suit, shoe and jewelry designers were. In 1990 Joan also redefined the notion of celebrities as designers by partnering with QVC to sell her jewelry and beauty products. She pioneered the way for many other celebrity entrepreneurs and, to this day, Joan Rivers is one of QVC's top selling brands.

Joan plays The Celebrity Apprentice for the charity, God’s Love We Deliver, www.godslovewedeliver.org. God's Love We Deliver's improves the health and lives of men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other serious illnesses by preparing and delivering nutritious, high-quality meals to people who are unable to provide or prepare meals for themselves.

This week Team Athena won with Joan as their project manager. Let's see if the trend continues.

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20 Comments

Posted by Cheryle on 03/06/2009 9:49 AM

Joan Rivers looks terrific. And it's great to see that she has never lost her sense of humor.
Being a Celebrity Apprentice after all of her accomplishments shows she is always willing to try new things. Maybe that's her real "Fountain of Youth."

Posted by Business 2000 Foundation.com on 03/06/2009 3:10 PM

First, always great to seen past celebrities. Joan Rivers and her daughter. They are a team. But, why does she spend all that money on plastic surgery? She is beautiful. With? or with-out? We are not a fan of plastic surgery to that level at all! But, each to their own...she is beautiful inside.

We wanted to see both of them more independent in the show and in the boardroom. They should be split up rather than paired up.

Joan Rivers has a great network in her charity: "Gods Love We Deliver" Like her website. But, where do you e-mail her charity contact? Contact info for others and their events but not for her?

Posted by lightwayvez on 03/09/2009 12:08 AM

Seriously ?

I didn't even recognize Joan.

Posted by lightwayvez on 03/09/2009 12:59 AM

I have counted too many discriminating comments from Joan Rivers to spare her any dignity. She is harmful to global harmony. Either blonde, brunette, gay, or hetro, I don't want to hear that a designer should be gay, nor a blonde as stupid. It is not original content and it is repeating history. There is nothing to gain by this sort of humor in a boardroom whether you can get away with it or not. It is anti global community by today's standards.

Stick to the night shows for for the insomniac, Joan your boardroom skills are very poor if not less than very poor for the business community.

Finally I don't care for the plastic surgery it is an hedonist's way of self mutilation and not that of self care let alone self indulgence.

Posted by Allan2000 on 03/09/2009 6:33 PM

Joan rivers survives and lives in difficult time. Don't be envious of evil people... And don't try to make friends with them. Causing trouble is all they ever think about; every time they open their mouth someone is going to be hurt.

Posted by member1933150 on 03/09/2009 8:11 PM

Joan Rivers is amazing... Go Joan!

I think it's incredible that she's chosen God's Love We Deliver as the organization for which she is competing. God's Love is such a phenomenal place to volunteer - in the kitchen prepping food for the homebound and on the road delivering to clients. With God's mission to improve the health and well-being of men, women, and children living with HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other serious diseases, Joan's contributions to the agency will be a great help to all of their clients.

Call God's Love if you're sick and hungry - check out their website at www.godslovewedeliver.org. There's never a charge and there's never a waiting list!

Posted by member1966715 on 04/13/2009 5:11 PM

Dear Mr. Trump - love you, love your judge panel - all of them. As for the "celebrities?" Yuck, especially Joan Rivers. After seeing her yesterday, calling Annie a snake because Annie did not kiss Melissa's you know...I really hate that woman and her daughter Muleissa. They are a shame and bring shame to your show. I don't even want to watch it anymore. I'm sad. It was fun. But their personal attacks are outrageous. They do not have one ounce of professionalism. At least you made your brilliant children attend an amazing business school. The only school Muleissa attended was Joan University and Joan actually went for her so her daughter wouldn't have to do anything. I wonder, does Joan allow her daughter to go potty alone? Scary women.

Posted by member1968475 on 04/19/2009 10:44 PM

Joan Rivers is an amazing woman with the most spontaneous revelations about people and situations. She can certainly make a point---crystal clear. I love her and Melissa as kind, dedicated, hard working professionals, as well as adoring mother and daughter. I want Joan to win---let age and ingenuity triumph over youth and beauty!!

Posted by member1973435 on 05/04/2009 3:34 AM

Good job in selecting Joan - - she is a peach, as it turns out pitted against Annie Duke. What fun. All my support to Joan. I think it has thrown Annie off her game to be matched against someone that she cannot bluff - - Annie's disingenuousness and cloying manner is totally transparent to Joan. My karma to Joan to be the last one standing - - no she is not perfect, but she is real, full of heart and passion while Annie seems plastic, conniving and egocentric. And yes, intelligent, but with a too important lesson yet to be learned - - blowing your own horn never resonates as far as when someone else does it for you. Joan's trumpet sounds far and wide precisely because she is not the one blowing. Annie, give it a rest. Joan, you go girl..

Posted by member1973435 on 05/04/2009 3:36 AM

Posted by member1975765 on 05/10/2009 11:49 PM

Well the winning pick was no surprise to me, I told my wife week 1 that Joan was going to win. I did not say that because I thought she was deserving I said it because of her age and who she is. I found the way she attacked anne to be shameful and arrogant. I found her and all of her fake claims of being a clean player, playing with dignity to be humorous. Anne was clearl y the smarter business woman and out did every other player in the game. No wonder Donald's businesses are failing he can't pick the right people to run his company. I am also happy to see that Khloe did not show up for the finale after the way The Donald humiliater her when he fired her ( judgemental ****). I as a huge fan of the show, until tonight know that I nor any of my friends who watched it will ever watch another episode. What was with the royalmusic when Donald showed up at the evets (LOL) give me a break. Trump your fired from myTV.

Posted by member1975886 on 05/11/2009 9:23 AM

Really Mr. Trump, It's time for some honesty.You chose Joan Rivers because she is 75 years old and very emotional plus, you would probably never hear the end of it from the Senior Citizen community if you didn't. If this was truly a real show and the winner would have to actually run one of your business's you would have fired Joan a long time ago.

Posted by member1965470 on 05/11/2009 3:52 PM

I must admit that I haven't been much of a Trump fan after the double firing episode (I disliked him and didn't respect him for a thousand reasons). I'm definitely not a fan of the Roman emperor music playing when he walks around. C'MON, already!!! I was rolling my eyes and saying not so very nice things about him to my family.

However, after he chose Joan, I was very surprised. I thought he was going to choose Annie, a person who was very unscrupulous, two-faced, sharp and manipulative. Annie played a very good game, was cool as a cucumber, raised a ton of money and was a master of manipulation (poor clueless Brandy!). Joan, on the other hand, lost her cool wayyyy too much and went way overboard. I would have thought Annie was the obvious choice.

I'm glad Joan was chosen - although she was out of control, she was honest and showed a lot of heart and genuine affection for people - unlike the (what appeared to be) cold-hearted Annie. (It was so clear that during the clip where Annie was talking to the immigrant that she could really have cared less.)

I was pleased with the outcome! Not sure I'm going to watch another season, but I was glad that a person who represented charity the most won the Celebrity Apprentice.

Posted by member1976290 on 05/11/2009 5:51 PM

Really Mr. Trump?

I grew up with and was fond of Joan Rivers – until I watched your show and saw what a nasty person she is.
I believe you picked her due to your friendship and because you didn’t want to be on her bad side.
I always wondered why her husband killed himself – now I think I know.

Posted by member1976628 on 05/12/2009 9:19 AM

You are kidding, right? To pick such an old, nasty, bitter woman to be "Trump's Apprentice" means to me that I would not lower my standard to even apply to be your apprentice. I have to much respect for others to be apart of the "Trump Team."

Posted by member1976952 on 05/12/2009 3:13 PM

Joan and Melissa Rivers are two very spoiled women and they both behaved very badly on the Celebrity Apprentice. Joan was so rude and so nasty. Her comments to Annie Duke were awful. How dare she say, "you're a poker player and that's lower than trashy" and "I only to talk to my equals and you are beneath me." She made her money telling jokes in seedy clubs. That's pretty equal to playing poker for a living as far as I'm concerned. I think she was terrible in the apprentice, as was her self absorbed daughter who stormed off and called the poker player and the playboy centerfold whores and ****es. I think Annie Duke and the centerfold, behaved more like LADIES than Joan and Melissa did. Joan Rivers playing for a charity with God's name in it. What a joke. I thought Joan's gods:were the god of fashion, the god of jewelry, the god of plastic surgery and ,of course, the god of fur. Donald Trump... What a disappointment you are. She won, I'm sure, because you have a friendly personal relationship with her. I don't care how old she is or how much energy she has, I would never want to work with such an abrasive and self centered woman. And that goes for her daughter too.

Posted by member1977192 on 05/12/2009 7:57 PM

PLLLLEEEEZZZZZ….
Trump favored Joan and Melissa from the get go… And heaven knows why!
If this was not a "celebrity" Apprentice Trump would have NEVER allowed the infantile rantings and the constant maligning of Annie from Joan!
And then the histrionics of Melissa when she left and Joan followed.
They would have normally been TOAST! And Trump would have kicked them off the show…. "You’re BOTH fired!" That’s what I wanted to see/hear!
So, in a nutshell I thought it was a VERY unfair Apprentice and preferential treatment was definitely shown toward Joan and Melissa,
Shame on you, Trump!
Annie… In my book you ARE the WINNER!!

Posted by member1977816 on 05/14/2009 12:43 AM

I used to be a BIG fan of old Donald Trump but not any more. I think he was more afraid of the MEDIA power of Joan Rivers and her connections with NBC to the degree that he just handed her the crown to not start a war with the "MEDIA MOGULS" that made Joan and that re-invented the Trumps - it's obvious if you think about it. There is not a SINGLE boardroom in corporate america that would tolerate the derogatory statements Joan Rivers made and the tantrums and extreme profanities that Melissa Rivers so graciously contributed to the show.

I also have noticed that Don Trump's past 5 year performance in decision making has hit an all time LOW - I remember last year he was for McCain after bashing George W. Bush and stated America is not ready for a Barak Obama - he's a guy that is now showing he is bias - and that has been proven with his top choice pick - a woman who QUIT the show, and basically DEMORALIZED the interior decorator who was the CEO of his own company - and then DISDAINED Clint Black and said so many nasty things about him in 1 episode and then worked with him in the next - she also told the blonde "Brandi" to "FORGET ABOUT CHARITY" - and Donald Trump - - I think he's just getting OLD & FRAIL and his JUDGEMENT is just SHOT. I am willing to bet if there was a national poll that Annie Duke would have been elected the Apprentice - - Injustice with Joan and her people every time - -

Posted by member1979758 on 05/19/2009 3:55 PM

i admire donald trump and enjoyed reading his book ART OF THE DEAL. but his selection of joan rivers, a woman who should not be buying green bananas, instead of annie duke amazed and stupefied me.
let's face it. based on her record over the years, joan rivers hates women who are younger, prettier or brighter than she is. by her latest comments on miss california, she is also anti-Christian. this may be understandable since Rivers flaunts her jewishness, but for trump to be taken in by rivers and her fake crocodile tears on a show that commended such incredible ratings is just beyond me. i doubt that rivers has ever apologized to anyone in her life, but she definitely owes annie duke and miss california and a few other people that she has grossly maligned in the past a huge apology.

Posted by member1983221 on 05/31/2009 1:36 AM

I was never a big fan of Joan Rivers but boy did she take my heart in the end. Yes...yes..yes. there was
alot I didn't like but then Joan would come back after all the drama and would play the game as a professional. The drama kept me going but not being a big fan of Joan Rivers and how she handled herself kept me watching. Annie was a fantastic player in the game then I looked her up on the web and saw all the wonderful things she has done. Wow! that was an eye opener since I really didn't care for her but gained respect for all her energy and what she does. Annie was just a boaster to herself
that she gave herself so many pats on the back that the audience never had a chance to vote her way.
Annie wanted us all to know what she did and din't do but we saw what she did and how she manuvered and it was unpleasant. Annie was never humble which gave the audience no chance to cheer her on. Joan was a pistol but carried on while Annie was back stabbing and talked behind peoples back Joan said it to their face. Joan was out of control but she came back anund held her own.
Joan has dramatic has it was said it directly to the person and not behind the camera.

Not being a big fan of Joan I wanted Joan to win and was happy that she did. Now I'm, proud to say I'm a big ........huge fan of Joan Rivers. As for Annie I could care less. She is doing fine on her own and
she knows it and will bounce off this whole thing and keep moving on and treading over people as she's fit. In one way I admire Annie for her spunk of not caring and just making more and more money she doesn't care. Joan showed compassion and even though she was out of control she always came back to earth and no matter what we thought she made good. That's why I wanted Joan to win.

Joan I'm so happy for you and so proud of you and now I'm such a big fan of yours.

Love your spirit !

Sheila

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