Trump Chooses New 'Apprentice'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Donald Trump chose Randal Pinkett, an experienced 34-year-old founder of a New Jersey consulting firm, for his fourth "Apprentice" on the show's finale Thursday.
Pinkett bested, Rebecca Jarvis, a 24-year-old financial journalist based in Chicago, the other finalist on the NBC reality show.
"Randal, you're an amazing leader," Trump said. "Rarely have I seen a leader as good as you, and you lead through niceness."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He concluded: "Rebecca, you're outstanding; Randal, you're hired."
As reward for outperforming all other 15 young entrepreneurs — this season "hand picked" by Trump — Pinkett wins a job at the Trump Organization with a "hefty six-figure salary."
For his project, Pinkett chose to work on casino expansions in Atlantic City, N.J. — rather than on the construction of a condominium in Jersey City, N.J.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Trump nearly threw a monkey wrench into Thursday's proceedings. After announcing the winner, he asked Pinkett if he should also hire Jarvis.
"I firmly believe this is `The Apprentice,'" Pinkett replied. "That there is one and only `Apprentice' and if you're going to hire someone tonight, it should be one."
Trump said he "could have been convinced," but opted to agree with Pinkett and "leave it at that."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The 2-hour finale, broadcast live from the Avery Fisher Hall in New York, showed clips of the final tasks, which both contestants appeared to succeed at.
Pinkett managed a fundraiser for Autism Speaks, sponsored by the Outback Steakhouse. He overcame a rained-out softball challenge to raise $11,000 by auction.
Jarvis ran a comedy benefit for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, put on by Yahoo! Inc (Nasdaq:YHOO - news). Though her event was well conducted, Jarvis chose not to directly appeal for money from attendees.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The Apprentice" will return for a fifth season and already has plans to shoot a sixth season in Southern California — but it has slipped in the ratings. It has averaged about 10.7 million viewers a week, down several million from last season.
Trump has alluded to his series being diminished by the disappointing ratings of "The Apprentice: Martha Stewart." NBC earlier announced that spin-off will not return for a second season.