Honesty Sets Sail
Well, it’s down to the Final Four and the last task before the finals. Brooke, Laila & I on Team Arete with only Boy George on Team Prima… no idea how the Governor will pair us up for the finals.
But I’m with the Champ, Laila Ali, and our task in the Honest Company and Jessica Alba.. Laila steps up as the project manager and she lives in the responsible product space and is very familiar with Jessica Alba and her product line so I’m feeling solid about this. But, Brooke and Boy George are a formidable team because Brooke knows the space as well and she’s a grinder and Boy is incredibly creative.
With only two people on the team doing what eight people used to do in the same amount of time means the pace is absolutely frenetic. Here I am double laptopping.
We set up our presentation in a model house and chose to do it all in the kitchen and living room. I wanted to make it personal, so I set up a high chair to remind me of my time with my niece, Claire. I actually pretty much recreated my favorite BBQ rub on the tray… mmmm.
Well, Jessica Alba went Full Ballmer on me in the boardroom… the Dark Angle crushed me for not being “authentic.” And all you can do… is take it. She’s the judge and she’s built a billion dollar company so, when she speaks, you listen and try to learn, even if it stings. And makes you feel like the ground is falling away under your feet in the competition.
So, when Laila and I lost, I thought that was it. Boy George and Brooke were in the finals and Laila and I were going home. But, then, the Governor asked us why we should stay. And Laila and I went head to head to stay alive. My heart was pounding and I felt like this was do or die for all the hard work that I’d put in… so we went at it. And I survived.
After the Governor fired Laila, she turned to me with a smile and said, “Glad to finally see some fire in you, Iseman!” I loved it. Such a class competitor.
When I walked into the War Room where Brooke & Boy George were relaxing, they looked shocked. Because they’d assumed like I had that they were the final two. We all sat befuddled, trying to figure out how thins would shake out. Would we all three enter the finals and then drop one of us? As we’re discussing the permutations, the secretary calls us BACK into the Conference Room.
Now, the Governor has the three of us fight to see which two would enter the finals.
After the battle royale with Laila, I felt empty… like I’d shot all my bullets and the gunfight was just beginning. It was actually calming because I was sure I was going home. And then, my jaw literally dropped. I stayed. Boy George stayed. Brooke went home. And just like that, I’m in the finals.
The Governor gave me a stogie but there’s only one way I get to smoke it…
The morning we started on the Final Task, I needed a boost.
Once we got out of the car, we had an idea what this task might involve… a subtle hint you might be able to pick out from the pic below.
Our task: to board the Ruby Princess and shoot pictures for a brochure that will dispel cruise myths AND throw a cruise-themed party with a variety show that would be seen on the ship AND raising as much money as possible. In three days. This is when the competition gets intense… winning is so close. And $250,00 for your charity. Game on.
We had to negotiate which Cruise lines we’d get: Holland America & Carnival or Princess & Seaborn. We both got what we wanted. Notice the AT-AT skeletons in the back.
Pretty cool that the War Room name was no longer Team Arete.
Waiting for me inside were my teammates for the final task: Carrie Keagan, Carnie Wilson, and Kyle Richards. I hadn’t worked with any of them yet during the season, but I really liked all three. Boy George had Laila, Porsha and Carson Kressley.
After a day of planning and shooting, this final shot for the photo shoot summed up how I felt.
7am on Morning #2. Slept about 5 minutes because my mind was racing on how to put the photoshoot together into a brochure. And how to raise money. While planning a party. And a variety show. I kinda wanted just to stay on the ship.
When I saw Boy George go at it with the keyboard player, that was the first I’d heard about it. We are working just across the hallway from them, but it feels like a world away because you’re so focussed on your own work that you don’t even think about the other team. But the drama is building.
And, next week, we’ll find out who is the NEW CELEBRITY APPRENTICE.
