Penn Jillette fell short to Trace Adkins last night but no surge of Swirtle sales could have helped the magician. The larger, louder half of Penn and Teller sold more of the Walgreens ice cream than his country star counterpart, but Jillette lost this final frame long before he even bellied up to the boardroom table this season.
Trump made sure to let him know that this essay, published in his most recent book Every Day is an Atheist Holiday sealed his fate. In it he skewered the show, decimated other contestants and spared no venom for Trump himself.
Jillette had long since moderated his opinion and the air had theoretically been cleared between him and Trump. But as time ticked down during the live All-Star Celebrity Apprentice finale with the choice between Penn and Adkins so close, Trump made sure to bring up Penn’s unkind words seconds before he choose Trace.
It’s the kind of trademark lack of subtlety pioneered by a man who builds gilded skyscrapers where you can find his name laser etched on the underside of mirror reflective toilet seat covers.
Trump: Penn you said some bad things about me the last time you got fired. You were nice enough to write a letter but you attacked me in a lot of ways. You even attacked my hair.
Penn: In a funny way.
Trump: But you did say it was real. Okay, do you regret that?
Penn: No, I don’t regret telling the truth but my mind has changed. I did not know my first time on the show that it was honest. I thought this was a second chance, I think you can say that since the second season started I’ve been polite and energetic and nothing but Pro-The Show. My team won the more my ideas were used.
Trump: And the letter you wrote me was from the heart?
Penn: Completely sincere.
Don’t worry, Penn raised a boatload for his Opportunity Village charity and ticket sales for P&T are up 30% compared to last year.
The question is, now that everything is over and a third spin on the show (which may or may not be renewed, and garnered a series-low finale rating) unlikely: what will Penn say now?
As part of the final challenge on Celebrity Apprentice, Penn Jillette and fellow massive, pony-tailed finalist Trace Adkins had to design branding for a flavor of Walgreen’s premium ice cream. As part of the run up to the live finale, Penn’s flavor is Vanilla & Chocolate Magic Swirtle as well as Adkin’s Maple Macadamia Mash-Up are currently available.
The flavor that sells the most will earn their creators an added $100,000 for the charity of their choice. So, go ahead and support Penn and Opportunity Village in Las Vegas by chowing down on some Swirtle tonight.
Penn Jillette again puts up a strong showing and makes the final. But will his sparkly Vegas enhanced concept for a Walgreens ice cream be enough to make him this season’s winner?
“If I’d been in Bush or Cheney’s position, first thing I would do was pass out, vomit and s–t myself because I’m not a strong person to have that position.”
Penn again pulls out all the stops to help his team (now comprised of only himself and Lisa Rinna) notch a W. But this week required a heroic, dramatic cross country journey from the smaller, silent half of P&T.
The uninitiated even got to hear the voice of Teller discussing his arduous flight path to New York City.
Here is Teller’s recolection of the events:
For tonight’s CA, Penn texted me at dawn in Vegas and by that evening I made it through the sleet to NYC.It felt weirdly heroic.
As he has the last few weeks, Penn is looking to line the pockets of his charity Opportunity Village just a little bit more by winning the Twitter popularity contest for Apprentice MVP.
To do your part, just RT the following phrase “@pennjillette is #CelebApprenticeMVP”
Gary Busey is put in charge of Penn Jillette’s team on this week’s Celebrity Apprentice. They have to promote LG products. So of course it ends up with Busey demanding they film him turning into a robot dog.
Can Penn survive the boardroom fallout? Watch above.
Penn Jillette helped pull in an extra $10,000 for his Celebrity Apprentice charity. The NBC business competition offers the extra ten grand for the contestant who bangs the Twitter drum the loudest each week.
This week it was Jillette, thanks in part to the massive followings of his diverse friends. Fantasy writer Neil Gaiman and conservative firebrand Glenn Beck both backed Penn’s play.
