The Apprentice

I’ve mentioned The Apprentice before in my blog. As promised, I was there on the sofa for the second episode last week. The programme delivered the requisite "peeking from behind my fingers" quotient. As well as, I have to note, some very pleasing eye-candy in the form of Timothy, shown wearing only a towel at one point. Martin, my husband, who generally loathes business programmes, also snapped to attention at this point (look, if you came to this blog expecting to read only intellectual items – sorry – Martin and I are only human)…

Anyway, the unlucky one who got fired in this episode was Lindsay, who, it turns out is yet another ex-Shell person. I have to say, that judging by the tale spun on the programme, I (and probably yer average viewer) felt that she got what she deserved. For someone billed as a "Communications Manager" she seemed to do precious little listening to her team – who were convinced that her pet project the "Secret Signals" toy was a poor second best to the sexy alternative: a toy robot. Undaunted, she pressed on, and duly took the hit.

And yet, and yet – it seems that once again the meta-message is Don’t Trust the Meeja. I contacted a mutual friend, who is still with Shell, and she told me that the programme’s editors artfully cut the show to build a picture of Lindsay and the others that they wanted to convey. They apparently cut out the entire discussion on the financial side of things, which would have made the choice more obvious to others (Secret Signals was way cheaper to make than the robot, and hence would have been more profitable when you look at costs and profits). However, the BBC’s editors decided to cut all of that, and hence made it seem that all she wanted to do was follow her own idea…

The Meeja – doncha just love them? And don’t get me started on what the bloody meeja studies graduates have done to that once fine BBC programme: Horizon…

Oh well, I’ll be back on the sofa again to watch The Apprentice – but not tomorrow night – I’ve got another date in Dekxels with another ex-colleague to talk about life, work and information technology… Now, if I can only master my DVR, I might be able to record it.