HATE IT! Bullies

The world is ripe with bullies. Read the papers and you'll hear stories about companies pushing around employees, stores rudely treating fundraising Girl Guides & sports fans tossing coins at soccer stars during a game. And don't get me started on web-based mean girls & bully-boys. Why do people feel compelled to tyrannize others? Do they get some sick kick out of shamelessly embarrassing someone in public? Does it make them more powerful, strong-arming someone who is just going about their daily business?

The most recent episodes of NBC's second season of 'The Celebrity Apprentice' is a visual petri dish of the famous virally attacking each other. Sure, the program is a competition, to win a hefty charitable prize from The Donald so arguments & clashes are bound to happen. In this season, I figured that wise-cracking old dame, comedian Joan Rivers might prove to be one pushy old broad. Her act both in comedy clubs and on the Red Carpet is jam-packed with verbal slap downs. What has become apparent is that yes, Joan can dish it out -- she's been bitchy & questionable in her choice of slurs -- but deep down she's not a cruel, soulless devil. She seemed quite sweet, very motherly but strong. Joan's Achilles heel? Daughter Melissa. When her sprog gets targeted by another participant, watch out. Both mother & daughter are feisty. Both will stand their ground when being attacked, and both will come to the other's defense if need be. After watching their actions & reactions in the latest Trump showcase, I wouldn't classify these two as bullies at all. Family looks after their own, plain & simple. That's the way it should be. 

The real mean girl in the Apprentice midst causing serious angst for the Rivers duo? Poker champion, Annie Duke. If you thought that Joan Rivers had some trump cards up her sleeve, well... you haven't met Annie! The fiery red-head well versed in poker strategies has brought her ruthless game to the Apprentice. She'll bold-face lie, backstab and use every single opportunity to sing her own praises ("I did this... I did that... that was all me... etc.) while shoving out every single teammate in the process. Annie decided early on that she did not like the Rivers women. Whether her hate-on grew from the fear that they were a threat to her singular success, or her chatterbox ways just didn't jive with their personalities is not completely clear, but I have my suspicions. Annie promptly decided to shut out Melissa in team challenges, whispering to blonde Playmate Brande Roderick in an over the top obvious, High School-esque manner. Astute Melissa, realized that she was being elbowed out of the picture & tried to survive. If you haven't been faithfully watching, I'm sure you can still guess the outcome.

Yep, Melissa got fired by Trump this week. All Annie's behind-the-scenes fraternizing with dim Brande, and her weekly disses aimed at Rivers Jr. worked like a charm. Trump fell for it. And Joan went ballistic. Clearly, blood ties come before teammates, and Joan walked (or at least we *think* she walked...have to tune in next Sunday to find out for sure). Melissa was rattled and unleashed !#$(&$*!@$! after !#$(&$*!@! to everyone within earshot. It was not pretty! The stress of weekly bullying got the best of her, and her reaction probably was heard in all neighbouring states! Not the most graceful, or recommended exit from a program on national TV but at least it was real; it was honest & she wasn't all fake & phony like bulldozing Annie Duke. 

I'd take honesty over fake any day, and at least Joan & Mel fought back the best they could. In the end, bullies may win in the short-term (I'd place all bets on Annie to triumph), but overall they'll be the losers in all real meaningful games of life.

(photo: wenn.com)