Annie Duke Can Take Money From Anybody

In tonight's episode (April 19, 2009) of Celebrity Apprentice team leader Annie Duke bares her teeth and manages to auction her way to the top.

Whether you like her or hate her, the woman was fantastic as Athena's Team leader and as the auctioneer who was sucking amounts as high as $50,000.  Annie cajoled, teased and flirted with the audience which was seeded with her friends and benefactors.

The team's tasks was to put together a fashion show and select jewelry from Ivanka Trunk's jewelry line and then auction the pieces off for charity.  Of course the team that raised the most money won the challenge. Bottom line the goal was to raise money.

Annie Duke was determined to win the task because she and Joan Rivers have become arch enemies due to Annie bullying Melissa Rivers, or appearing to.

You never know with these reality TV shows but what the hey.

A Fierce Leader

At any rate Annie told her team that if they lost the member who raised the least amount of cash would be taken into the boardroom.  She got on the phone and pounded the keys getting advance committments from her wealthy poker students, friends and business associates.  She was an absolute fierce leader.

Whether you like her or not, Annie Duke was on fire.  She also strategized with blonde and beautiful Playboy Playmate Brande Roderick to model a piece of jewelry to a cash benefactor friend of Brandes.  The thinking?  The man would come through even better if he saw Brande wearing the piece.  And he was right.  Brande looked gorgeous and the piece went for a huge amount of money.  The plan worked perfectly.

Annie Duke Went Ballastic

When Annie found out that pro golfer Natalie Gulbis has called one of her rival poker players, Phil Hellmouth, to help KOTU raise money against her she went absolutely crazy.  She got on the phone and was heard yelling and screaming.

Then she got off the phone and went and confronted Natalie and told her never to do it again or she would kill her.  It was interesting to see Annie lose her cool.  I would not have expected that of a famous poker player.  In fact, the screaming phone call was discussed in the board room.

Melissa said "I think Annie plays the game brilliantly."  Melissa said "I understand Annie" and "she is a brilliant game player."  So even though Melissa appeared to completely distrust Annie she admitted she is a good business person and great at playing the game.

Annie Duke Attacked By Joan Rivers In The Boardroom

Even though Annie was a great auctioneer she was attacked by Joan Rivers in the boardroom.  Joan said "you are a smart woman but you're not that smart darling."  Joan also told Annie "you ego is so beyond where you are."  Joan told Mr. Trump Annie had 16 different personalities and was a perfect poker player because of all the faces she had.

Joan said Annie would drown her own mother in spit if it helped her get ahead.  Joan told Mr. Trump that Annie was talking about how Brande needed to go from the team and then turned around and now Annie acts like Brande is her best friend.

Annie said "I think business is business and we are in a competition and I think the personal attacks are interesting."  Joan said "you seem so nice."  Joan called Annie "Hitler".   Ivanka asked Annie if she had ever been called Hitler before.  Annie said no.

Annie pointed out that whatever Joan and KOTU thought about her, all the people that she asked to get on planes at 6:00 in the morning to come and donate money.

Bottom Line Annie's Money Raising Won

Annie's team Athena beat KOTU which was Joan's team.  Kotu brought in $92,000 Athena brought in $153,000.  Huge difference.  Athena won by over $60,000.  However, after calling Annie nasty and Hitler, the war between Annie Duke and Joan Rivers has escalted to a new high.

Donald Trump was very supportive of Annie and thought her auctioneer gig was fantastic.  He told her so.  He also told Joan and Melissa he couldn't believe Annie was nasty or a screamer.  Obviously she has shown him a completely different face.

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