Come On, Celebrity Apprentice Event Planner!

I've never big a huge fan of Donald Trump's product-hawking reality series, but when I heard that this season would feature Joan Rivers, Dennis Rodman, and Tom Green, I was IN for The Celebrity Apprentice.  I've been watching the show with the same fascinated cringing that most reality television produces: incredulous that people act this way, and desperate to see more.  I know, it's bad.

My event planning senses started tingling, though, when, out of nowhere, David Tutera, a well-known NYC-based celebrity designer (who I saw as a speaker at an Association of Bridal Consultants conference), appeared to work on a party/silent auction that was the final challenge for the remaining contestants. I had a professional interest in seeing what David would produce for Joan Rivers and Annie Duke (I commandeered the remote immediately, lest my basketball-loving husband found a playoff game to watch).  I had the same reaction as this report from Entertainment Weekly: all David seemed to be doing was throwing around buzzwords ("We need a total transformation of this space!") without giving actual, detailed oversight.  I voiced my disappointments, to the television.  Stevie sighed.

My mouth hit the floor, though, when it was revealed that David was so flustered by Joan that he just quit the whole show, pulling out on both Joan (who he later called "a monster" in a radio interview with Barbara Walters) and Annie as well!  Wow.

I know this all seems a bit dishy and celebrity gossip-y, but I do have a point:  I was stunned at David Tutera's inability or unwillingness to create a win (even if Joan was an awkward, demanding client... come on, this guy does events for Jennifer Lopez! You don't think she can be difficult?), and his departure from the show (and subsequent barring of the cameras from his office AND failure to call Annie and tell her he'd quit on her) seemed an unnecessarily unprofessional move.  So here's one of the 'best and brightest' in my industry, on prime time television, coming across as a petulant prima donna who didn't come through when the chips were down.  I looked at Stevie and declared, "they should have asked Colin Cowie to do it."  He sighed.

Suffice it to say that I, in contrast, believe in teasing ideas and sensibilities out of my clients, so that we can agree together on a design that excites us both and represents their dreams.  And I will never, no matter how frustrating the circumstances, walk off a job the night before the event! My sense of honor wouldn't let me (and my reputation is too important)!  I'm all about style, too, but when hip-sounding words are a mask for a lack of actual delivery, the lack of substance is an embarrassment.  

David's take on the whole goings on is represented here, on the front page of his website.  But, explanation or no, it'll take some doing for my faith in his company to be restored.  I just can't imagine letting that happen on any event.  My faith in reality TV, however, is as strong as ever...  :)