A Reality Check With ... Kristine Lefebvre

Kristine Lefebvre may have failed to snag the job at Donald Trump’s apprentice but she won the coveted front cover of the June issue of Playboy. What many fans may not know is that Lefebvre had gone through cancer, a hysterectomy, and a failed adoption attempt only 6 months before filming The Apprentice: LA. She sits down with RealityCheckByGina to talk about her appearance in Playboy, what Donald Trump thought, and how she persevered through dark times.

RC: Like many people, I had no idea you were a cancer survivor when watching The Apprentice: LA. Was that your choice to not talk about it or was that just editing?

KL: It just became an editing thing. I did give my teammates a heads up because it was the first time I had really tested myself – emotionally, physically, mentally. I didn’t want anyone treating me any differently though.

RC: I could not tell that you had been going through so much. How did you keep yourself on track & get through those hard times.

KL: For me, it did show. I could tell physically, looking at promotional photos of myself, that I looked like a sunken in remiscence of who I was. During the Trina Turk bathing suit challenge, which was the 2nd episode, I was sitting with Jenn and everyone around me was having a meltdown. I just looked at Jenn and said, “Are you kidding me?” At that moment I thought, “If I’m doing better than them, then I’ll be okay.”

RC: You have had a long-standing relationship with Playboy, having negotiated contracts for Pamela Anderson & Deborah Gibson. Did you ever think that you would grace the pages of the magazine?

KL: Maybe 15 years ago! I’m an old hag now. It never considered my mind during my professional career. There was always a discussion of me joining up with Playboy in one sense or another. Marilyn Grabowski, the West Coast editor, had been telling me for the last 7 years she was going to get me in Playboy. She just retired Friday after 43 years of working on the magazine – the day after my issue hit stands.

RC: I heard that Hef called you himself to get you do the shoot. Were you surprised?

KL: I didn’t even believe my secretary when she told me he had called. But he left me a voice mail and everything!


RC: By posing for Playboy, what were you hoping to accomplish?

KL: There are multiple facets to posing for Playboy. Cancer awareness was definitely part of it. When you get diagnosed with cancer and lose the only organ that really distinguishes you as a woman, it really is a mind twister. It takes a while to understand – am I still a woman? Will my husband still love me even though I can’t bear his children? What I wanted to get across was: you ARE still a woman. I hope that sends a positive message. Go back to your lingerie, do it for yourself, you are still a woman!

RC: You are not the first reality contestant to pose for Playboy. What was Trump’s reaction?

KL: He knew at the finale. He came up to me and said, “I kept telling you – you had potential!” He was always talking about my body! He was great, completely supportive.

RC: What has the reaction been from your fans?

KL: It’s really been 98% positive. There’s that 2% of people who just like to be mean. A lot of people didn’t know I had had cancer. It just didn’t come up. I didn’t go to the hospital during the shoot so it became very non-factor. When I really started talking about, it was already week 10 and to introduce it at that point is sort of too late. I was 100% comfortable talking about it but I wanted it to come from a point of strength & knowledge, not from a point of wanting people to pity me.

The June issue of Playboy is on stands now.
For more Apprentice links, check out sirlinksalot.net

A Reality Check With ... Jenn (NBC's "The Apprentice")

Jenn Hoffman is a tough talking, 26 year old Long Island native. She studied sociology and communication at Arizona State University, earning a bachelor degree in interdisciplinary studies, with her last semester spent studying abroad at the University of Cambridge in England. Now a top publicist for a public relations firm in Phoenix, Jenn develops and manages full-service media plans for major corporations. She is also a features reporter for a popular local morning show in Arizona, having worked previously as both a reporter and television host. She takes time out of her busy schedule to tell us the REAL DEAL on what went down at the live finale.




On getting on the show…
I went to an open call & did all the bitchy things you could do to get on a show. I cut the line. I got myself a VIP bracelet. I acted like myself though. After the open call, they ask you to do a tape. I was really aggressive, strong, vocal.


On the editing of The Apprentice…
I feel like if you knew everything that went down, you’d feel gypped all the time. It would be too upsetting. Every episode is shaped to see who can be the final 4 in the end. The early firees (Martin, Carey, Marisa, Michelle) are portrayed like clowns. You can have these great people mid-season and they’re not going to show it. I feel I was represented accurately though. I’m usually like this crazy bitch who says whatever she thinks but for some reason, I was like a deer caught in headlights. I was a lot quieter. If I could’ve gone back, I may just have been the biggest terror The Apprentice has ever seen!

On making friends…
Derek & I talk all the time, also Aimee & Nicole. Sometimes there’s a little bit of tension. It’s not 18 normal people in the business world, it’s 18 lunatics on a reality tv show. There are certain people I roll my eyes at but I like everyone.

On being at the Hollywood Bowl…
Any live show where people come out to see you in the pouring pain is so cool! I was so honored that my family & friends came out to see me. I didn’t think the finale was very exciting but being at the venue itself was definitely exciting.

On Surya’s response that Sanjaya should be hired…
I feel partially responsible. We had dinner at Derek’s house the other night and we tease Surya, calling him "Surjaya". First of all, he didn’t want any of those 4 people to win. He felt everybody on the stage was a better candidate than those 4. He feels like those people were the bottom 4 people. He didn’t wanna say anything good about them & he didn’t wanna sound like an ass or say something bad either. I dared him to bring up the whole Sanjaya thing. It bombed on stage & I just put my head down.

On Trump firing James over “things that were said”…
We all turned to each other. I was sitting closest to Derek, Aimee, and Surya and were like, “What the hell is going on?” We still don’t know, I don’t even think James knows! When I know, I’ll tell you.

On Stefani being hired…
I did think maybe she would win. Nicole & Tim said there was no way she'd win. They have to be deluded, they love each other so they have to think the same. Trump said this show isn’t for romance which is bull because last year he picked Shaun who’s entire storyline was a showmance with Tammy. I wanted to yell out, "WHAT ABOUT TAMMY?!" Good thing my mic wasn't on!

On the lack of an after-party…
We found out last week that there would be no after-party. We felt like that was a big F.U. to us from Mark Burnett Productions. Normally, they get a sponsor, invite 2000-3000 people, and it’s huge. Either the ratings were crappy & they didn’t care or they just didn’t try. Heidi & I sprang into action & we were like, “F-- that”. We knew a lot of people in LA. We got our own sponsor, our own venue. All the Trumps showed up. It was better than what they would’ve done.

On the day after the finale…
It’s just over. It’s not doing as well as it used to. When 7 million people are watching you every week, that’s better than some other shows. Once it’s over, they’re like “Peace out”. You get on a plane & go home.

On rumors that she’s writing a book…
Yes, I have two different book ideas with two different agents. I write crazy fast, I’ve been a magazine editor/writer, I was an English teacher. One book idea is about shameless self promotion – how to get yourself into the limelight. The other idea floating around is called The Pink Healing – women holding other women back at work. I’ve been interviewed about it all across the country.

On life after The Apprentice…
I’m still working with my PR firm. I was a tv reporter for a while, I have that background. I’d love to get into TV hosting. I’m a media whore – I don’t deny that.

Please visit Jenn Hoffman's official website to stay up to date on what she's up to.

Find more Apprentice links on sirlinksalot!

A Reality Check With ... Nicole (NBC's "The Apprentice")

25-year-old Nicole D'Ambrosio may not have gotten hired, but she found love on NBC's "The Apprentice". Here to talk about the live finale, Nicole gives insight into Trump's decision to hire Stefani, the final task, and what really went on at the Hollywood Bowl!

RC: Let’s talk about the live finale. How nervous were you going into it & how did you prepare?
Nicole: I was more excited than nervous. It’s been a long wait. We were done filming last July. I was getting a lot of my life prepared for getting ready to go work for him. They did that long recap, and I was wondering – how is he going to have time to hire 3 people? I didn’t get to make a good case for myself. Thankfully, Tim spoke up for me saying that I had stepped up week 2 when nobody else wanted to. The hardest thing to hear Sunday night was when Stefani called herself the glue that held the team together. Frank & I looked at each other! What she said was MORE than a stretch.

RC: Were you surprised Trump hired Stefani because she’s never stepped up to be PM?
Nicole: Tim & I were joking after the taping that out of the 4 people, the one person that we thought had absolutely no chance was Stefani.

RC: Some people seemed clearly unhappy to be there, Surya in particular. Was there drama at the finale or did everyone behave themselves?
Nicole: Tim & I felt nervous about Surya. He would never badmouth anyone. They could never show his side of the story because he never badmouthed anyone. The interesting thing was that Surya directed the commercial for the final task – not Frank. Editing made it look like Frank had done the directing. There was definitely drama in different groups, people talking about it each other. It’s like: Get over it!

RC: The internet is going crazy trying to figure out what Trump meant when he said that certain things James said upset him. Do you know what he meant?

Nicole: I don’t know for sure! I’m dying to know! I thought it was that he kept promoting his company. Tim thinks that during the GMC task that James complained about everything at the last minute.

RC: The main reason Trump seemed to fire you was because of the romance with Tim. If you could have responded, what would you have said?
Nicole: I definitely would have asked why it was originally encouraged. If you thought it was brought up a lot on tv, it was brought up about 10 times as much! It was always the topic of conversation. I think all relationships being brought into business is the same thing. He was saying to me that I shouldn’t get involved when his two children sat on either side of him. That’s a personal relationship being brought into business.

RC: Tim said that he felt he couldn’t wait to be with you because if he didn’t make his move then, it wasn’t going to happen. Do you feel the same way?
Nicole: Oh definitely! Have you ever gone on vacation with someone for 5 days and you’re with them day in & day out and you start to feel like you know them really well? Now make that 2 months. We were with each other 24/7 & we tried to say, “We’re not going to do this here.” Obviously, that didn't happen! The worst part of the whole thing was that Tim got fired for the relationship.

RC: You two are still together – are you living in the same place or do you have a long distance relationship?
Nicole: Yes, we are still together. We are doing the long-distance thing. We went to Italy together right after the show finished. It was so weird to be away from cameras!

RC: What will you do now that The Apprentice is over?
Nicole: I have an agent in LA She wants me to get into acting (movies, commercials). I’m writing a book – like everyone else! I have more time now that I don’t have to move to the Dominican Republic.

Please visit Nicole's official website to see what she's up to!

Find more Apprentice links on sirlinksalot.net

A Reality Check With ... Stefani Schaeffer - WINNER The Apprentice 6

Stefani, 32, was born in Burbank, California and raised in Palm Springs. She graduated in the top 10% of her class from Southwestern University School of Law. Stefani has been a trial attorney for one of the largest California defense firms, defending California employers against worker's compensation. In her spare time, she enjoys snow skiing, golf, tennis, scuba diving, karate, motorcyle riding and volunteering. Last night, Donald Trump named her the 6th Apprentice. She takes time out of her hectic schedule to talk to me about the live finale & the experience of being on "The Apprentice".




RC: Congratulations on being named the new Apprentice! Have you had time to process everything?
Stefani: No, I have no idea what’s going on.

RC: Tell me about being at the Hollywood Bowl – was that a surreal feeling or what?
Stefani: It really was! It was even more impressive to watch it on television later. I recorded it, went home, and watched it back later. I can’t believe it started

RC: What has your schedule been like since winning last night?
Stefani: I didn’t get much sleep. I went to bed at about 2am & I have been on telephone interviews since very early. We left the show, we had a bunch of interviews & pictures. After that, we went to an after party where more interviews & pictures were taken.

RC: It was brought up that you were never project manager during the live finale. You must have anticipated that. Did you plan out how you were going to answer that?
Stefani: No, I just sort of did that off the cuff. I anticipated that it would come up because there’s never been an Apprentice who has never been project manager.

RC: Going into the finale, did you feel comfortable & confident?
Stefani: I was weirdly calm yesterday, I wasn’t nervous at all. I found that personally surprising. I was very excited to be there & so pleased to be there to see everyone.

RC: I did like your Renuzit commercial better than Frank & Nicole’s but the Trumps weren’t impressed with either. What went wrong?
Stefani: I don’t think anything went wrong. I thought it was great, it was really funny! The only thing I can say about it is that we were short on time, we didn’t get all the footage we wanted but the voiceover took care of that.

RC: Trump brought up during the live finale that he didn’t like things James had said throughout the interview process. It was very vague … did you know what he meant by that?
Stefani: I really don’t know what he was referencing. It was a long process & people say lots of different things in the heat of the moment.

RC: When I spoke with Kristine, she felt you were more of a “Kinetic” person rather than an “Arrow” person. Looking back, are you glad you were with “Arrow” throughout this experience?
Stefani: You know, I heard that from some of the Kinetic members. I appreciate that & find it to be a compliment but in retrospect, I was very glad to be a part of Arrow. We’re all very creative & we were such a great group. Yes, it was mostly guys & yes, it resembled a frat party but the mother in me kept them in line.


RC: What was your favorite task to work on?
Stefani: I have three! My favorite tasks were: the tour bus task, the Lexus task (I drive one), and the other great task was the Vegas task. That was really amazing! That was the first time it was a construction based task which I love. I really got to show Mr. Trump what I can do!

RC: On your website, I see that you do a lot of charity work for the American Cancer Society. Tell us about the work that you do.
Stefani: Thank you for asking. I have a family history of breast cancer & I decided to get involved. When they have different campaigns going on, I help out & try to raise as much money as I can. Right now, we have Daffodil Days going on. People can go on my website for all the information & make a donation.

RC: What’s your schedule like now as you prepare to work on the new Trump project in the Dominican Republic?
Stefani: I know nothing! I know that I’m flying to New York to be on Regis & Kelly tomorrow morning. That’s all I know. I feel a little bit like I’m in the CIA!

RC: Have you left this experience with good friends or was it all business?
Stefani: While I was in the process, it was all business because the competitive spirit comes out. I did take away quite a few wonderful friends. Certainly, Frankie & James, Muna, Heidi … you just can’t help it!

A Reality Check With ... Tim & Aaron (NBC's "The Apprentice)

Last week, Trump surprised everyone by naming Nicole, Frank, Stefani, and James the Final 4 candidates. There would be no more firings - only a final task in pairs (Nicole/Frank vs. James/Stefani) to make a 1 minute mini-movie featuring the product, Renuzit. Each team was allowed to ask back 2 previously fired candidates. Frank & Nicole chose Tim & Surya while James & Stefani chose Angela & Aaron. Today, before the final decision is made, Aaron & Tim take some time to give their perspective on the last task & the 4 remaining candidates.

RC: Aaron, were you surprised to be brought back for the final task or did you have a feeling
Aaron: I was surprised BUT if there was a team to pick me back … James, Stefani, & myself worked really well together before I had gotten the boot.
RC: Tim, did you & Nicole have a deal where if one of you made it to the finals, you would bring the other back for the final task?
Tim: No no, there wasn’t. It was pretty obvious. No one wanted to take Martin, Carey, or Michelle. It really left Aaron, Surya, and me on Arrow. I had the most task experience

RC: I was expecting the final task to be bigger, were you?
Aaron: I really was surprised by that. That final task, we had actually finished the task before it was due. That’s unheard of in Apprentice world. Everything is rushed, nothing is ever finished.

Tim: Yes, it was lame. It was lame that it was 2-on-2. It was lame that they did a commercial. BUT in previous seasons, there was a clearcut winner.

RC: What were your responsibilities on the task?
Aaron: I was in charge of arranging sets & doing sound for the commercial and assisting James on sound.
Tim: We all kind of brainstormed together, it was Nicole’s idea. I did all the logistics, something that you never see. We had to let the other two shine no matter what. I called the actors, the lighting, the camera crew, scheduled meetings, got lunch, did all the behind the scenes things.

RC: Aaron, Nicole called James’ & Stefani’s plot boring & predictable. Did you like the court room drama scenario?
Aaron: I thought it was cute. They made it a commercial & it wasn’t a commercial. It was supposed to be a mini-movie, a mini-drama. We developed a storyline through our mini-movie. A husband was on trial and was going to get away with it because he used Renuzit, the viewer was able to see he was guilty the whole time.
RC: Tim, you expressed discomfort with the hospital setting along with Frank. What happened that kept that plan in place?
Tim: What happened was – Frank really started freaking out about it. It was really after the fact. He didn’t say anything when we talked about it. We had already written the script & called the actors and then he had a meltdown. I was more trying to calm him down.

RC: Aaron, Who are you pulling for to win this whole thing?
Aaron: I’d say I’m rooting for James.
RC: Tim, if Nicole wasn’t in the final four, which of the three remaining would you be pulling for?
Tim: I think probably … Frank. Why not? He wants it badly.

RC: Aaron, we asked Yahoo users to submit questions and LordZ wants to know: “Was sleeping in the tents a learning experience or did you find it demeaning or unprofessional?”
Aaron: Sleeping outside has its good parts & its bad parts. It makes the show a little less professional. Sleeping outside in the tents with the team from the get-go formed an incredibly strong bond between team members. The resiliency that was developed is part of the reason you see Arrow members in the final four.
RC: Ok Tim, we asked Yahoo users to submit questions and bmwdriver11 asked, “What was your REAL motivation for being on the show – the exposure, the money, or the chance to work with Trump?”
Tim: I would say none of the three, to be honest. It just seemed fun! It’s like watching the Red Sox game religiously like crazy & then suddenly they call you and ask you to be the starting 3rd baseman for the season.

Don't forget to watch the LIVE FINALE of NBC's "The Apprentice" tonight at 10pm EST

A Reality Check With ... Sean Yasbeck (NBC's "The Apprentice")

Sean Yasbeck, 33, born and raised in London, was hired last year as Donald Trump’s 5th apprentice. He graduated from the Southampton Solent University with first class honors. Quickly snapped up by an international recruitment consultancy, Sean spent nine years brokering multimillion dollar deals with Fortune 500 companies in over 20 global locations. Here, he sits down with RealityCheck to discuss this Sunday’s live finale of NBC’s “The Apprentice”.

RC: What has life been like since winning?

SY: It’s been very fast-paced. I moved to New York, although it’s similar to London, so it wasn’t too much of a culture shock. I spent the first few weeks learning how you go about building a hotel. It was a huge learning curve for me. After a while, I started to lead as opposed to just getting my feet wet.

RC: You sat in on tasks this year as Bill Rancic has done many times in the past. How surreal is it to think that just a year ago, it was you on the other side of that board room table?

SY: Well, it’s a lot more enjoyable sitting on this side! Some people come back & grill too much. I didn’t have it in me. These board rooms can go 2-3 hours and you only see 10-12 minutes at home. You’re drained by the end of it. I can appreciate how they are feeling.

RC: You could say you had a little showmance with Tammy? This season, on a larger scale, we have Tim & Nicole. What’s your opinion on their situation?

SY: Well, office romance is a bad thing. It’s a real no-no. You need to think with your head. Tim & Nicole have gone way further than my flirting with Tammy. If Tim put Nicole before his team and that is why they lost, then that is a HUGE no-no. It’s like Frank said – you’re here to be The Apprentice. You can have a romance any time?

RC: How come you didn’t get in trouble for you showmance?

SY: Because I kept winning! If you stay out of the boardroom, they can’t ask you about it!

RC: In the final boardroom, you really have to fight for your life. There’s the added pressure of it being live and millions of people watching. What advice do you have for the final 4 candidates?

SY: I was so eager to be prepared for my final boardroom that I went & saw a coach in Miami. I wanted to make sure I projected in the right way. He told me one thing, “Be in the moment.” Don’t worry about what you’re going to say next – look & listen. Be in the moment.

RC: What will your role be in the final boardroom this Sunday?

SY: I’ll be sitting in the audience though I’ll have a last-minute meeting with Trump beforehand to offer my opinion on who I think should be the next Apprentice. I expect Ivanka & Don Jr. will be sitting with him at the board room table.

RC: What can we expect from you in the future?
SY: I will be with the Trump Organization until 2009 which is when the hotel opens. I also do a lot of work with the Trump Institute. We do free seminars all over the country on how to create wealth. I’ve seen about 700,000 people already and you can find a seminar near you by going to the website & typing in your zip code.

The final episode of this season's The Apprentice airs Sunday at 10pm EST

A Reality Check With The Apprentice's Heidi & Kristine: They're Not Rooting For Anyone

Heidi & Kristine stop by Reality Check to discuss the surprise double firing in last night's episode. Given the opportunity to work in pairs, they created a marketing campaign for Trump International Hotel & Tower in Las Vegas. Turns out trying to go against each other was a fatal move.

RC: How did you get on The Apprentice? Did you submit a tape or go to open casting call?

Heidi: I went to an open casting call here in L.A. really with no thought of getting on the show, to be honest. I went there & I brought my brochures & business cards.

Kristine: I went in to the last round of auditions, word was out in an L.A. newspaper. They put out an ad looking for lawyers in the final round of casting. I snuck in at the end

RC: Did you underestimate how stressful the boardroom can be?

Heidi: Yeah, they can go for a very long time. I’ve been on both sides of it. I have had a lot of high pressure, stressful situations but this one certainly takes the cake. I’m turning grey at 26 after being on The Apprentice!

Kristine: The only one that caught me off guard was last night! I had talked to people who had been on the show & they were like, “It’s hours! Be prepared, it’s hours.” The one thing you have to figure out how to do is how to win tasks & stay out of the boardroom and if you’re in the boardroom, don’t speak unless you’re spoken to. It’s about reading the room. When I lost as project manager, I made my comments about Muna & she just kept talking & talking & talking. She did herself in.



RC: It seemed that Kinetic was going to dominate the whole season, looking at it from the beginning. Was there a specific moment when things started to shift?

Heidi: I don’t know. There were several really strong candidates there, everyone who was there deserved to be there.

Kristine: I don’t really think that there was a moment in time. We got really lucky in the beginning. The editors make it look like we were some amazing team. We got lucky during the car wash task - we got 3 more cars priced a little better. We were lucky on the swimsuit task as well. We were barely skating along the whole time anyway. All the tasks were so close except Universal.

RC: Looking back on last night's episode, would you have chosen to team up with each other instead of against each other?

Heidi: I wanted to work with Kristine. She was trying to get rid of me! It was tough working with Frank because he & I have never worked together. We were at a total disadvantage. James & Stefani had worked together since day 1, Nicole & Kristine for two tasks. Frank & I were night & day.

Kristine: I don’t know! I said that but I don’t know. My reason for doing that … she was made to look like a shining star early on without really doing anything. The car wash – we got lucky. The swimsuit – Arrow lost that one, we didn’t win! On the task 2 weeks ago, the Smartmouth campaign – she didn’t do a good job at all. Heidi actually apologized to me after the task saying it wasn’t her best performance. I was thinking, “I can do this with Nicole, she’s a go-getter, I'll keep her under control. This will be my opportunity to show him – Heidi isn’t winning all these tasks." I knew that Frank & Heidi together would be ... DISASTER.



RC: Okay, so neither of you really got to explain what happened last night. What were you trying to say in the boardroom?

Heidi: The brochure – we had literally 5 minutes to do. I had the text & all I wanted to do was put some graphics in. I had it all ready for our graphic designer. The time limit was up because Frank had left the video camera in Vegas & they didn’t show that. It’s a bummer that it came to be the way it did.

Kristine: The phone number was from the Trump website. It was on the Vegas website, on the page where it says “Contact Us”. It is not his preferred phone number because it doesn’t go directly to the sales office. I thought I screwed up a digit but no, I put the phone number I intended to put there! I tried to explain to him although he know I was BSing him. The firing happened so much faster than they show on tv. There’s something weird with him & Nicole, I don’t know what it is. A father-daughter love, should I give it so much credit? A fantasy love, a Tim-Nicole-Trump love, there's something… she’s untouchable. Had he given me the opportunity to fight, I would’ve buried her.

RC: Is there anyone in particular you’re rooting for?

Heidi: May the best person win!

Kristine: No. The best person isn't there.

RC: Now that you’re back, what have you been up to?

Heidi: Well I’m still working in the aviation & helicopter industry. With that, I’ve learned an awful lot. I’m writing a book called “In The Men’s Room” out this summer. It's about being a woman in a male-dominated work industry.

Kristine: I’m still working and my husband & I are looking for a location to open a restaurant for him. He was patient with me while I did the show. I said to him, "Let me get through the show & do what I need to do and then we’ll go for your stuff."

Thanks so much to Heidi & Krstine for stopping by RealityCheck!

The Apprentice airs Sunday nights at 10pm EST on NBC

A Reality Check With ... Tim Urban (NBC's "The Apprentice")

Tim Urban stops by Reality Check to talk about his hatred for being grayed out, his relationship status with Nicole, and fights back against the team that forced his firing.

RC: How did you end up getting on “The Apprentice”? Did you go to an open call or submit a tape?
TU: I did go to an open casting. I was a big fan, I was addicted to “The Apprentice”. I was watching the first episode of season 5, and an ad came on the tv asking people to come to an open call at Universal City. There were a couple thousand people there and I waited 8 hours. For me, it was a big, fun game and the next thing I knew, I was on national tv.

RC: Was being on the show how you imagined it would be or did it take you by surprise?
TU: Because I watched, I knew what to expect. It was definitely harder than I thought. It was surreal watching it for so long and then suddenly it was like I was inside the tv!

RC: What was your favorite task to work on?
TU: Well, we lost, but I loved the GNC challenge where we were boxing. Before they revealed the results, I was sure we had won! We had lots of fun, running around on the soccer field at halftime. We had fun at the Universal challenge, too.

RC: Yeah, except you guys took a lot of heat for that challenge. Angela was pretty upset with you guys.
TU: She was bitter about that. But it wasn’t as bad as it looked. We were not lying. We offered their customers free water and they came to us. Look, you wouldn’t tell a baseball team stealing bases is immoral!

RC: Right. It seemed on last night’s episode that Arrow was disjointed & it’s the first time I’ve seen that in a while. Looking back on it, did you feel that you were being a distraction as your teammates said or did you feel there were other reasons for the loss?
TU: I completely acknowledge what the team is saying but because it was an easy attack. Any good player is going to jump on that. It’s actually quite silly to call people a distraction. I never mentioned Nicole, her name never came up during challenges. Ok … saying that I forced my ideas upon people. I get very into my own ideas however, every time we would brainstorm, I would throw out mine & they would say: “We love it, let’s do it.”

RC: What’s it like when you’re watching the episode when you see people talking about you in their confessionals? Does it bother you or do you take what is said with a grain of sand?
TU: I know how the show works, and it happened big time in episode 11 and a little in episode 10. James was saying “I don’t know what he’s doing” and Frank was saying, “I’m here for a job interview” … they said nothing to my face. They kept saying things like, “You two are great together”. Frank apologized when Nicole switched teams. THEY kept bringing it up.

RC: Looking back on it, do you think the decision to get involved with Nicole during the interview process was a good one?
TU: Um, well, the fact is … I don’t think you can wait. Waiting would’ve meant … I mean … turning things off & not getting involved in the first place. It wasn’t a matter of “let’s do it later”. Realistically, I could’ve waited but it wasn’t going to happen if I didn’t do it then. We’re still dating 10 months later.

RC: You took my next question. I figured you guys would wait ‘til the live finale to reveal your status.
TU: I’m allowed to say that.

RC: You joked during your car ride out about being “grayed out” on NBC’s website. How do you maintain a sense of humor in the middle of such a stressful situation?
TU: I’ve never liked being grayed out, I don’t enjoy it. I hope to be grayed out as little as possible in my life. We got into that fight … 3 against me … about Nikki a couple days earlier. I know the show – a concensus attack cannot be overcome. I’m looking at it saying, “This is a concensus attack in the making. If the 3 of them can attack me they’re safe. So we either win & I’m still in it OR we lose & I’m going home”. When we lost, I was thinking, “That’s not so good”. I was going to go in there, fight my little heart out, and probably go home. I wanted to survive or go down swinging & I went down swinging. I lost & as expected, ended up in the limo. I had accepted it. I had a good run, there was no task the next day. I felt fine about it.

RC: You recently completed an album, Turning Home, with Glen Ballard producing. Tell us a little bit about the album & what it was like to work with someone who’s got Michael Jackson & Aretha Franklin on his resume.
TU: It’s a little silly that I was on “The Apprentice” because I was doing it more as a fun game. Real estate is not my thing, music is. I want to be a composer. I’m a piano player, I write a lot of different kinds of music. I met someone who was Glen’s assistant and they said maybe I can play one day for him. I got a meeting, and I was incredibly lucky since he is a hero of mine. I played 5 minutes, he kept asking for more Then he said, “Let’s do an album together”. I couldn’t believe it, it was the most exciting thing. I came in a week later. He said, “OK, I want you to sit at the piano & play”. I sat for 3 hours and improvised. We picked out the really good moments and expanded our 8 favorite ones into tracks. You can buy the album on www.timburban.com or ITunes.

RC: So what are you up to now that the show is over?
TU: I still have my tutoring company in LA. My long-term goal out there is to make another CD & get music to people & make that my thing.

Thanks to Tim for taking the time to talk to us here at RealityCheck.

You can also see this blog on RealityWanted!

A Reality Check From ... Angela Ruggiero (NBC's "The Apprentice")

Three-time Olympic Ice Hockey Player Angela Ruggiero, 26, grew up in Los Angeles, California and Harper Woods, Michigan. She graduated cum laude with a degree in government from Harvard University. A star player on the U.S. Olympic Ice Hockey Team, Angela won a Gold medal in 1998, a Silver medal in 2002 and a Bronze medal at the 2006 Olympics. She was the first woman non-goalie to play professional men’s hockey in North America, earning a place in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Angela is the founder and president of a girl’s hockey school; the author of “Breaking the Ice,” her inspirational autobiography; and the director of the New York Islanders’ Project Hope — an organization that provides young Chinese athletes with access to educational opportunities. In addition, she is currently training for the 2007 World Championships with Team USA as well as the 2010 Olympics.

RC: You’ve achieved so much: Harvard educated, published author, Olympic gold medalist, Hockey Hall Of Fame … do you ever find time to sit back & take it all in?
AR: I try to do that. You definitely have to stop & take a big deep breath & appreciate all yo'uve been given & worked for.

RC: What was it like being a woman in a men’s professional hockey league? Did you find it challenging or intimidating?
AR: They respect you for being a good hockey player. The Oilers definitely did that. It was a good mental preparation for life. You go in & tell yourself you’re prepared, hocky is hockey & not to get so overwhelmed with what you can’t control ... with what people are thinking are saying.

RC: For those who weren't familiar with this year's process, tell us how you would up on The Apprentice?
AR: There was an online poll during the Olympics on nbc.com. People could vote once a day for their favorite athlete on a ballot. I got call one day saying I had received the most votes.

RC: And you were ready to go?
AR: Yes, I was relaxed & ready. The Olympics had ended in February, I traveled, and we didn't start filimg until the summertime. I bought all of Trump’s books to get myself ready!

RC: Is the board room everything you thought it would be? More intense?
AR: The boardroom was very intense. There's a film crew, Mr. Trump is sitting across from you. You're on constant defense.

RC: Let's go back to the last episode. Do you still feel that Nicole should have been the one to be fired or were you trying to deflect blame off yourself as the PM?
AR: Well I felt that Nicole steered us in the wrong direction. She got us all riled up, saying what Arrow was going to do. She has insider information and we had to take that into account. In my opinion, it was the wrong idea - running around chasing people as opposed to having them come to you. I was surprised I wasn't supported in the boardroom.

RC: Well, that seems like a fairly recent tactic. Like the contestants have figured out that if they all gang up on one person, Trump would probably fire them? Was that approach some of the time?
AR: Oh it was every time, gang up on one person. Kinetic was ruthless. Arrow would change who they would say they'd fire but Kinetic always ganged up on one person.

RC: You felt Arrow played dirty during the challenge. What irked you the most about their behavior?
AR: First off, we were told that we couldn’t have a booth. That was our first inclination, a booth with a ticket sign. Universal had said no but Arrow did it anyway. They were pulling people away claiming tickets were cheaper. The way they were operating on the space, selling tickets several times to families of 4 where kids could’ve gotten in for free. I’m not going to lower myself. I kept saying to Trump, "it’s quality over quantity." You really want someone who’s going to represent your company well & I was the leader. Unfortunately in business it’s a lesson. They worked hard but I wish they kept it a little more fair.

RC: Is there anyone that you are particularly rooting for?
AR: Well of course I’d like to see Kinetic win but it seems their numbers are dwindling. I like Stefani, she seems like someone not so much under the radar but playing a quiet role.

RC: What's next for you?
AR: Next – training for Women’s World Championships Apr 3-10 in Winnipeg. This will be my 7th World Championship. I still have my job with the NY Islanders. I'm staying involved in lots of different things. None of it conflicts with the live finale, I’ll be there.

Thanks so much to Angela Ruggiero for talking to Reality Check!
The Apprentice airs on NBC Sunday nights at 10pm EST