The Celebrity Apprentice star Donald Trump fired Adam Carolla and Michael Andretti during Sunday night's fourth episode of the celebrity competition's fifth season.
ADVERTISEMENT
Trump fired Carolla, a comedian and radio host, and Andretti, a race-car legend, after their Unanimous men's team lost the season's fourth task -- which required Unanimous and Forte, the women's team, to each organize and host a 20-minute presentation and question session for a new Buick vehicle -- to Forte.
Carolla refused to select any of his fellow Unanimous team members to remain in the boardroom with him and potentially be fired by Trump, resulting in The Apprentice star deciding to have the entire team remain in the boardroom and announce he would be firing two members of the men's team.
The Celebrity Apprentice's fourth fifth-season episode began following last episode's elimination of George Takei with Trump meeting with the season's remaining celebrity cast members, revealing the Buick task, and asking who would be each team's project manager.
While Trump suggested that the task was a perfect fit for Andretti given his automotive background, the men opted to select Carolla given he is a vintage car buff and also hosts a car show on the SPEED Channel.
ADVERTISEMENT
In addition to Carolla and Andretti, the Unanimous team also included former talk show host Arsenio Hall; singer and former American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken; actor and former The Incredible Hulk star Lou Ferrigno; magician, comedian and former Dancing with the Stars participant Penn Jillette; rock star and former Growing Up Twisted star Dee Snider; and American Chopper star Paul Teutul Sr.
The women's team Forte -- which was comprised of The Real Housewives of New Jersey star Teresa Giudice; comedienne Lisa Lampanelli; former Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza; singer and All About Aubrey and former Making the Band star Aubrey O'Day; actress and model Patricia Velasquez; singer, actress and former Skating with Celebrities participant Debbie Gibson; and actress and former Dancing with the Stars participant Tia Carrere -- had Gibson step up to be their project manager because she had extensive live presentation experience.
The winning team received $50,000 for the charity of its project manager's choice, which in Gibson's case was Children International.
"I was the project manager and we lost. And not only was I the project manager, I was the guy who was on stage the whole time when we lost. So I will definitely take the bullet," Carolla said after his firing.
"I think this one was very much [close] and someone's gotta win and someone's gotta lose... and the charity my charity lost to is a pretty worthy charity, so that's fine."
ADVERTISEMENT
Prior to firing Andretti, Trump continued to voice his frustration that Andretti had not served as Unanimous' project manager.
"You lost because of you -- and Adam to a certain extent -- but the [Buick] executives felt that you should have stepped up. They wanted to see your name used at the highest level, not at the secondary level, and they thought you didn't have the presence in the task," Trump told Andretti. "Michael, you're fired!"
About The Author: Steven Rogers