Such a Beautiful Girl to Hold Such a Grudge

Tonight's episode of The Apprentice: Martha Stewart was action packed. Jim was booted during the first half of the show, and Bethenny and Dawna began their final tasks during the second half. With so much to do, there just wasn't time to squeeze in a game of Scrabble.

After a late night waiting in vain for Marcela or Ryan to return from the conference room, the final three contestants jumped right into the dreaded corporate interviews. Jim, Bethenny, and Dawna were interviewed by four big wigs from Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. Dawna came across as bland but competent, Bethenny as manic but enthusiastic, and Jim as frightening but embarrassing.

One of the big wigs described Jim best by saying that he requires a large time investment, and she didn't have that kind of time. Martha agreed, noting in the conference room that Jim has rubbed almost everyone the wrong way. Jim creepily whispered goodbye to Julia the receptionist as he made his way to the street.

Bethenny and Dawna celebrated by donning their PJs and looking through a photo album of the other contestants. They also each chose three of the contestants to help them on their final project, before finding out what that project was. Dawna chose Sarah, Amanda, and Howie. Bethenny chose her buddy Jim, as well as Ryan and Carrie. Bethenny had never worked with Ryan before, and she'd had a hand in Carrie's elimination. Jim guessed that Bethenny chose the people she did because she had no friends.

The following day, the finalists were told that Dawna would be running a Liz Claiborne charity fashion show, and Bethenny would be managing a charity circus. Bethenny got off to a rocky start with her team, failing to tell them what their task was and instead hopping in her chauffeur-driven car and assuming they'd follow.

Day one started off well for the theoretically more competent team Dawna assembled. Dawna and Sarah worked on event setup while Amanda and Howie -- who works in the clothing industry -- chose the outfits for the fashion show.

What Dawna failed to notice was that Amanda has as much aesthetic sense as she has tact (in case you've forgotten Amanda, she has no tact), and that Howie is more intense than he is good. When Dawna and Sarah reviewed the outfits on day two, a Liz Claiborne executive told them that many of Howie and Amanda's choices would have to be changed.

Bethenny's team had a productive first day, with Jim and Carrie completing the promotional materials for the event. But Carrie couldn't forgive Bethenny for playing a part in her elimination, and Jim wasn't able to convince Carrie to move on. Instead, she confronted Bethenny about the issue, but without much reassurance -- or an apology -- from Bethenny.

A meeting with a representative from the Boys and Girls Club shifted Bethenny's focus to the charity aspect of the event. Unfortunately, she neglected every other part of the project, ignoring her teammates instead of giving them direction. Rather than directing event production, Bethenny felt her time was best spent calling businesses and asking for donations for a silent auction. As the show ended, Bethenny had one angry circus director, three confused teammates, and 50 contractors and performers with nothing to do.

Will Amanda and Howie's bad fashion choices cost Dawna the win? Will Bethenny pull her head out of her butt in time to save the circus? We'll find out next week on the live series finale of The Apprentice: Martha Stewart.