A camouflaged architect, children screaming “You’re fired!” and hundreds of business-suited wannabe moguls flocked to the Trump Tower for “The Apprentice 3” auditions Friday.
“I’m looking for someone with great drive,” Trump told The Associated Press.
Lori Rothschild, a 29-year-old TV producer, thought she’d be the perfect contestant.
Because of her smarts, her savvy? No — she knows what it takes to create “good TV.”
Rothschild flew up from Washington, D.C. just to audition for the hit reality show. She entered the line, luggage in tow, at 5:45 a.m.
“I brought a little jacket to wear,” she said, motioning to her clothes. “It’s nice. I don’t want to show too much. You know, no cleavage.”
Cleavage didn’t hurt past cast members — first season contestants Katrina Campins, Kristi Frank, Amy Henry and Ereka Vetrini posed in lingerie for the cover of FHM magazine.
Frank Rodriguez had his own eye-catching outfit — camouflage instead of the standard suit and tie.
“I’m fighting for a position with Mr. Trump,” the 51-year-old military architect screamed.
Most auditioners were twenty-to-thirtysomething professionals — attorneys, project managers, real estate brokers — who’d never applied to a reality TV show. Clutching resumes and briefcases, they passed the time in line chatting with fellow applicants, drinking Trump Ice bottled water and filling out the lengthy application (with such questions as “Where do you see yourself in five years?” and “How would your co-workers describe you?”).
Fashionably late
Trump was scheduled to meet them at 9:50 a.m. In true Trump fashion, he descended Trump Tower’s escalator a fashionable 40 minutes late and greeted the first half of the line with a series of handshakes and questions.
“What do you do?” Trump asked one man in line.
“Everything,” 32-year-old mechanic Troy Walker replied.
“A jack of all trades, eh?” Trump said before moving on.
The applicants, press and even tourists clamored around Trump as he made his way through the crowd. One man fell over a velvet rope while attempting to snap a picture of The Donald. And Ty Bush, 11, and Corey Hardwick, 12, heckled the real estate mogul.
“You’re fired!” the St. Augustine, Fla., children yelled repeatedly.
“No, no, no,” Trump responded. “You’re fired!”
Trump eventually moved to the audition area, where groups of 10 hopefuls were gathered around tables and prodded by casting directors to discuss topics such as John Kerry’s nomination acceptance speech, 9/11 and their business backgrounds.
Carolyn Kepcher, executive vice president of The Trump Organization and one of Trump’s advisers on the show, sat side-by-side with casting director Rob LaPlante while Trump posed for cameras and spoke with reporters.
“This is a New York show, 100 percent,” Trump told The AP, squashing rumors that the third installment might hit the road. “This show is really a love letter to New York.”
But Trump hinted that “we may take Apprentice 4 or 5 or 6 somewhere else, such as the Trump National Golf Club” in Los Angeles.
Don’t expect many changes for the second round of “Apprentice,” which was filmed this summer and will premiere on NBC Sept. 3. “Apprentice 3” will premiere sometime in January.
“When you’re on top,” Trump said, “you don’t want to change a whole lot.”