"The Celebrity Apprentice": Two fired, one to go

Teresa Guidice, Aubrey O'Day and Arsenio Hall on "The Celebrity Apprentice," May 6, 2012.

/ NBC

(CBS News) Celebrity apprentice finalists from last year - winner John Rich and runner-up Marlee Matlin - made an appearance in this year's competition Sunday night, interviewing the four finalists to help host Donald Trump chose the final two. (SPOILER ALERT)

Pictures: "The Celebrity Apprentice"

But before they appeared, "Real Housewives" star Teresa Giudice was fired after serving as project manager on a task her team lost. The two teams were to create a four-page ad spread for CHI Touch Digital Touchscreen Hair Dryer.

But Giudice, who had an extra person on her team (Aubrey O'Day and Arsenio Hall), clearly was out of her element. She lost out to Lisa Lampanelli, working with just Clay Aiken, in negotiations for the use of key models and deferred to O'Day on most other elements of the task.

Trump clearly saw this, telling her she was a "liability" as project manager. Surprisingly, Hall called her "a nice lady" after the firing, even though she had just tossed him under the bus in the board room to save her own skin.

With Hall, O'Day, Lampanelli and Aiken in the final four, Rich and Matlin stepped in to advise the Trumps. After interviewing all four, they chose two of the celebs to be fired. But only one - Lisa Lampanelli - was axed Sunday night. The other loser will be announced next week.

Lampanelli, axed because she was too emotional in the board room, took the firing with dignity.

Who will be the next to go? Take our poll, discuss in the comments below and return here next week for more commentary.

Also, get the inside scoop on "The Celebrity Apprentice" from former contestant Debbie Gibson:

18 Photos

"The Celebrity Apprentice"

[mikabi12751]

Did anybody else hear Aubrey say she did charity work with Fidel Castro? I just about dropped my teeth. Not only is she arrogant, but she's incredibly ignorant. What a joke!

[uisignorant]

This show is still on?
I stopped watching when Rivers "Won".

[Disco70Gal]

I hope Clay is one of the final 2 and want to respond to a previous post. I too initially thought (based on the previews for next week) that when Mr. Trump is turned to his right and says "Your fired" that he is speaking to Clay. BUT! I had taped the show and watched it twice and noticed that Mr. Trump wore a light pink tie in the boardroom this past Sunday and in the preview he is wearing a purple tie (trust me it's not the same scene where the show left off on Sunday night) Can't wait for Sunday!

[marnie503]

I think the reason John Rich was such a bully to the final four is that he was trying to impress Mr. Trump in that he could be a source to recken with, and he failed cause he has no class like Trump. Since he is a "southern boy" I wonder if that is why he was so rude to Arsenio?

[penquin2045]

lisa l. is an embarrassment to women, she cuts deep and she is mean spirited.
aubrey has to go; she never followed instructions, she always planned project manager when she wasn't project manager, showing she was completed obnoxious and did not follow the instructions; whether or not she was the cause the the team winninng, she showed no respect for her fellow players. arsenio was okay and it was his sorta comedic ability that got him thru the presentations but had no creativity; clay will win and an early congratuations; and john rich was way too tough on his interviews with the 4 people. love the show.
the show never gives enough time after the winner wins, how about it this year. Trump is fair and his children are excellent business people.

[erasmus111]

"clay will win and an early congratuations"

I wouldn't be too quick to say that. I think he should win, but when watching the preview for next week, when Trump was saying who was fired, his head was turn to his right. That was where Clay was sitting. Then he turned his head to the left when he continued to talk to the remaining ones and congratulated them. It didn't look good, but you never know.

[heidel1]

Ugh so much drama in one episode!
When they mentioned the CHI Touch blow dryer I was pretty surprised that they finally came up with a blow dryer that was actually touch screen. I just ordered one from this website called Hair Care Choices and I got it 2 days after.....its frekin incredible!
Here is the link, go check it out
http://www.haircarechoices.com/p27272-Touch+Dryer.html

[erasmus111]

Thank goodness that Lisa is gone! I have never seen such an obnoxious b*tch in my life. And I can't believe that she actually thought that crying all the time was appropriate behaviour for the work place.

Now they just need to eliminate the other b*tch, Aubrey.

I love Arsenio Hall, but Teresa was right when she said he didn't contribute much. She didn't contribute much either, though. Just a bit more than him. Not that the contribution was good. Arsenio Hall is a great talker, so he managed to get himself out of being fired.

Piers Morgan had other people hosting for him, for a week, while he was away. Arsenio was one of the hosts, and when Piers Morgan came back, he said that everyone loved him the best. He is a great guy. He's smart and a great talker. BUT, I don't believe he should be the "Celebrity Apprentice". The Celebrity Apprentice should be CLAY AIKEN!

[Debk4142]

What show are you people watching???? Arsenio does absolutely nothing to deserve a win. In fact, I don't know why he is still here, except for his fame, and Trump likes him. He stands around and watches everyone else do the work, and tries to claim his efforts as important. He raised NO money on a money task, claimed to have suggested a slogan first, and DID NOT, as Aubrey most definitely said it first, and his rant was so fake and staged. I don't get why he should be a finalist at all. He wasn't even made to say who he thought should go home. Trump just gave him his usual pass. WHY????? His kissing up is getting old too.
Aubrey, even with her conceit and bad mouth, worked hard and should be second. Lisa deserved third.
Clay Aiken handled himself very well, was smart and a hard worker. He should easily win this, and even my hubby, agrees. I can't imagine anyone thinking otherwise.

[penquin2045]

arsenio hall, for awhile, i thought he held back and let aubrey hang herself; then i realized this guy kept staying in the game because at presentation he let his comedic abilities, if that is what you want to call it, bluff his way thru; and Theresa was right he did nothing but she flupped up in here introduction. clay has the right personality, he has respect for people, when lisa was gone, he told the people he had to wait till lisa got back, she was the project manager. but overall there was no one outstanding and that guy from CIE flirting with aubrey was totally inappropriate but his shoes were so sharp

[lulu320]

mary-jayne,it is AIKEN, not Akin.