Clint Black, You’re Fired

Clint Black Photo Courtesy of Equity Music Group

May 4, 2009 — Clint Black was ousted from NBC's The Celebrity Apprentice on Sunday, and his departure could not have come in a more surprising manner.

A week after serving as project manager for his team and winning $20,000 for the International Rett Syndrome Foundation, he was again tabbed as project manager when the assignment was to write and produce a jingle for Chicken of the Sea. His musical advantage was initially intimidating to his opponents, poker player Annie Duke and model Brande Roderick, and the piece he created was more sophisticated and artistic than the sing-song tune the other team concocted.

But Clint's skills actually worked against him. The tuna execs felt the piece was too country and would therefore not appeal to a wide swath of the company's audience. In addition, it failed to mention the product as often as the competitors' tune did.

As a result, Clint actually got20beat at what he does best. It came as a shock to everyone in the boardroom, particularly Annie, who sounded quite smug in her victory.

"I just beat Clint Black in a songwriting contest!" she chimed. "I'm so beside myself. I wrote the song that they liked better for them than Clint Black."

For his part, Clint left the boardroom with a smile on his face and his head held high despite getting roughed up a bit in the process. He repeatedly heard during the series that his opponents felt he didn't listen to them. And early on, Joan Rivers said she would never even say hello to him on a red carpet, though by the end, she clearly had some appreciation for him. Ultimately, Clint seemed at peace with the experience — and with being finished.

"I learned a lot about myself and my people skills," he said. "And I learned that life is too short to be around people that you don't enjoy. I don't have time for anything that isn't good for me."

Two more celebrities, Brande and Jesse James, were fired after Clint left the building, narrowing the field down to the final two. Joan Rivers will square off in a three-hour episode against Annie Duke, capping the season's most bitter rivalry. And it's possible that Trace Adkins, who finished as runner up on last year's "Apprentice," will be on hand for the finale.