Donald Trump Hires His Newest Apprentice

So this weekend featured the finale of The Apprentice: LA, and I gotta say, I have mixed emotions. My thoughts? They changed so much of the shows' format, as compared to previous seasons, that I was actually a tad disappointed, although I still love the show.

In prior seasons, when it comes down to the final four, they ran them through their paces with strenuous interviews with top level executives of various companies. They skipped that this season. When it gets down to the final two, in past seasons, they have had one big challenge to pull off to determine the winner. Yup, skipped that too. And then, of course, forgetting all the other changes they made in the beginning ... the tents, Project Managers staying PMs until they lose, losing Carolyn and George, the LA location, etc. ... just seems like they were trying to change too much all at once.

All that aside, the season is over and Trump has hired Stefani, "the realist," as his new apprentice. She largely flew under the radar, and maybe even too much so, but considering that landed her a $250,000/year gig, I'd say she did ok.

Here's a little bit of a pre-win interview with her.

"Success" can mean different things to different people; what does it mean to you and how will you know when you've achieved it?
Success is when you follow through and achieve the goals you've set for yourself, whatever they may be. Success is about never giving up and never being afraid to fail. Every failure makes you that much stronger... and that much more determined.

Describe the toughest business situation you've had to deal with and what you did to solve the problem.
The toughest business situation I've ever had to deal with was deciding whether to give up a chance at partnership and a great career at my law firm in order to appear on The Apprentice - I had to resign.

What lessons have you learned from past Apprentice winners or candidates?
I've learned from watching past Apprentice winners never to lose my cool. "Never let them see you sweat!"

Why should you be Donald Trump's next Apprentice?
(No answer provided.)

What's your favorite thing about Los Angeles?
There's just something laid back and sexy about Los Angeles. I like knowing that I can leave work at the end of the day and drive home via PCH with the top down on my car. It's an almost Zen-like transition to relaxation and a great way to unwind after a day of litigation.

What's your least favorite thing about Los Angeles? And you're not allowed to say "traffic."
Superficial people with attitudes and issues. People who lack substance and are more interested in themselves than about how to make a difference in the world.

What will surprise viewers about this sixth season of The Apprentice?
Things are never the way they seem, and the rules are subject to change at any time without warning.

What's your marital/parental status?
Divorced, no children.

If you could be the star of any movie ever made, which movie would it be and why?
I'd like to be Rene Russo in the remake of "The Thomas Crown Affair." Russo's character in the movie was so smart and sexy.

What are your three favorite albums of all time?
Too hard to narrow it down. I love Nickelback, Evanescence and Sting.

What are your three favorite books of all time?
Also too hard to narrow down
"Fish" by Stephen Lundin (great way to boost morale)
"Angels and Demons" by Dan Brown
"The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

What hobbies do you enjoy, outside of trying to impress Donald Trump?
Snow skiing, scuba diving, motorcycle riding, tennis, golf, karate, working out, reading, and modeling.

Photo from ABC.