Watching Celebrity Apprentice last weekend, I was shocked by the Board Room scene. Khloe Kardashian was fired not because of her role in that week’s challenge, or her treatment of other players on her team, but because Trump took issue with her DUI charge, even though the original offense occurred in 2007 and she has been facing the music in the legal system and the court of public opinion gracefully ever since.
In case you missed it, here’s the scene from Sunday’s show:
I’m not alone in my shock over Trump’s treatment of Kardashian. Between the Blogosphere and the comments on the Celebrity Apprentice site, it’s clear people in general were appalled by Trump’s behavior. While Trump may not have known of her DUI, her producers must have – someone had to be in the know to grant her permission to miss part of the show to return to LA according to her court orders.
Trump had no right to rejudge Kardashian for a crime she was already judge for and paying the proper price for. That is not his role. In fact, he should have taken the opposite approach and applauded her for attempting to turn her life around and seeking out positive experiences, such as his show, that give her positive experiences to embrace. Her charity shows her commitment to her recovery. She is trying to raise money to help fund better alcohol and drug education programs in schools. Even Trump had to admit it was a sound charity and pledged $20,000 to the cause.
The truly heinous criminals should be locked away and separated from society. Most other people are usually good people that find themselves in a bad place. If those people face a true judge and pay their debt to society, and themselves, it isn’t our job to repunish or embarrass them in any venue. That’s just simply wrong.
You can count me among the former Celebrity Apprentice viewers. I can’t condone a show who treats people so callously and thoughtlessly in front of millions.
I’m with you. I thought Trump’s action was weak. While I have no empathy for those guilty of dui, you’re right that she had already been judged. He ‘fires’ to keep the most ‘colorful’ folks on the show. A scam.