Celebrity Apprentice (with Dionne)

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ron hertel
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Re: Celebrity Apprentice (with Dionne)

Post by ron hertel »

At the ages of "70" and "82" respectively - Dionne and Burt remain professionally active - and - as far as I'm concerned they can do whatever they choose in terms of endorsements, so called "reality shows", talent competitions etc. They remain mutually supportive and their body of work is unequaled and has never been categorized as "Oldies but Goodies"! ........... Wishing them both - along with Hal David - many more years of professional successes and recognition!
BachtoBacharach
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Re: Celebrity Apprentice (with Dionne)

Post by BachtoBacharach »

Ron, despite all the flack Dionne has received, the music she created with Bacharach/David is what matters and if that music is once again put in the limelight due to her appearance on Celebrity Apprentice, then that's a good thing for the music...Dionne seems to subscribe to the Joan Rivers Kathy Griffin school of publicity...any publicity is good publicity...I am so glad that DW/BB/HD music speaks for itself!
gillanddon
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Re: Celebrity Apprentice (with Dionne)

Post by gillanddon »

Hi Nikray .. yes I agree .. they don't lose the qualities they had to get them to the top. They are tough and rise to the challenge which may not always suit us. The music industry has you on your toes all the time and they have learnt to keep in the public eye even if we think they use the wrong kind of vehicle. Also these folk live very grand lifestyles which have to be afforded and I say this with the utmost respect. They will jump at any opportunity to remain on stage and in the public eye. Hats off to them. They keep the music flowing.
BachtoBacharach
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Re: Celebrity Apprentice (with Dionne)

Post by BachtoBacharach »

Well, Dionne's true colors are coming to the fore on Celebrity Apprentice, I'm afraid. She's coming across as a smug, egotistical, self-absorbed bitch with a massive sense of entitlement. And I don't believe this has been edited to make her appear that way...this is all her, baby, like it or not!! She and Star Jones are not coming across as either likeable or compelling people. In fact, Dionne seems mad at the world. All she ever wanted to be was a diva and she's actually coming across as a prima donna. Hard to see how this is going to help her any at all. This comes close to the Dionne Warwick many folks behind the scenes in the business talk about. None of the women are coming across very well with the exception of Marlee Matlin and I have a feeling when NeNe Leaks gets "ahold" of some of these women, it's going to be interesting. I found it hard to stomach how insensitive Dionne was to Marlee and how dismissive she is of everyone. Why she put herself in this position is beyond comprehension...hopefully she will last long enough on the show to give something redeeming to the viewing public; somehow I think she will in the end. She is tough, I will give her that! What becomes a legend? Not this.
Dionnefan
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Re: Celebrity Apprentice (with Dionne)

Post by Dionnefan »

BtB, yes I agree Dionne didn't seem too nice last night. Fortunately, there have been many instances in these reality shows where people have come across bad at the beginning and have redeemed themselves later on.

I don't really think Dionne was trying to be rude to Marlee, though. How can she talk to both Marlee and the interpreter at the same time without being construed as being rude to one or the other? If I was in that situation, I probably would have been looking at the interpreter as well. As far as getting her name on the book-- I don't think Dionne would have ever come up with that idea if Star hadn't suggested having her name on the book first. I do think both of them were ridiculous for suggesting that, however.

I have always gotten the sense that the Drinkard women were a haughty bunch. Of course I don't know any of them personally, but Cissy and Whitney always seemed to me to have that same type of attitude that Dionne displayed last night. A lot of Dionne's attitude seemed to be exasperation with Lisa Rinna. I wonder why so many of the women didn't care for her, as she seemed decent enough to me. Hopefully now that Lisa's gone, Dionne may soften up a bit.
BachtoBacharach
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Re: Celebrity Apprentice (with Dionne)

Post by BachtoBacharach »

Dionne's mother Lee was quite the DIVA herself and was very demanding according to many who worked with Dionne at Scepter. I think the term haughty describes the Drinkard women well. DeeDee was very demanding as well. Her father, Mancel, according to those same sources, was a true gentleman...kind, compassionate, and considerate; not all like his spouse Lee. Dionne seems to be a chip off her mother's block. I thought it was rather insensitive to insinuate that deafness was a "downer" as Dionne did to Marlee...children are accepting and loving and don't have the baggage we adults do...they should have listened to Nikki Taylor who suggested that the concept was far too complex for a children's book...she was dismissed by Dionne in a rather haughty manner. All in all, the blogosphere is buzzing about Dionne's nasty attitude. As for Star Jones, Dionne is her friend this week but Star is out for Star as much as Dionne is out for Dionne so they better watch each other...they're too much alike. As for credit for the concept, Dionne demonstrated that she is not a team player...and Star and she set up Lisa Rinna. I can see that the other women seem to be as wary of Dionne as they would be of a snake. I did notice in the 1st episode how even Star was intimidated by Dionne.
gillanddon
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Re: Celebrity Apprentice (with Dionne)

Post by gillanddon »

More Dionne bashing!! You don't sound like fans to me at all! Do we actually know that all the women in the Warwick household are/were a bunch of rattle snakes? Please tell me who has had the perfect career in the music industry as it seems like longevity in it is virtually on impossible? Dionne is the 'diva's diva' .. something Whitney said .. and a nice one at that.
gillanddon
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Re: Celebrity Apprentice (with Dionne)

Post by gillanddon »

Sorry one more thing .. wouldn't you have to be tough and haughty as a black woman in the 50s and 60s to fight your way through that white male dominated racism crap that completely controlled the entertainment industry at that time?
BachtoBacharach
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Re: Celebrity Apprentice (with Dionne)

Post by BachtoBacharach »

I love Dionne's music and have since 1962; her actions speak for themselves and are fair game. Sorry if that offends you.
An Enormous BB Fan
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Re: Celebrity Apprentice (with Dionne)

Post by An Enormous BB Fan »

I saw the show, too. In fact, the only reason I watch is because of Dionne. But, geez Louise, she came off so badly. It hurts to say it, but BachtoBacharach hit the nail on the head. And I swear to you, that if Burt were on a reality show and acted like that, then I would have to face up to it just the same. Should I believe my own eyes and ears or what some would want me to believe?

By the way, how much clawing did Dionne have to do to get to the top? As a singer, she was a genius and there was no one like her. Add Burt's music and Hal's words, and she became a superstar almost immediately. She wasn't even out of college.

I still love Dionne's records, but I know what I saw last night and it wasn't pretty.

And this is a discussion group.... and we're discussing... not dissing.
MarkusFlavius
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Re: Celebrity Apprentice (with Dionne)

Post by MarkusFlavius »

First of all, I'm a reality show skeptic and think these shows are orchestrated for a certain outcome ---- controversy, high ratings, etc. Each celebrity brings a certain role to play in the mix. and each is out to WIN, no matter what. I think the "surprise" is that we've all known Dionne's personna to be rather laid-back, definitely ladylike, and more reserved. On this show, she's demonstrated quite a different manner. While not especially attractive, she is being a more interesting character than what most people probably expect of her and I'm glad she's getting a higher profile on the show ---- even if only to be talked about in blogs or on entertainment shows or to provoke interest in her new CD (yeah!!). I look at it as an acting job and Dionne's pulling it out. Whether it's real or not, I can't say, but it IS what passes for entertainment these days. Go Dionne!!
BachtoBacharach
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Re: Celebrity Apprentice (with Dionne)

Post by BachtoBacharach »

Dionne was fired tonight from Celebrity Apprentice. I am not sure why Dionne chose to participate but it was obvious to me that she was not committed either to her team or her charity. She came across tonight as self-absorbed and narcissistic by stating that she was the "matriarch" of the group and she deserved a little consideration by leaving early (there's that maddening sense of entitlement she's always had) with little awareness of the true situation and a delusional belief that the group thought her the matriarch! They obviously didn't feel anything warm, fuzzy and mother like from her or about her! But also she was somewhat redeemed by taking on NeNe Leaks and calling her a coward after she was fired. NeNe didn't own up that Dionne did indeed tell NeNe in the van on the ride over to the session that if she needed her to stay for the editing session that she would. NeNe never spoke up as she should have and told Dionne that it was a team effort and that she expected Dionne to be there. NeNe told a different story in the boardroom with Trump and stated that Dionne told her she was leaving, she didn't ask. NeNe didn't quite tell the truth. Where will this all lead? Who knows, but Dionne will get some mileage out of this...she's been the hot topic on the blogosphere for the past three weeks and her "I got your number, hussy" remark to Nicki Taylor has become a catchphrase and has put the rather old fashioned term "hussy" back in vogue. And, if anyone discovers or rediscovers the wonderful Bacharach/David/Warwick music she did, it might be worth it. Her new album is selling well according to Billboard and Amazon and this publicity can't hurt in the short-run but folks are making fun of her as a crotchety old grandma and it's not helped her credibility in the long-run. At least we have her music and she can't taint that!
maestrofan
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Re: Celebrity Apprentice (with Dionne)

Post by maestrofan »

"Matriarch"? ..... Did she say "Matriarch"? ...... Sadly - Ms. Warwick has come across as a petulant child! ...... Thankfully this has come to an end. ....... If this was intended to be a "publicity stunt" - it probably was successful. ........ Although I do not consider shows of this type to be authentic - the "real" Ms. Warwick was on display for all to see! ..... As BachtoBacharach accurately stated .... "at least we have her music and she can't taint that!"
BachtoBacharach
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Re: Celebrity Apprentice (with Dionne)

Post by BachtoBacharach »

The blogs have been unkind with folks reminiscing from years ago about stories from those who worked with Dionne...from a stage manager an Ohio venue who always got the celebrities who performed at the theater to sign the stage door (from Red Skelton to Bob Hope) and Warwick refused to sign and said she was the absolute worst emtertainer he had ever worked with...treated the stage crew like crap and her own staff as badly...rude to technicians, service people. He said the only pop singer who was as bad was Melissa Manchester. He said he was glad Warwick refused to sign the stage door...to a musician at a session in the 1980s who said Warwick was not misrepresented by selective editing and was as nasty as she appeared on Celebrity Apprentice. Even Donald Trump remarked on the entertainment shows tonight that Warwick came in with a superior attitude and that pretty much 15 out of the 16 celebrities didn't appreciate her negativity and her lack of team spirit; everyone seemed to be afraid of her...ask anyone who used to work and tour with her how they feel about her! They will tell you. I believe this will bring about a spate of "nasty Dionne Warwick" stories...Dionne is not the powerhouse she once was and I believe there will be few celebrities who come to her defense. It's interesting that Trump remarked that she had raised zero dollars for her charity (where are all her friends who donated to the Warwick Foundation?). Although I am not surprised in the least by her horrible demeanor on Celebrity Apprentice, I am sure that many folks are. 25 years ago, she had a bank of powerful celebrity friends but the friends who have not died, she has used up...sad, sad, sad that she has damaged herself so badly but is so unaware of it. Perhaps that explains how she laughed all the way to the bank while practically demolishing her credibility with the Psychic Friends Network and now she's squandered it all. I am sad for the people, some of whom thought they knew Dionne well, who are reeling in shock at how she really is. Although I respect her music, I lost respect for her as a person long ago and this appearance on Celebrity Apprentice simply confirms this. I watched to see if the true Dionne would come out, and she did, sadly, in blazing glory, live and in living color as she used to say in concert. Anyone ever noticed how she always refers to herself as Dionne? The mark of a true narcissist! I predict that the bump in the sales of her new album will disappear as quickly as she has from Celebrity Apprentice. By the way, can anyone imagine someone like Lena Horne or Ella Fitzgerald selling themselves out like Dionne has? As a friend remarked today, "The only good thing I can say about Dionne today is that I still like her music but the person behind that music is not someone I would care to know."
An Enormous BB Fan
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Re: Celebrity Apprentice (with Dionne)

Post by An Enormous BB Fan »

I am shocked that Dionne would allow herself to be put in such a situation where she would be publicly humiliated like that. But I was very surprised how, at the end, she didn't fight to stay. At least that showed a little class on her part, I thought. But B2B speaks the truth--unfortunately for Dionne. I found it consistent that she wouldn't sign the stage door considering my experience when I met her years ago when she haughtily said to all of us, "I don't sign autographs" and then got in her car and drove off. I will also never forget how she put down (on a TV show) her hit song "Do You Know The Way To San Jose?" I remember thinking that, at the least, it was an insult to Burt and Hal to publicly announce that she thought nothing of the song. She certainly has the right not to like the song -- but I'm talking about showing some discretion here.

But Dionne's leaving the group to go to her hotel did strike me as odd. It really seemed to me that her leaving the group like that was something that was written in advance for her to do. So much of that show (not just that episode) seems so phony and planned out. And, as I've said before, I think all so-called "reality" shows are scripted.

Look at Charlie Sheen. As horrible as he has been lately, he's selling out all his "comedy" appearances. So, maybe no matter how badly Dionne is coming off from this show, maybe, in the long run, it will indeed boost her career. Like they say, "I don't care what you say about me -- just spell my name right." Maybe this will work for Dionne in the long run.

I wonder if Burt and Hal watched the show and, if they did, what they thought. And wasn't it Dionne who told them, and in an angry way, "Don't make me over!"? Maybe they know that side of her, too.
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