By Lauren Tuck (Editorial Assistant, POZ)

This week’s competition on The Celebrity Apprentice was just plain unfair. Each team--remember, there are two teams, the men versus the women--was tasked with creating two live window displays at Lord & Taylor’s Fifth Avenue flagship store featuring Ivanka Trump’s spring 2012 clothing and accessories line. Side note: Lady Trump is awesome. Not only is she a boardroom regular at the Trump Organization, she also finds the time to be a mother, wife and designer. I barely find the time to watch this show.

Obviously, the women were going to win this one. Their team has two supermodels, two singers and other celebrities who spend their days living, eating and breathing fashion from the catwalks to the tabloids. But who cares if this episode was rigged? Bilingual beauty Dayana Mendoza won, securing a contribution for the Latino Commission on AIDS!

Dayana, who was Miss Universe 2008, was determined to step out of her shell and be recognized for her multitude of talents. “I am happy to be here, but I am ready to finally have my voice heard,” she said. “If I win this task, it will help infinitesimally to raise awareness. The Latino Commission on AIDS makes sure that every corner of the Latino world gets help. They help, and they educate.” Her hard work certainly paid off!

Watch Mendoza speak about the Latino Commission on AIDS: 




Although many other plot points in this episode are worth noting--such as: Debbie Gibson believing she can pass for a 35-year-old woman (Wikipedia has her birthday as 1970. You do the math), Aubrey O’Day being the smartest one in the room (who would’ve thought that the noggin under her fire engine red hair was actually full of knowledge and not air?!), Dee Snider ignoring Donald Trump’s advice and getting surgery on his finger (it required four pins, but Snider returned to compete), and Sulu from Star Trek, a.k.a George Takei, being fired by the boss man--but I won’t harp on these moments because Miss Universe winning $20,000 is so much more exciting!

But if you are interested in the finer details, watch the full episode below:



Needless to say, Guillermo Chacón, president of the Latino Commission on AIDS, was thrilled with Dayana’s win. “We are extremely grateful and honored to count on Dayana Mendoza’s support,” he said. “[Her] $20,000 contribution will support our HIV testing program, prevention and education of HIV/AIDS and enhance our National Latino AIDS Awareness Day. Dayana is a beacon of hope for a future without AIDS.”

Next week, we’ll get to watch Dayana hand deliver her winnings to the Latino Commission on AIDS, so be sure to check back!
Some of my favorite quotes of the night:

Lisa Lampanelli: “Suck it up buttercup it’s time to get frickin down and dirty”

Takei on becoming project manager: “I’m gay. I like to think I have good visual taste.”

Arsenio Hall: “Everything is hotter in heels. Hell yea! Work it girl. That’s kicking ass and taking names.”

Hall on teammates Clay Aiken and George Takei: “Our gay teammates weren’t as much help as I expected. They’re not that genre of gay men. As a matter of fact, our gay teammates rarely look at women. If you only pay attention to how good men look, please let me handle this or else it’s gong to be a mess!”