Trump fires two on 'Celebrity Apprentice'

NBC is turning up the gas as this season's "Celebrity Apprentice" fights (right word) its way to the May 22 finale, when Donald Trump may announce that he will/will not run for president.

This three-hour episode called "Laugh On" challenges the seven remaining celebs -- Star Jones, Marlee Matlin, Lil Jon, La Toya Jackson, Meat Loaf, NeNe Leakes, John Rich -- to sell tickets to a live comedy show. One team (unclear which) gets an assist from Fallon, the other from Tracy Morgan. The next task will be to produce a video for OnStar. Two celebs go, and an epic boardroom brawl ensues, NBC promises.

MY SAY To paraphrase Wile E. Coyote, the sheer geeeeenius of "The Celebrity Apprentice" is its unparalleled ability to call attention to itself, which is -- by the way -- the sheer geeeeenius of master of ceremonies Donald Trump.

Saturday, the president of the United States even made a few jokes about the show at the White House Correspondents Association dinner. When Barack Obama announced Sunday that Osama bin Laden had been killed, a chunk of "Celebrity Apprentice" was pre-empted, even more jokes followed, like this from Conan O'Brien: "News of Osama bin Laden's death interrupted 'Celebrity Apprentice,' begging the question: How do we kill bin Laden again next Sunday?"

In fact, as "Celebrity Apprentices" go, the 11th season has been a beaut -- filled with enough brawls, bickering and lunacy to almost make the world forget about Charlie Sheen. NeNe Leakes and Star Jones? Girls, what is that all about?

And while Trump isn't exactly ready-for-White House material, he is so smooth as a hatchet wielder this season that his ritual beheadings are a pleasure to behold. Some people actually believe Trumpster will run, but "Celebrity Apprentice" makes so much money for him, NBC and his gilded Trumpster brand that he'll have to be baaaack.

BOTTOM LINE Good season, and insanely lively one. Trump was made for this, not politics.

GRADE B+