Tycoon Week 2
It was week two in Tycoon Tower, as Peter Jones continues to try and create Britain’s next Tycoon.
We started off this week with an X-Factor style look at some of the auditionees who didn’t make it on to the show. There was a predictably wacky range of suggestions, such as making photo frames from the cremated ashes of loved ones and erotic material based on scratch and sniff technology.
Back in the Tower, the contestants were finding mixed success. They got a pep talk from Pete Jones where he told them that “Cash is king. Work harder and make more money”. Not sure if then advised them that lunch was for wimps and greed is good.
Justin is turning into Tycoon’s own David Brent, and his mumbling product pitches made Peter send him off for a one to one session with Paul McKenna. Elizabeth saw this as a great reward and was brought to tears. Week two and the second time she’s cried. The session with Paul McKenna had a great effect on Justin, although they didn’t as far as working out what to reply when someone asks “why would I want to sell your product” - a question that sent Justin to pieces again when Peter asked it in the weekly meeting.
The contestants had a visit from journalists and got to practice their PR skills. Tom naively believed this chance to meet visiting hacks would be a opportunity to sew up a distribution deal for his kids newspaper and was disappointed when it didn’t happen. He later got the chance to show it to the head of a picture agency who slated it and suggested major changes, which Tom accepted without question. He then relied upon a former editor of OK to put a mock up together - not a bad idea in itself - but Peter Jones picked up on the fact that Tom didn’t have much input to give and was happier taking a lead from others.
Peter Jones took Tom down the end of a pier to discuss his fate, which I thought may involve a sleeping with the fishes, but in the end Peter just closed him down and sent him on his way.