The LA Times reports today that producer Mark Burnett is unhappy with NBC for rescheduling “The Apprentice:Martha Stewart” on Wednesday night at 9pm rather than the previous 8pm. There is panic at NBC as this reality show has performed poorly in the ratings against what had been high expectations. It might be cancelled, a huge ego blow to the bloated ego of Mr. Burnett.

Martha’s strength has always been as a teacher and marketing person, and a TV personality secondly. Before she went to prison, her on camera manner was stiff, proper and strictly stuck to the facts. In a now infamous appearance on the CBS morning show after her indictment, Stewart refused to budge from her assignment in the kitchen to answer a host’s question about the stock fraud charges.

Now in the post-prison era, Martha Stewart Omnimedia with the help of Burnett ,is trying to sell her as a sweet, caring, smiling wonderful businesswoman who always points out mistakes and does not humiliate or bully her employees. When the losing team enters the boardroom for their inevitable lecture and firing, Martha sweetly tells the dismissed team member, “You just don’t fit in here!” Then she politely writes a thank you note filled with some clever and helpful suggestions about how they might succeed in the future.

In seeking to make Stewart just as kind as Mom, the producers have failed in keeping the drama and conflict in. Martha is just too sweet, and her daughter (sans personality) is a self-effacing and bland judge who could never hold a candle against Trump’s Carolyn whose cold eyes and biting criticisms are wonderfully cruel. It would make the show much more fun to watch.if Martha had a temper, got into arguments with the team, and if her judges projected power, intelligence and authority,

The team is full of prickly, pretentious and faggy people who tackle such blue state tasks as setting up a flower store and designing and selling a wedding cake. The men have more emotional meltdowns and episodes of self-pity than an entire season of “Desperate Housewives”. There is absolutely no chemistry between the men and the women, or any hint of sexual tension, and this further makes the show a bore. Some of the women are well into their forties (or look it) and the guys are low on testosterone.

Perhaps this show was set up as a way to rehabilitate Martha. But in censoring her most odious personality traits, the humor and hubris that made her such a pleasure to watch is gone. What is left is a Botoxed show, without wrinkles or character.