01:00 AM EST on Thursday, January 29, 2004

Society seems to have two primary criticisms of the male gender:

We're obsessed with sex, and we fight too much.

But a new reality show proves that these preoccupations are not exclusive to the male gender.

The Apprentice features young professionals competing to be hired by Donald Trump for a $250,000 job.

They are divided into a male team and a female team.

If the show so far has a signature focus, it's what the female team has been doing:Flaunting their sex appeal. And fighting.

I rest my case.

Why? Because The Apprentice is one of the only reality shows I've seen so far that's based in reality.

Survivor puts you as far away from it as possible, on some island. And in those Bachelor and Bachelorette shows, well, I don't know anyone who, when looking for a date, gets to spend a month hot-tubbing in a mansion with 15 gorgeous prospects before picking one.

The Apprentice is different. Each week, the contenders have to outdo one another in a legitimate, if quirky, business challenge.

The first had each team selling lemonade on the streets of Manhattan. The men tried to apply the real-estate principle of "location, location, location."

Guess what the female team used to win?

Sex, sex, sex.

The men were barely able to sell the lemonade for $1 a cup. The women sold it for $4 and $5 by flirting, giving out their phone numbers and offering kisses.

Later, Donald Trump addressed the question of whether women use sex appeal in the real world of business.

"Absolutely," he said. "Always have, and they always will."

The next challenge had the teams working with a top agency to design an ad campaign for a private-jet company.

The men's campaign stressed the jets' convenience, luxury and reliability.

The women? They had photographers take suggestive pictures of the jets, used one-liners like "Get on top," and made their presentation in revealing stewardess outfits.

Third challenge: Go through New York finding specific retail items ranging from golf clubs to squid and negotiate the cheapest price. The women flirted their way to good deals, and clear victory.

Now let's get to fighting.

Both teams have personality conflicts, but the men have been able to take a deep breath and let a lot of it go.

The women's team? It's been a nonstop clawfest. Two of the women -- named Omarata and Kristina -- are constantly at it, but they're not the only ones. At one point, the women decide to call a meeting to try to solve the bickering. They're constantly admitting it could trip them up as a team. But they still can't stop.

The fourth episode of The Apprentice is tonight (9 p.m. NBC, Channels 7 and 10), the challenge being to run a restaurant. Previews show the women's team dressing like vamps and continuing to bicker.

Sex and fighting -- clearly that what a certain gender has on their minds.

Mark Patinkin can be reached at mpatinkin [at] projo.com.