Former reality star’s career moving higher

Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth

Though she’s done everything from being a former political consultant who worked for former Vice-President Al Gore to appearing on talk shows and also hold both a B.A. and M.A. in Broadcast Journalism (from Central State and Howard Universities respectively), Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth knows that many people’s ideas and perceptions about her are based on her appearances on more than 20 reality shows, including two different versions of NBC’s The Apprentice.

In Nashville Wednesday to serve as special guest at the International Black Film Festival’s opening gala (9 p.m., Miro District Food & Drink), Omarosa says that once she made a conscious decision not to adopt a certain posture she knew what would happen.

“I’m a very competitive person, especially when it comes to business,” Omarosa said. “I wasn’t going to be the nurturing, kind, supportive person that black women in America are always expected to be.

“I was on The Apprentice to win and I was going to be as tough and competitive as anyone else on the show. I knew going in that once I did that, I was going to get typed in the minds of others as some type of domineering female or the prototypical “bitch.” I didn’t concern myself with that.”

But while she’s the only contestant ever to be invited back a second time, these days reality shows aren’t on her radar.

Omarosa is now enrolled in United Theological Seminary in Ohio, where she’s pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree. She’s also serving for the next two years as assistant minister at the First Baptist Church of Indianapolis under Rev. Ivan Douglas Hicks.

She quickly dispels any notion that her decision to study for the ministry represents some type of radical departure from the norm.

“I was baptized at the age of seven and have been saved since I was a young girl,” Omarosa replied. “What I’m doing now is just following the call of God. I’m not new to Christianity. God has a great sense of humor and this is just the next chapter in my life. It’s the opportunity for me to reach the millions of people who’ve followed me along all the reality shows about the joys of salvation the wonderful things that God has to offer for those willing to accept his blessings.”

She’s also become an author, with the release of the new book The Bitch Switch: Knowing How To Turn It On & Off. “I’ve talked with literally thousands of women about their treatment in corporate America, and the stories all sort of seem to flow together,” Omarosa continued. “Over and over you hear about how any woman who speaks up and demands things gets labeled. It made the things that happened to me on The Apprentice almost seem ordinary by comparison.”

Although Omarosa prefers to talk more about her future evangelical plans than her reality show past, she also understands there remains lots of curiosity about her past years and particularly her dealings with Donald Trump.

“First of all, he’s a very demanding person,” Omarosa said, “You don’t sit across the table from him in the boardroom if you’re a shrinking violet. But he’s been my mentor from the very beginning, someone who’s often given me great advice about my career and life in general.”

She also dismisses any notions about manipulation or staged hostilities on The Apprentice.

“Anyone who’s been in a room with me for more than a few minutes knows I wouldn’t go along with any type of manipulation,” Omarosa laughed. “All I’ve ever been involved with is unscripted reality television. Sure there are things that are managed, because these are multi-million dollar operations. But there aren’t any scripts and I sure didn’t do anything because some director told me to do it.”

Omarosa recalls seeing Trump striking the gong on the floor of The New York Stock Exchange to open the first season of The Apprentice as a particular highlight.

“I’m from the projects in Youngstown (Ohio),” she said. “I should be a statistic, someone with a bunch of babies by now and down and out. Yet there I was standing on the floor of the stock exchange watching him starting that session. Then we got a police escort to Trump Tower. That was an incredible moment and time.”

Besides her book and studies, Omarosa recently was featured in an episode of TV One’s Life After series. A sneak peek of that program will air at Wednesday’s affair, but viewers can see full clips of the program online at tvoneonline.com. She’s also on Twitter (twitter.com/omorosa) and says that she’ll “always respond to all my fans questions.”

“I’m the type of person who faces challenges rather than retreats from them,” Omarosa said in conclusion. “For me, entering the ministry is the opportunity of a lifetime. Rather than concentrating on whether there will be hostility toward me or being concerned about it being a male-dominated world, I’m thrilled for the chance to tell millions of people about salvation.”

What: The International Black Film Festival’s opening gala hosted by special guest Omarosa

When: 9 p.m. Wednesday

Where: Miro District Food & Drink, 1922 Adelicia Street

Cost: $20

Info: ibffnashville.com