Rolling out celebrates power and had to be a part of it, so it made perfect sense to give the venture a cover and I had the privilege of executing the shoot with Omarosa and the bachelors jockeying for a chance with her.
The moment she entered the studio and extended her hand to gently shake mine, something went limp. No, not that — but I did feel a part of me submit. It wasn’t the intimidating Omarosa I had seen on television, though, she was way toned down. I shrugged it off and moved on (Law 22: Use the surrender tactic, transform weakness into power).
Omarosa’s reputation certainly preceded her. She’s been called a b—-. She owns that. She’s been called smart and shrewd. She owns those, too. Even the boob job, yep, she pleads guilty. That’s unadulterated, in-your-face power; by owning it, she automatically disarms (Law 46: Never appear perfect). Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth is on her game and she knows how to work every tool at her disposal to get what she wants.
“I certainly use every single tool that I have in my arsenal to get what I want,” she says of her persuasiveness. “I think that women should recognize the unique gifts that they have, the ability to be sexy and seductive, to be charming, to be vulnerable in order to make things happen.”
The infamous reality show villain has a knack for making things happen. She has the ability to move stealthily in and out of the 48 laws of power (Robert Greene/Joose Elffers, 1998) with her prey — yeah, that’s the best word — before they even realize it. If she needs you, this law, that law, bam! Before you know it, she’s got you subdued and dangling by the throat, but gently. If you’re weak or serve no purpose, to the floor you fall without knowing what hit you. She simply steps over you, but politely — she is a lady.
There’s something sexy about that.Omarosa blazed a path from the Midwest to Washington, D.C., and gained a master’s degree and Ph.D. in communications — a skill she squeezes the blood and guts out of — and worked for the Clinton administration. That kind of résumé for a black woman already packs a punch, but nah, if you can even remotely associate “obscurity” with it, Omarosa ain’t having it. She’s clear on wanting to be out front and she has the right stuff to make it so.
“I grew up in Youngstown, Ohio, in the projects and I’m very proud to say that, but I can also say that your environment doesn’t determine where you go in life and what you can become. And in spite of my humble beginnings, where I’ve been is only the beginning. I can truly say that,” she confidently asserts. “The myth that I would love to dispel is that my career started in reality TV, but before I ever stepped on the set, I had a very, very distinguished career in politics, in academe, and in business, that’s why out of a quarter of a million people I was selected for the show — don’t get it twisted.”
Next stop, New York City. Already fully aware of what she’s made of — sharp intellect, cutthroat business savvy and stateswoman polish (Law 34: Be royal in your own fashion: act like a queen and be treated like one), she got wind of multimillionaire Donald Trump’s “The Apprentice” reality show soliciting potentials and she went for it. One thing led to another — a blow to the throat here, a boardroom bloodbath there and a star was born — a reality star, but a springboard is a springboard; believe that.
“I was always a big fan of Donald Trump’s, so the opportunity to work with him was something I couldn’t pass up,” she recollects. “So, I applied for the show and got cast.”
After bringing her signature brand of heat, she was ultimately “fired” in scandalous fashion. But true to form, she worked the fallout to her advantage. She calculatedly became that reality b—- you love to hate. And according to plan, while haters were hatin’ she was making moves. She even wrote and promoted a book titled The Bitch Switch to capitalize on the image that was propelling her (Law 35: Master the art of timing).
“I think that whenever you’re successful, you’re gonna have a ton of detractors and the truth of the matter is that my detractors actually make me stronger, they motivate me more. I don’t respond to negativity, I only focus on the positive. The reason I’ve been successful in reality television for seven years is because I determine for myself what my success will be, what I can accomplish and I will never allow someone else to define who I am and what I can do,” she says.
In subsequent celeb-reality appearances, she was slaying ‘em left and right with her ferocious candor. She’s shut down “Top Model’s” Janice Dickinson, and when Trump called her back to appear on his new celeb version of “The Apprentice,” she shut down “America’s Got Talent’s” Piers Morgan. Recently, Omarosa engaged in a war of words with Bethenny Frankel of “Real Housewives of New York,” about reality success. The most infamous of the verbal checking, though, was the on-air showdown with notorious gossip monger Wendy Williams. Omarosa made an appearance on the “Wendy Williams” show to promote her new book. But true to form, Williams skipped over that subject and went straight for the throat. She attempted to out her about plastic surgery and other would-be uncomfortable topics, but Omarosa whipped out Law 44: Disarm and infuriate with the mirror effect. She handed Wendy her behind, calling her on the carpet about her own enhancements, plugged the book, and then left the building. Now, what just happened (Law 15: Crush your enemy totally)?Somewhere along the path of kicking butt and taking names, Omarosa lost a husband, Aaron Stallworth. Did she simply step over the body move on, as described in the intro? He had to be a strong man in the first place to walk by her side for the short time he did (2000–2005), right?
“The reason I’m no longer a Stallworth is because we married too young, I was 22 turning 23 and knew absolutely nothing about what it meant to be a good wife and he knew nothing about what it meant to be a good husband, but we’re both still very good friends,” she shares of the relationship’s demise. “I’m blessed because now I know what true love is and what it means to be in a committed relationship, building a marriage on love, on God, and honesty. I need a man who’s going to put me in my place, who’s gonna check me and be there for me, be my help mate, my soul mate — a partnership.”
Love has been known to elude self-made black women, but don’t cry for Omarosa. She always has a plan. Did you think she wouldn’t somehow capitalize on the encounter she had with one of the wealthiest men in the world? She genuinely, but strategically befriended “the Donald” and that relationship led to her current foray into the reality sphere with “The Ultimate Merger.” On the show, a host of robust and successful men — including Al B. Sure, the dude that put light-skinned brothers on the map — vie for her love. The men were all handpicked by the real estate mogul himself and presented to her (Law 8: Make other people come to you. Use bait if necessary).
She broke down the “real” experience and the impact it had on her.
“ ‘The Ultimate Merger’ is real, even with Al B. Sure. We have chemistry and attraction. Everybody asks about reality television and whether it’s real, and when you look at that, there’s no question that the ‘Ultimate Merger’ is a real process for two strong personalities to make the ultimate merger. Other shows were very heavy-handed but on my show you won’t see some of the underhanded manipulation that exists with the others. Ultimately, Donald wanted the cameras to just roll. Some of it was embarrassing for me, but it was real. I even had to hurt people in the end that I truly care about, [and] that makes me sad,” she says, revealing a possible Achilles’ heel.
Speaking of cameras rolling, back to the shoot. Remember that limpness I experienced when she walked in (again, no, not that!)? Well, it came into play. During the shooting process, she
had me — willingly, I must add — running around catering to her like I had on a loincloth and no shoes. And it wasn’t through abrasiveness or disrespect; it was through flattery and knee-buckling glares — through the mirror while makeup and hair put on her final touches — there’s something hot about that. She’d comment on my dimple then slide in a request. She’d call me cute, and then slip in an order. She had me … and I was putty. All the strapping bachelors from the show were on hand, but she was big upping me. Was it real (Law 3: Conceal your intentions)? I may never know, but for that moment my members, yep, all of them this time, said “yep!” and whatever she needed, she had it.“My grandmother always said it’s easier to get flies with honey, more so than vinegar, and so I try to use the sweet side,” she says. “But I do have an iron fist, and if diplomacy doesn’t work, then I know how to use force.”
And hearing that she has an “insatiable appetite for sex” made her all the more intriguing. I wasn’t trying to push up, but admittedly, it did rouse my curiosity:
“I do have an insatiable desire for sex,” she concurs. “But that doesn’t mean that it gets filled. It just says that it’s nonstop.”
Those bachelors vying for the brilliant reality actress, author, businesswoman and calculated seductress’s hand on “Merger” will surely have their hands full, especially if Law 20: Never commit to anyone, comes into play.
Whatever the outcome, she’s not ashamed of her mind — she worked hard to develop it, she’s not ashamed of her sexuality and body — even the parts she purchased, and she damn sure ain’t ashamed of her hustle. If you call her a b—-, so be it — she’s obviously a good one.
That’s Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth. Haters, step off — and take notes.
