African-American contestants haven’t made much of a splash in reality television over the years. That was before Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth made her debut on NBC’s “The Apprentice” three weeks ago.
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Stallworth is one of 16 contestants vying for a job working for Donald Trump. Her behavior has generated more messages on NBC’s Web site than anyone else’s–more than 14,000 so far.
Online, she’s been described as a “shrew,” “detached from reality,” “playing the race card,” a “dominating personality” and “intimidating.” Her defenders have depicted her as “intelligent,” “aggressive” and someone who “would work better with men.”
What’s so intriguing about the 29-year-old political consultant from Washington, D.C.?
To put it mildly, she’s outspoken and frosty. She often disagrees with her female teammates. She’s a provocative dresser. She’s confident and educated. And she’s making news because she’s dared to suggest that some of her white female teammates can’t handle working with a strong black woman.
Is the strong reaction to Stallworth providing a window into today’s workplace?
Opinions vary.
Clearly, no one likes “boorish behavior,” said David Thomas, a Harvard Business School professor and author of “Breaking Through: The Making of Minority Executives in Corporate America.” But being “in-your-face” is especially likely to be unsuccessful for African-American professionals, said Thomas, who has seen the show.
“Even if you’re right, people are usually waiting for the opportunity to bring about your demise,” he said.
But in 2004, why must an aggressive woman tone it down? If NBC “could disguise her, maybe with a different skin color and a male voice, would we react the same way?” asked Jane C. Edmonds, director of Workforce Development for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
“We’ve not yet overcome our race-relations problem,” Edmonds said.
Under the radar
Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth isn’t the only person of color on “The Apprentice.” Tammy Lee is an Asian-American stockbroker from Seattle. Kwame Jackson is an African-American New York resident who was most recently an investment manager on Wall Street. Neither have had any noteworthy conflicts with teammates. Both, however, appear to have quieter personalities.