Maria Kanellis Takes Celebrity Apprentice Firing In Stride

Maria Kanellis from NBC's The Celebrity Apprentice

How awkward was it when you found out that you had to work with Curtis after you had been fired and after that remark in the board room?

Maria Kanellis: It was awkward for a little while, and then we got over it. We just really wanted to get down to task and help Holly (Robinson-Peete) out as much as possible, but it was a bit awkward when we first started.

Even though this is a reality series, we got to see more of the real Maria. What was the motive for you to take part in this series?

Maria Kanellis: Well, the first thing was just doing stuff for charity. I’ve always like Make a Wish Foundation, so to be able to work for them was great. And I did make a bit of money for them, not as much as I would have liked, but I did make a bit of money for them.

But it was also nice to start showing that side of me that is the real me. I’m quirky and weird at times, but also I grew up where in a very hard working family. So, doing the manual labor was so much easier than some of the other stuff, so I was happy for that.

Maria Kanellis as Dorothy and her little dog, too.

Maria Kanellis: Yeah, there was a bunch of them and there was more when I watched it back of course. I’m not in the interviews to see exactly what they’re saying. I’ve never been one to have my feelings hurt when anybody says anything, but at the same time, the youth come in with fresh ideas, and there are ones that have a few more years on Earth, they bring experience. And I haven’t had as much of experience on this planet as others had on the team, but that doesn’t mean I can’t bring great fresh ideas, so it frustrated me in a lot of ways.

And a lot of young people have actually c0me up to me and said that as well. That it frustrated them because we’re just beginning. We’re just starting our adventure and sure we’re going to mess up a million times. But at the same time, there’s something to say about being enthusiastic.

What was the biggest surprise for you on the show?

Maria Kanellis: I really thought that it was going to be like 9 am until 5 o’clock at night, you know, a normal work day, but it was like from 4 o’clock in the morning getting hair and makeup done to working until midnight. I have never been so tired in my entire life. We worked six days a week from four in the morning until midnight every day and it was exhausting.

Talk a little bit about Bret. What are some qualities you discovered about him and why is he in the final two?

Maria Kanellis: Yeah, with Bret I came in thinking coming off of Rock Of Love and all that kind of stuff, I had a completely different opinion of him. But, when I actually got to work with him and be around him, he’s a really nice guy. He’s a great guy with tremendous ideas and I was thoroughly impressed by him the entire show.

Do you think he’ll pull it out and win or who are you pulling for?

Maria Kanellis: I’m torn right now. I’m very torn because I think Bret’s a great guy and I understand his charity and I think it’s a great thing that he’s doing. Plus, he’s got such an inspirational story being in a rock band and being a rocker, and also having diabetes; that just doesn’t compute. But also, with Holly I’m on her team, and then I’ve got a cousin with autism, so I can see her trials. So, I’m torn.

Do you think that Bret’s condition will play into whether or not he wins or loses? Like do you think that weighs in because he’s coming back after a medical emergency?

Maria Kanellis: We’re so happy that he’s getting better. But at the same time, Trump is pretty much a guy that sees what’s in a task and that’s it. He sees what you do on task and how much of a hard worker you are, and what great ideas you have. That’s going to be the only thing Trump looks at.

What about the way that you were fired were you most upset with?

Maria Kanellis: It was big time a letdown. People make comments all the time in the board room, that don’t belong in a work environment. We just like to have fun in there, because that’s not our full-time job. We’re working for charity, but it’s not our full-time job.

So, some of the comments I’ve heard in the past in the boardroom had been 100 times worse than what I said. And so, I was a bit surprised. It was supposed to be a joke, but it didn’t turn out that way. People have different senses of humor. I was very upset. I was crying. I was mad. A whole slew of emotions. I just stated a fact of why I didn’t like a guy. I think most women would feel the same.

Do you think that you ruined Curtis’s studly image with the ladies?

Maria Kanellis: Well, Curtis ruined his studly image for me because I can’t stand a hot man that’s arrogant, you know?

Going to go back a little bit to the 24 Hour Fitness challenge. Was working with Bret and Sharon on that as entertaining as it looked?

Maria Kanellis: Oh, my gosh. When I was watching it back I was laughing. It was hilarious. And there was probably like two hours more of us just doing the Tour Bus Thrust or doing different moves. It was hilarious because as soon as we came up with that idea, the cast had so much more fun.

We did win the $24,000 on the 24 Hour Fitness (challenge) so we did have a good product, we just couldn’t compete with…Holly is just, oh my gosh, it’s amazing how much…

Fundraising machine.

Maria Kanellis: Oh, yeah. She is. She is a machine.

Maria Kanellis

Was there any advice that Trump gave you that you’re planning on keeping with you?

Maria Kanellis: Oh, constantly. All the time. He always was saying how much of a hard worker he is and that’s why he expects so much from his employees. You have to be a very hard worker, as a leader in order get your employees or the people that are underneath you to listen, and to actually work just as hard for you. And so, I’ll keep that with that me.

Who do you plan on keeping in touch with from the show?

Maria Kanellis: I’ve kept in touch with Holly. And I ended up doing so much stuff with Curtis and every time I was like, ‘Oh, I want to punch him.’ But, I ended up doing a lot of work with Curtis, so I’m sure I’ll keep in touch with him.

Bret – we text here and there, but of course I haven’t really talked to him that much in the last couple months.

Sharon actually must have pocket-dialed me one day and I said, “What the heck.” It was the funniest thing. It was like 4 o’clock in the morning and I’m getting a call from Sharon Osbourne. I’m like how weird is my life? But it was a total pocket-dial.

Would you consider going into business for yourself?

Maria Kanellis: I actually have my own business. I’m working on starting my own production company right now and I’ve been working on a clothing line for a long time that consists of dresses and also hair pieces. So, I’ve been working on that for probably the last two or three years. Eventually it’ll come out in stores. I just have to find the right combination and the right amount of time.

Do you have any on-camera plans that you’re pursuing?

Maria Kanellis: I’m working on getting my show picked up right now. I’m starting a rock band and so I want to show that to the world and the trials and tribulations of finding a band (and one) that works together, so there’s that.

I also have my CD that just came out on iTunes in April. It’s a four-song EP, it’s rock music, all kinds of fun and I’m the lead singer on it. It’s called Seven Sins and it’s my baby, so I plan on going out on tour with that at the end of the summer, beginning of the fall. I definitely want to do more on-camera stuff and auditioning all the time for movies and such.