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 On Wednesday, October 6 and again on Friday, October 29, we spoke with Mahsa Saeidi-Azcuy, one of the more outspoken contestants on this season of The Apprentice. The October 6 interview was in reaction to the news that Ms. Saeidi-Azcuy had resigned from her position in the District Attorney's office in Brooklyn, New York earlier that week. On October 29, we spoke once again when she was fired by Donald Trump during the October 28 episode (which actually took place months before in real time). Mahsa was fired after her team, Fortitude, lost to the men's team, Octane, on the task of putting together a presentation for potential backers of a planned Broadway musical. However, in a twist, Mahsa wasn't actually fired because of what happened on this task. She was fired when it came out in the boardroom sequence that, in the previous week's task, she had spoken to a member of the men's team, Clint, regarding how much money her team had earned during the pedicab challenge. For her part, Mahsa insists that although she did reveal a dollar amount to Clint, he reciprocated with information about the men's team – a claim which Clint vehemently denied and was backed up on by the other contestants.
Here are the facts about Mahsa Saeidi-Azcuy from her NBC Apprentice bio: Mahsa Saeidi-Azcuy, 29 (Brooklyn, N.Y.), worked as an Assistant District Attorney in Brooklyn, New York and is the host of two web-shows on the side. Dealing with the financial pressures of being the sole breadwinner in her family, Saeidi-Azcuy has gained personal strength in this economic downturn. Before receiving her J.D. at Brooklyn Law School, Saeidi-Azcuy studied Biology at the University of Virginia and film at the New York Film Academy. She passionately fights to promote justice and is obsessed with beauty, hair and style secrets.
USTOWNHALL SPEAKS TO MAHSA SAEIDI-AZCUY OF THE APPRENTICE 10:
OCTOBER 6 -
USTH: My question for you is simple. without revealing any spoilers for the show, why did you resign from your job as an Assistant District Attorney in Brooklyn's DA office?
MAHSA SAEIDI-AZCUY: I think it was a very difficult decision for me to make because I love being a prosecutor. But I think first just to explain why I decided to go on The Apprentice, I think we're all allowed to have that one dream job even if you might be very happy with your day job.
I think everyone kind of understands having that one dream that you've always wanted to go for. So when I had the opportunity, I could not turn it down. And it's this vision that I do not regret at all. Basically, when I went back to the DA's office, it just quickly became very clear as the episodes came out that people were starting to recognize me. And I'm not exactly sure in what way this could affect the outcome of my cases, but it just didn't feel right. And I think the DA's office agrees with that. So, I really didn't have a choice but to resign. I could have taken more of a low profile position there, but the reason I'm a prosecutor is because I like to be in the courtroom. Doing something at a desk is just not who I am so I really felt that I had no choice but to resign. And I think going into The Apprentice, I knew everything was on the line for me just like everyone else this season. And certainly now more than ever everything is on the line because I don't have a backup plan right now.
USTH: Regarding your teammates, whom on Fortitude did you respect the most and whom did you respect the least and why?
MAHSA SAEIDI-AZCUY: This is a very tough question. Okay, let me think about it.
USTH: I mean, it's just the two of us, so don't worry about it (laughs).
MAHSA SAEIDI-AZCUY: Oh yeah, it's just the two of us. I would say that I really respect Kelly very much. I think that she's, you know, quiet, she's very kind, she's very positive. Whether or not you have seen it, she has always had really good ideas that, you know, she's NPR and she's very good at that. And I enjoyed having her around. She has a very positive energy and she always had great ideas. And I would say that I respect her a lot. As far as the second part of your question, I think that anyone that tries to take me down in the boardroom, anyone that tries to take me out of this competition is the person that I respect least. I have nothing bad to say about any of them. I think they're all great girls and I think we're all just trying to make our dreams come true.
USTH: Okay. Well said.
USTH: In your educational background, your bio stated that you also studied film and biology, and I understand that you host a couple of web series of your own on the side.
MAHSA SAEIDI-AZCUY: That's right.
USTH: Now that you've been on The Apprentice, have you been bitten by the reality TV bug? In the future, would you like to star in, or host, your own reality TV series?
MAHSA SAEIDI-AZCUY: I have not been bitten by the reality TV bug at all. I think the reason I did this was because I wanted to make my dream of working for Mr. Trump come true. That being said, for the past five years I have been hosting and doing online shows. So that certainly is something that I'd be interested in pursuing in the future. But right now my goal is to become Mr. Trump's apprentice. I think I have a very strong shot at this. And I'm in it to win.
USTH: Okay great. Without revealing whether or not you were eventually fired by Donald Trump, how would you rate your performance in the competition and on the tasks overall?
MAHSA SAEIDI-AZCUY: I think that I've been a really good team member. I think I always on the tasks – like in my interviews – I might seem a little strong. But I think when I'm on a task I'm very positive; I'm there to make it happen. On this past episode, you know, I'm terrified of dogs. Absolutely terrified. I cross the street when I see a dog. I don't know why – I just am. And, you know, I sucked it up and I got in there in the dog pit. And I gave it everything I had. The women's team, thanks to a group effort, ended up winning. So, I think I've done very well so far. I definitely have not been taking a back seat or a quiet role. I definitely have been putting myself out there. I'm very proud of with how I stayed true to myself during this entire process. I'm extremely proud of myself so far. I just have to be who I am. I put it out there, and I think Mr. Trump will really respect that.
OCTOBER 29 -
USTH: Hi, Mahsa, how are you today?
MAHSA SAEIDI-AZCUY: I'm good, Scott. I think we've spoken before. How are you?
USTH: Yes, we did. We spoke on October 6th, and it's a pleasure to speak to you once again.
MAHSA SAEIDI-AZCUY: Thank you. The secret's out – I got fired, boo hoo.
USTH: Well, it's bad, but we think you're going to do good things in the future so we're looking forward to that, but watching last night's episode, it was unique in that it seemed that you were fired for something that happened on a completely different task. Do you agree with that assessment and if so, who do you think should have been fired based on just the Broadway task in and of itself and why?
MAHSA SAEIDI-AZCUY: Well, I'll tell you something right now. I was extremely disappointed in how the events went down. If I was going to get fired for the promotional materials that was fine. I think that Mr. Trump absolutely made a mistake in firing me for the reason that he fired me. In fact, I was so upset about this that I made a video message that I posted on my website, a message to Mr. Trump asking him to clear my name just to make it clear that I never, ever lied.
USTH: What is the website so we can all take a look at it?
MAHSA SAEIDI-AZCUY: It's on Google. I mean, if you Google "Mahsa Donald message," it should pop up but my Facebook is Mahsa (The Apprentice). It's a page called Mahsa and in parentheses it says "The Apprentice." If you Google that, it should pop up, and then my video is posted all over the page.
USTH: Okay, we'll look forward to that. Do you think the guys were being inappropriate for coming back into the boardroom the way they did?
MAHSA SAEIDI-AZCUY: No. Let me tell you something right now. There were two people that were completely lying straight to Mr. Trump's face last night and them coming back I think it was not inappropriate that they came back. They should have come back, and Clint should have told the truth when he came back in there, but instead he chose to come back in there and lie to Mr. Trump's face. And people backed him up whether they were lying or they were just trying to get rid of me but I was just so disappointed in how in order for me to be fired, they all lied and got together and attacked me. I was just so disappointed in how it was done, and I was really disappointed that Mr. Trump didn't think more along the lines of common sense and didn't say, "Hold on, Mahsa's not lying; Clint, you're lying" because it was very clear.
USTH: You talked about how you would like to be a television host [in the "Rockport: Next Steps" segment of the episode in which you were fired]. What type of show do you envision yourself hosting? Would it be a purely entertainment show, or do you think you would want to use your legal background in some way on television?
MAHSA SAEIDI-AZCUY: I think both of those would be great. I also think that I'm somebody that's very opinionated, and I think something like The View – I think I'd be perfect for that but, right now I'm just trying to clear my name. I was falsely branded as a liar. The actual liars were advanced to the next round of the competition. I think that Mr. Trump made a mistake and although what I did was wrong in revealing the [dollar amount], Clint instigated that conversation, and Clint revealed the [dollar amount that the men's team earned]. Clint lied, and Clint's moved on to the next round. Clint wasn't the only person that was lying in that. So, right now my main focus is to clear my name, and we can talk about what I'm going to do in the future after that. As an attorney, all I have is my honesty and integrity and there's no one more honest than me and I will not let anyone – anyone – throw dirt upon my name like that.
USTH: It's your legal background coming up, and you're fighting for your own justice in this case, so it's...
MAHSA SAEIDI-AZCUY: Oh, absolutely. I think you have to look at my video and then if you have questions, go to Mahsawho at Twitter, M-A-H-S-A-W-H-O and I'll answer any question that you have.
USTH: Okay, that sounds fair enough. In looking back over the entire Apprentice experience, what are your feelings about everything in totality? I know it sort of ended badly but...
MAHSA SAEIDI-AZCUY: I would do it a hundred times over again. I am so grateful to the producers and even to Mr. Trump even though I'm so disappointed in how I was falsely branded as a liar despite the fact that I was telling the truth. I would do it a hundred times over again. It was an incredible experience overall, but just because it was incredible, and just because I really appreciate it, [it] doesn't mean that I'm going to let anyone brand me as a liar and not fight back with every single thing that I have.
USTH: That's great. You know, when you were talking before about how you'd be open to hosting an entertainment show or something with a legal background, it brought to my mind that – I don't know if you're too young to remember this, but back in the '90s Star Jones sort of got her...
MAHSA SAEIDI-AZCUY: Oh my god, can I tell you something about her?
USTH: Go right ahead.
MAHSA SAEIDI-AZCUY: Yeah, she's a former Brooklyn prosecutor like me...
USTH: Exactly.
MAHSA SAEIDI-AZCUY: ...and rumor has it she's on this season of Celebrity Apprentice, so I think that's really fun, and I can't wait to watch her. I'm hoping she wins.
USTH: Yes, Donald Trump was on The View yesterday, and he said she is on The [Celebrity] Apprentice, and she's doing well, but it also brings to mind the fact that during the '90s, she made a name for herself by appearing on The Today Show as a legal correspondent talking about the O.J. trial. That might be something that you might look into, just as a suggestion.
MAHSA SAEIDI-AZCUY: You're so sweet, thank you. I will take any suggestion that people give me.
USTH: That might be something that you might seek out – being on Good Morning America, The Today Show, etc. as a legal expert as a way of getting your foot in the door in the entertainment world. I think you'd really be good at that. You are a good speaker; you do command attention, and that's how Star Jones got started.
MAHSA SAEIDI-AZCUY: Well, thank you and you promise you're going to go watch my video, right?
USTH: Oh, I'm going to watch it, absolutely.
MAHSA SAEIDI-AZCUY: Thank you.
USTH: It was a pleasure once again speaking to you, Mahsa.
MAHSA SAEIDI-AZCUY: Thanks so much.
The Apprentice airs each Thursday night at 10:00pm Eastern & Pacific / 9:00pm Central on NBC.
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