Oprah is a feminist icon and arguably the most famous woman in the modern world. Since she's an inspiration to many, it’s no wonder that many people belong to the 'school of Oprah' and say that she can do no wrong. TV presenter and author, Angelica Bell, told Stylist: “The Oprah Winfrey Show was always on and for a young girl who was unsure of what the future would hold, it was reassuring to be able to watch someone who looked like me doing so well.”
Oprah’s net worth is 2.5 billion dollars, and she’s a celebrity who uses her fame and fortune to support causes close to her heart. Over the years, she has donated millions of dollars to important causes, with most of her funds going to her three foundations, The Angel Network, The Oprah Winfrey Foundation, and The Oprah Winfrey Operating Foundation.
As with any ultra-famous public figure, Oprah has had her missteps. This isn't surprising in light of how long she's been in the spotlight. We’ve all made mistakes, we’ve all had speculation about our lives, but few of us are subjects of media fascination. Here are 15 rumours, controversies, and career missteps Oprah wishes would quietly disappear.
15 The Police Raid
Just a few days ago, Oprah’s name was trending as fake news surfaced about her being arrested for sex trafficking. Quick to clear her name, CNN posted the complete story, along with what Oprah posted online in response. Here is Winfrey's response: “Just got a phone call that my name is trending. And being trolled for some awful FAKE thing. It’s NOT TRUE. Haven’t been raided, or arrested. Just sanitizing and self distancing with the rest of the world. Stay safe everybody.”
14 Her Political Aspirations
The rumors of Oprah’s intent to run for president, in both the 2016 and 2020 elections, were probably wishful thinking on the part of fans who wanted her to reinvigorate the Democratic Party. Oprah must be sick of answering questions about this.
InStyle reports that Oprah clarified, "I've always felt very secure and confident with myself in knowing what I could do and what I could not, and so it's not something that interests me. I don't have the DNA for it. I met with someone the other day who said that they would help me with a campaign. That's not for me."
13 The Thing About Kobe
There have been mixed reactions about honoring the legacy of departed basketball star, Kobe Bryant, and Oprah is one of the names linked with that controversy. When BFF, Gayle King, sat down with Oprah on her recent tour, Gayle said that the aftermath of asking WNBA star, Lisa Leslie, about how the past sexual assault case would impact Kobe’s legacy has been hard on her. Fans and fellow celebs continue to lash out at Oprah and King about the way they’ve broached this sensitive topic.
12 When She Fell Onstage & Became A Meme
When a 24-second video of Oprah falling onstage during the L.A. segment of her 2020 Vision Tour made the rounds, it was embarrassing for Winfrey. Unfortunately, thanks to smart phones and people with a penchant for creating memes, she literally became the butt of a world of jokes.
Thankfully, Oprah knows how to dust herself off and move on. Buzzfeed reports that the star simply sat up, said, "Wrong shoes!", and continued on with business as usual.
11 Her Romantic Leanings
Because Stedman has only ever appeared on Oprah’s show three times over the length of their 34-year relationship, people wonder if there is trouble in paradise. This lack of presence of her significant other has people thinking that Oprah is hiding something. What she’s hiding is up for speculation, but one theory stands far above others.
10 James Frey & The Book Club Fiasco
When James Frey’s book, A Million Little Pieces, made the Oprah Book Club list, it became a global sensation. Unfortunately, he was a fraud, and Oprah, who has always built her relationship with fans based on trust, wasn’t going to let him away with it.
While confronting him about her embarrassment over the fakery, she said, live on the air: “I feel you betrayed millions of readers." Oprah also called out the publisher’s decision to promote the false book as a memoir instead of fiction.
9 Speaking Out Against Michael Jackson
Oprah speaks her mind, even when it’s not the safest option. Both Oprah and Gayle King’s views on the legacy of certain prominent black male celebrities, including Michael Jackson, have led to some beefs with other celebrities. Snoop Dogg took to social media to call out Oprah, saying, “Why are y’all attacking us? We your people.”
8 Her Friendship With Gayle
Oprah and Gayle are #FriendshipGoals. Because of their closeness, the two are constantly denying rumors that they’re romantically involved and not just friends. This must be exhausting for both celebs.
As people get more and more comfortable with the fact that platonic love among friends is a real and true thing, hopefully, rumors like this will settle down. Soul mates don’t have to be romantic connections, folks!
7 Relationship Woes With Stedman
Oprah has been with Stedman since 1986, but his ability to stay out of the spotlight has always left the press skeptical about the validity of their romantic union. According to Nicki Swift, they called off their wedding but remained engaged.
Oprah commented on this: “I was supposed to do a book at the same time...and the wedding and the book were happening around the same time. We were on our way from the book party and Stedman said he did not want to have his wedding disturbed by all these people asking me about the book (which I ended up not doing). I said, 'OK. All right. So, he said, 'We should just postpone this wedding. I said, 'OK.' And that was it. We have never discussed it again."
6 Her Stepmother Spilling The Tea
Oprah’s stepmother is always happy to talk to the press and air her grievances about Oprah. When things turned bad between them, and Barbara Winfrey was ejected from what was previously her marital home, Barbara Winfrey said, "I’m trying to keep it together but there are some days I just don’t understand how I could have made her so angry that she would kick me out on the street and think nothing about it. But that’s Oprah – she’s judge and jury.”
