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Oprah Winfrey 'racism row' a 'misunderstanding'
BBC News ^ | 8-9-13

Posted on 08/09/2013 8:46:22 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic

The owner of a shop in Zurich where US talk show host Oprah Winfrey says she encountered racism has called the incident a "misunderstanding".

Winfrey, one of the world's richest women, claimed an assistant refused to serve her in an upmarket handbag shop.

She was apparently told one of the bags on display was "too expensive" for her.

Shop owner Trudie Gotz told the BBC that Winfrey was "absolutely allowed" to look at the $35,000 (£22,500) bag, which was kept behind a screen.

"My salesperson wanted to give her the handbag in her hand. But she didn't want to take the bag," claimed Gotz.

She said her assistant had worked in the Trois Pommes store "for a few years and takes care of the most spoilt customers from all over the world", adding, "she is really a correct sales person".

'Didn't understand'

Winfrey, who stars in Lee Daniels' new film The Butler, visited Zurich last month to attend singer Tina Turner's wedding. Her programme The Oprah Winfrey Show is not shown in Switzerland.

Speaking to US TV show Entertainment Tonight, she said: "I go into a store and I say to the woman, 'Excuse me, may I see the bag right above your head?' and she says to me, 'No. It's too expensive.'"

(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: oprah; oprahwinfrey; racism; switzerland; zurich
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1 posted on 08/09/2013 8:46:22 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
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To: afraidfortherepublic

She used to go thru these fat/thin cycles and pimp various diet deals.

I guess now she’s just gonna be Blowprah all the time....


2 posted on 08/09/2013 8:47:35 AM PDT by nascarnation (Baraq's economic policy: trickle up poverty)
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To: afraidfortherepublic

‘Winfrey, one of the world’s richest women ‘

What did they say about Palin? Something about lipstick on a ...?

The problem is seeing everything as racist, and not admitting that the problems lie within themselves.


3 posted on 08/09/2013 8:51:55 AM PDT by I want the USA back (Liberalism is contrary to human nature. Promoting liberalism comes from a strong hatred of self.)
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To: afraidfortherepublic

I see The Oprah has now gone over to the Michelle Obama diet. In no time at all, Oprah’s booty call will expand to U.S. Standard Rail Gage of 4 feet, 8.5 inches! What a porker.


4 posted on 08/09/2013 8:52:00 AM PDT by MasterGunner01
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To: nascarnation

She’s become such a bore. This is her second complaint about “racism” in Europe. Maybe she needs to stay home the next time she takes a vacation.


5 posted on 08/09/2013 8:52:03 AM PDT by miss marmelstein ( Richard Lives Yet!)
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To: afraidfortherepublic

something tells me a store that sells $35K handbags probably has security camera’s all over the place...would love to see a video of the sales person handing her the bag...


6 posted on 08/09/2013 8:52:48 AM PDT by God luvs America (63.5 million pay no income tax and vote for DemoKrats...)
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To: afraidfortherepublic

When I heard the cow compare Saint Skittles to Emmett Till, she needed to be slapped upside her head.


7 posted on 08/09/2013 8:53:20 AM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (Resist We Much)
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To: afraidfortherepublic

Hey, I’ve had it happen to me and I’m white (and I wouldn’t pay that much for a handbag if I could afford it.)


8 posted on 08/09/2013 8:53:28 AM PDT by Calm_Cool_and_Elected (" Undecided Voter: someone who parades their stupidity as proof of their morality." ~David Burge)
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To: miss marmelstein

“Maybe she needs to stay home the next time she takes a vacation.”

Nope—she needs to move to africa where she can plant permanent “roots”.


9 posted on 08/09/2013 8:54:24 AM PDT by freeangel ( (free speech is only good until someone else doesn't like it)
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To: nascarnation

This woman is so concerned about the poor. Yet she considers buying a $35,000 handbag. Like Jesse Jackson Jr.’s $45,000 rolex. These frauds spend more lavishly than anyone with common sense and yet get away with portraying themselves as humanitarians. She also limits she stays at her home in California in order to avoid taxes.


10 posted on 08/09/2013 8:54:30 AM PDT by Vehmgericht
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To: nascarnation

It was not racism. The salesperson obviously didn’t recognize Oprah. Oprah should be aware that for 999 out of 1,000 customers (if not more), $35,000 would be more than they’d want to pay for a hand bag. The clerk have said the same thing to a white customer.


11 posted on 08/09/2013 8:54:47 AM PDT by luvbach1 (We are finished.)
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To: afraidfortherepublic

Maybe Oprah looked hungry and they were afraid she was going to eat it.


12 posted on 08/09/2013 8:55:06 AM PDT by ZULU ((See: http://gatesofvienna.net/) Obama, do you hear me?)
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To: afraidfortherepublic

The clearest sign that someone is a racist is when they claim everything bad that happens to them is the result of race.


13 posted on 08/09/2013 8:55:26 AM PDT by tje
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To: afraidfortherepublic

Yep, the billionaire has renewed her victim card.


14 posted on 08/09/2013 8:57:21 AM PDT by Obadiah (Inside of every Liberal beats the heart of a fascist yearning to reveal their true nature.)
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To: afraidfortherepublic

I’m not sure I believe Oprah’s version of the event. I figure she just wants to get her name in the news to promote “The Butler”.

It seems so fashionable to claim racism these days.. Homophobia seems to be taking a back seat to it...


15 posted on 08/09/2013 8:58:13 AM PDT by sockmonkey (Of Course I didn't read the article. After all, this is FreeRepublic..)
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To: afraidfortherepublic
She said her assistant had worked in the Trois Pommes store "for a few years and takes care of the most spoilt customers from all over the world"

But I guess Oprah took that to a whole new level.

16 posted on 08/09/2013 8:58:13 AM PDT by ClearCase_guy (21st century. I'm not a fan.)
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To: afraidfortherepublic; All

Hey oprah, go to Africa and walk down the street of any major city at midnight. You probably will not encounter any racism, but you will wish to God that was the least of your worries.

FU.


17 posted on 08/09/2013 8:58:46 AM PDT by Red in Blue PA (When Injustice becomes Law, Resistance Becomes Duty.-Thomas Jefferson)
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To: afraidfortherepublic

And don’t get her started on how hard it is to get good help these days.


18 posted on 08/09/2013 9:02:55 AM PDT by DManA (pi)
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To: I want the USA back

In 1994 I stopped in at an expensive, local men’s store to buy my husband a tie and some dress gloves. I was well dressed and well groomed, having just come from work — suit, heels, etc.

The manager of the shop followed me out after I did not find what I wanted, and I caught him peeking out the window to see what kind of car I was driving. Too bad. It was just a top of the line 1994 Chrysler — the prettiest car I’ve ever owned and spiffy for its day. But it wasn’t a BMW, or a Mercedes.

If Oprah read the foregoing, do you think that she’d holler “racism”? What if she knew that I am of Swedish and English descent — blonde and blue eyed? What would she holler then?


19 posted on 08/09/2013 9:03:53 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
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To: Calm_Cool_and_Elected
Hey, I’ve had it happen to me and I’m white (and I wouldn’t pay that much for a handbag if I could afford it.)

I subscribe to Forbes magazine, it's full of ads for watches @ $100K and upward. Most don't even list the prices, you have to go to their web sites to find that out and if you need to know what the price is, you probably can't afford it anyway.

Even if I were a multi gazillionaire I wouldn't pay that much for a watch.

20 posted on 08/09/2013 9:05:12 AM PDT by Graybeard58 (_.. ._. .. _. _._ __ ___ ._. . ___ ..._ ._ ._.. _ .. _. .)
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