Posted on 06/22/2005 5:11:21 AM PDT by America First Libertarian
Snub a pocketbook issue to Oprah
Oprah Winfrey wants to hit Hermès where it hurts - in its fine leather wallet. You may have heard that the talk queen was denied entry to the luxury-goods store's Paris branch last weekend at closing time. According to one report, Hermès staffers rebuffed Winfrey because they didn't recognize her and because they'd been "having a problem with North Africans lately."
But friends of Oprah say that's bunk.
"They knew exactly who she was," a pal tells us. "They specifically said, 'We know who you are.'"
The source says Oprah arrived just after 6:30 p.m., when there were still shoppers inside the store. According to the source, Oprah politely asked an Hermès sales clerk if she could dash in. She knew what she wanted: a specific watch for Tina Turner, her dinner partner that evening.
Now if the No. 1 celebrity on Forbes' power list - a woman who earned $225 million last year - knocked on their doors, many shopkeepers would carry her in on a litter, even if it was midnight.
Instead, she was rebuffed - first by the clerk, then by a store manager.
Though Oprah hasn't accused the Gauls of racism, her friend suggests, "If it had been Celine Dion or Britney Spears or Barbra Streisand, there is no way they would not be let in that store."
Hermès' brusque treatment understandably came as a shock to someone who recently bought a dozen of the store's Birkin bags, which can run $6,500. In fact, Oprah had just ordered another one.
After last weekend, she canceled that order.
We also hear she's called Robert Chavez, president of Hermès in America, to inform him that, although she has long enjoyed his stores, she will no longer be shopping there.
We also hear she may share the incident with her 22 million-plus viewers.
"We are calling it Oprah's 'Crash' moment," says the friend, recalling the new movie about race in America.
Our calls to Hermès weren't returned yesterday.
This isn't the first time Oprah is alleged to have gotten a hard time in the luxe lane. In 1994, a former employee of Bulgari alleged in a lawsuit that the jewelry store hiked its prices for Oprah and other celebs. The store denied the charge.
Do you think? If Oprah can afford 5 bags plus a new order for one going for $6,500 (which I find absolutely wasteful)the store obviously is home to clientelle that are DRIPPING with untold wealth. Oprah will be one lost customer. If all the other clients spend that and more...multiplied...what they lose from Oprah will be pocket change.
I would suggest to Oprah and others that they NOT be taken in by those kinds of stores, those kinds of prices. Doesn't Oprah and the others know the stores are bilking them for all theri money. I don't care what the purse is made of or who's name is on it...no purse is worth $6,500. No purse. That kind of spending in my mind is ludicrous.
Chances are too the purses that are bought for that kind of money are out of style next year anyway. What a terrible, terrible waste of money.
I would imagine Oprah is known in France as the host of an afternoon U.S. chat show, not the Queen of Everything she is made out to be here. It would be the same as refusing service to Jerry Springer.
I thought Oprah had moved to the ghetto?
What the heck is she doing in Paris in the first place? Let her stay there.
Well, she is a Zulu. Just kidding. I think this was a hard awakening for her. Imagine making it and having to face this. When I took my daughter to France, we had a ball...but then again we weren't in the city.
Was the store manager Karl Rove in a wig? Kidding.
I'm not that crazy about Oprah...for my own reasons. But I will make sure O'Reilly finds out...he will definitely pick boycotting France once again over how he may feel about Oprah.
Contrare, they love Oprah in France...except for the store that is.
I know next to nothing about this store. Figured it was the type that offers ultra-expensive goods to celebs along with a whole host of overpriced offerings for the celeb-worshipping brand buyers. If it offers strictly insanely expensive stuff, I'll agree with you.
And France gave us the Statue of Liberty ...
That must have come after - "Don't you know who I am?"
That is just it, the way youhear leftist tell it, french society doesn't harbor any ill feelings towards any race, but even the store admits they have issue with north africans. I of course argue that a business owner can deny service for whatever reason. But in any case, if I am not closed (this was before the store was actually closed) And a consumer wants to spend money, and increase my profit margin, I say come on in.
I'm just sick of france being portrayed as some oasis of tolerance, when anti-semetic crimes are on the increase, and it has many issues. But leftists put it before America, yet oddly don't move there.
"I don't care what the purse is made of or who's name is on it...no purse is worth $6,500. No purse. That kind of spending in my mind is ludicrous."
Relativity, my dear. All relative. $6500 is to Oprah what twenty-five cents is to you. Do a search on Pretesi (sp) bed linens, Jimmy Choo and Manola Blahnik shoes, Patek Philippe watches, etc and you'll learn more about what Oprah and others in her league spend for things. Your head will really spin then!
Cheers.
So, they had experienced problems with North Africans and were perhaps racially profiling. It's a private store and they should have the right to refuse entry to anyone they wish.
She should have the right to refuse to trade with that company, thus causing them loss of sales.
The company will have to do a cost-benefit analysis of how much money they could lose from future Oprah sales to see if that offsets the losses they have experienced with their North African problem.
What's the big issue, other than Oprah not being accomodated?
I can't believe they mistook Oprah for a North African. North Africans are mostly Arab, Oprah is black.
Hmm. I shoulda guessed.
Well, if she came up to me and bit me, I doubt that I'd know who she is.
And furthermore, why should I or anyone else care?
Just what has she contributed to the survival of the human race?
Just what can she contribute?
For all you idiots that think these type of people walk on water or something, just ask yourselves, what has she done for me?
Do you stand around and hope that some of her wealth will rub off onto you?
Never happen.
Do you somehow hope that buying her books or patronizing her sponsors or otherwise contributing to her ability to purchase a $6500.00 pocket book will enrich you in some way?
These people are zeros.
They have absolutely nothing to contribute to society other than their ability to make gullible, stupid, do-nothing, overweight star-struck housewives and other idiots hang on their every word and spend their last dollar purchasing something with their name on it.
And they laugh all the way to the bank.
Well as a capitalist, I don't care about the person, so much as their money contributes to the stability of the system. If I profit, so will others.
Not only should she boycott Hermes, she should boycott France if she's smart. Isn't there an American company that sells $5,oooo purses?
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