British royal reporters need to stop slandering Oprah Winfrey, my goodness

Oprah Winfrey speaks at her 2020 Vision Your Life In Focus Tour

As an American, I love the fact that Oprah Winfrey and Duchess Meghan formed a friendship. While they didn’t know each other very well before the Sussex wedding in 2018, they’ve gotten to know each other and both women clearly see the friendship as personally, professionally and mutually beneficial. Here in America, Oprah is one of our most famous and beloved celebrities, the first Black woman billionaire, the first lady of daytime programming, and a woman who has set the tone in confessional interview programming for decades. Which is why it’s hilarious and insulting that British commentators keep slandering Oprah just because she’s the one to get the coveted Sussex interview. This tweet was on my TL yesterday:

Imagine dismissively referring to Oprah that way JUST to score some kind of point about Harry and Meghan. It’s almost as if… every royal reporter is racist and they just hate every Black woman. It’s almost as if British reporters have zero respect for self-made women of color. And don’t forget, these same salty white folks are also dismissive of Oprah’s career as an interviewer.

Eamonn Holmes has blasted Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s decision to do a tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey, branding it as just an ‘advert’. The presenter, 61, gave his opinion on Tuesday’s This Morning, after it emerged the couple had recorded a 90-minute special with the legendary chat show host.

Speaking to royal correspondent Camilla Tominey and Nick Ferrari, Eamonn disputed the idea it was interview, and was instead a marketing tactic because Oprah, 67, ‘is a mate’.

‘Meghan’s mum stayed with Oprah at her home as a house guest. So it’s not an interview as such.’

Camilla replied: ‘Well, I don’t think she’s going to be throwing really difficult questions at Meghan and admittedly it’s going to be hugely sympathetic because, as you say, they’re friends. Though interestingly, it’s been pointed out that they’d only met once before Oprah turned up at the royal wedding in Windsor castle in May 2018. But yes, I think it’s going to be a soft soap kind of an interview.’

Eamonn has previously come under fire for his outspoken views on the royal couple. Back in 2019, the presenter was reprimanded by ITV bosses for describing Meghan as ‘uppity’ because the term has racial connotations.

[From The Daily Mail]

Of course the guy who called Meghan “uppity” is now assuming that Oprah will merely do a soft-focus, softball interview. I’m really going to need British peeps to back the f–k up and understand that Oprah is a really big f–king deal and she’s literally known for her quality interviews, for getting people to open up, and for challenging someone when she thinks they’re lying. There are a million reasons why Meghan wanted to give her first post-Sussexit interview to Oprah, and none of those reasons are “Oprah will only ask Meghan softball questions.”

The Duke And Duchess Of Sussex Attend A Commonwealth Day Youth Event At Canada House

Photos courtesy of WENN, Avalon Red, Backgrid.

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113 Responses to “British royal reporters need to stop slandering Oprah Winfrey, my goodness”

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  1. JT says:

    The know Oprah is a big deal, that’s why they are slandering her. They always tell on themselves.

    • Yvette says:

      @JT … Not just because of Oprah’s gravitas, but also because it kills their collective theory that Netflix only gave the Sussexes a deal because they wanted to get a ‘tell all’ interview or a documentary on the Royal family from them.

    • Chicka says:

      Nope. What we aren’t going to do is act like when Oprah have them a platform on her show, she booked them for crack-pot talk! They work booked for the professional advice they’re were both recognized as having professional training and expertise. It’s bc of the platform she gave them, where they could start their own ventures, that they were able to start expanding new branding that unfortunately became crack pit and toxic.
      However, that’s like ppl validating Kanye when he said GB doesn’t like black prior and watching him putting on a MAGA hat and promoting voting for Trump.

    • Jenn says:

      If you think Oprah’s career is defined by Dr Phil and Dr Oz you know nothing. Since you want to throw names around, what about Lisa Ling, what about Thandie Newton, what about Nate Berkus and countless other non white men?
      Oprah is not a saint. But she worked her fingers to the bone from that Mississippi backwater to being a billionaire. And she uplifted others on the way there.
      So let’s talk about her leadership academy in South Africa and the over 400 Morehouse men she has seen through college.
      Those racist royal reporters and their inferiority complex will never accomplish a 100th of her accomplishments.

      • Saucy&Sassy says:

        Jenn, I was astonished that the BM would take this angle. The more I thought about it, I decided that they are making a huge mistake. And I have to laugh. Oprah wields incredible power, and she does it with integrity. She really has done so much good in the world. Now, think about someone going after her. I have no doubt that if they cross her line, she’ll come out the victor. Oprah always does her research and she always knows about the people she interviews. People listen to her. It won’t take very many pointed comments, backed up with facts, to have people outside of the UK taking a really hard look at the British Media. Are they prepared for that? No, because I doubt they believe it.

    • MashedPeas says:

      BBC Worldservice today had the most obnoxious royal “expert” I’ve ever heard. Jennie Bond. She’s just spitting that they have the NERVE to book an interview. “Why are they doing this? they complain about public pressure and then do interviews. They keep popping their head above the parapets… how much money do they need? The British public has become less and less interested in them since they left…”

      She really does wish the Sussexes were on a one-way trip to Mars

      • missskitttin says:

        why does she think this interview is for the British public???

      • Carrie says:

        The British public have become less and less interested. 😂😂😂😂😂 How does she explain the 19k+ comments the Daily Fail article re the pregnancy announcement received? They really are a carnival of clowns.

    • AlpineWitch says:

      Yep! She will take the high road but inner evil me would like to see her using the heck of those slanderous journalists.

  2. BlueSky says:

    They really can’t stand a black woman setting boundaries and not needing them for validation. Just admit you hate black women and be done. Oprah is literally a self made billionaire. They really are mad that they don’t have access anymore.

    • Wiglet Watcher says:

      This is the big part. Oprah is a self made billionaire. Which was not easy when she became one. Not even co soldering she’s a WOC that grew up in a time and area where she was not given equal opportunity to say the least. She crawled her way up and refused to be stopped. And good lord that woman survived a childhood sexual assault.

      So, they can come for her, but it won’t be good for them. Oprah also has many powerful friends that won’t take kindly to her being picked at by these racist no names.

  3. Lauren says:

    They sure are going to milk this for the rest of 2021 aren’t they? I’m already exhausted and the interview still hasn’t happened.

    • BayTampaBay says:

      Cannot predict for all British Media but The Daily Fail will keep this going as long as they can for the click$, view$ and post$ as the three most hated women by the haters of The Daily Fail commentariat are Meghan, Hillary Clinton and Oprah.

  4. Snuffles says:

    I will reiterate. Oprah does NOT do softball puff pieces! People come to Oprah because they are ready to open up and bare their souls.

    And keep trying to diminish Oprah at your own peril RRs. She is gonna come for your NECKS and it’s gonna be DELICIOUS (like a Clevr Blend Latte 😘 )

    • Cecilia says:

      I want her to do that. I want her to set these royal reporters straight on these twitter streets and call their lies out. Then again she’s too classy to do that, but if she would….

    • MF1 says:

      Yup, let them come for Oprah. She can handle them.

    • Becks1 says:

      LOL I dont know if I saw your comment or not because I just used the same phrase about their own peril, lol (like if it was in my head when I was talking.)

      Also, this criticism about Oprah just shows their racism again. They are furious that a successful black woman (Meghan) is going to talk to another successful black woman (Oprah). Their heads are exploding.

    • Merricat says:

      I love that idea. Imagine a puny “royal reporter” thinking he can look down on O.

    • Amy Too says:

      And coming for her because she started as a “tabloid” reporter who then LEFT tabloids and has become a highly respected and revered interviewer, entrepreneur, businesswoman, and cultural icon is ridiculous, especially considering that the people trying to attack her for getting a start in tabloids HAVE ALL BEEN AND ARE ALL CURRENTLY TABLOID REPORTERS/“royal reporters” who sell tabloid-like, unsourced, fictions, “I think…” stories TO TABLOIDS.

      • L4frimaire says:

        What tabloid did Oprah work for? She was a news anchor and reporter straight out of college. Her show was gold back in the day, even when she had crazies like the KKK on her show or tackled difficult subjects in the 80s like sexual abuse. Also, the fact that she has her flaws and has gotten her share of dragging. I think Oprah can handle a few bitter low rent royal reporters.

    • Emmy Rae says:

      There is a real assumption from these racists about what makes an interview good. Was Diane Sawyer’s interview of Britney Spears a good one? It certainly wasn’t softball (“Britney, is this lady right when she says she wants to kill you?”). Or Katie Couric interviewing Hillary Clinton (“Why do so many people hate you?”) or however she said it.

      Do you really get a better interview watching someone attack their subjects? Meghan’s not a politician so it’s not like you can ask about her vote on X or Y that harmed so and so…

  5. Fleur says:

    Hahaha it’s too funny to see their petty racists asses get this upset. They are paying her premium rent plus interest in the amount of energy and life they are using up hating Meghan and everything she touches. So glad she and Harry got the hell out of there and settled in sunny California.

  6. Tiff says:

    What in the entire world?!? Why are they acting like they have no idea who Oprah is!? A tabloid journalist?? 😐 They are acting like the Duke and Duchess are going on Maury to do an interview. I mean… I’m pretty sure the US will go to war for Oprah slander.

    • Becks1 says:

      Right?? Come for Oprah at your own peril RRs lol.

      They’re scared because this is going to be HUGE ratings-wise and its going to make the British press look really bad. If Harry and Meghan come for anyone, its going to be the press, and they know that.

      • ElleE says:

        @Becks01 I don’t know why I am taking these racist tropes personally bc I am not a WOC and I know that Oprah and MM do not need me to throw down for them but I am PISSED (not drunk, you wankers, lol).

        I don’t want to wait for the post-interview sh!t show of bitterness and hate. I want to stop this dead in its tracks. What can we do? Any ideas?????

      • BayTampaBay says:

        @ElleE – Buy a crate of Jiffy-Pop at Costco and two large bottles of Pepto-Bismol at CVS.

      • Becks1 says:

        @ElleE – I think its because its so blatant. They’re not trying to hide their racism. They’re belittling and diminishing the most successful Black woman in the US (and one of the most successful in the world, I’m assuming, there arent that many billionaires even now) and they’re trying to couch it under all these other terms – she’s just a tabloid reporter, she’s not that well-known in the UK, or whatever else – but she’s OPRAH and we all know it and the way to make the case that you’re not racist is not by attacking Oprah.

        I admit that I’m a white woman who is also taking this way too personally. DONT COME FOR OPRAH.

      • Dl says:

        @elle and @becks1. Sign me up. I too am white and done with these racist pos

    • Angie says:

      LMAO yes, we probably would go to war for Oprah. They need to sit down.

    • Nic919 says:

      I was shocked at how Palmolive was trying to Oprah is only a tabloid journalist. It just shows how insular those British gossip reporters really are. I’m canadian and Oprah was a staple for years when her show aired in syndication. While some of the early episodes might have had dumb topics, Oprah was always good with an interview. Did Palmolive not see the James Frey interview? She wasn’t messing around.

      While I don’t think that Oprah will attack Meghan in the interview, she is going to go for more than fluff. She just does it in a friendly way.

      Trying to demean and dismiss Oprah is just being racist and sexist. Oprah is on the level of David Frost when it comes to interviews. Plus this will be on 60 minutes, the top news program in the US for several decades.

      • Amy Too says:

        And why would Oprah attack Meghan or ask her the hard questions? The royal reporters are acting like MEGHAN is the one who has done horrible things and needs to answer for her crimes. Like MEGHAN is the one who needs to be interrogated about HER behavior and attitude. Yeah, no. They. Don’t. Get. It. They are making themselves look so tone deaf and idiotic and racist when they act like Meghan is only going to Oprah because Oprah won’t call Meghan out on her sh*t and will dance around Meghan’s bad behavior and decisions. Meghan has no sh*t to be called out on. She has not behaved badly. She has not made bad decisions. The “hard questions” will be “hard” for Meghan and Harry because they will have to decide how open and honest they want to be about the RF’s abusive and racist bad behavior, how much they want to expose the family, whether or not they want to name names and cite specific examples with receipts. No one, except the royal reporters, even thinks that Oprah is going to be coming at Meghan a little bit demanding that she “explain herself” for her outrageously bad behavior because she did nothing outrageous nor did she do anything wrong or bad.

        Stop telling on yourself, royal reporters!

      • Chelsea says:

        @AMY TOO- This is such a good point! Meghan hasn’t done anything to warrant a grilling. Did she make some missteps? A few but none were severe and none were things other royals havent done(ie taking private planes). The British press wanfs so bad to believe that the image of a difficult black woman who stole Harry and broke the Queen’s heart that they have been trying to portray is what everyone in the world sees but no one outside of the UK and some far right wingers in the US and Australia buy that BS.

        I think you’re also right that the hard questions will be soul searching questions that make them emotional. That’s literally one of Oprah’s signatures: her ability to make people cry and bear their souls. I think this interview be a good opportunity for Meghan to get back control of the narrative around her and away from the dehumanization she’s endured the last few years and will be a good opportunity for Harry to reiterate what his priorities are and why he actually chose to remove his family from this crappy situation.

  7. Sofia says:

    Come on. She’s one of the richest black woman in America (if not the world) and she didn’t get there by being a “tabloid reporter” – which she is not by the way. Celebrities clamour to get onto Oprah’s show for a reason.

    • BayTampaBay says:

      How can a journalist who works for The Daily Fail call Oprah a “tabloid” reporter using a derogatory tone?

      • Elizabeth says:

        Right, like the Daily Fail is so dignified and grand? Pleaseeeeee they cater to the lowest tastes.

  8. MaryContrary says:

    I’m also bemused/annoyed that there is a narrative that they somehow deserve “hard” questions. They’re not politicians, they’re not corporate execs who poisoned people’s drinking water, they’re not celebs who had a DUI or raped someone -why exactly do they need to be asked “tough” questions? Besides the “crime” of leaving the BRF, of course.

    • Amy Bee says:

      The funny thing is they don’t really want those tough questions asked because the Royal Family will get exposed.

      • Becks1 says:

        Right? there’s a certain irony to it. they’re complaining that she wont ask hard questions but….they dont want her to ask hard questions, because the hard questions will lead to things like “well William screamed at me once and used a racial slur and that’s when Harry said we were out.”

      • Nic919 says:

        Omg becks can you imagine if she did say that? It would be breaking news around the world.

    • My3cents says:

      Why don’t you petty dime journalists save your “hard” questions for Andrew and his enablers?
      And on another note, Oprah is one if the most recognized people in the world. I doubt anyone has heard of these petty journalists outside the UK. Or as Mariah would say “I don’t know them” .

    • MarcelMarcel says:

      That’s exactly what I was thinking! They aren’t even planning to spend a lifetime funded by tax payers and hoarding wealth like the rest of the BRF. (I suspect that security costs are astronomical so they might get help with that. I think they’re entitled to that given the BRF enabled the violent misogynoir towards Meghan. And by extension the public smearing of Archie).
      Anyhow, I agree that serious questions won’t lead to the answers Royal journalists desire ie. how did it feel… to find out your uncle is a pedo who was best friends with a known human trafficker? How did it feel when your in laws never publicly spoke up about the misogynoir you were forced to endure? Both publicly and privately?
      Harry, you witnessed your beloved wife and baby being subjected to a racist smear campaign. Did that change your perspective on the BRF and other British institutions?
      Anyhow, I’m not entitled to answers from them about their struggles.
      But I just find it infuriating how lost these Royal reporters are in their own privilege and racism.

    • molly says:

      YES! Thank you! Maybe this will be a “tough” interview, and maybe it’ll be a bunch of very happy people walking around a beautiful garden and beaming about their awesome Montecito lives.

      Meghan and Harry have done nothing wrong. They owe people nothing. No answers, no explanations, no promises. If they want to cry a little on Oprah and then go on to promote some charities and continue to be pretty and blessed, I’m here for it. I don’t expect much more.

      • MaryContrary says:

        Right? I expect that they’ll talk about toxic media without naming names, and promote all the great things they’re doing. We will not be hearing them slam anybody or give out any tidbits about either family. He’ll say his father and the Queen have been supportive, and he loves his brother. That will be it. She’ll say that it’s very sad that her father was manipulated by the toxic, negative machine-and that she loves her father even if she doesn’t get to see him right now because of covid.

      • MeToforever says:

        @MaryContrary, I don’t agree with this. Yes, they will be diplomatic because that’s who they are, especially Meghan, but they won’t lie especially after all that has gone down. Meghan’s relationship with her father is done, finito, and there’s nothing she can do to restore it w/o endangering her family because of who T. Markle is. I think they will briefly touch on their families, but focus on the press and how their experiences over the last few years has informed their current work with creating a healthier media. And of course they will speak to their hopes for the future personally and philanthropic wise.

  9. Amy Bee says:

    People forget that Oprah was the first person to interview Lance Armstrong after his doping scandal. That was one of the best interviews she’s ever done and Lance was her friend. The Royal reporters are upset that Meghan and Harry didn’t give one of them the interview and it’s clear that they don’t like black women.

    • Nic919 says:

      I forgot about that but you are right. I thought of the James Frey interview but in both cases Oprah was tough as nails.

    • Amy Too says:

      And about this whole “They’re only going to Oprah bc she’s such a close friend and will only ask what they want her to,” thing. How can they claim that Oprah is their BFF and they’re super close and yet also try to insinuate that neither of them had even met Oprah before their wedding and they only invited Oprah for the clout and Oprah only came for the clout and they’re all just using each other? And in the same article! “Oh they’re so close, she’ll never ask the tough questions because Meghan is her best friend! But also, we’d like to remind you all that they only met a couple of years ago and had no previous relationship and isn’t that suspicious? Doesn’t that make it seem like they’re just using each other? They’re not REALLY friends.”

    • HeatherC says:

      I remember that. I watched it and thought “Lance you’re in trouble now. OPRAH is disappointed in you. Forget USADA and WADA and your own foundation throwing you out. You disappointed OPRAH.”

      And no, I’m not being facetious or sarcastic. When Oprah expresses her disappointment in what you did, it is honestly that big a deal.

    • L4frimaire says:

      I think part of this will be straight up reporting and recap, or day in the life segments not just a sit down interview. I definitely think Oprah will ask some hard questions, about her relationship with her father, the way they dropped that exit statement ( which wasn’t great tbh), and if they are “cashing in” or were hypocrites with the private jets. Also, how will they move forward with their life/ career, and if family relationships can be repaired. However, I really want the tabloid press to be called out, the constant leaking, the racism, misogyny and xenophobia. Also why they saw Meghan as such a threat so quickly, instead of letting her settle in and breathe. I want the interview to give a big shoutout to those who did support them, props to her mom, the organizations they work with and support, and just some happiness as well.

      • Bex says:

        They dropped that statement because some palace flunky had already leaked it to the Sun TEN days prior. The fact people insist on being bothered at HOW they did instead of WHY they did what they did will never not get old.

        Dan Wootton bragged about how he sent Harry and Meghan an ultimatum about their plans to step down. Harry and Meghan tried to get ahead of the story when they were back in the UK, but The Sun chose to run the story.

        The tsblods then provided cover by running BS story after BS story about how the Queen was “blindsided” when she and Charles knew that Harry wanted to step down AND had asked them to put their plans in writing.

        Those plans ended up on Dan Wootton’s, from the Sun, desks.

        Now, pray tell, exactly how could Harry and Meghan “go about it” when KP staff was not only leaking information to the press, but ALSO briefing against them???

      • Nyro says:

        They did what they had to do with the exit statement. They respectfully went through the chain of command where they were rebuffed and kept from speaking seriously to the queen. When they were finally able to communicate, they were sold out by the palace, their plans leaked to The Sun. Nope, they did nothing wrong. They were betrayed and did what they needed to in order to have some control over their situation. Let’s not rewrite history here.

  10. Willow says:

    It just eats away at them that they have no control over Meghan any more and I love it.

  11. MsIam says:

    Every last one of them wishes they could be Oprah. Instead, they’ll be nobody gossip columnists from nowhere forever. Next!

  12. Cecilia says:

    I agree with everything you’ve said but at the same time i think Meghan, Harry and Oprah are sitting down right now and are discussing the contents of the interview in great detail. I don’t think oprah will surprise meghan with any questions she doesn’t want to answer. I also think that they are sitting down so that they will have receipts and proof for everything that comes out of Meghans mouth. They are both smart women and i have complete faith that the British Media and the RF will come out looking like the bunch of clowns they are after this.

    • Becks1 says:

      I think once the interview is over (and it may take place over a few days) Oprah is going to go and back up everything Meghan says. So if Meghan mentions being torn apart in headlines, Oprah is going show everyone exactly what headlines Meghan means. If Meghan mentions Archie being attacked shortly after his birth, Oprah is going to show that picture with the chimp. Oprah is Oprah and she and Meghan both know what the stakes are for this. there will be sources and receipts like you said.

      • Snuffles says:

        Exactly! Oprah will do the interview and the producers will pull out the receipts.

      • Cecilia says:

        I am 100% sure Oprah got our girl covered. She’s had a front row seat to the bullshit Meghan’s been through.

      • L4frimaire says:

        Both Oprah and Meghan will do their homework and be well prepared. They know they need the receipts and lawyers ready. I think everyone will be more lenient with Harry but he can’t show too much of his temper, and please address those miserable hostage comments.

  13. SarahCS says:

    Ok firstly it’s a bit rich for Eamonn Holmes to be critiquing interviewer calibre, OF ANYONE. He’s been floating around on British tv forever but I can’t think of anything of note in his career. Secondly, since when can’t people who know each other already sit down for an interview? Particularly when one of them is world famous for the interviews she has carried out during her career??

    Ok, rage is fading which just annoys me even more as this is the whole point of him saying all this nasty nonsense, to appeal to the rabid racists and make lots of other people get angry with him. Ugh he’s trolling us.

  14. S808 says:

    Oh they know! They sound bitter imo. They’d all chew their right leg for this interview.

  15. Nina Simone says:

    They are so bad at their jobs and are panicking because they will soon be obsolete. Oprah doesn’t rely on shocking and racist tweets to maintain relevance. She has her own MEDIA company at her disposal. These RF reporters can only wish! Lol what a joke.

  16. HeatherC says:

    Probably won’t be softball. Will have a lot of discussion on Archewell, especially its launch and direction, what they want to do with their Netflix and Spotify deals. May touch on family relations, especially her white trash relatives.

    But why do they think the Sussexes should have a “hardball” interview like Lance Armstrong got? No one except the “carnival of so called experts” and foaming at the mouth rabid meghan haters really think the Sussexes need to be put on the spot for anything!

    “Tell me, Meghan and Harry, what made you think that leaving the royal family, and leaving your elderly grandparents and your elderly father and your future king brother was a good idea? You need to justify why you just couldn’t ignore the racist sexist xenophobic comments and death threats and let yourselves be subservient to everyone from the queen to Piers Morgan? Meghan why didn’t you call Piers back? And Harry, you know you and Angela Levin have a special, deep connection.” Nope none of that bullshit.

    They’re all frothing at the mouth over no known reason. It’s a joy to watch and I hope Oprah herself casts some deep shade toward the RRs in this interview.

    • Nic919 says:

      Oprah doesn’t think it’s a crime to be a woman of colour and have ambition so they already know that she won’t be attacking Meghan for simply existing.

      • HeatherC says:

        Much to the RR’s disappointment. They really want someone to attack them like I did in my fake interview. But no one reputable will because it’s all freaking racist nonsense.

  17. Yoyo says:

    It is just sour grapes from the British Media, because they know that Harry or Meghan will not give them the time of day.
    How do they know how many times Meghan and Oprah met? It’s a fact that Doria and Oprah are acquaintances/friends, they go to the same church.
    Oprah and Tyler Perry are friends, no one knew that TP knew Meghan, but his plane flew then from Canada to California, just like no one knew Harry was friends with David Forester

  18. Amelie says:

    Oprah isn’t perfect obviously (she introduced the world to Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz among others) and I think the early years of her show were more tabloid-y in nature if I recall? But she is a self-made woman, she has this magnetic/hypnotic quality about her, and she was an influencer before influencers were a thing with all the products she shilled on her show, her book club, her Favorite Things episodes.

    Did Oprah’s show ever air in the UK? I feel like the British media doesn’t understand how many people watched her daily show for 30ish years (?) and how so many people considered her like a friend they saw every day in their homes. They don’t seem to grasp that Oprah has this untouchable mystique and exists on another plane of existence altogether.

    • Becks1 says:

      Good point – I remember people saying a few months ago that Oprah wasnt the big star in the UK that she is in the US, but if that’s true, then the UK journalists need to understand how big she is here. Something about her always reminded me of a cross between my mom and my best friend – that was the vibe she gave off I think. Yes in the beginning I think she was more tabloid-y but she shifted over the years to more of a celebrity talk show, and I cant think of a comparable one today. Also in my city, she aired at 4 pm, so you could watch after school, catch the end of it before the news, etc. She was just a staple of many lives.

      Part of her appeal, IMO, is that she admits her mistakes and her struggles, she doesnt try to be perfect, and as a result we can relate to her more.

      I dont know. She’s just OPRAH here and still, without her talk show, she’s probably one of the biggest female celebrities in the country. I cant think of who else would come close. Beyonce maybe? Michelle Obama? Like I’m trying to think of someone else who would say “you should buy this” and its sold out within minutes, who would also be taken seriously as a medial mogul and CEO, and who appeals to a really diverse group of people, in terms of race and economics.

    • Bren says:

      I grew up watching Oprah. Before she went national I remember on days off from school I’d watch her on People are Talking and after school, she would host Dialing for Dollars on WJZ in Baltimore. Good lord, I’m getting old.

    • Lizzie says:

      In 25 seasons I’m sure there were a few tabloid topics but the vast majority were about spiritual life, amazing people, the first on air book club, charity and paying forward, feeding your soul and so much more.
      She is also an actress and a producer, has her own television network, Harpo Productions and Harpo Films, Oprah’s Angel Network and so much more.

    • molly says:

      The UK press knows exactly who Oprah is and her level of influence and popularity. Maybe they didn’t in the 80s, but they sure as hell do know.

    • MsIam says:

      They know who Oprah is and exactly how big she is. When Oprah came to the wedding there was all of this talk about why was she there and how did Meghan know someone like Oprah. Plus Harry was doing that mental health special with Oprah and the British press made a big deal about that. They are just trying to diminish her, they knew who she was from her interview with Fergie and also she met with Diana as well. The British tabloid writers are a special breed of nasty in my opinion and they are making fools of themselves trying not to be impressed by anyone who isn’t royal or has a title.

    • Amy Too says:

      And the magazines. And the entire frickin Oprah TV network. The book club. She was/is everywhere. She is huge. She is amazingly successful and well respected. And self made. And she seems like a good person. I don’t think anyone really doubts Oprah’s intentions or thinks she’s shady or anything like that. Even the racists and uber-conservatives who don’t like any black women having any sort of financial or professional success seem to at least begrudgingly respect her and her empire. No one is out here trying to take Oprah down as some kind of conwoman who doesn’t deserve what she has. Even the racist white women watched her show and bought her magazine and read the books she recommended.

      • Becks1 says:

        That’s what I think is scaring them about Oprah – white women follow her and listen to her and will watch this interview and listen to her questions. I dont mean that in a “Meghan needs white women” kind of way so I’m trying to be careful with how I word this but – Black women understand what Meghan has gone through. White women dont. But white women will be more sympathetic if Oprah holds their hand and guides them through it. I think there will be a lot of minivan mom types or Emily Giffin types who will watch this and walk away having a lot more sympathy for Meghan. And that’s part of why the rota is freaking out.

    • February-Pisces says:

      To answer your question about Oprah’s show airing in the uk. I’m not sure if it did or not, but if it did it wasn’t predominant viewing here. In the UK we know Oprah is a big deal in America but I think most brits really don’t know why. She’s still a big name, but she’s not really seen over here so brits have never really had a chance to bond with her or understand why she’s such a big deal.

      Oprah is and incredible success story and an inspiration to many. The respect she gets is well earned, plus the British media and ratchet rota need to understand that NO ONE TRASHES OPRAH. EVER!!! Dissing her in America I imagine must be considered blasphemous. The ratchet rota need to understand that can not compare or compete with such a power house.

      • Carrie says:

        Oprah was on every weekday at midday in Australia for years. So yeah, very well known here as an American icon.

  19. Gillysirl says:

    I saw a similar comment over at the Daily Beast by Tom Sykes. He called Oprah a “talk show host”. I almost spit out my coffee. So misogynistic and racist. That type of minimalizing description is offensive to WOC and women in general. I subscribed to them last spring to “support journalism” – that’s not happening again. And I let them know why I’m not re-upping my subscription.

  20. Sadiebelle says:

    I think the tabloids are just angry that a. Meghan is speaking to anyone b. that she’s speaking to an American. When there were rumours that the couple were going to speak to Ellen, people got pretty nutty. It is funny to watch. Piers Morgan might stroke out.

  21. Oh-Dear says:

    I hope Oprah begins the interview with a nod to her professional relationship with Harry, if I am not mistaken he had met her before the wedding?

  22. sandy says:

    truly how deranged do you need to be to speak this way about one of the most successful self-made women in HISTORY

    • Dee Kay says:

      This whole dust-up between the UK and Meghan is really between the Old Way and the New Way. The Old Way (imperialism) reigned supreme for a long long time but is almost done — that way was, you had to be born (or, if you were super lucky, marry into) a family with inherited wealth and the “right” genealogy and if you weren’t or didn’t, you were nothing. The New Way is (market capitalism) has been here for a long time too but is still on the ascent — that way says, you can come from nowhere and nothing and get somewhere on your talent and hard work. I hate capitalism as much as anyone (no social safety net, very little outside of money-making work has any value to most ppl), but I hate imperialism more. Oprah and Meghan are massive success stories in the New Way and they are showing how much they don’t need the Old Way, in fact, they turn their noses up at the Old Way. Which they should, because the Old Way hates and despises them for being Black and for not “knowing their place” (only the Old Way thinks Black women have a “place” in society they need to stick to!).

    • Truthiness says:

      Oprah is American royalty and unlike British royalty she earned every cent of her wealth. Oprah had to craft her own bootstraps just to pull herself up by them. It says everything about Palmer for him to be so racist, toxic, and morally reprehensible.

  23. lanne says:

    These brits keep showing their asses to the world. Between this and Brexit, I’m truly embarrassed for the Celebitches from the UK (I say that with abject humility, as an American I have been embarrassed and disgusted with how the US was farting its stank all over the world in the form of the Trump administration). Regarding the Sussexes and their access to them, the British media is on the titanic, speeding toward the iceberg. Then right as it hits, they decide to set the ship on fire, cross their arms and pout, then whine as the ship sinks beneath them.

    • Lizzie Bathory says:

      “farting its stank all over the world.” I’m dying. As an American, that is a hilarious & perfect way to describe how it has felt.

    • Nyro says:

      There’s a reason so many of their stars leave and come to America. And it’s not just because LA is the epicenter of the industry. They more successful they become, the more their press hounds them and taunts them. They were absolutely awful to Kate Winslet when she won her Oscar. They have an inferiority complex about American culture so they feel abandoned when a Brit celebrity does well over here.

  24. Flying Fish says:

    Kaiser, the BM have no respect for people of color, period.

  25. Abbess Tansy says:

    As a black American woman this just makes me tired. We just get no respect. Like we aren’t even human. F**k all these media people.

  26. aquarius64 says:

    Oprah has her OWN network and magazine. The BM and Rotten Rota are contract workers that live (big) paycheck to paycheck. Oprah can buy and sell these clowns. Scammy can go somewhere because she and Bad Dad would not survive the interview. Oprah will bring receipts on the Markle Monsters.

  27. Edna says:

    Guess the BM forgot about these interviews?

    Oprah has done two interviews with Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York:
    https://youtu.be/87zagGHGSFs and https://youtu.be/HeRwoHh_lYk

    She also interviewed Lord Spencer: https://youtu.be/TOt0Hs6k1Vs

  28. Shoo fly says:

    Part of Palmer’s tirades is “both sides-ing” American journalism and English journalism. He cherry picks American scandals and compares them to the criticism of English tabloid culture to say “everyone does it so when we do it it is ok.” There’s absolutely no comparison, not least because until extremely recently, our “tabloids” – which essentially consisted of the Boston herald, philadelphia daily news, and New York post/daily news, were competitors of each other. They delighted in destroying each other and their misfortunes. The English tabloids are now all right wing and do not compete with each other at all. The English tabloids don’t reflect the national mood, they create it and then anoint themselves as the voice of it. Oprah’s show was always designed to be a counterpoint to Donahue – Phil Donahue’s show, which was very tabloid and scandal based. Would he consider Ellen a tabloid show?

    Palmer’s rhetoric is particularly insidious and I urge anyone who thinks it is all the same to read about The Sun and Hillsborough or Flat Earth News, etc.

  29. Shoo fly says:

    Also: Palmer just got that from her Wikipedia page. He is the epitome of little Britain and probably truly knows nothing about Oprah other than she was on TV – and he expects her to be like English television. presenters, which is to say utterly rapid uneducated vapid partisans. He no doubt deeply resents her success. The truth is that there would never, ever be an opportunity for someone like Oprah Winfrey to have the same career in English. The English class system would never allow it.

  30. Jaded says:

    That lot of wankers are running scared. What do people who are running scared do? They come out swinging first. Oprah will eat them up and spit them out for breakfast and I think Meghan is ready to sh*t all over the media and spill some tea. I think she’ll stay away from much about the BRF and be as diplomatic as possible if Oprah asks some probing questions, but it’s pretty much gloves off for the rest.

  31. L4frimaire says:

    Let them keep underestimating Oprah. She’ll cut them off at the knees. She is, and always has been, an excellent interviewer. She started out as a journalist. Yeah. She can be messy and has her own controversies because rich people move in a different circle, but she can also relate to being the only one in the room. There is no one else out there I could think can do an interview like this, because there aren’t too many people like this left. There’s talented people out there, especially in political news coverage, but they don’t have the chops for this. Watch 60 minutes, or 20/20 or CNN. Look at Leslie Stahl’s not so great interview with Nancy Pelosi after the Capitol insurrection. Even if it’s all fluff, she will tease out information we wouldn’t have been privy to. The UK press is both resentful and bitter, and know they will forever be getting Sussex news second hand. I do think it will cover a whole lot more than the royal family, hope it really drags the UK press, and I want especially to know what she was going through while pregnant with Archie, during the worst of the frenzy and how she coped. Also, ask Harry why they have this ownership of him and want him be a party prince and 3rd wheel forever. Should be interesting but it seems like it may be too long at 90 minutes.

    • Becks1 says:

      You raise good points, especially your comment about Oprah relating to being the only one in the room. Oprah knows about being the rich black woman in places that used to be for only rich white people. She’s going to know exactly how Meghan felt when she went to her first family luncheon at Buckingham Palace, even before racist Princess Michael rolled up with her racist brooch. She’s going to come at this interview from a different angle than a white reporter ever could and its one of the reasons this interview had to be with Oprah.

  32. Jezebel's Lacefront says:

    They keep Piers Morgan employed and they dare slander Oprah? Complete jokes.

  33. Julia K says:

    I keep reading that Meghan invited Oprah to the wedding without having actually met her. The invite did not come from Meghan. She was on Harry’s guest list. Cannot recall where I heard this but it seems plausible.

  34. Kfg says:

    How much you want to bet that can’t and won’t will try to do an interview the same night or following day?

  35. MA says:

    Yeah unlike those other hard hitting interviews of the royals that the British media are known for 🙄.

  36. RoyalBlue says:

    I do not understand why those British reporters are so bitter about everything. Even investigating how long she knew Oprah. Why is that important. They are lunatics. Why does she live rent free in their heads.

  37. chitowngal says:

    Oprah absolutely did have tabloid tendencies, so did pretty much every other daytime talk show host in the 80s and early 90s. The only exception I can think of was Phil Donahue. Guess what, once she got syndicated and was able to produce and distribute, she had the clout do better programming and did. This will be a predominantly softball interview with one or maybe 2 probing questions, max. Still gonna’ watch it and so will millions of others. I think if it’s Oprah, Meghan and Harry discussing race, discrimination, economic justice, etc., it will be interesting and hopefully, there will be a watershed moment. From what I’ve read though, it’s going to be Oprah and Meghan one-on-one, with Harry joining in later. I think the order should be reversed, with all of them starting off the interview together and then end with Oprah and Meghan’s thoughts on how racism, privacy rights, class, etc., have affected them. Harry and Meghan are great together, but right now, he’s the bigger ‘draw’, so he’ll bring more eyeballs to the beginning of the interview. Smart play on their part. The more people get to know Meghan, the more she becomes ‘Princess Meghan’ and ‘Princess by Marriage’.

  38. Over it says:

    I believe that Miss Doria as an incredible person, woman of color has endeared her to Ophrah forever. Doria watched what her only daughter went through as a newly wed then as a pregnant woman with her first child and then after giving birth and she could do nothing publicly to support her except be there for her as much as she could. I think Oprah saw her friend Doria suffering because of her daughter’s pain, because yes I believe Doria and Oprah are friends. I think Oprah probably witnessed a few tears from Doria and Oprah had enough. She wants justice for Doria suffering, she wants Megs to have the right to speak her truth in her own words. She wants Harry to use his voice without restriction. Because if there is one thing Oprah understand more than most is the inability to be able to defend yourself and not having someone there to stand up for you. So ophrah will listen and give them that chance and since I heard Gayle say on cbs that nothing is off limits, I say get it all out of your system. If the British media is mad , tooF——ing bad . Guess you should’ve rethought your racist attacks on the Black woman and her son. If the palaces are scared,should have done right and better by Harry and his wife and child the way they constantly protect William and his. Use your voice Harry and Meghan, you have been silenced for far too long

  39. R says:

    Joke’s on them while she sits on her chaise in her garden at the estate/villa/ranch/penthouse all of which she owns living her best life in the pandemic with all her books and puppies giving zero f**** what these tired old white dudes nobody cares about tweet. Go on, Oprah! All us ladies grew up watching you are always got your back.

  40. Chelsea says:

    Tbe royal reporters and The Firm need to stay congnisant of the fact that this interview hasnt taken place yet. If they continue on in this manner all they’re going to do is ensure that the media’s terrible behavior does in fact feature in this interview. They should watch themselves.

  41. Gunna says:

    Integrity? Good in the world?

    She was the first major name to give a platform to anti-vaxxers. That alone wipes out any good she did, before you even get to the decades she spent promoting dangerous diets, snake oil health products, grifters who prey on the vulnerable and exploiting damaged people for segments that would fit perfectly in Jerry Springer.