Anonymous wrote:I figure Oprah is lying because it was really self-serving for her to bring up what happened, and it seems like some of her details are wrong in such a way to help justify her belief that she was treated poorly because of her race. Seems like a drama queen mad because she felt she didn't get good enough service.

I don't see how this is self serving. She was asked a specific question and she answered it by leaving out identifiable details. You obviously ignored the interview and is simply responding to make a post; thereby ignoring facts over your assumptions.

Anonymous wrote:I don't think ANYONE should be purchasing a handbag for $38K, what a ridiculous waste of money.

None of your damn business what people do with THEIR money.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The sales clerk is lying. the Swiss are incredibly racist, esp against russians, gypsies, Arabs and blacks. I know bc I am from a neighboring country and it is the same there. And don't get me started on what the EU countries think about one another, it's terrible. sure, an interracial couple won't get too many stares and it is more accepted in Western Europe than in the US. However, it is very ironic that when doing business they are incredibly backwards in how they think.

Didn't this happen to Oprah and Gail at Hermes in Paris a few years ago? I am incredibly surprised that there are people who don't recognize Oprah! Even other customers didnt recognize her?

Oprah SAID it did. What she means is, I didn't get the celeb treatment I'm used to and was treated like everyone else.

It's not because she was treated like a black person, it was that she was treated like a NORMAL person and BIG BAD OPRAH doesn't like being treated normal.

I dont get this celebrity hook many of you posters are talking about. If you work in a store and a customer ask to see a certain item, you show it to the person, celebrity or not. At what point is it okay for you, Oprah, Angelina or me to be told "I think you might like this one better. This one cost too much. I think this is more in your price range." That is basically what shopgirl implied. Frankly, I too would be offended if a total stanger is trying to tell me what I can and cannot afford based on ten-second interaction.

I don't think ANYONE should be purchasing a handbag for $38K, what a ridiculous waste of money.

I figure Oprah is lying because it was really self-serving for her to bring up what happened, and it seems like some of her details are wrong in such a way to help justify her belief that she was treated poorly because of her race. Seems like a drama queen mad because she felt she didn't get good enough service.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oprah was pissed that she wasn't recognized. She is used to celebrity treatment. I am sure the shop keeper would steer me towards cheaper bags as well. It is not racist it is classist, folks. She did not look like she had the money. I recently went into Jimmy Choo's in Chevy Chase and the staff ignored. I own several pairs of Choo shoes. This is just a case a low SES thinking a high SES person looks a certain way.

I always think it is because I am overweight.

I'm AA and I believe the whole thing was classist too. If the shopgirl had a clue as to who she was, no way would she have not shown her that bag. I think the store was embarrassed because the shopgirl did not recognize Oprah. Surely she must know not everyone in the world recognizes her. It must have really burned her biscuits that not only did someone not recognize her, they told she couldnt afford something......

It is only classist because shopgirl assumed a Black person could not afford the more expensive bag. I doubt she talks her white potential customers into cheaper bags, regardless of their networth.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone automatically assumes that the shop girl is lying because Oprah is black. I've watched her "making the show" on OWN and I noticed that Oprah has a tendency to be a huge diva and stretch things and this is with great editing.

Yes! I agree with this. First - I'm so sick of Oprah making these "woe is me" statements. She's a complete bitch with katrillions of dollars that demands everyone cater to her. And really, whether the salesgirl suggested another bag or a cheaper bag, why does Oprah have to make it such a big PR issue. In her "down time" she dresses awful. Like a bum. So honestly, it probably wasn't even related to race at all - but more "you look like shit wearing your baggy sweats - let me show you something cheaper" and Oprah - who is trying like hell to be relevant again - starts pulling out the race card. Ridiculous.

Where did u read that Oprah made a big deal out of it?
I don't know if Oprah is a huge Beyotch or not...
But last I saw the only people talking about this incident were:

1) the shopkeeper
2) the salesgirl
3)various media outlets
4) heffas on blogs and message boards like DCUM

Did Oprah hold a press conference and I missed it?

everyone you listed (#1-4) are RESPONDING to Oprah's announcement of this happening. She's the one that talked about it to the media outlet. You think the shopkeeper nad salesgirl would come up with these statements if Oprah hadn't said anything?

Ugh....I am not some Big Oprah-ite but let's get the facts straight
She did not make an announcement, this is what happened (this from the New York Times)

During an interview with “Entertainment Tonight” this week that included a discussion about how she had experienced racism in her life, some of it subtle, sometimes more overt, she said she tried several times to see the bag.

“No, it’s too expensive,” Ms. Winfrey said the shopkeeper told her.

“One more time, I tried,” Ms. Winfrey said. “I said, ‘But I really do just want to see that one,’ and she said, ‘Oh, I don’t want to hurt your feelings,’ and I said: ‘O.K., thank you so much. You’re probably right, I can’t afford it.’ And I walked out of the store,” Oprah recounted. “Now why did she do that?”

“It still exists,” said Nancy O’Dell, the interviewer, speaking about racism.

“Of course it does,” Ms. Winfrey replied.

She did not mention the name of the store in that interview, but the story has attracted international media coverage that has broadened discussion of the event to overall problems with racism in Switzerland. It also has prompted Swiss tourism officials to apologize.

The Swiss-German language newspaper Blick did a video interview with Trudie Goetz, the owner of the store, which was called Trois Pommes and is on Zurich’s exclusive shopping street Bahnhofstrasse. Reuters reported that it also interviewed the owner on Friday.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She should have said, "Do you know who I am? I am Oprah Winfrey. I am a billionaire. I can buy this entire store out."

I'm not a Oprah fan, but I have respect for her because she DIDN'T pull the "don't you know who I am" schtick.

No she just called the poor woman out in front of everyone in the world.

Much respect for that.

Oprah didn't mention the store. Once she mentioned the situation in the interview other people (who apparently had way too much time on their hands) did some research and outed the store. Granted- I'm sure she knew that would happen, but it's different than O saying, "Susie, who works in the bag store, is a racist."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone automatically assumes that the shop girl is lying because Oprah is black. I've watched her "making the show" on OWN and I noticed that Oprah has a tendency to be a huge diva and stretch things and this is with great editing.

Yes! I agree with this. First - I'm so sick of Oprah making these "woe is me" statements. She's a complete bitch with katrillions of dollars that demands everyone cater to her. And really, whether the salesgirl suggested another bag or a cheaper bag, why does Oprah have to make it such a big PR issue. In her "down time" she dresses awful. Like a bum. So honestly, it probably wasn't even related to race at all - but more "you look like shit wearing your baggy sweats - let me show you something cheaper" and Oprah - who is trying like hell to be relevant again - starts pulling out the race card. Ridiculous.

I assume you feel the same way about Donald Trump.

I was thinking the very same thing!!!!

Yes, your assumption is right! I do feel the same way about Trump. And if he went around whining because someone didn't bow down to him and called it ageism I'd say the same thing.

What do you mean 'if'? He goes around whining every day. Are you serious? He's a bigger cry baby than Oprah!!

Anonymous wrote:The sales clerk is lying. the Swiss are incredibly racist, esp against russians, gypsies, Arabs and blacks. I know bc I am from a neighboring country and it is the same there. And don't get me started on what the EU countries think about one another, it's terrible. sure, an interracial couple won't get too many stares and it is more accepted in Western Europe than in the US. However, it is very ironic that when doing business they are incredibly backwards in how they think.

Didn't this happen to Oprah and Gail at Hermes in Paris a few years ago? I am incredibly surprised that there are people who don't recognize Oprah! Even other customers didnt recognize her?

Reminds me of this map:

http://alphadesigner.com/art-store/europe-according-to-switzerland-print/

Check out the others on this site too- all are hilarious!

Anonymous wrote:Oprah can come wash my floors.

And I'm sure she says you can kiss her ass.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She should have said, "Do you know who I am? I am Oprah Winfrey. I am a billionaire. I can buy this entire store out."

I'm not a Oprah fan, but I have respect for her because she DIDN'T pull the "don't you know who I am" schtick.

No, instead she decided to announce it to everyone else!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone automatically assumes that the shop girl is lying because Oprah is black. I've watched her "making the show" on OWN and I noticed that Oprah has a tendency to be a huge diva and stretch things and this is with great editing.

Yes! I agree with this. First - I'm so sick of Oprah making these "woe is me" statements. She's a complete bitch with katrillions of dollars that demands everyone cater to her. And really, whether the salesgirl suggested another bag or a cheaper bag, why does Oprah have to make it such a big PR issue. In her "down time" she dresses awful. Like a bum. So honestly, it probably wasn't even related to race at all - but more "you look like shit wearing your baggy sweats - let me show you something cheaper" and Oprah - who is trying like hell to be relevant again - starts pulling out the race card. Ridiculous.

Where did u read that Oprah made a big deal out of it?
I don't know if Oprah is a huge Beyotch or not...
But last I saw the only people talking about this incident were:

1) the shopkeeper
2) the salesgirl
3)various media outlets
4) heffas on blogs and message boards like DCUM

Did Oprah hold a press conference and I missed it?

everyone you listed (#1-4) are RESPONDING to Oprah's announcement of this happening. She's the one that talked about it to the media outlet. You think the shopkeeper nad salesgirl would come up with these statements if Oprah hadn't said anything?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone automatically assumes that the shop girl is lying because Oprah is black. I've watched her "making the show" on OWN and I noticed that Oprah has a tendency to be a huge diva and stretch things and this is with great editing.

Yes! I agree with this. First - I'm so sick of Oprah making these "woe is me" statements. She's a complete bitch with katrillions of dollars that demands everyone cater to her. And really, whether the salesgirl suggested another bag or a cheaper bag, why does Oprah have to make it such a big PR issue. In her "down time" she dresses awful. Like a bum. So honestly, it probably wasn't even related to race at all - but more "you look like shit wearing your baggy sweats - let me show you something cheaper" and Oprah - who is trying like hell to be relevant again - starts pulling out the race card. Ridiculous.

I assume you feel the same way about Donald Trump.

I was thinking the very same thing!!!!

Yes, your assumption is right! I do feel the same way about Trump. And if he went around whining because someone didn't bow down to him and called it ageism I'd say the same thing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oprah was pissed that she wasn't recognized. She is used to celebrity treatment. I am sure the shop keeper would steer me towards cheaper bags as well. It is not racist it is classist, folks. She did not look like she had the money. I recently went into Jimmy Choo's in Chevy Chase and the staff ignored. I own several pairs of Choo shoes. This is just a case a low SES thinking a high SES person looks a certain way.

I always think it is because I am overweight.

How can you wear Jimmy Choo's? All that weight? Those shoes are really designed for people who are of a certain size. I say that as someone who wears a Size 10 and find those shoes very uncomfortable; precisely because I'm not wispy like SJP.

Little secret. Even wispy SJP is uncomfortable in those Choos. And Vera Wang? Vera Wang hates feet.

PP is SJP. Can confirm.