Oprah Winfrey is quite possibly the most powerful woman in the western world, makes more money in the blink of an eye than most people do in an entire year, and is single-handedly responsible for getting bored housewives all over the country to read Middlesex. But when she tried to buy a purse during a trip to Sweden, a clerk told her that she couldn’t afford it. Oprah. Really. Via ET Online …
While Winfrey may be one of the most recognizable faces on the planet, she apparently doesn’t have as big a fan base in Switzerland. Winfrey tells O’Dell that while in Zurich for Tina Turner’s wedding she left the hotel to go shopping by herself and was denied service when the clerk assumed that Winfrey wouldn’t be able to afford the bag she was asking to see. Winfrey ultimately left the store without making a fuss, deciding it was better to leave empty-handed than give the employee commission. When asked if she has ever been called the N-word, Winfrey explained that, for her, sexism seems to be the bigger issue.”The sexism thing is huge,” said Winfrey. “The higher the ladder you climb it gets huge, because men are used to running things.”
I appreciate that Oprah took one look at her, said “You’re not even worth my time,” and left the a-hole high and dry. I also appreciate that she’s speaking out against both racism and sexism, since they’re both still major issues and as a black woman who has become so successful, she’s had to deal with both of them and rise above it. Say what you want about Oprah, but she looked a lot of stupid in the face and overcame it all. She is LEGENDARY.