Popular talk show host Oprah Winfrey has often been controversial about her many statements and reactions in many interviews with various celebrities. Be it the manic episode with Tom Cruise in 2005 or even the most recently infamous interview with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, Winfrey has landed in some hot waters with those aforementioned celebrities for their questionable statements and behavior.
One of her most talked about interviews was with comedian Dave Chappelle. While Chappelle laid out his struggles and the cynical nature of the industry, Winfrey’s reaction caused a stir, and audiences were certainly not happy with her tone-deaf attitude.
Oprah Winfrey’s Response To Dave Chappelle’s Story Did Not Sit Well With Fans
Dave Chappelle was a guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2006. There, he laid down the struggles of being in the industry and how people try to bring you down when one becomes successful. He exposed the cynical nature of the industry and the evil acts that the people in power try to inflict on people who try to expose the real ugly side of the industry.
Taking examples of Mariah Carey and Martin Lawrence he said,
“I felt in a lot of instances I was deliberately being put through stress because when you’re a guy who generates money, people have a vested interest in controlling you. “I’ve heard the stories before. Well look at Mariah Carey who made $100 million deal, and then all of a sudden she’s mysteriously crazy.
Or Martin Lawrence who’s waving his gun in the streets and is saying, they’re trying to kill me. It always happens during the part of their careers when it seems like they’re crossing to the next plateau.”
Winfrey’s tone-deaf response was what set audiences off. She did not try to acknowledge the claims made by Chappelle and simply asked him “Would you say you lost your mind sort of ?”. This was extremely humiliating for Chappelle who had to deny being crazy.
Winfrey just brushed away everything that he said and asked an irrelevant question. Many will agree that this interview didn’t age well with fans.
Oprah Winfrey Defends Criticism Against Her People’s Fund of Maui Initiative
Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne Johnson started a relief fund this year in August for the people who had been affected by the wildfires in Maui. But the initiative received significant criticism with many people criticizing the celebrities for not providing more and for asking the general public for money when they can barely make ends meet.
Winfrey addressed the criticism and defended her stance of trying to raise money from the general public. While acknowledging that the attacks were baseless, a bunch of lies and conspiracy theories, she told CBS Mornings,
“I was so excited and I got up the next morning and I saw all of this vitriol and I was like, ‘Whoa, what happened here?’ What if I didn’t really know who I am… that I am the master of my own faith and the captain of my soul — it will take you out,” Winfrey continued in the Tuesday episode, referring to the backlash as “attacks, lies and conspiracy theories.”
The initiative did not sit right with audiences and the general public because celebrities (billionaires) like them were asking them to contribute their hard-earned money. Although an admirable and selfless act to help people affected by the tragedy, the initiative soon backfired on them and both faced immense scrutiny.
