Oprah Winfrey: Swiss store employee denied me service because I'm black

http://news.ca.msn.com/top-stories/...e-employee-denied-me-service-because-im-black



Oprah Winfrey was just named as one of the 2013 recipients of the President's Medal of Freedom. She has countless awards and is one of the world's richest women. And she's co-starring in "Lee Daniels' The Butler," a film that opens up next week. But while in Switzerland last month for Tina Turner's wedding celebration, she says she was denied service at a handbag shop, with a shop assistant telling her the bags were "too expensive" for her.

As Winfrey told Entertainment Tonight on Monday, "I was in Zurich the other day, at a store whose name I will not mention. I didn't have my eyelashes on, but I was in full Oprah Winfrey gear. I had my little Donna Karan skirt and my little sandals on. But obviously 'The Oprah Winfrey Show' is not shown in Zurich.”

She explained further that she had gone into the shop, asked to see a particular bag, and was denied by the shop assistant. When she pressed, the assistant told her "you want to see this one because that one will cost too much. You will not be able to afford that."

The bag, reported the International Business Times, cost $38,000; the store was called Trois Pommes. She left the store without making a purchase.

Winfrey insists the denial came from racism. "There's two different ways to handle it. I could've had the whole blow-up thing and thrown down the (American Express) black card, and all that stuff but why do that? But (racism) still exists, of course it does."

Blick newspaper said that the owner of the boutique has since apologized for the incident, saying it was a "misunderstanding." E! News also reports that the Swiss tourism office tweeted at Oprah, saying, "We are fuming — this person acted terribly wrong. We are sorry this happend to @oprah."

This is not the first time Winfrey has been shut out by a store; in 2005 she visited a Hermes shop in Paris and was denied entry. Whether it had to do with her race or the fact that the store reportedly had just closed when she arrived depended on differing versions of events.

 

Oprah should had named that store just like she did when Hermes denied her service years back. If I was livin large I would shout to the rooftops. I may not have juice like Winfrey but,at least I had my say.

 

the International Business Times named the store in their article...I bet whoever it was that wouldn't show her the bag got fired! $38,000.00 bag would net a nice commission and a great day for the store! Stores that sell high end do have zero days so making $19,000 in one day is HUGE

 

how can someone not know who oprah is?

 

I just saw an interview they did with the store owner or boss of the sales girl.
She said that she doesn't see any reason to fire that person and that she doesn't believe it was a racism issue, but maybe a bad communication since the sales girl is Italian and maybe her English isn't good enough.

 

Easily. While she is extremely wealthy, she's not a household name in Europe the way she is in the US. And she may have known her name but not recognized her. Maybe Oprah should have pronounced it the way an Italian would read/say it: O-pera Wen-furee. Lol

 

Which is funny, everyone in the middle east while I was there know who Oprah is.

 

That is a lame excuse. This woman should be fired since in this day and age the pretension of miscommunicaton is uncalled for. Someone should boycott that store and identify that woman.

 

Yeah, developing nations are far more tuned in to the US than European countries, from what I've seen. Very ethnocentric. Or they may know of the name and not the face. I had a hard time talking about James Dean with my ex-father-in-law once, until I realized he knew exactly who Ha-mez Day-an was, lol.

What pisses me off isn't the personal affront to Oprah. It shouldn't matter whether she knew Oprah or not, she should not be in the business of trying to independently determine who has money and who doesn't. If you're going to refuse service to someone, ask them to leave the store. If you're not putting them out, they should be able to look at any merchandise that interests them.

 

This ain't racism.

This is about someone who is part of the "1%" not getting what they want.

That sales girl knew who she was, she don't even make half of what that bag is worth.

 

Good point. I had never thought of this from that angle before.

 

I know Oprah is a angel with her money and all but the only thing I can think is why does she need another 38,000$ bag.
So many homeless and hungry people walking around the states and she's pissed that she couldn't pay 38,000$ for a bag that maybe cost 100$ if that to make?
It's fine that people have money. Before one of the reaganites come along and tell me I'm jealous of her success..
I've just never liked the idea that they have to flaunt it to such a degree.

And by degree in this case I mean the news reporting it and Oprah giving an interview.
Who cares?

So much more good could be done with this money these people piss down the drain on 50,000$ bags.

 

lippy can't speak to what this girl makes but I can tell you that if a salesperson at neiman marcus sells a $38,000 bag the commission is $1140.00...normally in a highend environment the sales people make more money because they are expected to know who might be coming into their shop...if I was the owner I would be schooling her like no tomorrow because more than likely this will happen again...

 

Hallelujah! But hey, what is the US about, if not conspicuous consumption?

 

I believe that is racism since how many Blacks who lived large come to a store like that? No doubt other rich Blacks suffered as well but,did not say anything. Back in the day a Black celebrity in the States was treated like a regular person of color. I remember that song from Stevie Wonder called "Cash In the Face" it speaks of racism that was and still exists in the US and elsewhere.

 

I gotta agree with this. Sure, the racism is ugly, but maybe it's the lord's way of telling her there are better things to spend $38,000 on

maybe she should've asked the lady: "How exactly do you know that the purse is too expensive for me?" Sometimes you gotta stay calm and call the fools on their stuff rather than be shocked and get angry

That's the advantage of knowing that kind of stuff happens rather than trying to pretend it doesn't - you're more prepared to respond to it rather than just walk away with high blood pressure.

At least she had sense enough to not insist on buying the purse (thus giving the store all that profit), unlike 99% of black people who will be treated like shit at a store and then continue to support it

 

I caught a segment on this yesterday...oprah was looking for a bag to go with an outfit she was wearing to tina turners wedding...oprah did not know the bag was $38,000...she basically said the clerk did her a favor...although she could afford it she would not spend that much on a bag...the bag was "Tom Ford"

I had no idea his bags were that expensive...the most sought after bag in the USA is an Hermes Bag...for which there is a waiting list....Oprah owns several of them

 

Oprah said on Twitter (paraphrasing) that had she known the price she would never have purchased/paid that amount for the bag.

The issue here is Oprah is a powerful woman, and when she decided to publicly imply someone behaved in a racist manner, without at least further consulting, or complaining to the Company President whom Oprah saw the following day at the wedding, she should have at least been 100 on it.

The assistant also spoke her version, and as per usual, there are always 2 sides.....
..and then there is the truth, which we will never know.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...Swiss-sales-assistant-racist-handbag-row.html


Oprah has apologized for the media frenzy and now regrets mentioning it...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...entioning-handbag-racism-incident-Zurich.html

 

Blackbull1970 called it.

 

And where is this faux outrage when Donald Trump spends his money on trivial shit like refueling a yacht for 10,000 every month or the money Paris Hilton blows through constantly? Do black celebs have a moral authority to spend their money wisely or something? If she wants to buy a $38,000 handbag, I say let her.