06.26.05 |
Oprah goes to Hermès in Paris after the store has closed and is turned away at the door.
So what?
Apparently Oprah (and her buddy Gayle) claim that a Hermès employee made a comment about "having trouble with North Africans".
While racial discrimination is without a doubt wrong for any reason ... what has changed about Oprah that she now feels a sense of privilege and superiority.
Where is the humble grace of that younger, heavy set woman whose theme song was "I'm Every Woman"?
I guarantee you that no one ... not "every woman" ... white, brown, yellow or green ... could convince a Target, a Macy's or a Piggy Wiggly to open their doors after the store has closed because they need a garden hose, a bottle of perfume or a gallon of milk.
According to the news articles, Oprah was on her way to meet Tina Turner for dinner and stopped en route to buy a watch for her dinner companion at Hermès.
Oprah, you are the richest most powerful woman in the world. However, time stops for no one.
You did not get to the store before closing and you were denied access. Period. End of story.
I have read that Hermès was hosting a private party/sale inside of the store and hence, there were people inside shopping. Oprah saw those people and assumed that she should also be allowed inside.
I am sure that in Oprah's past, she has pre-arranged for stores to open their doors to only her and her stylist so she can shop without the intrusion of fans and spying eyes. Key word: Pre-arranged.
While I am not Ms. Winfrey's personal secretary, I would lay odds that Oprah knew long before her impromptu stop at Hermès that she was going to dinner with Miss Tina. As such, wouldn't it have made sense to have one of her entourage "phone ahead" while Hermès was still open for business to alert them that Oprah was needing to shop and would be arriving after the store's business hours? Or perhaps the gift from Hermès could have been purchased in advance?
It is obvious that Oprah is no longer "every woman" and can no longer relate to the real world of clocks, closing hours and employees who do not think before they speak.
According to the press, Oprah believes if she were a "white celebrity" she would have been permitted access to Hermès after hours during the private party.
Was this a racial discrimination issue? Honestly, I have no clue. If she was denied access during business hours because of her color/ethnicity/religion, then I would be the first to grab my soap box and take a stand.
But there are too many elements that scream that this is a matter of a pampered celebrity who has lost their sense of reality ... and has allowed their hubris to generate an sense of entitlement that comes from power and wealth.
Hermès apologized:
''Hermès regrets not having been able to welcome Madame Oprah Winfrey and the people accompanying her to give them all the attention and service that Hermès is committed to giving each of its clients in the world,'' said a statement released Tuesday.
Oprah is still pissed. She will not be buying anymore $6500.00 handbags there and it is reported that she intends to do an entire show about her experience.
Stayed tuned ... this should be interesting.
|
