Oprah Says She Faced Racism When A Clerk Told Her She Could Not Afford A $38,000 Purse

[nazzybertjovo]

I'm curious as to how this store is still in business. If you look at a list of the richest people in the world, young and old, the vast majority look no better than the average person. I'm sure they have nice things, but its interesting to see how close the ratio is between rich people who dress fairly modestly and people who live paycheck to paycheck yet drape themselves in designer goods. Steve Jobs wore a turtle neck and 1990s jeans. Gina Rinehart, a person who literally hates poor people, looks no different than someone you would see at Burger King on whopper Wednesday. So if they turn away the few people who can afford to spend that much on a bag, who is left? Racist or not, it sounds like a crappy store that needs a better screening process/training. Anyone who says they wouldn't have been offended in Oprah's position is either jealous or the grand wizard of the Klan.

[That's What She Said]

I'm curious as to how this store is still in business. If you look at a list of the richest people in the world, young and old, the vast majority look no better than the average person. I'm sure they have nice things, but its interesting to see how close the ratio is between rich people who dress fairly modestly and people who live paycheck to paycheck yet drape themselves in designer goods. Steve Jobs wore a turtle neck and 1990s jeans. Gina Rinehart, a person who literally hates poor people, looks no different than someone you would see at Burger King on whopper Wednesday. So if they turn away the few people who can afford to spend that much on a bag, who is left? Racist or not, it sounds like a crappy store that needs a better screening process/training. Anyone who says they wouldn't have been offended in Oprah's position is either jealous or the grand wizard of the Klan.

[Peaches]

Who needs a $38,000 purse?

[nucklehead]

May not have been racism as store employees at places like that often scout out your appearance and what you have on to judge which customers are legit as people do try to take advantage of places like those. Oprah may not have been sporting the attire associated with big spenders at the time though at the very least it was still rude.

What amuses me most though is how upset so many people seem to get because someone else makes a lot more money than them. As if they are entitled haha.

[Amish Rake Fighter]

I haven't encountered such blatant discrimination since I was monocle shopping on the French Riviera

[Scottish⑦Canuck]

The shop owner is lucky there wasn't a serious incident.

Seriously though, not really racism in my opinion.

Don't see the need for a $38,000 purse either. Buy one exactly like it for a few hundred (even that's ridiculous) and put the money towards something useful.

[nucklehead]

sigh... she was only asking to see the bag and refused twice. When she asked the clerk why she was told she would not be able to afford it. Later, Oprah was heard to say that she just found out that bag cost $38,000 and the clerk was right. There was no way she would ever pay that much for a purse. Everybody happy now. I'm too lazy but I'm sure the interview is posted on utube or somewhere (i've seen the ET ones). Geez if you're going to give opinions make sure they're informed ones.

[RUPERTKBD]

Protip: When someone wants to look at something expensive you show it to them. There are plenty of people, especially tourists, that don't want to flaunt their wealth.

[-DLC-]

sigh... she was only asking to see the bag and refused twice. When she asked the clerk why she was told she would not be able to afford it. Later, Oprah was heard to say that she just found out that bag cost $38,000 and the clerk was right. There was no way she would ever pay that much for a purse. Everybody happy now. I'm too lazy but I'm sure the interview is posted on utube or somewhere (i've seen the ET ones). Geez if you're going to give opinions make sure they're informed ones.

So where is there racism?

[Kumquats]

Tough to be her. Must be so hard having all that money.

[DarthMelvin]

Ahhh Times are so Tough Oprah......get a life...

[almo89]

I think Oprah has the right to feel upset with the poor service, but I think she threw the race card there too easily. The clerk that worked there was probably just incompetent instead of racist. She can always go get a $38,000 purse elsewhere. Throwing the race card right away and making it a big deal comes across as kind of snobby because she is so rich.

[Dittohead]

Meanwhile she loves Jayz who says the N word every other line in his songs.

[DonLever]

Here is the clerk's version of events:

“I simply told her that it was like the one I held in my hand, only much more expensive, and that I could show her similar bags,” she told SonntagsBlick.

The bag at the center of the Swiss international incident is a $38,000 Tom Ford ‘Jennifer’ handbag - named after Jennifer Aniston.

“It is absolutely not true that I declined to show her the bag on racist grounds. I even asked her if she wanted to look at the bag.

“'She looked around the store again but didn't say anything else. Then she went with her companion to the lower floor. My colleague saw them to the door. They were not even in the store for five minutes.”

Store owner Trudie Goetz publicly defended her employee, telling Reuters, “"This is an absolute classic misunderstanding” possibly caused by the clerk’s imperfect command of English.

When asked by the Swiss newspaper what should would say to Winfrey if she had the chance to talk to her again, the clerk responded:

“I would apologize and say it was all a misunderstanding,” she said. “ I surely did not intentionally want to insult Ms. Winfrey.

“I hope this nightmare ends soon.”

[nucklehead]

So where is there racism?

[Papayas]

In the brief clip of the interview they choose to show, Oprah does not expictly say she was a victim of it. She does hint at it very strongly though in the way she tells the story, even going as far as to imitate the womans accent and haughty attitude.

[Absent Canuck]

So where is there racism?

[Common sense]

I'm curious as to how this store is still in business. If you look at a list of the richest people in the world, young and old, the vast majority look no better than the average person. I'm sure they have nice things, but its interesting to see how close the ratio is between rich people who dress fairly modestly and people who live paycheck to paycheck yet drape themselves in designer goods. Steve Jobs wore a turtle neck and 1990s jeans. Gina Rinehart, a person who literally hates poor people, looks no different than someone you would see at Burger King on whopper Wednesday. So if they turn away the few people who can afford to spend that much on a bag, who is left? Racist or not, it sounds like a crappy store that needs a better screening process/training. Anyone who says they wouldn't have been offended in Oprah's position is either jealous or the grand wizard of the Klan.