She may be one of the richest women in the world, but even Oprah Winfrey can’t escape racism.
While attending Tina Turner’s recent wedding in Switzerland, Oprah decided to go shopping at the trendy Trois Pommes shop.
According to Oprah:
“I was in Zurich the other day, in 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. But obviously ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ is not shown in Zurich.
“I go into a store and I say to the woman, ‘Excuse me, could I see the bag right above your head?’ and she says to me, ‘No. It’s too expensive.’”
The bag was $38,000 and believing that the billionaire Oprah was merely window shopping and could not afford it, the saleswoman suggested she look at cheaper bags instead. “I left the store but it proves that racism is still an issue,” Oprah said. “There’s two different ways to handle it. I could’ve had the whole blow-up thing… but racism still exists, of course it does.”
Ironically, Trois Pommes store owner Trudie Götz was also a guest at the Tina Turner wedding. She apologized for the incident and explained to a local paper there had been ‘a misunderstanding’ caused by the assistant’s failure to recognize Oprah. Really??
Does this store owner believe racial and/or economic profiling is acceptable in retail? Is she saying the clerk was correct to deny an average-dressed black woman the opportunity to see a $38,000 hand bag, unless she is “recognized” as being Oprah Winfrey?
Sigh. Honestly. That disease (racism) does get old and tiresome doesn't it…smh.
And the people who proudly wrap themselves up in it are simply beyond all reason and hope.