poor Oprah

strandinthewind · #1 06-23-2005, 01:30 PM

They have never banned me from this store in Paris, NYC, Vegas, Atlanta, New Orleans (in Sak's) all of which is I must say are FABULOUS

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Luxury store apologizes to Oprah
Hermes' Paris store had rebuffed talk show host

(CNN) -- Luxury store Hermes on Wednesday apologized to Oprah Winfrey for turning her away last week, saying that its Paris store was closed to set up for a public relations event when the talk show host stopped by.

"Hermes regrets not having been able to accommodate Ms. Winfrey and her team and to provide her with the service and care that Hermes strives to provide to each and every one of its customers worldwide," the store said in a statement.

"Hermes apologizes for any offense taken due to such circumstances."

The store said the incident occurred on June 14 around 6:45 p.m., about 15 minutes after the store closed. It said Winfrey and her team arrived at a time when "a private PR event was being set up inside."

Harpo Productions spokeswoman Michelle McIntyre said Winfrey "will discuss her 'crash moment' when her show returns from hiatus in September."

"Crash" is a film dealing with race relations. The phrase "crash moment" refers to situations where a party feels discriminated against on the basis of skin color.

The New York Daily News cited sources close to Winfrey as saying the talk show host was first rebuffed by a clerk and then a store manager. The Daily News reported Winfrey had gone to the store to buy a watch for singer Tina Turner, her dining partner that night.

McIntyre confirmed that account for CNN.

The New York Post, in its Monday Page Six gossip column, reported she was turned away because the store had been "having a problem with North Africans lately."

In comments to CNN, an Hermes spokeswoman categorically denied that allegation.

"There was never any discussion of North Africans," she said. "The story is not true."

The spokeswoman said Winfrey came to the store 15 minutes after closing and a security guard informed her the store was closed and gave her a card, telling her she could come back the next day.

Surveillance videotape of the encounter supports the store's account, according to the spokeswoman.

She said the CEO of Hermes has called Winfrey's people to explain "the situation" and invited her to come back to shop in the store.

Find this article at:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/TV/0...ogy/index.html

dissention · #2 06-23-2005, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

They have never banned me from this store in Paris, NYC, Vegas, Atlanta, New Orleans (in Sak's) all of which is I must say are FABULOUS

They never banned God, er, Oprah, either.

Did they ever open a closed store for you to come in and peruse?

diamondsnake · #3 06-23-2005, 02:03 PM

That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. There is no need for the store to apologize. They were closed!!! Just because she is a very famous person does not mean that they need to bend over backwards to suit her needs. If Oprah was upset because a store that was closed would not reopened on her account then I hate her more then usual.

strandinthewind · #4 06-23-2005, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dissention

They never banned God, er, Oprah, either.

Did they ever open a closed store for you to come in and peruse?

Well . . . . I refuse to comment under the grounds that it might incrimminate me

seeker007nmss · #5 06-23-2005, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diamondsnake

That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. There is no need for the store to apologize. They were closed!!! Just because she is a very famous person does not mean that they need to bend over backwards to suit her needs. If Oprah was upset because a store that was closed would not reopened on her account then I hate her more then usual.

Yup, I agree. those people already worked a full day and wanted to go home to their families. Oprah should have shopped earlier. I can't stand her either. "Gee lets give everyone in the audience a car, that they have to pay taxes on, rather than to a charity where the money could have been really helpful.". Crash Moment - i.e when you know you are wrong and have to bring race into something that had nothing to do with it to try to save face. Sounds more like a COW moment.

strandinthewind · #6 06-23-2005, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seeker007nmss

. . . I can't stand her either. "Gee lets give everyone in the audience a car, that they have to pay taxes on, rather than to a charity where the money could have been really helpful." . . .

Yep, and those people got a $28,400 new car for about $7,000 in taxes (actual amount depends on individual situations but that is a good round figure) - I certainly call that a gift, esp. considering they could easily finance the tax. But, even if they could not afford the $7,000, they could always sell the car, pay the $7,000 or so and then keep their $20,000 or so gift, which I submit is a whole helluva lot more than any charity would ever give them at one time.

Also, did I mention that if they were to get rid of the gift tax which is related to the Death Tax - no taxes would be owed here - so I think the culprit here is the Govt. - not Oprah

In the end, the guests had three choices:

keep the car and pay the tax

sell the car and pay the tax with the profits

or forfeit the car.

I know this is a rant, but it drives me crazy when people act like Oprah did something so horrible here.

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Also, PULEEZEEEEEE - Hermes always accomodates people like her, who are the ones who really can afford to shop there - in fact, I have seen that store stay open late more than once for a special customer. To suggest otherwise indicates you do not know much about Hermes

Thus, http://www.hermes.com/

seeker007nmss · #7 06-23-2005, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Yep, and those people got a $28,400 new car for about $7,000 in taxes (actual amount depends on individual situations but that is a good round figure) - I certainly call that a gift, esp. considering they could easily finance the tax. But, even if they could not afford the $7,000, they could always sell the car, pay the $7,000 or so and then keep their $20,000 or so gift, which I submit is a whole helluva lot more than any charity would ever give them at one time.

Also, did I mention that if they were to get rid of the gift tax which is related to the Death Tax - no taxes would be owed here - so I think the culprit here is the Govt. - not Oprah

In the end, the guests had three choices:

keep the car and pay the tax

sell the car and pay the tax with the profits

or forfeit the car.

I know this is a rant, but it drives me crazy when people act like Oprah did something so horrible here.
____________________________________________________

Also, PULEEZEEEEEE - Hermes always accomodates people like her, who are the ones who really can afford to shop there - in fact, I have seen that store stay open late more than once for a special customer. To suggest otherwise indicates you do not know much about Hermes

Thus, http://www.hermes.com/

I do blame Oprah. Take that $27,000 * 50 audience members (way to low) which makes it $1,350,000. I think that money, if she wanted to be "nice" could have helped many more people if used differently. I highly doubt the audience members that where there, get their food from a foodbank.

strandinthewind · #8 06-23-2005, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seeker007nmss

I do blame Oprah. Take that $27,000 * 50 audience members (way to low) which makes it $1,350,000. I think that money, if she wanted to be "nice" could have helped many more people if used differently. I highly doubt the audience members that where there, get their food from a foodbank.

She gave away 276 cars, but she did not purchase them. GM gave them to her to give away on her show. So it is not like she was giving her own money Oprah dones millions every year to charity. So, I think her record is spotless on that

I just cannot believe people bitch about her giving at the least a $20,000 or so gift to someone. But, whatever.

DrummerDeanna · #9 06-23-2005, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

She gave away 276 cars, but she did not purchase them. GM gave them to her to give away on her show. So it is not like she was giving her own money Oprah dones millions every year to charity. So, I think her record is spotless on that

I just cannot believe people bitch about her giving at the least a $20,000 or so gift to someone. But, whatever.

Thank you!! I agree.

Oprah didn't take her money and buy people cars - they were given by the company - it was basically a really big publicity stunt for the cars and probably for Oprah.

Oprah does a lot of good

I think that though it's important to give to charities and such the average Joe who does good things also deserves a treat sometimes.

I like Oprah!

diamondsnake · #10 06-23-2005, 04:19 PM

The only thing I am bitching about is that she thinks she deserves special privileges. If a store is closed- it's closed! I don't care if you are the ****ing president, you don't have the right to force people to reopen their business.

seeker007nmss · #11 06-23-2005, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

She gave away 276 cars, but she did not purchase them. GM gave them to her to give away on her show. So it is not like she was giving her own money Oprah dones millions every year to charity. So, I think her record is spotless on that

I just cannot believe people bitch about her giving at the least a $20,000 or so gift to someone. But, whatever.

She didn't buy them? Donated? Okay I stand corrected. I was under the assumption she bought them. I will stand in the corner in "timeout".

amber · #12 06-23-2005, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seeker007nmss

She didn't buy them? Donated? Okay I stand corrected. I was under the assumption she bought them. I will stand in the corner in "timeout".

So, since Oprah doesn't buy them, they don't cost her anything, why doesn't she just pay the taxes for the people? Since it's "only" $7000 each, I'm suprised she hasn't thought of that.

DrummerDeanna · #13 06-23-2005, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diamondsnake

The only thing I am bitching about is that she thinks she deserves special privileges. If a store is closed- it's closed! I don't care if you are the ****ing president, you don't have the right to force people to reopen their business.

Whatever dude, celebrities have store closed ESPECIALLY for them sometimes- and I bet if this had happened to Stevie you'd be all up in arms right?

The story said the store closed early, right? Well that sucks for sure..and dude she OPRAH! They totally should have let her in...just for being Oprah

dissention · #14 06-23-2005, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seeker007nmss

I do blame Oprah. Take that $27,000 * 50 audience members (way to low) which makes it $1,350,000. I think that money, if she wanted to be "nice" could have helped many more people if used differently. I highly doubt the audience members that where there, get their food from a foodbank.

It was a publicity stunt, nothing more, and she didn't pay a ****ing dime for those cars.

dissention · #15 06-23-2005, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrummerDeanna

Whatever dude, celebrities have store closed ESPECIALLY for them sometimes- and I bet if this had happened to Stevie you'd be all up in arms right?

The story said the store closed early, right? Well that sucks for sure..and dude she OPRAH! They totally should have let her in...just for being Oprah

The store didn't close early, she showed up 15 minutes AFTER closing while they were setting the place up for a PR event. She doesn't deserve special privileges and I'm glad they turned her away. She breathes, eats, and ****s just like the rest of us and for once she was treated like a normal person would be treated in such an event.