Oprah’s relationship with Weinstein highlighted amid presidential rumours
OPRAH Winfrey’s potential presidential bid could be hampered by her cozy relationship with one Hollywood’s worst sexual offenders.
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OPRAH Winfrey has won well-deserved praise for her rousing speech at the Golden Globes on Sunday.
It’s even sparked reports that she is “actively considering” a run for the US presidency in 2020.
But her potential candidacy and her status as a #MeToo champion could be hampered by the cosy relationship she has had with the man whose heinous behaviour sparked the whole movement: Harvey Weinstein.
Media outlets — especially right-wing ones — have resurfaced pictures that Winfrey would probably prefer stay hidden of her palling around with the disgraced Hollywood producer, who has been accused of sexually harassing or abusing more than 80 women.
Winfrey and Weinstein have had a professional relationship that stretches back two decades. There are many photographs of her kissing and hugging the mogul at awards ceremonies and events sponsored by The Weinstein Company. She has starred in and produced movies that his company distributed, including The Butler and The Great Debaters.
In fact, an aspiring actor who alleges that Weinstein forced himself on her in hotel room in Cannes in 2014 said he used his relationship with Winfrey to groom her.
Britain’s Kadian Noble told a press conference in November that she was impressed by Weinstein when they met in London because he had Winfrey “swinging off his arm”, according to the New York Post.
“I thought, obviously, this man has something amazing in store for me,” she said.
She alleges that she met with the producer in a hotel room to show her his showreel, but in fact he just wanted to use her for sex. Weinstein said through a spokeswoman that the sex was consensual.
After allegations of his sexual misconduct were exposed last year, Weinstein told friends and colleagues that Winfrey called him to offer her support, a claim she denies.
According to TMZ, Weinstein said Winfrey encouraged him to defend himself publicly, but her people said they never spoke directly and she was only interested in talking to him for a TV interview.
Interestingly, Winfrey made no mention of Weinstein during her inspiring Golden Globes speech. She has made it clear during other public utterances on the scandal that the cultural shift under way went much further than Weinstein’s crimes alone.
“Everybody has a story and so I think this is a watershed moment. If we make this just about Harvey Weinstein, then we will have lost this moment,” Winfrey told CBS This Morning in October.
“I think this is a moment where, no matter what business you work in, the women who not only had the disease to please, that’s a part of it, but who felt that in order to keep my job, to keep my position, in order to keep moving forward … I’ve got to smile. I’ve gotta look the other way. I’ve gotta pretend he didn’t say that. He didn’t touch me. Those days are about to be over.”
She struck a similar note at the Globes on Sunday.
“For too long, women have not been heard or believed if they dare speak the truth to the power of those men. But their time is up. Their time is up,” she said.
“So I want all the girls watching here, now, to know that a new day is on the horizon! And when that new day finally dawns, it will be because of a lot of magnificent women, many of whom are right here in this room tonight, and some pretty phenomenal men, fighting hard to make sure that they become the leaders who take us to the time when nobody ever has to say ‘Me too’ again.”
Rose McGowan, who led the push to expose Weinstein’s alleged crimes, was seemingly unimpressed with Winfrey’s speech, tweeting “Alright Oprah” and accusing those wearing black to highlight the issue at the Globes of “Hollywood fakery”.
And not one of those fancy people wearing black to honor our rapes would have lifted a finger had it not been so. I have no time for Hollywood fakery, but you I love, .@AsiaArgento #RoseArmy https://t.co/9e0938y5sI
— rose mcgowan (@rosemcgowan) January 8, 2018
Gayle King poured some cold water on rumours of Winfrey’s presidential aspirations on Tuesday, telling CBS This Morning that her best friend was “intrigued” by the idea but was not “actively considering it at this time”.
Originally published as Oprah’s relationship with Weinstein highlighted amid presidential rumours