Oprah's Not Gonna Like This

Biographer Kitty Kelley has debunked the mythology that is Oprah. Television's earth mother, known for spouting spiritual healing and love at will, apparently refers to herself in the 3rd person (I find this hilarious) and apparently comes across as a demanding diva. Derrrrrr.... Wouldn't you be throwing your weight around a bit if you were one of the most powerful biarches in the world?

Here's one of the instances of diva Oprah:

"About five years ago, she contacted Washington DC's L'Enfant Gallery because she owned works by artist John Kirthian Court and wanted to see more.

Gallery owner Peter Colasante bought three paintings ($US60,000 to $80,000 each) and had them shipped from Portugal to his shop for Winfrey's consideration. He received a schedule for her visit: ''2:17 pm: Oprah's limousine arrives at L'Enfant Gallery, 2:20pm: Oprah walks into gallery …''

On the appointed day and time, two limos pulled up and Winfrey went into a shop across the road. After waiting 30 minutes, Mr Colasante walked over and found his famous client berating the shop's owner, Deborah Gore Dean.

He told Winfrey and her entourage (secretary, pilot, hairdresser, makeup man, guards) he had other appointments and she needed to honour her timetable. ''Oprah does not walk,'' she told him.

Then she started screaming at her staff, but finally agreed to go to his gallery.


''I just don't feel it,'' she told him. ''The vibrations aren't right.''

''You'll feel them once you see the paintings,'' he said, pointing up the stairs where Court's art was hanging.

''Oprah does not do stairs,'' she said. Mr Colasante's partner hissed that maybe Winfrey could use the exercise, and she stormed out without buying anything. Ms Dean, who declined to be interviewed for the book, said she didn't discuss her clients.

Winfrey spokeswoman Lisa Halliday declined to comment. ''Kitty got it just right,'' Mr Colasante said. ''I was somewhat dumbfounded to see this side of Oprah. I've been in business 37 years, and I've never seen anyone behave that way before.''

Kelley's book has an initial print run of 500,000 but she said some news organisations had refused interviews for fear of Winfrey's wrath.

Are you amused by this or horrified? Are you illusions of Oprah as your awesome Aunt who makes time for you every day at 2pm shattered, or are you not surprised that there's a screamy, cranky, tired side to Oprah - just like normal people?