Media mogul Oprah Winfrey firmly denies allegations that she received a $1 million payment for her involvement in the campaign event supporting Vice President Kamala Harris. This clarification comes in response to a report from the Washington Examiner that linked Winfrey to rumors regarding the Harris campaign’s substantial fundraising efforts and expenditures.
Understanding the allegations
The Washington Examiner report, released shortly after the election, suggested that Winfrey’s production company, Harpo Productions, was compensated for the “Unite for America” livestream event, which was part of Harris’s campaign efforts. The article claimed that the Harris campaign had raised over $1 billion and spent more than $15 million on event production, with Harpo Productions allegedly receiving $1 million for their services.
Winfrey responds
However, Winfrey quickly dismissed these claims, stating that she was never personally compensated for her support of Harris. A spokesperson for Harpo Productions clarified that while the campaign did cover the production costs for the livestream event held on Sept. 19 outside Detroit, Winfrey herself did not receive any personal fee.
“The campaign paid for the production costs of ‘Unite for America,’” the spokesperson explained. “Oprah Winfrey was at no point during the campaign paid a personal fee, nor did she receive a fee from Harpo.”
This statement was echoed by Winfrey herself when she spoke to TMZ, asserting, “Not true. I did not get paid a penny. Ever.”
Clarifying the production costs
Winfrey elaborated on the nature of her involvement in a detailed Instagram post, where she defended herself against the insinuations that her support for Harris was financially motivated. She emphasized that her time and energy were her contributions to the campaign, stating, “I was not paid a dime. My time and energy was my way of supporting the campaign.”
She acknowledged that her production team was compensated for their work, which included setting up the event with necessary equipment like lights, cameras, and crew. “The people who worked on that production needed to be paid. And were. End of story,” Winfrey clarified.
The event’s significance
The “Unite for America” event was a significant moment in the campaign, featuring an interview between Winfrey and Harris, where they discussed pressing issues such as abortion rights and immigration. The virtual town hall was also notable for its star-studded lineup, which included appearances by celebrities like Meryl Streep, Chris Rock, Ben Stiller, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Julia Roberts.
