Oprah? We Hardly Knew Yah! Risque Details Emerge From Unauthorized Biography

by Colby Hall | 10:39 am, April 13th, 2010

» 14 comments

We’ve previously reported that unauthorized biographer Kitty Kelley had claimed to Matt Lauer how many broadcast journalists were avoiding the publicity tour of her new (and allegedly salacious) tome on media mogul and daytime talk icon Oprah Winfrey. Well now that details from the book have emerged, perhaps it’s no wonder that Barbara Walters, Larry King and David Letterman have all stayed away.

As we’ve mentioned before, Kelley is rather notorious for her unauthorized style of biographies, and her recent subjects have included Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra and Nancy Reagan (among others). Her new book on Oprah has plenty of shockers in store; writing for the NY Post, Jeremy Olshan reports:

Winfrey’s relationship with longtime “love” Stedman Graham, her reputed dirt-poor upbringing in rural Mississippi, her rumored lesbian crushes on women such as Diane Sawyer — all are stories she has manipulated for decades in the name of sensational ratings, according to writer Kitty Kelley’s latest unauthorized biography “Oprah.”

The much-anticipated book details how:

* Winfrey concocted stories about sexual abuse she suffered as a child — and grossly exaggerated the poverty she was brought up in.

* She went to great lengths to conceal her “lesbian affairs” — including hefty payoffs — and publicly attached herself to Graham to appear more normal to her audience of housewives.

* She lavished romantic gifts — including a diamond toe ring — on ABC talking head Diane Sawyer.

* Winfrey sold her body to earn extra money and has even described herself as a teen “prostitute.”

* She doesn’t know the true identity of her biological father.

* Her relationship with her own mother is so cold that Winfrey won’t even let the older woman have her phone number.

Kelley has made clear that she is hoping that this book will appeal to the millions of hyper-loyal fans of Oprah, who may be looking for the daytime queen’s reaction to this book – and all of the alleged secrets that are revealed – to get some cues. In fact, watching that part of the narrative unfold will be a very interesting sub-plot to keep an eye on.

Either way, expect to hear a lot more about Kitty Kelley, Oprah and this book for the coming weeks.

Barbara Walters, David Letterman, Diane Sawyer, Kitty Kelley, larry king, Oprah, Stedman Graham

MarkStr82Hell

Wow, this has been a particularly revealing year for black billionaires, Tiger Woods and Oprah Winfrey.
Jamestaylor

I don’t find any of this a surprise. She is a bog phony and stedman has been a good beard.
The Real Royal King

We ought all remember that this is the same biographer who treated us to tales of Nancy Raygun’s passionate love interest in Frank Sinatra and her foul temper. I think we ought to discount most of this from the gate. I can’t even imagine why we have this piece.
ImNotBlue

I think the real question that comes out of this is, “Does it matter?”

IMO, television personalities are two different people… there’s the person on the screen, and then the real person behind the screen. For many, both of those people are the same… or at least should be. But I’m not so sure.

We’ve all heard the rumors over XYZ pundit who “doesn’t really” believe what they say on television. But does it matter? For me, the pundit is playing a character, just like an actor would. So who cares if in “real life” they don’t believe every word of what they say, if the “character” is still agreeable. (Evidence for this theory is seen when folks like Keith Olbermann see Sean Hannity at a baseball game, and neither of them start swinging for each other’s heads, as KO might have you believe he’d do.)

So back to Oprah. Does it matter if her childhood, or current “real life” doesn’t match the “Oprah” we see on television? Does that change anything? I don’t think so. I think the Oprah on television (just as the Bill O’Reilly, Keith Olbermann, or whatever) can be different than the real life person, as long as the “character” remains compelling. We shouldn’t be surprised when we find out that the soap opera actor didn’t really have amnesia in real-life, and doesn’t really have an identical, evil twin. It’s just television… it’s all “make-believe.”
ex politicalmedia hack

how come it is soo easy to [predict how mediaite will write about anything?

(hint: see Huff Post first)
MerryMarjie

It’s true that Kitty Kelley fills her books with gossip, but she has yet to be sued successfully. Whether or not that is an indicator of truth is debatable, but thought-provoking.

Gossip is food for masses of people, people who salivate at the latest juicy tale, most probably because it’s more engaging to talk about individuals rather than ideas and ideals. What Oprah had for breakfast is more interesting than the latest nuclear settlement, Britney’s hairdo is more important than the African situation, Jerry Seinfeld’s wife’s book is greater fodder than the latest peace treat, yada yada.

Hey, I’m guilty, too, though I try to keep a balance of info while juggling all of these interesting sites on the Internet.
Jamestaylor

What’s so funny is that one of the queens of gossip, Baba Waawaa, whose show is gossip central, refuses to allow Kelly on her show because” it’s just gossip!”
Jamestaylor

Yes, that Baba Waawaa who chastises others for infidelity but ignores how she had a long time affair with a married public official.
writer

Geraldo said he nailed her, too. Maybe that’s just gossip.
Jamestaylor

writer says:
April 13, 2010 at 1:51 pm

Geraldo said he nailed her, too. Maybe that’s just gossip.”

OMG, I MUST take a shower!

LOL
MarkStr82Hell

why is it that Holywood is so Gay friendly and then the celebrities who are gay don’t want to admit they are gay?? Kathy Griffin who knows all about gay, exposed Gayle and Oprah long ago and anybody with any sense can see through the charade of her long long time “boyfriend” . And Oprah has made her fortune off of white women bored housewives and then disses white people every chance she gets. Remember the quote “I have white people working for me” what is that supposed to mean? It is sad that there are suckers born every day and people like Oprah take advantage of them. And her comment that young people here in America don’t want to study so she had to go all the way to Africa to build a school. This is typical of Hollywood stars and their African fix like Madonna adopting African kids like they are pets. They including OPrah always like to throw money to a cause to show they “care” but don’t do the elbow grease it takes if you were really dedicated to a cause. Oprah’s celebrity and media friends( Larry King, Babw Wawa, Charlie Rose and others) refuse to let Kitty Kelley go on their shows but she is appearing on BIll O’Reilly show soon and his show has more viewers than all the other cable networks combined so the story WILL get out! So glad somebody is exposing this “fake” and racist” for what she is! Bravo to Kitty Kelley! Hope she takes on all those hypocrite and fake Hollywood types and others in the media as well!!
Munch

Kitty has gone so far as to say that OW when she was young made money in a way that is often frowned on.
imnotyourkind

Um, do people really care?
Jamestaylor

I will say I just love Gail King, O’s insufferable shadow. She said today, ” I will not read the book. Oprah’s life has been an open book, so there are no secrets.”

She THEN says, ” The book is just filled with recycled items. I had no idea that Oprah dated John Tesh.”

So, you haven’t read the book but you know what’s in it, and OW’s life has been so open there are no secrets, but you say had no idea that Oprah dated John Tesh.

You are a great lapdog, Gail.