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I seriously doubt she's the only celebrity from the USA that wasn't recognized in some other country. Some celebrities might actually enjoy the anonymity. Some want to be viewed as some kind of royalty always.
I really don't understand why Oprah would think she would be recognized everywhere in Europe -- unless her show was big over there, I would think they would have their own shows.
It really hurts her to be seen as a regular commoner. Regular commoners can't afford $38,000 purses.
So what is the criteria for a store that stocks a 38k purse to actually sell the item? What is a potential customer for the item suppose to do? Flash the cash at the clerk?
This isn't K-mart, though. It's not uncommon for people to want to touch or try on or test drive really high end stuff just for kicks. Most guys can't afford a Ferrari, but most would love to test drive one just to say they had. A woman who can't afford a mink coat might still love trying it on and modeling it in front of the mirror just for fun.
The store has to have some way to determine who can pay and who's just a looky-lou. Running your credit at a car dealership makes sense. Maybe they don't do it the same in Europe. I don't know.
Maybe the store sells purses in a range of prices. A woman who can't afford a $40K purse might still be able to afford a $2K one. I don't know. But I think it's a pretty eyeroll worthy thing to be getting worked up over when you consider the problems some people have. We can't even say "first world problem" here but, "Sigh, multi-billionaire problems! It's such a tough life!"
Not impressed.
I COULD buy a $38K purse, but I wouldn't, because it would be ridiculous--I have a lot better things to do with my money, and that's not an insignificant sum to me. I'm also a really really long way from being a billionaire. I've never had anyone limit what I could look at or try on in a store, or tell me that I can't afford something. Do I make a habit out of shopping in ultra expensive designer stores? No, but I've done it. I do think it's kind of a big deal to be refused service in a store, especially when the reasons seem questionable. I imagine Oprah probably wears more expensive clothing, jewelry and shoes than I do. I'm also middle aged and no one has ever turned me down because I wasn't "glamorous" enough, as one poster tried to claim. So what did they base the refusal on? That's the point you don't seem to get.
At the end of the day the question is, is it racist to assume that the average black person is not as wealthy as the average white person? And I think only really pc people would say yes, while everyone else knows the statistics...
NO. The truth is, the "average person", no matter what their race is CAN'T afford to buy a $38K handbag.
And of the people who could afford to buy a $38K handbag, MOST would chose not to. So again, when one has an item for sale costing $38K, one should make sure that they have the full intentions to buy it, not just asking to handle it wondering why it is a $38K handbag while playing with the zippers on it.
I seriously doubt she's the only celebrity from the USA that wasn't recognized in some other country. Some celebrities might actually enjoy the anonymity. Some want to be viewed as some kind of royalty always.
I really don't understand why Oprah would think she would be recognized everywhere in Europe -- unless her show was big over there, I would think they would have their own shows.
It really hurts her to be seen as a regular commoner. Regular commoners can't afford $38,000 purses.
Um, she quite clearly stated that her show is not broadcast in Zurich, and that the clerk did not recognize her because of that. That was exactly why she found it strange when the clerk assumed that the well-dressed black woman standing before her *must* be unable to purchase an expensive item. So, the sales clerk lost a nice commission, Oprah has an amusing story, the store owner issues an apology, and many white Americans once again act like "racism" is the secret word at Pee-Wee's Playhouse.
Hate to tell you this, but "the black card" in question was likely to be an actual, black credit card - most likely AmEx's Centurion card, which is a sign of high wealth.
AND of course Oprah just had to mention in the interview she was the possessor of one of those cards, didn't she?
Here's my take on that; had she done just that; where would the problem be right now?
As soon as the saleslady did what Oprah claims she did; does anyone here believe for one second she would have behaved any differently than you or I, had we been in possession of a facility to instantly prove our immense wealth? I don't see Oprah meekly slinking out of the store with her upper lip trembling. I futher don't believe, for one second, that is what actually happened.
I believe most of us in possession of even a current 'line of credit instrument' issued by any bank would have taken the thing over to the counter and admonished the store owner quietly and privately to educate their staff on the finer points of not pizzing off the potential clients who can buy the entire store on a mere whim to close the thing and turn it into a scooter shop run by Hell's Angels..
AND of course Oprah just had to mention in the interview she was the possessor of one of those cards, didn't she?
Here's my take on that; had she done just that; where would the problem be right now?
As soon as the saleslady did what Oprah claims she did; does anyone here believe for one second she would have behaved any differently than you or I, had we been in possession of a facility to instantly prove our immense wealth? I don't see Oprah meekly slinking out of the store with her upper lip trembling. I futher don't believe, for one second, that is what actually happened.
I believe most of us in possession of even a current 'line of credit instrument' issued by any bank would have taken the thing over to the counter and admonished the store owner quietly and privately to educate their staff on the finer points of not pizzing off the potential clients who can buy the entire store on a mere whim to close the thing and turn it into a scooter shop run by Hell's Angels..
I seriously doubt she's the only celebrity from the USA that wasn't recognized in some other country. Some celebrities might actually enjoy the anonymity. Some want to be viewed as some kind of royalty always.
I really don't understand why Oprah would think she would be recognized everywhere in Europe -- unless her show was big over there, I would think they would have their own shows.
It really hurts her to be seen as a regular commoner. Regular commoners can't afford $38,000 purses.
I think that's beside the point though. She should not need to be famous or recognizable to get service in the store. There are plenty of wealthy people no one could ever pick out in a lineup.
Again, whether she's offended by being mistaken for a commoner is not really the point. The crux of the issue is why was it assumed she couldn't afford the purse? We don't know the answer.
So what is the criteria for a store that stocks a 38k purse to actually sell the item? What is a potential customer for the item suppose to do? Flash the cash at the clerk?
Evidently whip out their black American Express Centurion card instead (know as the black card) which you have to be invited to receive (only after meeting their net worth, spending and credit criteria, plus paying a hefty initiation and annual fee). It's the most exclusive credit card in the world, and the one Oprah was referring to when she said she thought about pulling out the the "black card" to make a point.
Some here (not you) confused that with her saying she was going to play the race card. No. That's not what she meant.
I COULD buy a $38K purse, but I wouldn't, because it would be ridiculous--I have a lot better things to do with my money, and that's not an insignificant sum to me. I'm also a really really long way from being a billionaire. I've never had anyone limit what I could look at or try on in a store, or tell me that I can't afford something. Do I make a habit out of shopping in ultra expensive designer stores? No, but I've done it. I do think it's kind of a big deal to be refused service in a store, especially when the reasons seem questionable. I imagine Oprah probably wears more expensive clothing, jewelry and shoes than I do. I'm also middle aged and no one has ever turned me down because I wasn't "glamorous" enough, as one poster tried to claim. So what did they base the refusal on? That's the point you don't seem to get.
I think it was more about language. I deal with people that English is a second, sometimes a third, language. Sometimes I have to say things 4 different ways for them to understand. Too often they say yes, yes, and don't understand. Sometimes I have to use hand language. Sometimes I have to ask them to speak very, very, very slow because I can't understand them.
Maybe, just maybe, the sales clerk's ability to understand and speak English is at the bottom of it. There may have been miscommunication based on language on both parts.
AND of course Oprah just had to mention in the interview she was the possessor of one of those cards, didn't she?
Here's my take on that; had she done just that; where would the problem be right now?
As soon as the saleslady did what Oprah claims she did; does anyone here believe for one second she would have behaved any differently than you or I, had we been in possession of a facility to instantly prove our immense wealth? I don't see Oprah meekly slinking out of the store with her upper lip trembling. I futher don't believe, for one second, that is what actually happened.
I believe most of us in possession of even a current 'line of credit instrument' issued by any bank would have taken the thing over to the counter and admonished the store owner quietly and privately to educate their staff on the finer points of not pizzing off the potential clients who can buy the entire store on a mere whim to close the thing and turn it into a scooter shop run by Hell's Angels..
Will you stop trying to excuse that clerks behavior? I don't understand why people feel the need to talk about things people that were not in the wrong to make that were in the wrong feel better.
What if the very reason she didn't pull out the black card was to deny her the commission on the sale? Or even to deny the sale to the store as a whole. Is that sufficient reason for you, or are you now going to turn around & call Oprah petty?
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I'm also middle aged and no one has ever turned me down because I wasn't "glamorous" enough, as one poster tried to claim. So what did they base the refusal on? That's the point you don't seem to get.
No. That's not what she meant. 