Oprah Winfrey's hometown newspaper slams her for charging $1M 'fees' for hosting Kamala Harris' event
WASHINGTON, DC: Oprah Winfrey’s recent involvement with Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign has sparked criticism from her hometown newspaper, the Chicago Tribune.
Reports last week claimed that Winfrey had received $1 million for her appearance with Vice President Kamala Harris, raising eyebrows about the payment.
Winfrey later clarified that while she personally took no fee, her company, Harpo Productions, received the amount to organize a celebrity-studded town hall event.
Oprah Winfrey criticized by over Harpo Productions' $1M payment
The Chicago Tribune editorial board did not hold back, questioning Oprah Winfrey's decision to involve her company rather than covering the production costs herself.
"Frankly, $1 million is not all that much to Winfrey and so we very much doubt that she was seeking any kind of personal payday from her chosen candidate," the editorial board commented in the column.
It is so good to be with @Oprah for a town hall to speak directly with Americans about the issues on their minds in this election.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) September 20, 2024
Our campaign is about who we are as Americans—and making clear that we stand for freedom, independence, and dignity. pic.twitter.com/5k8h5Ra7Uk
They pointed out, however, that "she does own Harpo and serves as its chairwoman and CEO. The production fees should have been a campaign donation."
The paper also took a jab at Winfrey’s decision to move Harpo’s headquarters from Chicago to West Hollywood.
The town hall event, which featured virtual appearances from celebrities like Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lopez, and Bryan Cranston, was organized by Harpo Productions, which reportedly received $1 million out of a $15 million budget designated for production fees, reported Daily Mail.
Oprah Winfrey town hall slammed as 'starry infomercial'
After a backlash ensued, Oprah Winfrey addressed the situation publicly, stating that she personally did not profit from the event.
"I was not paid a dime. My time and energy was my way of supporting the campaign," Winfrey wrote on Instagram.
"I did not take any personal fee. However the people who worked on that production needed to be paid. And were. End of story," she clarified.
Tribune didn’t hold back in its critique, suggesting Winfrey’s choice to host the event in a high-profile, star-studded fashion may have overshadowed the town hall’s focus.
"Winfrey did a town hall meeting, or, depending on your point of view, a starry infomercial, with Harris," it noted, hinting that the format may have leaned more toward spectacle than substance.
Chicago Tribune calls for focus on policy over celebrity endorsements
The Chicago Tribune suggested that Kamala Harris would have benefitted more from answering questions posed by independent journalists rather than celebrity hosts.
"Better yet, rather than do such events, the Harris campaign would have been better advised to let its candidate answer questions from independent journalists and give her more of a chance to explain herself and lay out her plans for America’s future," the editorial read.
They argued that "Celebrity osmosis did not work; voters wanted to hear more about what Harris would do for them, criticizing the celebrity endorsements."
"Part of the problem with celebrities is that they tend to come with entourages or, to put that in a more friendly way, 'production needs,'" the paper wrote.
"Having someone with a large following simply stand next to a candidate at a podium and say a few words, solo, is one thing; doing a whole livestreamed event with, say, Oprah Winfrey, is another," Tribune wrote further.
