Oprah Winfrey refutes allegations of receiving ‘personal fee’ from Harris campaign
Oprah Winfrey stated that she did not receive any personal fee for a campaign event she hosted with Vice President Kamala Harris in Detroit in mid-September. She responded to rumors alleging that she was paid $1 million by the Harris campaign, clarifying that she was not compensated monetarily, as her time and energy were her way of supporting the campaign. Winfrey addressed this in a response to an Instagram post that included a video of a TMZ reporter questioning her about the alleged payment.
In the video, Winfrey denied the rumors, stating that she was never paid for the event. She mentioned that her production company Harpo was responsible for providing set design, lights, cameras, crew, and other production necessities for the live-streaming event, but she personally did not receive any payment. Winfrey emphasized that the production team involved in the event was compensated for their work.
The accusations arose following Harris’s loss in the recent election to President-elect Donald Trump. Reports indicated that Harris’s campaign made two payments of $500,000 each to Winfrey’s company, Harpo Productions Inc., on Oct. 15, although the specific terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
During the Detroit event, Winfrey shared the stage with Harris and conveyed a message of striving for better and deserving better as a nation. She was joined by other celebrities like Chris Rock, Ben Stiller, Julia Roberts, and Meryl Streep at the town hall event.
Winfrey continued to show support for Harris at a campaign rally in Philadelphia, urging people to exercise their right to vote. She stressed the importance of participating in the election and ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to cast their ballot.
Months earlier, Winfrey had endorsed Harris at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Aug. 21.
