Oprah Winfrey’s Apparent ‘Judgment’ of a Fan Who Couldn’t Afford $100 Left a Bad Taste

Oprah Winfrey, a global icon, has a net worth estimated at $3 billion by Forbes . The media mogul has often been celebrated for her generosity. However, in 2022, Winfrey came under fire for her strange reaction to a fan not being able to afford a $100 gift. In a TikTok video that went viral, a person approached the seasoned TV host to seek a holiday present idea for their mother, who was ‘not doing well.’ “A wonderful thing is that jewelry box that I had on ‘Favorite Things,’” Winfrey suggested. “A beautiful red jewelry box with a little—” she said before abruptly being cut off.

“That is too expensive for me,” the person interjected, prompting Winfrey to respond with a visibly shocked expression. She asked in response, “Lower than $100?” As per the New York Post , Winfrey subsequently went on to suggest a sentimental gift, She encouraged the fan to create a personalized card listing the top 10 reasons they loved their mother, calling it a meaningful and heartfelt gift. “That is perfect,” the fan said liking the Christmas present idea. “And it’s sentimental, right?” “It’s sentimental,” she affirmed. The clip, which racked up more than 859,000 views on TikTok, has left social media users divided.

As reported by Buzzfeed , netizens were not too impressed with Winfrey’s holiday spirit and condemned her hypocritical style. “The judgment when he said $100 was too expensive,” a TikToker pointed. Another joked, ‘”She was SHOOK that $100 was too expensive. ‘Do they even make things that cost less than $100?”‘ A netizen echoed, “She said…if you can’t afford $100…just stick to a pen and paper lol.” In a similar vein, another quipped, “She didn’t know they made bills smaller than $100.” While some viewers criticized Winfrey’s response, many applauded her for taking the time to then come up with a cost-effective idea.

“Her second suggestion was incredibly thoughtful,” a fan opined, while another stated, “I think Oprah handled this and answered this very well.” “I would love a card with a list of reasons my children love me!” another individual gushed. According to The Independent , the fan who asked for the holiday present idea was identified on LinkedIn as Colin Drummond, Chief of TMZ’s Washington Bureau.

Drummond captioned his Christmas video with a positive note, penning she ‘slayed mom Christmas gift.’ She added, “Oprah knows how to give a sentimental gift .” On Instagram, he reposted the same, adding, “Oprah Christmas advice when on a budget. Conversations build creativity. If you know someone ready to get their creativity going, send them to me as I have something special in my bio for this week only.”