America's media were all over Oprah Winfrey's claim last week that a Swiss saleswoman in July refused to show here an expensive handbag because she was black.
The saleswoman in question has come out and refuted Winfrey's claim making one wonder if the race-baiting media will bother reporting her side of the story.
According to LexisNexis, after Winfrey made her claims of racism on last Monday's Entertainment Tonight, there were over 300 media reports on the subject including over 20 on television and radio.
Here's how ABC's Nightline reported it Friday:
DAN ABRAMS (ABC NEWS) (Voiceover) Career decision. Oprah has a higher net worth than some of this world's countries. But a clueless Swiss shop clerk who didn't recognize her apparently determined she just didn't have the cash for a pricey bag. On "Entertainment Tonight," Oprah recalled visiting Switzerland when she stopped into an expensive boutique.
CLIP FROM TV SHOW, "ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT"
OPRAH WINFREY (TALK SHOW HOST) And she said, no, no, no, you don't want to see that one, you want to see this one, because that one will cost too much, you will not be able to afford that.
DAN ABRAMS (ABC NEWS) (Voiceover) The billionaire said the incident shows even she can still be the victim of racism.
CBS, MSNBC, NBC, and NPR all did stories on this event. CNN led the way with over ten.
Yet on Monday, the saleswoman in question - who's actually Italian - spoke anonymously to a Swiss newspaper refuting Winfrey's claims. Britain's Daily Mail reported:
Now the saleslady has hit back, stating: 'I wasn't sure what I should present to her when she came in on the afternoon of Saturday July 20 so I showed her some bags from the Jennifer Aniston collection.
'I explained to her the bags came in different sizes and materials, like I always do.
'She looked at a frame behind me. Far above there was the 35,000 Swiss franc crocodile leather bag.
'I simply told her that it was like the one I held in my hand, only much more expensive, and that I could show her similar bags.
'It is absolutely not true that I declined to show her the bag on racist grounds. I even asked her if she wanted to look at the bag.
'She looked around the store again but didn't say anything else. Then she went with her companion to the lower floor. My colleague saw them to the door. They were not even in the store for five minutes.'
She emphatically denied ever saying to Winfrey: 'You don't want to see this bag. It is too expensive. You cannot afford it.'
The saleslady went on: 'This is not true. This is absurd. I would never say something like that to a customer. Really never. Good manners and politeness are the Alpha and the Omega in this business.
'I don't know why she is making these accusations. She is so powerful and I am just a shop girl.
'I didn't hurt anyone. I don't know why someone as great as her must cannibalize me on TV.
'If it had all taken place as she claimed, why has she not complained the next day at the wedding of Tina Turner with Trudie Goetz, my boss? She was there also at the Turner wedding as a guest. I don't understand it."
So, will America's race-baiting media report the saleswoman's side of the story - especially as Winfrey has now apologized for the media firestorm she personally created - or would that go counter to their agenda?
Stay tuned.
