# What would you have done in Oprah's place (racism in Switzerland)? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 9, 2013, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821 "2013-08-09T18:14:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/21 "2013-08-09T19:49:49Z")
> [@Alley\_Dweller](#): > > On her return to the hotel after step 1, she is intercepted by the hotel manager who takes her into his office. The manager makes sure that she understands that hookers are not welcome, but they will make an exception for Edward. She starts crying and explains her shopping problems to the manager, who then refers her to another store. The clerk there is very nice to her. She buys a black lacy dress to wear to dinner with Edward. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/22 "2013-08-09T19:53:48Z")
I think she handled it perfectly. And I’m pretty sure the clerk has by now both suffered some rather severe punishment, even if only shaming, offered some form of heart felt gushing apology, and learned a life lesson they are unlikely to ever forget. I gotta believe that the shop has likely suffered accordingly. Without Ms Winfrey having to do a dang thing. Y’know beyond being kinda classy and dignified. Seems perfectly nuanced to me. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/23 "2013-08-09T20:00:51Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > And isn’t it just plain weird? Aren’t the only Black people you find in Swtitzerland _rich_ Black people? We’re they just “evil African dictators’s wife profiling?” I’m ignorant on this one. The article mentions 48,000 asylum-seekers in Switzerland, so perhaps the shop clerk thought that’s what she was? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/24 "2013-08-09T20:01:22Z")
If I had Oprah’s money, I’d spend tens of millions of it getting proper photo ids for black people in those states that are going ape-shit over voter id laws. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/25 "2013-08-09T20:03:52Z")
What does a $35,000 bag look like? ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/26 "2013-08-09T20:06:45Z")
Like a $15,000 bag but not so trashy. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/27 "2013-08-09T20:16:28Z")
From the link: > [@](#): > > Shop owner Trudie Gotz told the BBC that an assistant had shown Winfrey several other items before the “misunderstanding” over a $35,000 (£22,500) bag, which was kept behind a screen. I get that it’s an upscale store, but even still, how many of its customers can actually afford a 35k purse? I’m guessing about .01% So it would be (almost) safe to assume no one could afford that purse. I’m not seeing the racism here. As with most A-list celebs do, I think oprah got a little miffed because somebody didn’t already know who she was. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/28 "2013-08-09T20:29:45Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > From the link: > > I get that it’s an upscale store, but even still, how many of its customers can actually afford a 35k purse? I’m guessing about .01% > > So it would be (almost) safe to assume no one could afford that purse. I’m not seeing the racism here. As with most A-list celebs do, I think oprah got a little miffed because somebody didn’t already know who she was. Wait, what? This is an upscale store that sells obscenely expensive items. And it would be safe to assume, in this store that sells things that nobody can afford, that whoever is in the store can’t afford it? So the purses are just there for show, and when people come in and want to actually buy them, SOP should be to say “You can’t afford this”? Uh, okay, at my Maserati dealership, I pretty much stand on the lot and turn everybody away. Nobody can afford those cars. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/29 "2013-08-09T20:40:08Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > Wait, what? This is an upscale store that sells obscenely expensive items. And it would be safe to assume, in this store that sells things that nobody can afford, that whoever is in the store can’t afford it? So the purses are just there for show, and when people come in and want to actually buy them, SOP should be to say “You can’t afford this”? > > Uh, okay, at my Maserati dealership, I pretty much stand on the lot and turn everybody away. Nobody can afford those cars. It’s labeled as an upmarket shop. That doesn’t mean every item in that place costs thousands of dollars. I’m betting most of the items in there don’t even come close to 35K. The owner couldn’t stay in business if he limited himself to such a tiny demographic. There’s rich, as in the high six figures a year (which I doubt anybody in this category is going to drop 35K on a purse), and then there’s Oprah rich. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/30 "2013-08-09T20:44:46Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > If I had OprahBucks, I’d have a flunky hang out in front of the store and buy-off customers. Offer each customer cash. . .maybe five or ten thousand, to sign an agreement that they would never set foot in the store again. I like your style. 🆒 > [@pravnik](#): > > I would have bought Swizterland and immediately evicted everybody. Crap! Your idea is even better! ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/31 "2013-08-09T20:47:53Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Like a $15,000 bag but not so trashy. Ha! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/32 "2013-08-09T20:50:48Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > I only remember two shopping attempts. > > 1. Store that wouldn’t help her > 2. Calls Edward > 3. Expensive shopping trip > 4. Shows up at first store with lots of bags to brag. > > Am I missing a scene? (The YouTube links didn’t work). Well there was… nm, **Alley Dweller said it better** > [@Alley\_Dweller](#): > > On her return to the hotel after step 1, she is intercepted by the hotel manager who takes her into his office. The manager makes sure that she understands that hookers are not welcome, but they will make an exception for Edward. She starts crying and explains her shopping problems to the manager, who then refers her to another store. **The clerk there is very nice to her.** She buys a black lacy dress to wear to dinner with Edward. (bolded part explains the next quote and comment) > [@Alley\_Dweller](#): > > I still would have preferred that they go back to the store where she was initially treated well. The problem is if they had returned to the nice lady store the demand for sucking up would have felt wrong. (who would have imagined a Pretty Woman tangent in a racism thread) ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/33 "2013-08-09T21:02:20Z")
> [@Mr.Kobayashi](#): > > If I were her I’d be sorely tempted to buy the place out and fire her stupid ass. What are Swiss labor laws like? It might not be that easy to just fire someone for being an asshat. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/34 "2013-08-09T21:17:51Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > It’s labeled as an upmarket shop. That doesn’t mean every item in that place costs thousands of dollars. I’m betting most of the items in there don’t even come close to 35K. The owner couldn’t stay in business if he limited himself to such a tiny demographic. > > There’s rich, as in the high six figures a year (which I doubt anybody in this category is going to drop 35K on a purse), and then there’s Oprah rich. Right, so when someone comes in the store to buy an ungodly expensive item, they should default to assuming the customer can’t afford them. Why even carry them if whenever someone asks to look at one, the cashier should just assume the customer can’t afford it? At my BMW, Lexus, and Maserati dealership, I don’t even let people look at the Maseratis. I just tell them they can’t afford it. Straight up. Don’t ask me why I even have them on the lot. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/35 "2013-08-09T21:27:41Z")
> [@Martian Bigfoot](#): > > What are Swiss labor laws like? It might not be that easy to just fire someone for being an asshat. Buy out the legislature and change the laws then DAMMIT. This is Oprah money we’re talking about here! ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/36 "2013-08-09T21:28:24Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > And I’m pretty sure the clerk has by now both suffered some rather severe punishment Ludovico technique with 25 seasons’ worth of _The Oprah Winfrey Show_ on continuous loop, perhaps. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/37 "2013-08-09T21:39:53Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > Right, so when someone comes in the store to buy an ungodly expensive item, they should default to assuming the customer can’t afford them. Why even carry them if whenever someone asks to look at one, the cashier should just assume the customer can’t afford it? > > At my BMW, Lexus, and Maserati dealership, I don’t even let people look at the Maseratis. I just tell them they can’t afford it. Straight up. Don’t ask me why I even have them on the lot. The guy is a straight up idiot. I just don’t know “racist idiot” is the right phrase here. That said though, after doing a little reading, I see Switzerland is basically the Alabama of Europe. [Racist political posters](https://www.google.com/search?q=swiss%20racist%20posters&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=imAFUtfAEob64APjwoEg&biw=1366&bih=643&sei=kWAFUpL5DIfA4AOS_oGgAQ) [[Shudders]] ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/38 "2013-08-09T21:45:38Z")
Heck, this has happened to me before in stores. I can recall shopping for a present for my wife in a jewelry store. I had looked at several necklaces that were several hundred dollars. I pointed out one in the case that caught my eye. The saleslady gently let me know it was several thousand bucks. I lost all interest in that item instantly. 😉 I don’t know all the details of Oprah’s situation. Obviously the saleslady didn’t know she was dealing with someone worth a hundred million or more. I wouldn’t immediately jump to any conclusions about race. A lot of customers couldn’t afford a 38k purse. Even someone with modest wealth would hesitate at that price tag. It’s a class issue. Only the richest of the rich buy crap like a 38k purse. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/39 "2013-08-09T22:03:21Z")
There is a difference between letting someone gently knowing the price (and make their own decision) and telling someone that they can’t afford it. ---
**Author:** ![markdash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@markdash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markdash)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/40 "2013-08-09T23:03:56Z")
So a salesperson was either racist or an asshole or possibly both. How is that worth going on TV about? Seems like a much better strategy would have been to kindly tell the person, “You may not think I can afford this purse, but I made $x million last year. I have more than enough money to afford this purse, but because of your treatment, I will never purchase anything in this store. Ever.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821.md?page=3)