# 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:** 9
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/161 "2013-08-12T22:19:47Z")
If you’re going to accuse a business of something, it’s best to wait until the security tapes have likely been erased. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![JoseB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/joseb/32/1530_2.png) [@JoseB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoseB)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/162 "2013-08-12T22:42:27Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > \<…\> Waiting weeks and then playing the race card is suspect and a bit bizarre. She was in a program where they were talking about the latest legal nastiness that Switzerland had thrust upon asylum-seekers, and it was then (as a comment on the subject) that she mentioned the incident. It was not “playing the race card”; it was more of a comment on the general attitude of Switzerland regarding those who are not Swiss. Had she not been in that program I think she wouldn’t have mentioned it. But the subject was broached so she contributed her experience. That is how I see it, at least. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/163 "2013-08-12T22:44:49Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > She was wearing stuff that you could buy on the rack at Macy’s. Wasn’t she was wearing DK? - not all the DK line is available at Macy’s. We don’t know if what she was wearing was off the rack at Macy’s or not. And yes, Rand, it was something - because the clerk has admitted she didn’t want to embarrass the customer with the price of the bag - something wrongly clued the clerk to “she can’t afford the bag.” So maybe it was the DK skirt rather than a Fendi skirt or Chanel suit. Maybe it was she was overweight. Maybe it was because she walked in during regular store hours lacking an entourage. Maybe it was her skin color. Maybe it was that she was American. But a clerk doesn’t decide you can’t afford it at a store like that for no reason. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/164 "2013-08-12T22:55:15Z")
Maybe Oprah is like a singularity of self-esteem issues that no amount of wealth, success, affirmation or attention could ever fill? ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/165 "2013-08-12T23:01:27Z")
The three-time refusal is what would piss me off. If someone is that insistent, shouldn’t that indicate a certain, I dunno, _assertiveness_ that is atypical for the average browser? Shouldn’t that give someone who makes their living from sales a certain pause? If Oprah had just asked once, then I can understand giving her the snobby brush-off. But after the third request, I would have at least pulled down the fucking handbag and let Oprah have a quick, no-touching, looksies. ---
**Author:** ![Tequila\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a6a055/32.png) [@Tequila\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tequila_Party)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/166 "2013-08-12T23:21:56Z")
> [@JoseB](#): > > She was in a program where they were talking about the latest legal nastiness that Switzerland had thrust upon asylum-seekers, and it was then (as a comment on the subject) that she mentioned the incident. > > It was not “playing the race card”; it was more of a comment on the general attitude of Switzerland regarding those who are not Swiss. Had she not been in that program I think she wouldn’t have mentioned it. But the subject was broached so she contributed her experience. That is how I see it, at least. This has been said a couple of times in the thread. I don’t think some people are as interested in the facts as they are bashing Oprah. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/167 "2013-08-12T23:26:30Z")
> [@JoseB](#): > > She was in a program where they were talking about the latest legal nastiness that Switzerland had thrust upon asylum-seekers, and it was then (as a comment on the subject) that she mentioned the incident. > > It was not “playing the race card”; it was more of a comment on the general attitude of Switzerland regarding those who are not Swiss. Had she not been in that program I think she wouldn’t have mentioned it. But the subject was broached so she contributed her experience. That is how I see it, at least. Was Oprah in the handbag shoppe seeking asylum? Is Oprah a recognized expert on Switzerland or the Swiss? Has Oprah sampled Swiss chocolate? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/168 "2013-08-12T23:32:23Z")
I think if O wants to do a special on Swiss intolerance, O will do a special on Swiss intolerance. If O wants to illustrate how racism still exists by recounting a story about the racist Swiss shop girl who wouldn’t take down the $40K purse that is evidently too expensive to take down and show just any billionaire media mogul who drags herself in, she should be mocked. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/169 "2013-08-12T23:36:24Z")
> [@Tequila\_Party](#): > > This has been said a couple of times in the thread. I don’t think some people are as interested in the facts as they are bashing Oprah. It’s not Oprah per se, it’s the repeated and unsubstanciated claim that “racism” was involved. Was this actually a racist incident or was it a misunderstanding? And Oprah’s shopping experience in one store has nothing to do with a government decision of how to treat assylum-seekers. Unless Oprah was seeking asylum as well as a handbag. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/170 "2013-08-12T23:44:21Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Everything on the shelf, including the shelf, wouldn’t cost $35,000. > > Rich people are right and poorer people are wrong, is that the way it is? What on earth are you talking about? I just said that Walmart has better customer service than this fancy Swiss boutique, so obviously I don’t think rich people are better behaved than poor people. > [@](#): > > Oprah, or her people, could have made prior arrangements with the store or she could have asked to talk to the manager. Any misunderstanding could have easily been cleared up at the store. I was responding to a post that accused Oprah of wanting to be treated like a billionaire when shopping. Having your people contact the store in advance so special arrangements can be made for you is acting like a billionaire. Asking a saleswoman to get something off a high shelf for you is not. It is perfectly ordinary shopping behavior. I am very far from being a billionaire, but I have asked salespeople to show me items that were on shelves or in display cases and have never been refused. > [@](#): > > Waiting weeks and then playing the race card is suspect and a bit bizarre. In the only video clip I’ve seen where Oprah tells this anecdote, she doesn’t claim that she was treated badly because of her race. She simply describes how the saleswoman repeatedly refused to show her the purse. ---
**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 12, 2013, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/171 "2013-08-12T23:55:37Z")
> [@JoseB](#): > > She was in a program where they were talking about the latest legal nastiness that Switzerland had thrust upon asylum-seekers, and it was then (as a comment on the subject) that she mentioned the incident. Actually, I understood that the program was discussing the new movie The Butler, about an African-American butler who worked at the White House during multiple administrations. I believe she was asked about her experiences with discrimination. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/172 "2013-08-13T04:59:14Z")
> [@Hippy\_Hollow](#): > > I understand some profiling takes place in high end retail. But it’s a dangerous, slippery slope. One of the consequences of acting like an asshole is that people get to derive their own rationale for your assholism. Whether it’s classism, sexism. jingoism, racism… that’s one of the best reasons to not act in that manner. What surprises me (actually, it doesn’t, I’ve seen this movie many times before) is that whenever someone suggests that racism is the reason for maltreatment, there’s a virtual tidal wave of handwaving and demanding of double-blinded studies to even entertain that possibility. Why would I believe it’s racism without evidence? The fact that this woman is black doesn’t mean that each time someone ruffles her feathers, the motivation is racism. Plus, it’s the second time she complains about this, and the first time, racism was even less likely (she wasn’t let in a luxury items shop _after the shop had closed_ and somehow decided that racism was the most likely reason). And finally, as I wrote above, I think that bussinesses that cater for the wealthy are the less likely to evaluate their customers on the basis of their skin colour. And yes, I demand double-bind studies. “Testing” is a good way (now accepted as evidence in court over here) to determine if racism is involved. For instance, you send two couples roughly of the same age and with the same kind of clothes to a club, and see if one is let in while the other is denied entrance. That proves something. “I’m black and the saleperson was mean” doesn’t prove anything. Especially when you have an history of claiming “They didn’t let famous **ME** into their shop after it was closed, they couldn’t possibly not know **ME** and they couldn’t possibly not let people as famous as \*\* ME\*\* shopping after they close, so they have to be racist”. If she wants to be taken seriously, maybe she should stop crying wolf. In neither of her two stories there was the slightest evidence of racism. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/173 "2013-08-13T09:14:57Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > The store said it was a misunderstanding. There has been nothing reported so far that leads me to believe this was anything other than a misunderstanding. Just how was this a misunderstanding? Who misunderstood what? Seems to me that both Oprah’s request and the clerk’s response were plenty clear and accurarely perceived. All I see is a salesperson treating a customer with disdain. That’s not misunderstanding, that’s snobbery and condescension. > [@](#): > > Maybe snobery on behalf of the clerk AND Oprah. Wait, so now it’s not a misunderstanding, but snobbery? Hmm. Just how was there snobbery on Oprah’s part? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/174 "2013-08-13T13:59:22Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > Maybe ?I’m wrong but didn’t she have a similar story a few years back about a shop in Paris? Maybe Hermes? > [Oh yeah, here it is.](http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1078087,00.html) > Her story and Hermes didn’t match up. Interesting. In both cases she was in the shop as a result of visiting Tina Turner. Funny how this doesn’t happen to Tina. I think if a store doesn’t jump to attention for Oprah because she’s Oprah, she’s going to have a little hissy fit ---
**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 13, 2013, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/175 "2013-08-13T14:01:57Z")
To be fair, Tina Turner is probably better known internationally than Oprah. (And Tina Turner has been with a German man and spending time in Europe for _years_.) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/176 "2013-08-13T14:07:42Z")
To be even more fair, Tina woulda probably fed the cashier the purse. ---
**Author:** ![hmarvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/858c86/32.png) [@hmarvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hmarvin)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/177 "2013-08-13T14:24:06Z")
> [@Mr.Kobayashi](#): > > Don’t know if you’re familiar with [this story](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-23626340), Oprah - one of the world’s richest women - is shopping in a Zurich handbag store and is told that one of the bags she wanted to look at is ‘too expensive’ for her - or that’s what Oprah reports, anyway. > > She made $77 mil last year. That’s some serious ‘fuck you money’, Assuming her report of the incident is accurate, it renders the handbag seller’s comment possibly the wrongest you could ever be. > > If I were her I’d be sorely tempted to buy the place out and fire her stupid ass. Oprah instead left the store and then spoke about it on TV. What would you do if you had that kind of money and suffered prejudice from someone whose job is to serve customers? > > Or do you think it was even a case of racism/prejudice? > **[Handbag Sales Assistant Says Oprah Is a LIAR (The Full Interview) | Opinion -...](https://beforeitsnews.com/opinion-conservative/2013/08/handbag-sales-assistant-says-oprah-is-a-liar-the-full-interview-2695924.html)** > > As my Mother, of Blessed Memory, used to say, "there are three sides to every story, his her's and the truth." > > Oprah scored some PR ... ---
**Author:** ![Tequila\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a6a055/32.png) [@Tequila\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tequila_Party)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/178 "2013-08-13T14:36:05Z")
That article is interesting. Here’s the quote from the clerk: “I told her it was the same bag as the one I was holding in my hand. Only that it is much more expensive. I would like to show you _other_ bags.” Then she goes on to say that she only offered to let Oprah look more closely at the _case_. Now, I don’t know about anyone else, but that certainly sounds like the implication is that she feels Oprah can’t afford the bag and is saying so in so many words. So she can remain “polite” and display “good manners.” I’m also leery that this was an anonymous interview. Your life has been ruined and yet you’re afraid to put your name out there while you’re defending yourself? Does not compute. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/179 "2013-08-13T14:58:11Z")
I don’t see what the sales assistant hoped to gain by _not_ showing a customer a bag. I mean, presumably they have security and the person isn’t going to do a runner with the bag, so what is the advantage in refusing to show the bag, and hence turn the tiny chance of a five-figure sale into absolutely zero chance of a five-figure sale? ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/180 "2013-08-13T15:26:18Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > I don’t see what the sales assistant hoped to gain by _not_ showing a customer a bag. I mean, presumably they have security and the person isn’t going to do a runner with the bag, so what is the advantage in refusing to show the bag, and hence turn the tiny chance of a five-figure sale into absolutely zero chance of a five-figure sale? Minimizing ‘shop wear’ on what is probably a unique item. From the salesperson’s point-of-view, if the customer were serious about purchasing the item, they’d have made arrangements ahead of time with the store. A ‘serious’ purchaser is not going to want to spend that sort of money on an item that shows evidence of wear. Which isn’t likely to happen with someone just looking at and briefly handling the bag, but still. [“Grab and Run” theft](http://www.midamericajewelrynews.com/columnists/bob-carroll/303-grab-and-run-theftis-there-a-way-to-prevent-it) is not unknown in the jewelry industry. Presumably the same is true for easily portable luxury goods like a $50K handbag. I don’t know how many of those kinds of thieves roll around in bespoke Donna Karan, but whatever. Perhaps their insurance policy requires that access to the item be cleared ahead of time by a senior manager? If the decision maker wasn’t there, I can see a salesperson just flatly refusing to show the bag, and be a stereotypically truculent Swiss about explaining why. I dunno know about you, but the mental picture I get is hilarious of a hypothetical Oprah legging it out of the boutique, looking like the Heisman trophy, and one step ahead of several screaming staffers. Gayle throwing trash cans behind her to trip up the security guy… Still a stupid way of handling it by the store (assuming it happened the way Oprah said it did), but those are two reasons I could think of for why the salesperson was so obstinate. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821.md?page=10)