Well it MUST be racism because...like...DUH!

I shall now drive to work in my pirate.

Yep, European companies, from low to high end, SUCK at customer service. I've found that to be true from Spain to Poland and everywhere between.

Oprah's thinking is lazier than the European work ethic.

Of course, Oprah is also a complete moron only slightly sharper than the morons that she made her money off of.

Never attribute to malice what can be attributed to sloth.

I think this has more to do with the "don't you know who I am?" entitlement mentality.

Alternatively, it could be simply an Ugly American story.

Or perhaps a combination of both.

"I didn't know who she was when she came into the store"

Her Majesty Oprah the First taking offense when the lowly serving girl didn't immediately recognize her and bow & grovel. That's my impression of this incident. I could be wrong, but I find it hard to believe that the staff at this store never encountered wealthy black women before. African dictators & their cronies all have rich wives & female relatives, all of whom go shopping in Europe. There are well-off black women in France and elsewhere too.

I doubt any sales person wants to not sell. Maybe Oprah should learn another language.

Oh, and not to belabor this, but in the book, the term "ugly American" in an endearment for the guy everyone liked. It's not a pejorative.

Ha, ha, excellent point. The attitude here is you should be darn grateful I'm allowing you to even be in my store, let alone purchase something.

It now amuses me how the grocery store will completely block off the dairy section in the middle of the day if they are re-stocking something. It's the customer's responsibility to come back later, duh.

And the glares I used to get from the saleswomen in small shops when I came in with a toddler in a stroller? Deadly! My money was not good enough for them.

Comment elsewhere; "Isn't it funny how just as Oprah comes out in a new movie about race and Obama is presenting her with the Medal of Freedom she is suddenly discriminated against?"

Sure, there are plenty of racist Swiss and the salesady may be one, but Oprah'd hardly be the first rich black lady the saleslady encountered. I wonder what she was wearing. Swiss people in the cities are really into what you're wearing.

Hmmm...

"I'd like to see that bag, please."

(Saleswoman look up dubiously at the high shelf, annoyed at the prospect of having to clamber up a ladder to get a bag that would likely be refused once the price was disclosed.)

"Oh, it's just like the bag I have in my hand, but that one is a really expensive bag. I could show you similar ones that are more reasonably priced."

"Racist!" (Stomps off.)

One wonders what would have happened if Oprah simply more firmly reiterated her request, "I'd like to see the bag I asked to see, please."

Why does everything have to be about race? Why can't we just be mean to people because they are assholes or bitches regardless if they are black, white, pink, or green?

And who do you know that's actually green? Other than the woman who wrote Amy for advice with that a letter that started, "I guess I'm a pretty green girl"?

lsomber is exactly right - this "incident" times perfectly with her new movie coming out. She needs to get publicity by hook or crook since her traditional middle-class, white, female audience abandoned her because she pimped for Obama instead of their favorite, Hillary.

And she is now saying it wasn't really against the Swiss because she may be a moron; but, even she, is seeing the backlash against her.

May her career continue to crash and burn.

Even Oprah says this has been blown out of proportion (and wasn't a racial thing):

http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/21903157-421/oprah-sorry-for-switzerlands-flap.html

She has also said it was a $38,000 purse, so the clerk did her a favor.

It now amuses me how the grocery store will completely block off the dairy section in the middle of the day if they are re-stocking something. It's the customer's responsibility to come back later, duh.

Amazing what a few frivolous lawsuits will do to a business and customer service.

Turns out the Sun-Times links is subscriber-only.

So, here's a coupla more links:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/13/entertainment-us-oprah-idUSBRE97C0NS20130813

http://www.eonline.com/news/448285/oprah-winfrey-sounds-off-on-blown-up-racism-controversy-in-switzerland

Sure, Oprah, pull the race card. It works in the US, and surely Switzerland is part of that?

There is an interview with the sales woman in German (her native language). All of the translations into English seem to omit one important point: she was speaking with Oprah in English, which is not the saleswoman's native language.

As I understand the German interview, Oprah was looking at a leather handbag. She asked about the crocodile one, and the saleswoman tried to say that it was exactly like the one in her hands, except for being made of a different material.

It's not at all clear that Oprah even asked to look at the bag; the saleswoman thought she would first just offer information.

Perhaps she misunderstood; perhaps she answered in imperfect English. A polite tourist who cannot speak the local language ought to be slow to take offense at perceived slights.

But no, play the race card, it might be good for another couple of TV interviews back home.

It's not her color, it's her fatness.
Upscale stores treat the overweight like they have plague.
JMO - But I, like Oprah, have been on both sides of the thin/fat line and there is a vast difference in the way others relate to the fat person.

And who do you know that's actually green?

Posted by: Patrick at August 13, 2013 10:52 AM
_______________________________________

Exactly. It's one thing for a Margaret Hamilton fantasy character or a Muppet to be green, but in real life, when you think about it, making jokes about skin color - to that extent - is just trivializing the issue of racism. There's a reason you seldom or never hear black people making jokes in that particular manner.

I have been to high end clothing stores.

They treat you like garbage (sometimes).

I collect very expensive makeup, and I am well known but there have been times when I get sales girls that treat me like shit. Like I ain't worth their time.

My story is not uncommon in the high end department. A friend told me when he worked at Hermes that the shittiest looking people usually came to blow the most cash, while the ones that looked rich were all appearances. Lots of sales girls don't understand this concept.

Oprah is not used to it cuz everyone here knows Oprah.

By the way high end houses have started discussing how too many "regular" people can afford their stuff, and they are annoyed/pissed.

Also European customer service blows giant chucks.

It's not that easy, being green.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZJxL3PrrLM

There's a reason you seldom or never hear black people making jokes in that particular manner.

So have you never seen a black comedian, ever? Cause they joke about race all the time.

And the one thing that makes no sense to me what so ever about this story is Tina Turner having a birthday, I thought she was dead a year or two before Whitney

I said "in that particular manner."

As in, cutesy and low-key - i.e., condescending. Making jokes about people being green, blue or purple. Get the picture?

I can't imagine Chris Rock doing that.

Why is it that I just cannot care about the troubles of one of the richest women to have ever lived on this earth?

"Her Majesty Oprah the First taking offense when the lowly serving girl didn't immediately recognize her and bow & grovel. That's my impression of this incident. "

Me too. Yet another Hollywood "Don't you know who I AM???" moment.

"I doubt any sales person wants to not sell" - you apparently have never been to Europe.

I got a free ice cream cone because the clerk didn't want to bother to make change for a 10-pound note.

Is "facial profiling" as bad as racial profiling?

http://houston.cbslocal.com/2013/08/15/nyc-hotel-kicks-out-duck-dynasty-star-after-confusing-him-for-homeless-man/