Oprah Winfrey Opens Up About Joan Rivers' Weight Comments

Oprah Winfrey recently shared her experience of feeling embarrassed and ashamed following Joan Rivers' comments about her weight during her first appearance on 'The Tonight Show' in 1985. Speaking on The Jamie Kern Lima podcast, Winfrey discussed how Rivers suggested she needed to lose 15 pounds, which led to an agreement between them to both shed that weight. However, Winfrey ended up gaining an additional 10 pounds instead.

Winfrey also recalled her concerns about losing a role in the 1985 film 'The Color Purple' due to her size. She received a call from producer Steven Spielberg, who informed her that her weight had cost her the part. Despite this setback, Winfrey was eventually cast as Sofia in the film, a role that earned her an Academy Award nomination.