Oprah Winfrey Facing Wave of Backlash Online After Problematic Past Actions Resurface

Oprah Winfrey was trending on social media this weekend, prompting some users to bring up unfavorable older stories about the talk show host. Winfrey has a long career in media, rising up to become a billionaire philanthropist and an authoritative, thoughtful voice. However, some did not want her to less savory deeds to go forgotten.

Winfrey was trending on Twitter this weekend after it was announced that she and other celebrities, philanthropists and some politicians will be hosting a "virus relief livestream." The online event will go on for 24 hours and will include 200 celebrity appearances. According to a report by ABC News, it is officially called The Call to Unite, and it aims to raise money for coronavirus relief around the world. Many of Winfrey's critics began by remarking on how absurd it seemed to them for Winfrey to be asking "normal people" for money.

Winfrey joins former President George W. Bush, actors like Julia Roberts and Jennifer Garner, and musicians like Common and QuestLove in The Call to Unite, which airs Friday night. In the meantime, her appearance on social media this weekend caused many people to dredge up fresh criticism of Winfrey's career, her social maneuvering and her contribution to today's media landscape.

Some criticism were highly specific. For example, one old clip from Winfrey's talk show circulated showing her interview with NBA star Dennis Rodman. At the time, she grilled Rodman about his sexuality and his flamboyant public persona, in a way that many viewers saw as hostile and potentially harmful to Rodman in retrospect.

Another clip showed Winfrey interviewing the Olsen twins, with similar criticisms. Finally, a third viral clip from Winfrey's days on the air showed an interview with Toni Braxton, along with a more recent interview where Braxton said that Winfrey was "mean" to her on set.

Meanwhile, many criticized Winfrey for her years-long public friendliness with Harvey Weinstein before he was deposed for serial sexual assault. Winfrey has already answered this charge a few times. Back in March, in an interview on Gwyneth Paltrow's podcast, she said that she had no knowledge of Weinstein's predatory behavior in those days. However, she did know he was "a bully."

Here is a look at what social media had to say about Winfrey, her past work and her upcoming charity event on Twitter this weekend.