Here’s to having the last laugh. If you’ve ever wondered what pushed Oprah Winfrey over the edge in corporate America, this just might be the case.
During an interview at Stanford University, Oprah opened up about the time her former boss on the show, People Are Talking, basically told her she wasn’t worth a pay raise.
At the time, during the late 1970’s, her co-anchor — Richard Sher — was making double her salary for the very same position. And that just wasn’t sitting right with now-billionaire, Oprah Winfrey. So, according to her interview, she went to her boss for a raise.
CNBC reports Oprah told the boss it was unfair they weren’t getting similar pay, especially given the fact they were in the same position, doing the exact same job as co-hosts.
But her boss’s response was a real eye-opener for Winfrey. The source says he stated:
“Why should you make as much money as he? He has children. Do you have children?…He has to pay for college educations. He owns his own home, do you own your home?”
And after vehemently pointing out several more of her co-host’s expenses, Oprah’s former boss furthermore asked, “So tell me, why do you need the same amount of money?”
According to her interview, that’s when she knew it was time for her to exit that job.
“I said ‘Thank you for your time,’ and I left,” Winfrey told the university audience.
“The reason why I left my boss’s office when I was asking for a raise — I knew he didn’t hear nor see me, and that I was not going to get the validation that I needed. I decided not to file a suit against it because I knew at the time that I would lose, that no good would come of it,” revealed Oprah.
NOTE: However, according to Baltimore Sun — prior to the last straw — Oprah endured hellish conditions, harassment (including sexual), and undermining at her former employer. Regarding her time in Maryland, she mentioned as follows:
“Not all my memories of Baltimore are fond ones. But…it grew me into a real woman. I came in naive, unskilled, not really knowing anything about the business — or about life. And Baltimore grew me up.”
THE NEXT TIME
After some time hosting her own show, she came to her boss for a raise…but not for her. It was for her show’s producers.
“I was making a lot of money, and my producers were still getting the same salary,” Oprah mentions during a Time Magazine interview. “I went to my boss at the time and I said, ‘Everybody needs a raise.'”
However, this time she had power and clout behind her request. CNBC reports her boss’ highly sexist response as:
“They’re only girls. They’re a bunch of girls. What do they need more money for?”
According to the source, Oprah then — effective immediately — refused to host another show until they received their raise. Of course, they got it.
To top that cake, Winfrey says that in the late 90’s, she had the sweet pleasure of running into her old boss from Baltimore — as a multi-billionaire!
“One of the sweetest moments I ever had,” Oprah elaborates.
You can check out her full Stanford University interview below.
All in all ILOSM fam,’ let us know your thoughts about Oprah’s early career trials and tribulations. How much can y’all relate to her situation, even today? Share your views with us via our Facebook page.
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