Oprah Winfrey rules out 2020 presidential run: 'It would kill me'
Oprah Winfrey is shutting down lingering rumors of a potential presidential run, telling British Vogue that she has zero interest in pursuing politics.
Oprah Winfrey is one of the most powerful people in media and entertainment and also one of the most private.
Now, she's now opening up about why she recently left '60 Minutes' and who she's thinking of supporting in the 2020 election.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the veteran TV personality, 65, admitted she cut ties with the CBS news magazine because the show was "flattening out my personality."
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"I've removed myself from that. It was not the best format for me … How should I say this? Never a good thing when I have to practice saying my name and have to be told that I have too much emotion in my name," Winfrey revealed.
"I think I did seven takes on just my name because it was ‘too emotional.’ I go, ‘Is the too much emotion in the Oprah part or the Winfrey part?’ I was working on pulling myself down and flattening out my personality — which, for me, is actually not such a good thing," she added.
Winfrey was announced as a "special contributor" for "60 Minutes" in January 2017 and received praise for her new venture.
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“I’m so excited and proud to join forces with this historic news program, which for me represents the bastion of journalistic storytelling,” she said at the time in a press release.
“There is only one Oprah Winfrey,” said the show's then-executive producer Jeff Fager at the time. “She has achieved excellence in everything she has touched. Her body of work is extraordinary, including thousands of interviews with people from all walks of life. She is a remarkable and talented woman with a level of integrity that sets her apart and makes her a perfect fit for ’60 Minutes.’ I am thrilled that she will be bringing her unique and powerful voice to our broadcast.”
Fager left CBS in September for violating an unspecified "company policy."
Winfrey has since pivoted and is now working with Apple and CEO Tim Cook on its new streaming platform Apple TV+.
She signed a multi-year partnership deal to create original programming which will include documentary projects and the creation of "the stimulating book club on the planet," per her announcement at an Apple event in March.
One documentary will cover the topic of workplace sexual harassment and she's also working on another multi-part series on mental health with the help of Prince Harry.
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"I've joined in order to serve this moment because the Apple platform allows me to do what I do in a whole new way," Winfrey said at the event.
"I am proud and honored to be a part of this platform where I can connect with people around to the world to show meaningful ways to create positive change," she added.
And as for which 2020 Democrat the left-leaning billionaire will likely back for president?
“Right now, I’d probably want to sit down and talk to Butta [Pete Buttigieg] … “Mayor Pete” feels easier. I like saying “Butta.” (Laughs.) So I’m reading about him," Winfrey said. "I have Kamala’s book. I just got the Vanity Fair piece on Beto [O’Rourke]. I’d done some research background stuff on him before. I already know Cory [Booker]. So I’m quietly figuring out where I’m going to use my voice in support.”
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