
One Conservative's thoughts on news, current events, books and politics.
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I have nothing against Oprah, even though she loathes romance novels. But I guess that's fair enough. I loathe the hideously depressing books she usually chose for her book club. So we're even.
And I think the French have a lot to apologize for, across the board.
But when I read that an uppity French boutique was brought to their knees by the talkshow queen and were making public apologies to her highness, I had a definite WTF moment.
Here's the deal:
Oprah's in Pairs with her entourage. SHE wants to shop at Hermes, a posh boutique.
The store closes at 6:30 pm.
Oprah and entourage show up at 6:45 pm.
Unannounced.
Without even having the courtesy to call ahead and ASK Hermes POLITELY if they would mind staying open late so she could shop (after all, when you are expecting a man or woman to go home late for dinner, or reschedule after work plans, or miss time with their spouses and children, the very least you can do is make arrangements ahead of time and ASK if it's okay, so the people whose plans you are messing up have a chance to make arrangments with the babysitter or their wives or whatever).
But apparently, if you are the almighty Oprah, you are under the impression that every sales clerk out there would gladly miss dinner or time with their kids so you can shop after hours, without even doing something nice like ordering a spread for all the employees who are surely, by 6:45pm, pretty damned hungry.
Whatever.
So anyway, Oprah and entourage show up at Hermes AFTER closing time, UNANNOUNCED, and without even a Big Mac for the employees she intended to inconvenience.
And Hermes, BESIDES BEING CLOSED, was preparing for a PRIVATE public relations event.
So they told her they would not open back up.
Obviously, Ms. Winfrey, or someone in her entourage, was pissed off, that the store's own private event was important to them (or that the store dared adhere to their closing time) and made a stink somewhere, because Hermes issued the following statement Tuesday:
"Hermes regrets not having been able to welcome Madame Oprah Winfrey and the people accompanying her to give them all the attention and service that Hermes is committed to giving each of its clients in the world."
What a crock! I assure you that Hermes would not have opened their doors after hours for a private shopping spree for me. So it's NOT really "each of its clients in the world." It's only whiney celebrity clients who expect special treatment, even when they are too self absorbed and rude to call ahead and make arrangements.
Note to Oprah: Even if you are a billionaire and famous and all that, you are not above common courtesy. I wish I had a posh store. Then I'd hope you'd come to my store some time after hours, without calling ahead, and demand that you get to shop - and see what would happen. Normally, if possible, I would allow a celebrity to shop in my store after hours so they didn't get interrupted by well-meaning-but-excited-fans. But after this episode, I would delight in turning your famous celebrity self away and tell you to come back the next day when we open. And I wouldn't apologize for it. And if you raised a stink, I'd throw it right back at ya and demand an apology from YOU because you were rude and under the impression that you are entitled to better treatment than the rest of my customers.
Note to Hermes: I understand that you want Oprah to spend a share of her coveted American billions at your store, but you wimped out and have no lost all dignity in this situation. Shame on you.