Oprah Winfrey Offends Indian Viewers With 'Ignorant' Stereotypes on 'Next Chapter'
Oprah Winfrey may have interviewed pop culture's biggest names such as the Kardashian family, the championship winning Miami Heat and the late Michael Jackson's daughter Paris on her show "Oprah's Next Chapter," but the media maven's most recent show about Indian culture has offended some fans of the television series.
Winfrey visited India earlier this year and showcased her findings on her series over the weekend. However, the media proprietor decided to document stereotypical aspects of the culture that some felt were only confirming ignorant beliefs that Western culture has concerning India.
While Winfrey's show included the smelling of incense, a sari fitting, the stories of people living in slums and arranged marriages, some thought the media mogul was being ignorant when she questioned one person about "still" eating with their hands.
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One person on Twitter accused the media proprietor of being arrogant with her remarks.
"You still eat with your hands," one person questioned about Winfrey's remarks. "The shocking arrogance of a clueless rich woman."
Rajyasree Sen, reviewer for Firspost.com, took to the website to lash out at Winfrey's remarks.
"Myopic, unaware, ignorant and gauche. This was Middle America at its best worst," Sen wrote about the recent episode that showcased Winfrey's tour of India. "I don't know what people in America are eating their hot dogs, pizzas and tacos with but perhaps Oprah's home has evolved cutlery for all that."
Another person took to Twitter to express shock and disappointment that Winfrey, an established journalist, would stoop to the level of stereotyping a culture.
"The (average) American thinking of India as a place with snake charmers and elephants as main mode of transport, I can understand. But Oprah," the Twitter user wrote in disbelief. "Honestly, this Oprah Winfrey has made such a royal fool of herself with this."
