Famed talk show queen Oprah Winfrey is known for her heartwarming conversations, such as her surprise interview with Harry and Meghan.
But even longtime hosts like Oprah get it wrong sometimes, as Nathan Lane recently demonstrated when he told NBC Sunday Today that late actor Robin Williams was a “saint” after he “pounced” on him and rescued him during a 1996 Oprah interview when he wasn’t. ready to come out as gay.
Lane, 67, made a public appearance three years later in 1999, but during the press tour for his movie The Birdcage — in which he starred alongside Williams — he simply wasn’t ready to tell the world when Oprah asked if he worried about being typecast because he played The role of a drag queen in the movie.
“I don’t think (Oprah) was trying to get me out,” said Lane. But I said to Robin beforehand: “You know, I’m not ready. I’m too scared to go out and talk to Oprah.
I’m not ready to discuss being gay on national television. I’m not ready.’
During a 1996 interview, a nervous-looking Oprah Spit asked, “Were you afraid of taking on this role and being like people pick everything?” Are you not? Is it honey? I don’t know’
Before Lin had a chance to answer, Williams pounced and said, “Girl, you changed in the middle of that sentence…”
He said, “It’s okay, don’t worry.” We don’t have to talk about it, and we won’t.
MailOnline takes a look at other times during her career that Oprah Winfrey has gone wrong by questioning some of showbiz’s biggest stars.
Dolly Parton
In 2003, Dolly Parton sat down with Oprah for a heart-to-heart interview talking about plastic surgery, mental health, and her new album.
During the interview, Oprah asked her: ‘How do you defy age, Dolly? What do you do?’
“Oh, I don’t know,” said Dolly, “I’m a cartoon, so I look the same all the time!”
Instead of moving on, Oprah asked again while looking directly into the camera, “But you were open that you had some work done.” Some tucks, pulls, and bumps?
Dolly laughed at the constant questioning and said, “Yes I have, and I’ll have more when I need ’em!” I have a funny thing I’ve been saying to the girls, all the girls who sing on the tribute album, a lot of them are so young.
“I was already into plastic surgery when they were still sleeping on plastic sheets!”
Drew Brees
In 2010, Oprah interviewed NFL quarterback Drew Brees and made mistakes within just a minute of appearing on the show.
After Oprah said “Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow!” She tried to rip something off Bryce’s left cheek, which Oprah assumed was a smear of lipstick as she asked, “Who just kissed you?”
This smudge of lipstick is actually Brees’ birthmark. He laughed about the embarrassing moment at the time, but revealed in an interview with CNN Two years later, others mocked him for his birthmarks as a child.
In his book Coming Back Stronger, the former NFL star has since revealed that while he was ashamed of his birthmarks, they won’t have them removed now because it sets him apart from everyone else.
It’s just a part of me. I wouldn’t think of cutting my arm off. And I do not cut off my birthmarks.
In 2010, Oprah interviewed NFL quarterback Drew Brees and made mistakes within just a minute of appearing on the show.
Barbra Streisand
Back in 2003, Barbra Streisand appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show wearing a white turtleneck and carrying her white dog Sammy around the studio.
After a musical performance during which Streisand used a white microphone, Oprah called out to her to even match the microphone to her outfit and her dog by saying, “I just want to say this… I own this studio, I’ve been here.” I don’t know how many years. I’ve never seen a white microphone before.
“It’s actually white, to match my off-white jacket,” Streisand responded to Oprah. I love the simplicity and monochrome frames.
“Was the microphone sprayed?”
Barbra Streisand appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show wearing a white turtleneck and carrying her white dog Sammy around the studio.
Elizabeth Taylor
In 1998, Oprah interviewed Elizabeth Taylor in an interview that the host herself referred to as “still painful to watch… for many reasons — including my bad hair,” according to Opera.com.
One of the conditions of the interview was that Oprah couldn’t ask Taylor any questions about her relationships — but the talk show host asked anyway.
This caused Taylor to respond with “none of your business” or a “whistling death stare,” according to The New Yorker.
Oprah’s website also reveals: “Liz’s responses were so curt that Oprah couldn’t help but mutter, ‘You’re revealing everything — just tell it all!'” You have to stop talking so much, Mrs. Taylor! “”
Despite the misstep, Taylor made several appearances on Oprah’s talk show Shower after the awkward relationship inquiry.
In 1998, Oprah interviewed Elizabeth Taylor in an interview that the host herself referred to as “still painful to watch… for many reasons — including my bad hair.”
Sally Field
On Rob Lowe’s podcast literally!On!, Oprah revealed that she also regretted asking Sally Field about her relationship with Burt Reynolds, whom Field had been dating for five years in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Oprah asked, “Does Burt sleep with his wig on?” , which are questions she said viewers would want her to ask.
Later, she called it a huge mistake and said that Field “got cold to her” after asking that question and “shut off” for the rest of the interview.
On the podcast, Oprah said she thinks it wasn’t right to ask the question and she can understand why Field is so cold to her.
“I deserved it, I deserved it, I deserved it, because that’s an inappropriate question,” Oprah said.
Oprah’s Sally Field asked, “Does Burt sleep in his wig?” questions she said viewers would want her to ask.
