Rae Dawn Chong defends Oprah Winfrey slam, says N-word comment was taken out of context
Margaret Eby
Rae Dawn Chong slammed Oprah in a radio interview, calling her 'Color Purple' co-star a 'field n----r.' She later defended her remarks, saying that they were meant as compliments. (AP/ WireImage)
Does "The Color Purple" actress Rae Dawn Chong have beef with Oprah?
The 52-year-old, daughter of comedian Tommy Chong, gave an interview with "Matty P's Radio Happy Hour" on June 27, that's peppered with some harsh words for her former co-star.
"She was lovely (on 'The Color Purple')," Chong said, replying to a question about her relationship with Oprah. "It was after when I did 'Commando' and I was starring with Maria Shriver's husband in the movie. That's when she was a total b---h."
Chong leavens her comments with some praise for the media mogul.
"She is amazing. I respect her," Chong continued. "I think she's done great things for women of color, women of a certain size. I think she's an icon."
Yet, Chong went on to call her friend a "great brown-noser."
"If you're in a room with her she'll pick the most powerful person and she'll become best friends with her," Chong said. "She was that fat chick that was a cheerleader or the wannabe cheerleader in school that was the student council president, that was best friends with the principal," she said. "She was the fat chick in school that did everything and everyone loved her."
"If you look at the way she looks – 60 years ago she would have been a housekeeper, luckily," Chong added. "She would not have been a house n----r, she would've been a field n----r."
You gotta respect her, no matter how vile she is – because ultimately she's all about Oprah and she's boring," Chong said.
"This woman is a miracle, and I respect her and I say kudos to you and I don't give two cents about the other parts of it," Chong said. "She shifted the DNA in terms of our thinking of a woman of a certain size and a certain shade. I love her for that."
After TMZ published the audio of Chong's interview, the actress took to Facebook to defend herself.
"OMG I wake up to TMZ highlighting comments I made on a radio show out of context," the star wrote. "I swear I did not JUST say O was a field N and I was making a point about America during slave times ... and I stand behind what I said but out of context it is bad."
Chong also released a video statement to TMZ in order to clarify her remarks on the show.
"In context, I was actually complimenting Oprah," Chong insisted. "Do I have issues with Oprah? Yes. Am I perfect? No. Do I take back everything I said? No. Am in pain that it's caused pain to me, to her? Yes."
Margaret Eby
Rae Dawn Chong slammed Oprah in a radio interview, calling her 'Color Purple' co-star a 'field n----r.' She later defended her remarks, saying that they were meant as compliments. (AP/ WireImage)
Does "The Color Purple" actress Rae Dawn Chong have beef with Oprah?
The 52-year-old, daughter of comedian Tommy Chong, gave an interview with "Matty P's Radio Happy Hour" on June 27, that's peppered with some harsh words for her former co-star.
"She was lovely (on 'The Color Purple')," Chong said, replying to a question about her relationship with Oprah. "It was after when I did 'Commando' and I was starring with Maria Shriver's husband in the movie. That's when she was a total b---h."
Chong leavens her comments with some praise for the media mogul.
"She is amazing. I respect her," Chong continued. "I think she's done great things for women of color, women of a certain size. I think she's an icon."
Yet, Chong went on to call her friend a "great brown-noser."
"If you're in a room with her she'll pick the most powerful person and she'll become best friends with her," Chong said. "She was that fat chick that was a cheerleader or the wannabe cheerleader in school that was the student council president, that was best friends with the principal," she said. "She was the fat chick in school that did everything and everyone loved her."
"If you look at the way she looks – 60 years ago she would have been a housekeeper, luckily," Chong added. "She would not have been a house n----r, she would've been a field n----r."
You gotta respect her, no matter how vile she is – because ultimately she's all about Oprah and she's boring," Chong said.
"This woman is a miracle, and I respect her and I say kudos to you and I don't give two cents about the other parts of it," Chong said. "She shifted the DNA in terms of our thinking of a woman of a certain size and a certain shade. I love her for that."
After TMZ published the audio of Chong's interview, the actress took to Facebook to defend herself.
"OMG I wake up to TMZ highlighting comments I made on a radio show out of context," the star wrote. "I swear I did not JUST say O was a field N and I was making a point about America during slave times ... and I stand behind what I said but out of context it is bad."
Chong also released a video statement to TMZ in order to clarify her remarks on the show.
"In context, I was actually complimenting Oprah," Chong insisted. "Do I have issues with Oprah? Yes. Am I perfect? No. Do I take back everything I said? No. Am in pain that it's caused pain to me, to her? Yes."
