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Oprah Winfrey has refused to apologise for tweeting that footballer Ian Wright looked like “a Jersey politician”.
In what some people consider to be an unforgivable slur, the US talk show host posted that the former Arsenal striker and now pundit looked “undoubtedly like a States Member”.
**WARNING: this article may contain satire...***
Some have called for Ms Winfrey to resign, calling her comparison offensive and disrespectful. Others have said that it was fine, because Ms Winfrey was engaged in “observational comedy”.
Mr Wright was interviewing Harry Kane, with his wife Meghan, about what it was like to come up against the Palace - a team notoriously difficult to play against.
Mr Kane told Mr Wright - who himself played for Palace until leaving for Highbury in 1991 - that the club was very defensive but also able to launch skilful attacks when needed.
Pictured: Mr Wright had been interviewing Harry - alongside his wife, Meghan - about what is was like to come up against the Palace.
Meghan, meanwhile, said that the players’ wives area was always very hostile and she couldn’t wait to get out.
The Club Chairwoman, however, was always very welcoming and friendly, regularly asking: “So, what do you do?”
Ms Winfrey defended her tweet, arguing that clearly she was joking as no one could be as unfunny or as unprofessional as a Jersey politician.
“Mr Wright has a good sense of humour and he clearly knows what is appropriate, so people must have known I wasn’t being serious - we need jokes, not wokes,” said Ms Winfrey.
However, many pointed out that Mr Wright’s reputation could suffer irreparably if anyone thought he was associated with politics in Jersey.
Pictured: Mr Wright’s reputation could suffer irreparably if anyone thought he was associated with politics in Jersey.
“Apparently they have elected politicians - supposedly leaders of their community - who set an example by tweeting about things that could easily be interpreted as racist and misogynist,” said one social media user.
“To put Mr Wright in the same sentence as these people is simply beyond the pale.”
Eventually, Ms Winfrey deleted her tweet after the President of CBS told her to, although he said no further action would be taken because he was “assured that there was no intention to offend or upset anyone."
The President added that he was glad that “simply having no intention to offend” was a perfectly suitable defence that quickly made everything ok.
Meanwhile, in other news, Gloria Gaynor has announced that she is re-releasing her famous single 'I Am What I Am' with the new title 'I’m Not What He Is' to distance the track from recent comments on social media.
