Oprah Criticized For Missing The Funeral Of John H. Johson

Chicago’s African-American media community is buzzing about a reported snub by Oprah Winfrey.

Thursday’s Chicago Defender criticizes the “Queen of Talk” for not speaking out after the death of publishing legend John J. Johnson.
Some feel numerous cover stories in Johnson’s magazines, Ebony and Jet, helped establish Oprah’s career. But Winfrey did not attend Johnson’s funeral.
A story on the paper’s Web site Thursday afternoon included Winfrey’s response to the original article. She said she was “furious at the allegations because it’s just not true.”
“I did send flowers and I did send a note,” Winfrey told The Defender’s Roland Martin, who wrote the stories.
Winfrey said that she was in Hawaii at the time of Johnson’s death and did not immediately get word of the publisher’s passing.
Oprah was also quoted in the online article as saying that, “Nobody asked me for a personal statement … I didn’t have a personal relationship with (Mr. Johnson).”
Martin’s second article states that, “Oprah said she knows about the legacy of John H. Hohnson and what he has meant for African-Americans, and was hurt by the column because ‘you don’t know in my heart what I stand for.’”
A spokesman for Johnson’s media company wouldn’t comment on the Defender article, but said “The Oprah Winfrey Show” has called them about doing a story on Johnson.