Oprah Winfrey didn't let Patti LuPone skate by with her controversial remarks, despite the latter's prompt apology for her contentious comments. The Broadway legend had lashed out at fellow theatrical luminaries, Audra McDonald and Kecia Lewis, both nominees for Best Actress in a Musical. Her scathing critique earned her a wave of criticism, prompting her to issue an apology and notably absent herself from the awards ceremony.
As the renowned talk show host ascended the stage to unveil the winner in the aforementioned category, she orated with elegance, "This remarkable year in live theater shines a spotlight on the women whose work ignited fiery debates among theater enthusiasts…" She then paused dramatically, sweeping her gaze across the room, which evoked hearty laughter from the captivated audience.
As if that weren't enough to titillate the crowd, Winfrey added fuel to the fire, saying, "Lotta talking going on," cleverly alluding to the lyrics of Beyoncé's "American Requiem" from her "Cowboy Carter" album. The subtle jab earned her heaping praise on social media and left the audience in stitches.
One Twitter user, now known as X, penned, "Loved it. The 70-year-old Oprah doesn't give a damn." Another appreciated the spot-on relevance of the Beyoncé lyrics, tweeting, "Exactly." For those unaware, the Evita star had described McDonald as 'not a friend' and Lewis as a 'bitch' in a May interview with The New Yorker.
