Diary of A Very Mad Oprah Show-James Frey gets goose cooked
Oprah is steaming mad in todays show
Oprah tells her television viewing audience she’s sorry; and also apologizes for calling Larry King to defend Frey. And then the kicker: Oprah says to Frey, “You betrayed millions of readers.” Remember how we said Oprah had totally saved Frey’s ass? She came on in the last minutes of the show to speak to Larry King Live while James Frey sat under those hot studio lights with his mama beside him sweating.
The show gives an overview of the smoking gun report that broke this story, Frey says they “did a good job.” He admits to Oprah that he lied to her about jail. “I made a mistake,” he says.
Oprah’s not satisfied and keeps on with questions. Frey finally admits that Lilly didn’t hang herself; claims that in reality she cut her wrist. “Why did you have to lie about that?” responds Oprah.
Then Frey says, “I don’t think it is a novel — it’s a memoir.” When he says he wrote the book from memory, the audience actually boos him. “I have been really embarrassed by this,” says Oprah.
On the documents Frey refuses to share, Oprah asks, “Where are they?” She’s really angry. Regarding the dentist incident: “What is true?” Frey responds, “I have no idea if I had Novocaine.”
Frey says that he’s struggled with the book, to which Oprah retorts, “No, the lie of it.” The audience claps (OPRAH WE LOVE YOU YAY OMG!). She goes back to the root canal issue, he says he doesn’t know. Oprah’s visibly pissed; it’s almost painful.
More ass-kicking after the jump.
In a taped interview, Maureen Dowd says Oprah should revoke her Book Club seal.
Publisher Nan Talese who is an Ikon in the book world shows up, trying to excuse Frey's lies claiming she had a root canal without novocaine. Considering that was likely in 1957, we don’t know how this helps Frey’s case.
Talese claims to have learned about the inaccuracies in Frey’s book at the same time as everyone else, through the Smoking Gun report. “But should I ask more questions?” she stupidly asks. “YES!” says Oprah. Duh.
Talese says this “whole experience has been sad.” She could have thought of a better word. Oprah snaps back, “It’s not sad for me. It’s embarrassing.”
Oprah’s people were contacted by someone from the Hazelden clinic days after the book was picked. This person questioned the book, so Oprah had her people contact Talese. Talese’s team backed up it up and said Frey’s book was “non-fiction.” More TK.
The, Richard Cohen from the Washington Post cozies up on the couch with Frey and Talese. at the book’s beginning, in which Frey claims to be incredibly trashed en route to his parents house, Cohen says, “How’d this guy get on an airplane? I can’t get on with a third piece of luggage.”
Oprah, more calm but still pissed, asks Frey, “Do you think you made a mistake or lied?” Frey answers, “Probably both.” Yes, James, PROBABLY.
Unreal: Now Frank Rich is here! He notes that this is all “amazing television.” Insightful…
Now Rich and Cohen are discussing the issues surrounding Oprah’s latest pick, Night, and whether it is to be read as truth or fiction. Some journalism scholar comes out to pontificate, but everyone falls asleep.
Frey is still onstage, but he’s been relatively quiet since Talese came out. Talese’s cell phone rings onstage, during a Live television show
Oprah asks Frey if he could do things over, would he want a disclaimer in the book? He says no, but he would have written things “differently.”
The show is in it's last five minutes. Oprah has tamed her angry audience. She says to Frey, “I appreciate you being here. It is a difficult time and I hope you were joking about there being a gun backstage—not worth that. Just come clean and that begins the process. Maybe the beginning of another truth…”
Frey responds, “It hasn’t been a great day/week but I come out better and admit to lying. And that’s not easy.”
In the last two minutes , Frey is asked about anything else he wants to come clean on. He says he really did board a plane looking like a bloody mess; when he left rehab he was with only one person, not two. Claims that there are no other major issues.
What remote Island do you think Frey should go and live on for the rest of his life?
He wouldn't exactly make a good candidate for an American Express Card Commercial, now would he?
