We all know what it means to be on Oprah Winfrey's good side: Your obscure novel becomes a best seller. Your pet cause becomes a household name.
But what happens if, rightly or wrongly, you run afoul of the queen of talk?
A defamation lawsuit filed last week by Nomvuyo Mzamane, the former headmistress of Winfrey's school for girls in South Africa, alleges that Winfrey turned against her when a staff member at the academy, dorm matron Tiny Virginia Makopo, was accused of physically and sexually abusing students.
Makopo has pleaded not guilty.According to the lawsuit, filed in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, Winfrey made public statements implying — falsely — that Mzamane knew of the abuse allegations and participated in a coverup.
But what happens if, rightly or wrongly, you run afoul of the queen of talk?
A defamation lawsuit filed last week by Nomvuyo Mzamane, the former headmistress of Winfrey's school for girls in South Africa, alleges that Winfrey turned against her when a staff member at the academy, dorm matron Tiny Virginia Makopo, was accused of physically and sexually abusing students.
Makopo has pleaded not guilty.According to the lawsuit, filed in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, Winfrey made public statements implying — falsely — that Mzamane knew of the abuse allegations and participated in a coverup.
"My client was never told of any physical or sexual abuse," said Mzamane's lawyer, Tim McGowan. "Had she been, she would have gotten rid of that person in, like, five seconds."
A spokeswoman for Winfrey declined to comment, saying that Winfrey had not been served with the lawsuit.
After losing her job in December 2007, Mzamane, 39, a former vice principal at the prestigious Germantown Friends Lower School in Philadelphia, tried to get another job in this country, Britain or Morocco, all without success, according to her lawyer.
"She tried to get a job in Darfur and was rejected," said McGowan, speaking for the first time about his client's international search. "You know what's going on in Darfur? They wouldn't even take you there?"
1 comment:
Damn, if she is being rejected by people in Darfur then her career must be jacked up.
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