James Frey And Nan Talese: Oprah Duped Us!

Amid the Miley Cyrus hoopla, it's easy to forget that there's a whole issue of Vanity Fair that comes out today. And one article in the magazine that is a must-read is Evgenia Peretz' interview with James Frey (supposedly the last interview he will ever give).

The article attempts to be the definitive account of how Frey went from addict to screenwriter to best selling author to public enemy, and how he picked up his million little pieces to write another novel, Bright Shiny Morning.

As Peretz details in the following excerpt, Frey and his publisher Nan Talese claim that Oprah — who went from champion to critic in a matter of weeks — duped them, tricking them to get on her show under false pretense and then attacking them as soon as the cameras began to roll:

As Talese recounted at a televised publishing conference last July, the show invited her and Frey together. Talese initially resisted. Then they were approached with a new pitch. The topic was going to be "Truth in America," and they wanted Talese on a panel with columnists Frank Rich, of The New York Times, and Richard Cohen, from The Washington Post. Given this scenario, Talese agreed. But when she and Frey arrived at Harpo Studios, in Chicago, they were told that the program was not, in fact, about Truth in America; it was about the James Frey controversy. Winfrey told Frey it would be rough, but said there would be redemption in the end. There was no redemption. From beginning to end, it was, according to Talese, "a public scourge."

Oprah, who just two weeks before had stood by the "essential truth" of Frey's story, now pounced on his every other word, while the audience booed him.

"I've struggled with the idea of it and ... " began Frey, in a typical exchange.

"No, the lie of it," snapped Oprah. "That's a lie. It's not an idea, James. That's a lie."

"I feel like I came here, and I have been honest with you," he said at the end of the hour. "I have, you know, essentially admitted to ... " "Lying," Oprah broke in....

"He felt trapped and cornered," recalls Talese today. A spokesperson for Oprah claims that "Truth in America" was always the topic for the show and that Talese had been informed of the full range of questions in the pre-interview. Talese maintained (as she still does) that memoirs have always been personal impressions, and didn't seem to realize that, for better or for worse, the game was now up. She was disgusted at the spectacle Oprah was making, appalled at her manners and at what she allegedly told Frey after the show was over: "I know it was rough, but it's just business." Winfrey denies ever making such a comment. "Once again, the truth is not being served here," she says in a statement to Vanity Fair. "In 22 years of doing this show, I have never said to anyone, 'I know it was rough, but it's just business.' This was beyond business. This was about the trust I share with the audience who faithfully supports the Book Club and buys the books I recommend; and based on that trust, I thought we were owed an explanation about the truth of this memoir."

Read the entire article online here or pick up this month's copy of Vanity Fair.

Alternatively, watch the video of the controversial Oprah appearance at Oprah's website.

Comments

[LeeLoosMultiPass]

At the point that both Talese and Frey knew they were being "duped" should have been the point where they both walked out the door of Harpo Studios. They weren't being held prisoner - unless you account for being held prisoner to Oprah's personality and cult. I'm sure there is always that feeling that "the show must go on" but in this case it appears that it was an ambush. All bets are off at that point, and they could have felt less "duped" by simply packing things up and walking out the door.

Oprah could have spun the walk out any which way she wanted to - she generally does a good job at spin - but Nan Talese and James Frey could have also saved themselves from further public humiliation.

Instead, we now hear of the "duping" to get them on the show and it's a really good juicy story. James lied, Oprah lied, wow, what a story.

Next time, reclaim your right to say no under the pressure of the cult of personality.

[KarmaSartre]

LeeLoosEtc -- I think you have said it all. Well done. More interesting TV would have been if Frey had played the "I may be a liar, but you're a fat slob" card. Get it on.

[lisakaz2]

I thought this was the guy the "South Park" creators turned into "Steven McTowlie." Can't say I feel sorry for him. And given how he lied in the first place, how much credibility does he have?

[kylie]

This sounds like a political hack job to get Oprah.

The guy lied in his book.

Do you see the Hillary campaign desperately trying to get mileage, again, out of nothing.

Give Oprah a break and the resst of us.

Real issues and not publicity freaks and political attempts to ruin Oprah's credibility.

[lakat]

No can do on giving Oprah a break. Oprah has ruined her own credibility. Sheeple should be able to see it, but they're too busy ignoring the fiasco that is the United States of Amereica. ELIPHANT IN THE ROOM, SHEEPLE!!!

[ann1]

This guy has some nerve. Oprah should have "decked" him. Some folk never want to take responsibility, Oprah never told you to be dishonest in your book. Dude just deal with it and move on.

[MrClean]

“It's not personal Sonny. It's strictly business.” --Michael Corleone to his brother Santino

[VicPerry]

You call it a bombshell, I call it a water balloon. Try hiring headline writers from somewhere more subtle. Like the Weekly World News.

[ScandalousCandice2]

Does it really matter if Oprah duped him to get him on the show?

He lied about his book and it was a really bad book to begin with it. He duped all of us for one writing uch a piece of crap and two saying it was true.

It was like reading the Da Vinci Code for the first time. All the hype surround the book and and high praise. And then finally cracking it open to find one of the worst books ever written. A Million Little Pieces was just a horrendous.

[wutzhappn]

Which goes to prove why you can't always who Oprah endorses.

[luckyoldson]

This entire affair was nothing more than Oprah trying to redeem herself with her sycophant audience.

I'm not a Frey fan, but Oprah is so full of it it's difficult sifting through what she herself considers the "truth."

It's not only about "business"­...it's about HUGE EGO & MONEY when it comes to Oprah.

[realpolitic]

Her ego is mega-huge!

[AurigaRa]

Too bad James. But you did lie to make money, and you made money, right?
Go enjoy it.

As for Oprah she is rapidly becoming a self parody. She should leave TV while she still has fans and continue with good works. Too long in the celebrity world and folks will all see how she really is.

[BetterDays]

Wait a minute. He used Oprah's show to make millions from his book but doesn't need to account for his lies. Who lied to who?? Poor, poor, Jimmie!

[NicoleAnonymous]

Maybe Frey should have sent her lots of expensive Christian Louboutin shoes the way Jessica Seinfeld did - apparently she doesn't have a problem with people who plagiarize if they buy her presents.

I think a woman who is worth billions accepting thousands of dollars in expensive shows is really tacky.

[Daina]

I agree. Oprah sure ain't what she used to be. She truly believes, she's better than most, knows more than most, and is much more deserving than most. Not true. I've turned her off and tuned her out.

[deedrdo]

ditto that.

[Izadora]

0prah knew the story was fiction .....I knew it! If you did not noticed that book was fiction you're
stupid. The thing is the book was a great story and besides that James is a great writer. This is the
important! Before this brouhaha I had a great respect to 0prah but I had lost everything that she do and
say. And one thing she had proved to me is: Money and Success doesn't bring happiness.­....she got fat
again! Amen!

[MrClean]

My wife and I are clean and sober for 25+ years.

My wife (who's not a reader) handed me this book and said I HAD to read it! It was incredibly riveting!

By the third or fourth page I turned to her and told her it was a complete fantasy and couldn't possibly be a true story but I read the whole piece of crap in a single sitting..

SOMEONE had to know that this was fiction...­and badly written fiction at that! Frey got what he deserved. People just don't usually recover as described in his book and it's a life and death disease we're dealing with here!

[Theda]

I knew it was fiction by the second chapter.
If Oprah didn't....­she's not very bright.
Apparently Frey told his publishers it was fiction but they preferred using the description of "memoir."
Big deal.
Now......w­hat's Oprah gonna do about Jessica Seinfeld's plagerized cookbook, which SHE promoted on her show?
Obviously nothing!

[gcallaghan]

Sigh, the waste of it all. If only the white house had bagged him for a stint as spokesman.­..

[AdamX]

Thank God, this - the most important story of the decade - is getting enough print.

[Chandidevi]

I absolutely believe what Frey said about Oprah. I went to an "audition" for "The Big Give" in Los Angeles. The "Audition", was held by a casting agency, to determine what gifts you had to offer. I am in my 60's. I look my age. As soon as it was my turn to talk with the casting agent, who was somewhere in her 20's, she looked away from me, and didn't listen to a word I said. She was looking all over the room, and seemed to intentionally show her disinterest. I have worked with seniors, children and educators for years as a professional storyteller. I have taught at CalState; but I didn't LOOK the part for the Oprah Show. It was all a beauty contest. A young, beautiful black woman who had a lot of hopes and dreams and no experience to speak of, due to her age (between 18 and 20), was immediately sent over to the table where pictures were being taken. It was a travesty. I knew then that Oprah is a phoney. It's showbiz.

[rikki52b]

"Nothing personal just business"

[Charity]

Chandidevi, your comment is by far the best i've read in this thread. it tells me what the truth is. these TV game shows or reality shows - or pretty much all of TV - are only about "youth and beauty" - as if no one ever grows old or has gray hair and a few wrinkles.

rare is the time you will ever see a normal aging adult on any TV show unless they are being ridiculed or treated as a child or are the dumb, feeble one in the crowd.

oprah is in her 50s now, but she has all the money in the world to make herself look younger. and really, isn't that what life is all about - the more we can look 20 the more we can keep the fantasy that we never grow old and die.

[Chandidevi]

You are geting the picture. Thanks for the compliment. Deal or No Deal pays people to be in the audience, and then they give them candy bars for a treat. They put blacks and seniors in the back rows. They keep the audience for hours and hours; and Howie Mandel, is outrageously arrogant. Everything, I mean EVERYTHING, he says is scripted. There is no spontaneity. And you are not supposed to look at him or say hello to him. You could get thrown out. Many stars have that rule for extras - that they are not supposed to look at the stars or acknowledge them or you could get thrown off the set. Such arrogance! They're only movie/TV stars - nothing meaningful there. So, when Oprah or any celebrity recommends someone, think twice before you throw your support behind them. Use your own judgement based on your intuition and the candidate.

[ann1]

Reading your comment signals a clear reason why you were overlooked. I'm glad they didn't choose you.

[Steverino]

Yep, this is old news. She was obviously getting her revenge because he had lied on her show earlier. You reap what you sow, James.

[Cookie]

So what? He deceived the whole world, made tons of money off it, and when he was exposed, expects to be treated with integrity??? What goes around comes around. Get over it.