Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama Feud -- Fact or Fiction?
Move over Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie. Get over yourselves Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian. B'Bye Brandi Glanville and LeAnn Rimes. When it comes to girl-on-girl feuds, the hottest rumored rivalry these days is between two of America's most powerful women -- Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey.
In his new book, "The Amateur: Barack Obama in the White House," reporter Edward Klein reveals the First Lady and talk show host have become the latest frenemies. The former New York Times magazine editor blames a jealous Michelle for the rift.
In the dynamic described by Klein, Michelle is Betty to Oprah's Veronica -- and the president is their hapless Archie.
Although Oprah is credited with helping Barack seal the deal to run for president four years ago, her value to his wife dipped when the femme power broker became too influential with the POTUS. "He seemed to be in awe of the talk-show host, sometimes giving her advice priority over Michelle's," wrote Klein. "As far as Michelle was concerned, Oprah's billions and her elite lifestyle disqualified her as an adviser to Barack, who had no truck with wealthy people, except as a source of campaign contributions. "
The book describes how Oprah felt snubbed by Michelle and -- worse -- judged about her weight. Oprah supposedly told her BFF Gayle King, "Michelle hates fat people and doesn't want me waddling around the White House!"
The FLOTUS, whose pet cause is childhood obesity, reportedly declined Oprah's offer to help with her whip- kids-into-shape campaign. The book alleges she told her staff, "Oprah, with her yo-yo dieting and huge girth, is a terrible role model. Kids will look at Oprah, who's rich and famous and huge, and figure it's OK to be fat."
Klein does not imply Op! rah is a fter Obama romantically, but he hints the first lady keeps a hawkish eye on her handsome husband. "Michelle makes it clear to her inner circle . . . that she wants women around Barack watched," Klein wrote, quoting a White House insider. "She knows, like everybody, about JFK's shenanigans, and she thinks, hey, JFK was young and good looking like my guy."
Though Oprah may not be a romantic threat to the mom-of-two's marriage, she managed to take a dig at her rival during an interview with the First Lady on one of the final episodes of her daily talk show. "Oprah struck back by asking Michelle whether she and the president were still fighting a lot," Klein wrote, noting that her famously-toned-arms-folded-across-her-chest body language during the chat seemed a tad defensive.
Ironically, Michelle could end up challenging Oprah on the latter's own turf -- TV. The National Enquirer reports the former lawyer wants her own talk show. "If her husband wins the election this year, I don't think Michelle can wait until his second term is over," a close source allegedly told the tabloid. "She's been bitten by the television bug and loves being on the tube!"
Or Oprah could just get out her darning needle and mend the reported feud with Michelle as she did with the media-created rifts between her and Roseanne Barr, David Letterman and Whoopi Goldberg.
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