Cindy Crawford on Wednesday accused Oprah Winfrey of objectifying her in a 1986 interview.
Crawford said she now perceives her first appearance on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” in a very different way than she used to. Crawford reflected on her interaction with Winfrey in a recent episode of AppleTV+’s “The Super Models.” She noted she was only 20 years old when she appeared on Oprah’s show alongside Elite Model Management founder John Casablancas. She recalled Winfrey saying, “Did you always have this body?” followed promptly by “Now this is what I call a body!”
Crawford admitted she didn’t realize how she felt in the moment of the interview, but that looking back at the experience, she is uncomfortable with the way she was treated. The iconic supermodel’s appearance on the show came just as she was rising to fame as a prominent model.
Crawford said in hindsight, she now feels it was inappropriate for Winfrey to ask her to stand in front of the audience and the cameras and show off her figure. At the time, she obediently rose to her feet and stood there while Oprah commented on her body, but looking back at the situation, Crawford said she isn’t comfortable with how the interview unfolded.
“I was like the chattel or a child, to be seen and not heard.” Crawford said, according to TMZ. “When you look at it through today’s eyes, Oprah’s like, ‘Stand up and show me your body. Show us why you’re worthy of being here.” (RELATED: Oprah Winfrey Addresses Backlash After Asking Fans To Donate To Maui Relief Efforts)
Crawford can’t change the past, but looking back at the moment, she says, “In the moment I didn’t recognize it and watching it back I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, that was so not okay really.’ Especially from Oprah.”