Oprah Winfrey 'racism row' a 'misunderstanding'

The owner of a shop in Zurich where US talk show host Oprah Winfrey says she encountered racism has called the incident a "misunderstanding".

Winfrey, one of the world's richest women, claimed an assistant refused to serve her in an upmarket handbag shop.

She was apparently told one of the bags on display was "too expensive" for her.

Shop owner Trudie Gotz told the BBC that Winfrey was "absolutely allowed" to look at the $35,000 (£22,500) bag, which was kept behind a screen.

"My salesperson wanted to give her the handbag in her hand. But she didn't want to take the bag," claimed Gotz.

She said her assistant had worked in the Trois Pommes store "for a few years and takes care of the most spoilt customers from all over the world", adding, "she is really a correct sales person".
'Didn't understand'

Winfrey, who stars in Lee Daniels' new film The Butler, visited Zurich last month to attend singer Tina Turner's wedding. Her programme The Oprah Winfrey Show is not shown in Switzerland. - bbc - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-23633768