Oprah Winfrey‘s production company, Harpo Productions, has denied rumors that the TV host was paid $1 million to participate in an online event in support of Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.
“The campaign paid for the production costs of ‘Unite for America,’ a live-streaming event that took place Sept. 19 outside Detroit, Michigan,” a spokesperson for Harpo said in a statement, via Variety. “Oprah Winfrey was at no point during the campaign paid a personal fee, nor did she receive a fee from Harpo.”
The statement comes following a report published by the Washington Examiner, which looked at how the Harris campaign used the $1 billion they raised over three months. The report said the campaign “paid more than $15 million, according to federal filings,” on “event production.” This included a $1 million payment to Harpo Productions for the “Unite for America” event, which took place in September.
Several outlets subsequently reported that Winfrey herself was paid for the event. On Monday, TMZ published a video asking Winfrey if it was true that she was given $1 million to endorse Harris. “Not true,” Winfrey replied. “I was paid nothing, ever.”
Winfrey was an avid Democratic supporter throughout the election cycle. In August, she spoke during the DNC, calling on independent and undecided voters to support Harris. “America is an ongoing project,” Winfrey told the crowd. “It requires commitment. It requires being open to the hard work and the heart work of democracy and every now and then, it requires standing up to life’s bullies.”
She added, “Let us choose the sweet promise of tomorrow over the bitter return to yesterday. We won’t go back. We won’t be set back, pushed back, bullied back, kicked back. We’re not going back. Let us choose truth. Let us choose honor and let us choose joy! Because that’s the best of America.”
The “Unite for America” event took place on Sept. 19 as a live-stream. It featured Winfrey interviewing Harris along with appearances by Chris Rock, Ben Stiller, Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep, and Bryan Cranston. According to Reuters, Harris campaign said nearly 200,000 people signed up to watch the livestream, while nearly 100,000 people joined to watch on YouTube. Winfrey later joined Harris at her Philadelphia rally ahead of Election Day.
