Seal calls out Oprah Winfrey for hypocrisy
Singer Seal calls out Oprah Winfrey on Instagram with photos of her with Harvey Weinstein, calling her a hypocrite after her Golden Globes speech.
British-born musician Seal lashed out at Fox News on Thursday, claiming the news organization was using him "as a pawn against Oprah" by reporting on a meme he reposted on Instagram of a pair of photos of Oprah Winfrey with disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, including one in which she appears to be kissing the producer's cheek.
While almost every major U.S. news outlet reported on Seal's social media post, the 54-year-old chose to single out Fox News in a fired-up Facebook video, telling Fox News to "back off."
"Don't try and use me as a pawn against Oprah and in any of your political games," Seal said in the video posted late Thursday night.
Seal, best known for a pair of hit singles in the early 1990s and his marriage to supermodel Heidi Klum, also lashed out at actress Stacey Dash saying, "And Stacey Dash, keep my name out of your mouth. Do not retweet, requote anything I have said in order to reinforce your safe hating agenda. You live in a sunken place."
Seal's social media brouhaha started when he shared a post Wednesday in which he overlayed on the Oprah photos, in all caps, the text: "When you have been part of the problem for decades, but suddenly they all think you are the solution."
Seal added a sarcastic comment to the right of the photographs that seemed to suggest he thought Winfrey knew Weinstein was mistreating women.
"Oh I forgot, that's right.....you'd heard the rumours but you had no idea he was actually serially assaulting young stary-eyed [sic] actresses who in turn had no idea what they were getting into. My bad," Seal wrote.
While singling out Fox News, the singer failed to mention the dozens of other media outlets that published stories about Seal calling Oprah a hypocrite.
The liberal Huffington Post's headline read, "Singer Seal Accuses Oprah Of Knowing About Weinstein Rumors 'For Decades.'"
Yahoo News' headline was "Seal Takes Shot at Oprah Over Harvey Weinstein Connection" while Variety went with "Seal Accuses Oprah of Knowing About Harvey Weinstein’s Sexual Misconduct."
Oprah Winfrey is photographed here accepting the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the 75th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2018. (AP)
"Seal Accuses Oprah of Knowing About Harvey Weinstein’s Sexual Misconduct," read Entertainment Weekly's headline. The Washington Times went with, "Seal accuses Oprah Winfrey of ignoring rumors against Harvey Weinstein: You're 'part of the problem.'"
Buzzfeed titled their story as "Seal Mocked Oprah Running For President By Linking Her To Harvey Weinstein."
In the video, Seal explained that what he posted was intended as "commentary on the hypocritical and double standard nature and behavior of Hollywood."
He said he has "an enormous amount of respect for everything that Oprah has achieved and contributed in her life" and slammed those who called his repost "a brother tearing down a sister issue."
He ended the video thanking those in Hollywood who have come forward with their stories of abuse and harassment and urging more to speak out "because that's the only way that we get to solve this thing."
He then had a message for "the rest of us."
"I've got some new [hashtags] for you," he said. "How about hashtag 'we all knew.' How about hashtag 'tell the truth.' How about hashtag 'accountability.'"
Then, borrowing a catchphrase made famous by "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest, the singer ended his video: "Seal out."
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