Howard Stern Slams Oprah for Insta Posts Parading Wealth: 'Mind-Blowing'

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Howard Stern criticized Oprah Winfrey on Monday for making Instagram posts that unabashedly show off her wealth and lavish lifestyle.

The controversial radio personality bashed the daytime TV queen on his eponymous The Howard Stern Show on SiriusXM.

"Oprah's not embarrassed by her wealth at all," Stern said. "She loves showing it off on Instagram. It's...mind-blowing. When you follow her on Instagram, you see her estates, her gardens, the people who service her and you know—"

"Service her? She's not a car," Stern's co-host Robin Quivers interjected.

Comp Image, Stern and Winfrey
In this combination image, Howard Stern is seen at Madison Square Garden on January 22, 2020, in New York City and Oprah Winfrey is seen on September 21 in Los Angeles. Stern criticized Winfrey on... Getty

"Well, she kind of is," Stern replied. "She's got servants and like, people cooking, and it's...wild. She knows how to be rich. But she doesn't—she kind of likes to show it off, which is something I'm not comfortable with. I don't think that people should show off their wealth."

Quivers challenged Stern on that point, saying that the famed television host was only providing followers a window into her life.

"Well, you gotta be a little self-aware and know that there are people struggling out there, Robin," Stern replied. "You got to. You gotta kind of think about people who don't have—to eat. You know what I'm saying? I mean, come on. You gotta be a little bit aware of this."

Stern continued that while he also rakes in good money, he is "having trouble watching Oprah," adding that her "estate is unbelievable."

This isn't the first time that Stern has criticized Winfrey. In January, The Washington Examiner reported that the famed radio host took aim at Winfrey for hosting Christmas gatherings amid a spike in coronavirus cases.

"I see what's going on with COVID. Everyone's got it. Everyone's sick. People have a 104 fever. I don't want to have a 104 fever, I don't want to get sick, so I'm hiding. But everyone else is out running around. I see Oprah is having dinner parties," Stern said, according to the news outlet.

Although Winfrey's wealth is indeed vast—she counts a net worth of around $2.5 billion—she apparently wasn't rich enough to make the cut for Forbes' 2022 list of America's wealthiest 400 people.

Regardless, Winfrey has built a sizable business and media empire over the years. She introduced the cable channel OWN in 2011 and serves as an ambassador for the wildly popular Weight Watchers brand.

Stern may not be Winfrey-rich, but he certainly isn't a total lightweight when it comes to wealth. The on-air provocateur is ranked 16th on Forbes' 2022 list of highest-paid entertainers. And two years ago, he "re-upped with SiriusXM on a five-year, $500 million deal."

Newsweek reached out to representatives for Stern and Winfrey for comment.

Update 11/28/22, 1:39 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional information and background.

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About the writer

Simone Carter is a Newsweek reporter based in Texas. Her focus is covering all things in national news. Simone joined Newsweek in September 2022 after serving as a staff writer at the Dallas Observer, where she concentrated on Texas politics and education. She received both her bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism from the University of North Texas. You can get in touch with Simone by emailing s.carter@newsweek.com.


Simone Carter is a Newsweek reporter based in Texas. Her focus is covering all things in national news. Simone joined ... Read more