Oprah & Gay Rumors -- Pictures Tell Story

Oprah, Gayle and Stedman

Oprah says she's not gay -- period. Winfrey says she felt compelled to proclaim to the world – in the August issue of O Magazine -- that she and longtime best friend Gayle King are not lovers.

Oprah was clearly looking to put out a fire, but it made us wonder: Where did all the smoke come from? Here's a photo and video timeline that may explain how the gay rumors got fueled.

Between 1987 and 2000, Oprah and Stedman Graham seemed inseparable, appearing at countless events and frequently photographed showing plenty of PDA.

Oprah and Steadman: click to launch the photo gallery!

As the cameras rolled, Oprah and Stedman rolled on.

Oprah and Stedman: click to watch!

Then, suddenly, Stedman could have ended up on a milk carton -- there are a scant few pictures of the couple after 2000. But as quickly as Stedman faded from the scene, Gayle King emerged, side-by-side, with O.

Oprah and Gayle: click to launch the photo gallery!

And there's more.



The two people closest to Oprah in the world are rarely seen together with the talk show queen. TMZ found only a few photos.

Oprah, Gayle and Stedman: click to launch the photo gallery!

And the story doesn't end here. Stedman has talked openly about how he and Oprah lead their own lives.

Stedman: click to watch!

Indeed, at event after event -- especially after 2000 -- Oprah often showed up solo, sometimes talking about her close relationship with Gayle.

Oprah: click to watch!

And right back at you, Oprah. At this year's Tony Awards, Gayle gushed about her famous friend.

Gayle: click to watch!

Gayle, who is divorced with two sons, helps run O Magazine and the pair are inseparable. When they're not together, they talk multiple times every day.

So that's where the smoke came from and why Oprah chose to put out the fire.




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(Page 3 of 152) Previous 15 Comments | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments

31. Many of you here make it sound like being called gay is this horrible, immoral, malicious thing. Geez. Yes, Oprah looks happier and more comfortable with GAYle, and they don't make the better couple. It's too bad she can't be honest about who she really is.

Posted at 10:10PM on Jul 18th 2006 by Shannon

32. i only have two words to say on this matter...
WHO CARES

Posted at 10:13PM on Jul 18th 2006 by heather

33. There is nothing wrong with Oprah being gay. Her relationship with Gayle King appears to be more of lovers than friends. And that is fine.
However, Oprah is also a savvy businesswoman, and coming out would affect her talk shows, her entire personna, and her ability to fuel profits for all of her businesses.
Sad, but true. American viewers are not ready to see a Gay Oprah.

Posted at 10:13PM on Jul 18th 2006 by Simone

34. This world has become so obsessed with sex that it has forgotten one of the most powerful spiritual relationships and that is close and true friendships. Personally, I think the whole sex thing is totally overrated. Nothing "turns me on" more than a great conversation with an interesting person. And when you find a person who you really enjoy being with, who you can confide in, ask their opinions, share likes and dislikes, it doesn't matter if that person is the same sex as you or not and it doesn't need to include a sexual component. In fact, sometimes that just gets in the way and detracts from a higher attachment, intellectually and emotionally. No, I do NOT think Oprah is having a sexual relationship with this woman. I believe it is what it is. A great friendship with a girlfriend.

Posted at 10:16PM on Jul 18th 2006 by h

35. Get a life! Look at this world! Do these personal things matter????

Posted at 10:33PM on Jul 18th 2006 by cece rodes

36. Of course Oprah's not gay. One must be human to be "gay." Oprah is a goddess, as we all know.

Notice that Oprah did not deny having lesbian sex with Gayle King or sleeping with her. She denied being "gay" with her.

oprah for allintents and purposes came out of the closet (or pantry) when she did the Color Purple. And ESPECIALLY when she brought it Broadway.

Oprah, abused, molested, triumphal, exalted, didn't set the record "straight" at all.

She's just not "gay."

Not, as she reminds us, that there's anything wrong with that.


Posted at 10:36PM on Jul 18th 2006 by Sam Peters

37. Whether Oprah is gay or not is her own business. Her place in history is sealed for a number of reasons, not the least of which is helping with the feminization of the american male. Our doom awaits as our weakness is obvious.

Posted at 10:42PM on Jul 18th 2006 by Steven

38. I'm a guy and during law school my best friend and I were inseperable. Everyone thought we were lovers, but we were not. We still talk on the phone every single day even though we live hundreds of miles apart.

Posted at 10:43PM on Jul 18th 2006 by Keith Patterson

39. I have always suspected Oprah and Gayle for the longest. I believe that Oprah's laast show on TV will be her revelation and her coming out. Whan I started to very stronly believe her gayness was the day she had the man she fronts as a boyfirend on her show. I tell you, Gayle was so visiblbly jealous and overtakingly present that it was so obvious something was between the two of them. Oprah is a blazing lesbian.

Posted at 11:08PM on Jul 18th 2006 by chria

40. Oprah is not gay, give it a rest. I can understand why Oprah has a Black best friend. With all the back stabbing people she deal with everyday, she need someone Black that she can trust and Gayle is the one she can really trust and confide in. Oprah would never admit this, so I am saying it for her. I am an African American woman so I understand what these people around her are trying to do to her. They are trying to pull her down anyway they can. Once it was Stedman being gay, then it was her weight, now it's this gay thing. Leave her alone, pick on someone else.

Posted at 11:16PM on Jul 18th 2006 by jean freeny

41. By holding Oprah to these standards we as a society are stating that if you have a close friendship and love them only in this manner, that you are automatically gay! We are used to seeing famous people being criticized and stereotyped; especially when you have a celebrity status such as Oprah. Even though Oprah is a celebrity, what she decides to do off the set is her business and she deserves the opportunity to lead a life without any scrutiny from the media or the public. Oprah is one of the biggest role models of this century and instead of criticizing her, let's stand by her! She should continue her close friendship despite how the public feels about it!!!

Posted at 11:20PM on Jul 18th 2006 by Thomas

42. Believe me, If i had all the money she has and all the access to the different parties and events she goes to, me and best friend Kim would be all over them. It's more fun to go someone where with your friends then it is to go with your mate anyday. You are going to have more fun with your girlfriend, you are going to laugh more and sit around and talk about people. So I don't think she is gay at all, she's just having fun with her friend.

Posted at 11:21PM on Jul 18th 2006 by Stephanie Lee

43. My wife and I often talked about Oprah and Gayle's relationship over the years and
how different it was in comparison to her's and Steadman.When we observed both Oprah and Gayle together they appeared as a couple.Oprah featured a man
on her show discussing the Down Low Brother.I wonder will all the questions cause another topic regarding Down Low Sisters? Only time will tell. As to the questions about Oprah and Gayle being Gay, only God and the two of them really knows.

Posted at 11:29PM on Jul 18th 2006 by James

44. so what if she is gay, the question is is she happy? i rest my case, leave her alone. she is not hurting anyone.

Posted at 11:38PM on Jul 18th 2006 by lori

45. I have always wondered if Saddam Hussen is gay or not. And if he is I wonder if he would think Stedman is his type

Posted at 11:47PM on Jul 18th 2006 by cometchris

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