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 5 of 152) Previous 15 Comments | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments

61. Oprah is a powerful, rich, black woman, so to someone who doesn't have an inkling of what she has, they had to make her gay.

Posted at 1:52AM on Jul 19th 2006 by CONCERNED READER

62. For real who cares?

Posted at 1:58AM on Jul 19th 2006 by Maria

63. Oprah Winfrey is not a lesbian. If she was, then why is she still with her boyfriend? And plus, they are just rumors....that doesn't mean they are true.

Posted at 2:19AM on Jul 19th 2006 by Alysa

64. Oprah's not gay, just annoying!

Posted at 2:22AM on Jul 19th 2006 by Michelle

65. yo oprah is not gay. she is my homegirl and im tellin u she aint gay.

Posted at 2:35AM on Jul 19th 2006 by bently1

66. Quate ". would it really make a difference? if it does, then someone's got a little more evolving to do. "
Posted at 8:37PM on Jul 18th 2006 by Dodger Girlie

Just because many people believe what the Bible says and that being gay is wrong dose not mean that they are not "evolved" as you say or even a homophobe. God loves everybody and we have all fallen short of the glory. Love the sinner but not the sin.

Anyway back to the subject of Oprah being gay, well I think that there wouldn't be so much talk about it if she was married but she seems to be terrified of doing so. I never understood the whole idea that the relationship is so good so why ruin a good thing. My thinking is that the relationship is so good that we should get married, the other way of thinking is so backward.

Posted at 2:36AM on Jul 19th 2006 by Michelle

67. Whether she is or is not is her own personal business. However, I dont think making a statement is going to cure any rumors that may be out there. As much as she may say that -if they were gay, they would admit it because there's nothing wrong with being gay - Oprah understands her fan base and would not risk losing a million conservative housewives who faithfully tune in each day, and would more than likely disagree. She is one of the richest people in America for a reason - she has been making personal sacrifices in order to be successful for many years, I don't think she will make that kind of business mistake at this point, especially since none of the parties involved would be interested in the publicity if it were true anyway.

Posted at 2:51AM on Jul 19th 2006 by Angela

68. I personally don't care if Oprah is gay or not. Oprah to me is a very loving person and usually when two people of the same sex are very close, society puts in their two cents. But keep your head up Oprah, as long as you and God knows, that is all that matters. It's alright for two women to have a very close relationship , and not be gay to do it. Love Ya!! Letha

Posted at 3:03AM on Jul 19th 2006 by Letha VanBuren

69. GAY,GAY, GAY. If she didn't think something was wrong with it she would have kept her mouth shut.

Posted at 3:07AM on Jul 19th 2006 by bill freeman

70. Oprah and Stedman are not married because Oprah is in fact gay and loves Gayle very much, reason being for all the gift buying and Gayle's very own show, etc. Stedman is a front for Oprah's sexuality and she has always been gay. Oprah takes care of Stedman so why wouldn't he stay ? I mean if someone would buy you your own personal jet, home, hat ties to big business wouldn't you stay ? And he doesn't have as much going on as he would like people to think. She supports him. Nevertheless, Oprah is a wonderful human being and who she's involved with is irrelevant and has nothing to do with the person she IS. Every individual on this earth has the right to be with who they want to...without judgment ! Unfortunately for a very successful black woman it is simply branded UNACCEPTABLE ". Why do think Queen Latifah never put it out there or Jada Pinkitt-Smith and her bi-sexuality. It is better to keep up the heterosexual charade than to have it come out and deal with all this controversy surrounding you, all the while losing viewers and fans possibly. Oprah is also considered somewhat of a political figure, in my opinion, somewhat. She does at times involve herself in rights for people, which is another reason why it would do more harm than good to " out themselves".

Posted at 3:10AM on Jul 19th 2006 by ?

71. hi opera i love u

Posted at 3:26AM on Jul 19th 2006 by tharoat abbas

72. Everyone should have a gal pal that they are close with. Being married doesn;t mean you only need your spouse!! No one understands you like your gal pal does!! And if she's loaded.....EVEN BETTER!!

Posted at 3:30AM on Jul 19th 2006 by Big Mama

73. This is just crazy . Oprah and Gayle are the best of friends & because Oprah is a fairly powerful woman people feel the need to start nasty rumors. Leave it alone people , let her live her life !!
She does deserve privacy just like all of us do.

Posted at 3:34AM on Jul 19th 2006 by Allyson ( Tucson , Az )

74. It is not nice to spread rumors on people. It is none of people business about that woman privacy life and people do not know anything. People should not try to get into other people business or speculating what other people are. These bad rumors had hurted Oprah feeling because she knows that those rumors are just lies by people to hurt her reputation. What ever she does in her life is her business and only the Lord know. How would you like if someone try to get into your business and try to figure you our? The only business that you (you in general) need to figure out is your own business. Please do not worry about what someone else is doing or not doing. Talking about Ellen and Rosie. They are out ot the closet. You know what they are because they be on live tv discussing what they are. They are discussing their business like it is something to be proud of. How could you be proud of sin. Homosexually is a deadly sins. They are using their deadly sins to help make them more famous. They are not famous in the eye of the Lord. The Lord does not approval of such behavior. That said please leave Oprah along. She knows what she is better than you do. People just want to make her look bad like Ellen and Rosie. Those two have bad reputation. They fired Star Jones because of bad rating , they say. Well Rosie has a worst reputation that Star. Who want to hear about her wife and her 4 kids that she will be raising up in a house full of sins. Those kids will be confuse. They will not know what sex to sleep with.

Posted at 5:54AM on Jul 19th 2006 by Virginia Johnson

75. It is none of your business. Mine your own business. Worry about who you sleep with. You do not seem to have a life since you are all in somebody else business. Oprah has no reason to lie to you. Who do you think you are for someone to lied to. Many people are jealous of Oprah success so they want to bring a successful black woman down. You want to discuss someone, talk about Ellen and Rosie. You know for sure that they are gay. They are proud of their sinful lifestyle. They are using their out of the closet lifestyle to make them more famous. They feel sinning the way they do will make them more famous. :They are not famous in the eye of the Lord. What they are is disgusting to me. OPrah does not need to disgrace herself to be famous, she is already famous and rich. Oprah is one of the riches black woman in American. Many people might not like it but that they problem. Could keep a strong black rich woman like Oprah down.

Nancy Drew

Posted at 6:01AM on Jul 19th 2006 by Nancy Drew

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