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Oprah Fooled Again by Fake Love Tale

Posted Dec 29th 2008 5:37AM by TMZ Staff

Oprah Winfrey called Herman Rosenblat's tale of how he met his wife in a concentration camp "the single greatest love story" she'd ever heard. Only problem -- it isn't true.

Rosenblat, who survived the Holocaust as a young boy, had written a memoir telling the story of meeting his wife of 50 years when she was a farm girl who tossed apples over the fence at a concentration camp. Then, claimed Herman, he met Mrs. R. 12 years later on a blind date. Well, lovely though it was, the story was made up, and now the memoir is being yanked -- and Oprah is once again red-faced over a story she championed very publicly.

Oprah gushed over James Frey's alleged memoir "A Million LIttle Pieces," only to find it was faked.

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61. I remember seeing this one. They seemed like a lovely old couple. He cried as he told the story. They were very convincing. As I remember it, there was no mention of a book at that time. Maybe he wrote it later, after all the publicity stemming from his appearance. Shame on them!

Posted at 12:21PM on Dec 29th 2008 by canadasue

62. #55
The premise of the story is(was) good...I don't know why the couple didn't write it as a work of fiction to begin with...instead of trying to pawn it off as truth...if their story was good enough, fact or fiction, people would have read it. I think it's okay for Oprah to endorse authors, but maybe she should just stay away from autobiographies and "fact based" memoirs.

Posted at 12:38PM on Dec 29th 2008 by ms holiday

63. Didn't your momma tell you never to believe everything you read & half the things you see?

Oprah just doesn't learn, does she?

Posted at 12:36PM on Dec 29th 2008 by GrammaJJ

64. "What ABOUT Jesus"..?

--Oprah Winfrey

YouTube "Oprah Denies Christ On TV"...

It'll all become clear...

Posted at 12:46PM on Dec 29th 2008 by Oprah Curse

65. ha ha

Posted at 12:48PM on Dec 29th 2008 by juscus

66. 23. If the book was marketed as being an autobiographical piece, then I would have believed it to be such too.

And also, just to add to the other side talk going on in here: I trust NO politician. They ALL lie. It's more-so about picking the lesser evil but unfortunately when it comes down to choosing, everyone's perception is different.

Posted at 10:13AM on Dec 29th 2008 by straight....no chaser
***************************************************************************

Well said!

Posted at 1:14PM on Dec 29th 2008 by Wand Waxer

67. Is she going to make him come on her show and brow-beat him like she did to the Million Little Pieces guy?

Posted at 3:39PM on Dec 29th 2008 by Janet

68. If Oprah was fooled, so was the rest of the world. Why wouldn't someone believe a story by a convincing published author. Who's got the time to check all the information in the book to confirm it.? That's the publisher's legal department job. These con artists should give back all the money they made. The book could've sold as fiction. They didn't have to lie.

Posted at 5:13PM on Dec 29th 2008 by deedee

69. as for obama some of the people did not vote for him not because of his color but that is all you people can think about i am sick to death of this bs

Posted at 4:07PM on Dec 29th 2008 by sjharrell

70. 47. QUESTION: What's the difference between a white man and a snake?

ANSWER: One is a evil, cold-blooded, venomous, slimy creature of Satan, and the other is a snake.

Posted at 11:25AM on Dec 29th 2008 by yo mama

And why isn't this considered racist??? Oh, that's right. It's ok to trash white folk now.

Posted at 4:15PM on Dec 29th 2008 by Maddy

71. Hey Oprah! This story sounds very familiar...I remember a love story about a Vietnam prisoner of war "BJ" who was kept alive by fruit delivered to him by a chimp named "Bear". After the war they became truck driving buddies.

Posted at 4:34PM on Dec 29th 2008 by Snert

72. I think what you are all not getting is this is a memoir. HIS memories. Who says it's not true to the best of his recollection?
I read somewhere that historians are doubting the validity of some of the story but not all of it. Is there new proof this isn't a true story?

Posted at 4:39PM on Dec 29th 2008 by KELLYC

73. Its hilarious to me how everyone finds a way to use Oprah as an excuse to bash Oprah! Yeah so what she supported Obama? So did over half of the country-OBVIOUSLY-because if they didn't then he wouldn't be president! Everyone who uses this opportunity to talk about Obama and his "lack of skills" as a leader,that he hasn't even shown yet, probably are older white people who haven't acceptsed the fact that we have a black president. WAKE UP! Its 09'!

Posted at 4:49PM on Dec 29th 2008 by Amanda

74. In the grand scheme of things......Who cares.... and why the hell does this matter at all?

Posted at 4:51PM on Dec 29th 2008 by C Wilson

75. I think the biggest problem is that Oprah gushes over these books when she talks about them, calling them "the single most beautiful love story I've ever heard/read" or "the most fascinating book I've ever read." Then, she finds out such is not the case and she is embarrassed and speaks about how these people have "duped" her audience. I agree that someone, whether it be the publisher or Ms. Winfrey's production staff, is not fact checking, but I also think that Oprah really puts herself out on a limb when it comes to some of these books. And the fact that this has happened more than twice to her is very telling. On the other hand, what she did to James Frey was unforgiveable in my eyes. It was a memoir, which means you are writing to the best of your memory...he is an addict and in his estimation what he wrote happened probably did in his estimation. It gave Oprah, however, no right to tear him down on public television as a means of assuaging her own embarrassment. He did not ask her to pick his book, even though I am sure, at the time of her call, he greatly appreciated it. That was her choice, and truth or fiction, the book is still a compelling read in terms of being a cautionary tell against the use of drugs and alcohol. Perhaps, Oprah, in all her infinite wisdom and influence, needs to remember that people are not only fallible (in the case of James Frey), but people are also out to get a little bit of the "American dream" she enjoys as well.

Posted at 5:16PM on Dec 29th 2008 by Mark

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