‘How Many?’: Oprah Winfrey Reveals the Diana Ross Moment That Had Her Chasing 10-Carat Diamonds
Just about everyone has a person they could say they have been inspired by, even Oprah Winfrey.
Through late nights and hard work, the legendary talk show host built a legacy as the first Black woman to own a production company her own talk show.
Winfrey has interviewed some of the biggest Hollywood stars on her show, including Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Beyoncé, and more.
But there is one icon in particular who inspired her as an adult to purchase expensive jewelry.
In a sit-down with Glamour for the magazine’s Aug. 5 feature, Winfrey revealed a time when singer Diana Ross became her motivation to buy diamond earrings.
“Diana Ross became inspiration and aspiration for my first diamond stud earrings because, if you all remember, there was a storm that came in Central Park, and she kept singing,” she said.
Winfrey explained that the rain was pouring on Ross, but the “I’m Coming Out” singer kept performing during that July 1983 evening in Manhattan.
“And all you could see was diamond earrings glittering, and her mascara did not run,” she recounted.
During the performance, Ross told the audience that she would not cancel the concert. However, after the weather got worse, she ultimately canceled and rescheduled for the next day.
“I remember calling her production company the next day,” Winfrey explained, “I asked them what was the mascara and how many carats of diamonds.”
Winfrey was told that Ross was wearing 10 carats. But as it turns out, that wasn’t the truth.
“So I strived until I could get my first 10 carats,” she said, “And then later she told me it was only five.”
“So I could quit halfway through,” she joked.
As for the mascara, Winfrey remembers exactly which one it was.
“And it was Lancome Waterproof Mascara,” she revealed.
Winfrey also claimed that Ross and the late actor Sidney Poitier were her media inspirations. Poitier won the Oscar for Best Actor Oscar in 1964 for his role in “Lillies of the Field.”
She recalled watching Poitier win the Best Actor Oscar in 1964 for his role in “Lillies of the Field” when she was just 10 years old.
“And I remember thinking, ‘If he could do that, I wonder what I could do,” Oprah said.
She was also impressed watching Ross and The Supremes perform on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”
The 72-year-old said, “We had never seen anything like that. We had not seen Black women look like that. We had not seen Black women be that glamorous.”
Fans shared their reaction to Winfrey’s inspirations in the comments.
One person who agreed with her said, “Although, my mom was beautiful and glamorous. It was seeing Diana Ross and the Supremes on the Ed Sullivan show for me too!”
Another typed, “I watched that concert in the park of Diana Ross’ performance and I enjoyed it so much! I truly believed that could be me one day.”
A third who recalled Ross’ concert said, “I remember day one and two of that concert! Diana was magical – the way she worked within those powerful winds and the torrential rain left me stunned!! I was mesmerized, and YES, I remember those earrings, too!”
Ross’ motive in staging the concert at the New York City landmark was to fund a playground in the park.
Anywhere between 350,00 and 800,000 people attended, and the concert was broadcast by Showtime.
Unfortunately, the concert — which was free — came with production and weather complications which overall cost the city $650,000 in cleanup and police fees.
UPI reported that even though she pledged to donate 7.5 percent of the television proceeds, the city claimed to have received only a financial statement of $1.7 million from her production company regarding expenses and no income from the concert.
Ross later donated $200,000 of her own money for the construction of the park, which ultimately was named after her.
‘How Many?’: Oprah Winfrey Reveals the Diana Ross Moment That Had Her Chasing 10-Carat Diamonds