Cindy Crawford calls out Oprah Winfrey for treating her like ‘CHATTEL’ by demanding she show off her body on camera at age 20 to prove she was ‘worthy’ of fame
Cindy Crawford has called out Oprah Winfrey over their 1986 interview, in which the famous TV host asked the then 20-year-old model to show off her body on national television.
The beloved supermodel, 57, opened up about the interaction in the new Apple TV+ docu-series, The Super Models, which sees Cindy and fellow ‘supers’ Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington reflect on how they came to dominate the fashion industry.
However, before Cindy became a household name, she was given an introduction to the nation when she made her first ever appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show alongside her Elite Modeling Agency rep, John Casablancas.
In the snippet shown in the documentary, Oprah is heard introducing the stunning young model before she asks: ‘Did she always have this body? Stand up just a moment, now this is what I call a BODY.’
Cindy Crawford has called out Oprah Winfrey for an 1986 interview where the host asked the then 20-year-old model to show off her body on national television.
A then 20-year-old Cindy made her first ever appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show alongside her Elite Modeling Agency rep, John Casablancas
In the snippet shown in the documentary, Oprah is heard introducing the stunning young model before she asks: ‘Stand up just a moment, now this is what I call a BODY’
Cindy proceeded to smile nervously as she stood up and allowed the audience – and viewers at home – to take a look at her statuesque frame.
Reflecting on how she felt in that moment, Cindy admitted: ‘I was like the chattel or a child, be seen and not heard.
‘When you look at it through today’s eyes, Oprah’s like, ‘Stand up and show me your body. Show us why you’re worthy of being here.”
The mother-of-two continued: ‘In the moment I didn’t recognize it and watching it back I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, that was so not okay really.’ Especially from Oprah!’
The clip had been available on Oprah’s YouTube channel until Tuesday evening, hours before the documentary was due to drop.
Elsewhere in the clip, Oprah directed several questions towards John who spoke on Cindy’s behalf.
When Oprah quizzed him about whether the agency had to put the model through a ‘training period’, he responded: ‘With Cindy, it was much more psychologically she was not sure she really wanted to model… little by little, her ambition is growing.
‘She’s getting a sense, and I’m saying it now on this program, if she wants to she can be number one in the business.’
John’s prediction certainly came true, but in the docu-series, Cindy highlighted just how hard she was working to make it during the early days of her career.
The former House of Style presenter admitted she would often ‘pass out’ from hunger during grueling shoot days.
The Super Models trailer stars Naomi Campbell & Cindy Crawford
The beloved supermodel, 57, opened up about the interaction in the new Apple TV+ docu-series, The Super Models
Cindy landed her debut Vogue cover (pictured) the same year that she appeared on Oprah for the first time
She stated: ‘I was 20 years old, I had dropped out of college to model in Chicago and it was great. I was making $1000 a day.
‘The main business there was catalog. There was one main photographer, Victor Skrebneski, and he was the big fish in a little pond. Victor was definitely mentor in the fashion industry, when Victor said don’t move you didn’t move.’
Cindy continued: ‘I passed out there more than once. Especially right before lunch, you pass out and you would faint. And then they would prop you back up and you would do it all over again.’
The supermodel’s comments about her Oprah appearance closely echo those made by fellow star Brooke Shields who last year spoke out about her own awkward on-air encounter with Barbara Walters.
During an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, Brooke, now 58, slammed Walters for the ‘probing’ questions she asked her when she was just 15 years old.
Brooke – who had just starred in The Blue Lagoon at the time of her interview with Walters – explained: ‘She asked me what my measurements were and asked me to stand up, and I stand up and she’s like comparing herself to this little girl, and I thought, ‘This isn’t right. I don’t understand what this is.’
‘But I just, I behaved and smiled and felt like so taken advantage of in so many ways.
‘But over the years, you know when you’ve been in the public eye and have been commented on all the time, everybody has an opinion, and you all get to say it, and now that’s where social media I think can be dangerous. Then you learn to say no this is my truth.’
Fashion legends turn out for The Super Models teaser
The candid series sees the runway icon open up about her game-changing career alongside fellow super models Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington and Naomi Campbell
Cindy’s candid comments about her Oprah interview offer an intriguing glimpse into the scandals that may emerge from Apple TV+’s new four-part documentary, which charts the rise of the women who earned millions, dated movie stars and cemented their status of supermodels after that iconic music video for George Michael’s track, Freedom, in 1990.
It’s the first time all four of the surviving icons, Tatjana Patitz died earlier this year of breast cancer, have come together to discuss the phenomenon in depth.
While the Apple TV+ series basks in the exceptional beauty of the women it doesn’t shy away from the uglier issues they faced, such as addiction, domestic abuse and racial inequality.
Typically reserved Linda Evangelista is seen in tears and she opens up about being left disfigured by a failed cosmetic procedure.
Meanwhile the Canadian beauty also shares claims that ex-husband Gérald Marie abused her during their five-year marriage.
Elsewhere, Naomi Campbell reveals she is perimenopausal after being captured suffering a ‘hot flush’ during a photoshoot in the docu-series.
The Super Models is available to stream on Apple TV+ from September 20.
