Oprah Winfrey finally knows what it is like to be surprised in front of millions of viewers. The mogul, 71, was among the Hollywood A-listers dressed in their finest red carpet attire for the 78th annual Tony Awards held in Los Angeles on June 8.
The ceremony celebrating theater’s best and brightest talent on and behind the stage was hosted by actress Cynthia Erivo. But it is Winfrey, who was not nominated this year, that had some of the most-talked-about moments of the evening.
At one point, the “Wicked” stunner found the OWN mogul as she was seated in the audience. Erivo told her, “I thought we should give you a gift,” and directed the journalist to check under her chair.
What Winfrey found was a small gold gift bag that contained a pack of HARIBO Goldbears, a box of Junior Mints, and a red toy car. “You get a car!” joked Erivo, sending the audience into roaring laughter.
Winfrey famously gave away 276 new Pontiac G-6 sedans during a 2004 taping of “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” “You get a car, you get a car, EVERYBODY is getting a CAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRR!!!!!!” an Instagram user commented on the clip reposted by E! News.
Two others said, “She was flabbergasted! I love it” and “This was the funniest moment of the night!!.” Someone else added, “I was expecting keys to a real car man.”
Another moment that made the former TV host an integral part of the night happened at the start of the program.
Erivo was making her way from backstage at Radio City Hall when she was bombarded by multiple people offering unsolicited emcee tips. Winfrey was her last encounter before stepping into the spotlight.
“Oprah, what are you doing here?” Erivo asked. “It’s the Tonys. It’s you. I had to be here,” the OWN network founder responded. Her younger contemporary then asked, “What do you do when everyone is telling you what you need to do?”
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The industry veteran told her, “The only thing you need to do is just be yourself” as she stuck out her right index finger for Erivo to grasp. The moment was a lighthearted mockery of the British-born artist and her “Wicked” co-star Ariana Grande’s closeness that became a media spectacle.
A less-than amused viewer snidely remarked, “I think as Oprah has aged she finds it difficult to be second to anyone. It’s called upstaging.” A second reaction read, “Oprah needs to sit and stay down. She’s had her come up. Let Cynthia and others have and enjoy theirs.”
Winfrey was part of a third jaw-dropping moment when she slyly addressed Broadway veteran Patti LuPone‘s fiery statements about her Black peer Audra McDonald, who has won more Tony awards than any other performer. It is the one instance where an overwhelming show of fans say the billionaire got it right during the ceremony.
While presenting the award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical —McDonald, 54, being one of the nominees — Winfrey addressed the audience: “Tonight, we celebrate an astounding year in live theater, focusing on the women whose performances ignited lively conversations among theater fans.”
Winfrey paused on stage before she exchanged a knowing glance with the laughing crowd before adding, “Lot of talking going on!”
