Oprah Winfrey Apologizes To Robin Givens Over Reaction To Mike Tyson's 'Sock Her' Comment

Access Hollywood - November 16, 2009 2:04 AM PST
Story photo: Oprah Winfrey Apologizes To Robin Givens Over Reaction To Mike Tyson's 'Sock Her' CommentOprah Winfrey and Robin Givens Getty ImagesAccess Hollywood

CHICAGO, Ill. -- Oprah Winfrey apologized to Robin Givens on Friday's episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" over how she dealt with a comment made by the star's ex, former boxer Mike Tyson, last month.

"I was really hurt, really, really hurt," Givens told Winfrey of the TV show host's and her audience's reaction to the boxer's October "Oprah" show comments about the actress' 1998 Barbara Walters interview. Tyson previously claimed on Oprah's show that Givens lied during the interview and he added, "At that particular moment, I truly wanted to sock her, but I didn't do it," as the "Oprah" audience laughed.

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Givens, who is a spokesperson for the National Domestic Violence Hotline, said the reaction was difficult to take.

"I just wanted you... When he said 'I've socked her before,' to say, 'That's not right!' And it wasn't right and it was painful," Givens said. "There are so many women like me out there... if you hear laughter about it, it lightens it."

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Although Winfrey tried to explain what the mood was like that day in her studio, she apologized to Givens for what happened.

"In that moment, I didn't know - the audience laughed because they were uncomfortable, and the word 'sock,' you think of a cartoon character, they weren't laughing at you," Winfrey responded. "I should have said something, 'This isn't funny.' I regretted... that moment. To you and every woman who's ever been hit, I feel that I did not handle that as well as I should have - I apologize to you, and to every woman in that situation, for not being sharp enough."

The subject of domestic violence has been a hot topic on "Oprah" recently, with Winfrey feuding with Chris Brown after he said he was upset she did not help him out following his assault on Rihanna in February, and for doing a show on domestic violence not long after the incident.

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And more recently, Winfrey shelved an interview with BeBe Winans after coming under fire for taping an interview with the gospel singer, who is facing domestic assault charges. The show with Winans will not air until the abuse charges are resolved, a rep for "Oprah" announced earlier this month.

"Rihanna said it quite well, she said, 'You know what I did not cause this,' and you know what? I did not cause this and any women out there, you're not causing it," Givens told Winfrey on Friday.

"I hope you accept my apology," Winfrey told her. "I had a lot of empathy and compassion for Mike Tyson and still do, but that never makes hitting women OK. It's never OK."

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MORE ACCESS ON THESE TOPICS: Oprah Winfrey - Mike Tyson - TV One - Athletes - Chris Brown

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comments 1-10 of 212  |< newest · < newer · older > · oldest >|  hide comments · post a comment
  • Larry
    ILY OPRAH
    report abuseposted November 25, 2009 8:22 PM PST
  • MS M
    FOUND IT!! Google "Oprah denies God" and see the new age church of Oprah. By no means would anyone who knows me say I am a zealot, fanatic etc. I consider myself open minded to all cultures/nationalities but not even whacked in the head Al Quada consider THEMSELVES God! only that they will bed 72 virgins, although, I need to strongly disagree for the females get zipola! Whats up
    report abuseposted November 20, 2009 7:21 AM PST
  • MS M
    Lately I heard of Oprah starting a new religion denying God. anyone heard this? Something along a cult thing with her using her influence to get gullible people to deny God. I used to really be into Oprah for her discussions/topics but, I would never believe she'd use her reputation on the podium to advance such ideas. Oprah, there is only 1 way onto the father. WE are NOT god.
    report abuseposted November 20, 2009 2:17 AM PST
  • Triece
    Now that Oprah has given Mike a chance to come on her show and redeem himself, maybe she will give Chris Brown the same opprtnity 1 da.You know Mike was off the hook and if she can reach out to a man that is trying to change his life , what makes CB any different. Noone deserves to be abused and all but it is done , can't take it back. Let him suffer the conseqs of his actions. Move on
    report abuseposted November 19, 2009 5:52 PM PST
  • Erric C
    HELLO!!! Did anyone overlook the fact that she struck the first blow? She got her butt stomped, should have respected the man's space and not put her hands on him. She got what she deserved. KEEP YOURS HANDS OFF OF PEOPLE!! Don't cry fowl when you take a butt whippin from something you started.
    report abuseposted November 18, 2009 7:33 PM PST
  • Terry
    Oprah is the bomb!!!! Robin got what she deserved and Mike should have tagged Robin's Moms head as well.
    report abuseposted November 18, 2009 6:52 PM PST
  • V. J
    I agree with most of you, I'm so over Orca, I mean Ophah, ohmybad.....OPRAH. My fingers cant even type her name right I dislike her so much. LOL.
    report abuseposted November 18, 2009 6:40 PM PST
  • Dr. Jack Meehoff
    Maybe the has-been, actually never-was, Givens should have married for love instead of money, but what do you expect ...
    report abuseposted November 18, 2009 6:38 PM PST
  • Straight Out The Burbs
    Are you serious?!?!?! This world is so twisted and wanna be "PC" that you want to say what you want to say but then get sooo easily offended by everything. This is why the quality of life is going down because morons now want everything to have weight but cant pull their own.
    report abuseposted November 18, 2009 3:57 AM PST
  • LADONNA HIB.
    VERY CUTE LADY'S,YR #1 FAN !!!
    report abuseposted November 18, 2009 3:36 AM PST
comments 1-10 of 212  |< newest · < newer · older > · oldest >| 

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