Once upon a time, Oprah Winfrey and Stedman Graham attended a ton of events together. However, as Winfrey told Gwyneth Paltrow in an episode of “The Goop Podcast,” she realized that even the tiniest expression — or a facial movement between expressions, for that matter — could be used as a basis for tabloid fodder. “Every time there’s a new photograph, there’s a new story,” she explained. And, while she may have known that whatever the newspapers were reporting about her was not true, it just wasn’t worth the emotional turmoil and pressure put on her relationship. And just like that, Graham’s appearances became scant.
As for the impact the public appearance embargo had on their relationship, all signs point to it being for the best. After all, both Winfrey and Graham have talked in the past about the importance of maintaining their independence in the relationship. Speaking to Ellen DeGeneres back in 2019, Graham explained, “When you have a good partner that’s able to self-actualize their potential, and you’re able to self-actualize yours, then, you know, one and one equals about six.” It’s the same sentiment Winfrey has frequently shared. “Our relationship works because he created an identity beyond being ‘Oprah’s man,'” she wrote for Oprah Daily.
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Nearly 40 years down — who can argue with that?
