Oprah Winfrey recalls how comedian Joan Rivers body-shamed her on The Tonight Show

Oprah Winfrey recently opened up about a painful experience of public body-shaming by comedian Joan Rivers asking, "Why are you so fat?" during her first appearance on 'The Tonight Show' back in 1985.

The media mogul recalled the harrowing experience on Monday's episode of the Jamie Kern Lima Show podcast.

"I've been shamed on The Tonight Show by Joan Rivers. I had my first appearance on The Tonight Show," she claimed.

Winfrey recalled how she was initially invited to discuss her burgeoning television show, 'A.M. Chicago.' However, Rivers shifted the conversation to Winfrey's weight. "Joan Rivers turns to me and she says, 'Tell me, why are you so fat?'" Winfrey recounted to Lima.

The media mogul was caught off guard by the comment, feeling stunned "on national television" and absolutely had no idea "what to do with that" and how to respond to such a direct and public attack.

Winfrey somehow tried to handle the situation by adding humour and responded, "Well, I just love potato chips, Joan." However, Rivers continued to criticize her, saying, "No seriously! Shame on you! Shame on you!" The comedian then added, "I'll let you come back if you lose 15 lbs. You need to lose 15 lbs."

"I accepted that I should be shamed, because how dare me, be sitting up here on 'The Tonight Show,'" she admitted.

Winfrey confessed to Lima that she did not lose weight. Instead, she found herself gaining more weight. "Of course, I didn't lose the 15 lbs. I went and ate my way to another 10 lbs," she shared.

The encounter with Rivers was a catalyst for Winfrey to seek help at a "health retreat," aka "fat farms". Around the same time, Winfrey was struggling with the belief that her weight might cost her a role in the film 'The Color Purple.' She recalled "crying" and "praying" over the possibility.

"I cried and prayed some more, and in the moment I felt the release... a woman comes running out and she says, "There's a phone call for you." The phone call from Steven Spielberg saying, "I hear you're at a fat farm. You lose a pound, you could lose this part," the media mogul shared.

Winfrey heeded this advice and eventually earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Sofia in the critically acclaimed film.

"The fact that it happened in the instant I'd known I'd let it go was the greatest life lesson I have ever received", and that is: "Do everything you can, work as hard as you can, and then let it go."

Winfrey has been vocal about the challenges and discrimination she has faced due to her weight. "I cannot tell you how many weight-loss shows and makeovers I have done," she said earlier in a three-hour long WeightWatchers special.