Did Oprah flee the country after leaked Diddy footage? Viral YouTube claim explored
Recently, a rumor surfaced online that Oprah Winfrey had left the USA amid Sean “Diddy” Combs’ alleged leaked video. YouTube channel Rap Heat first shared it on Thursday, November 14. Titled “Breaking News: Oprah Has Fled!”, the post was captioned:
“5 MINS AGO: FBI Reveals Oprah Has Fled the Country After Diddy Footage Leaked.”
The post garnered online traction and earned over 1,343,189 views in less than 24 hours.
However, the now-viral claim is fake. The bio of the Rap Heat YouTube channel clearly states that the content they post is for “entertainment purposes only” and “may include rumors, speculation, or exaggeration.”
“All opinions expressed are our own. Viewer discretion is advised, and we encourage independent research before drawing any conclusions,” the channel’s bio read.
Moreover, the video does not substantiate the claim that Winfrey left the country in connection to the ongoing Diddy scandal.
Oprah Winfrey has not escaped the country amid alleged Diddy footage leak
The entire 22-minute video by Rap Heat did not provide any evidence to support the claim that Winfrey had left the country. Instead, it had clips of various interviews with celebrities, including Diddy, conducted by the talk show host. It also comprised details and news clippings of the ongoing Diddy federal case.
This video by Rap Heat came two days after another similar one, which claimed that A-listers such as Jay-Z, Beyonce, Kevin Hart, Kim Kardashian, and Jennifer Lopez had also become fugitives in connection to the Diddy scandal.
However, both videos are false, fabricated, and unfounded, likely for parody, satire, sensationalism, and virality. Furthermore, no variable/authentic footage has been released by official/federal sources linked to the Diddy case. Oprah Winfrey has also not been named in the case.
Interestingly, this is not the first time rumors surrounding the billionaire producer have circulated online. Earlier, in late September, TikTok user Mr P. the Final Boss or @frazierpollard falsely claimed that the FBI raided Winfrey’s house in the wake of Sean Combs’ arrest and grand jury indictment.
Other satire/parody channels on YouTube, including Uncover Discovery and Stardom Scoop, also made false and unsubstantiated allegations that Oprah, alongside other celebrities, was arrested in relation to Combs’ case. The claim that Gayle King was suing Winfrey over Diddy also surfaced online. Subsequently, all of these were debunked.
Like the latest claim where Oprah was said to have fled the country, similar rumors emerged surrounding Jay-Z, Steve Harvey, and Leonardo DiCaprio, among others.
Lately, Winfrey has been in the news after being criticized for reportedly taking $1 million to host a star-studded town hall event in Michigan on behalf of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
Earlier this week, she refuted the claims and told TMZ how the claim, which originated in a report by The Washington Examiner, was “not true.” She added, “I was paid nothing, ever.” Later, she also took to The Shade Room’s Instagram post on the same rumor and further clarified:
“Usually I am reluctant to respond to rumors in general, but these days I realize that if you don’t stop a lie, it just gets bigger.”
Winfrey also mentioned how she was “not paid a dime” and did not take “any personal fee,” adding that only the “people who worked on that production needed to be paid. And were. End of story.” Oprah shared how her “time and energy” was her way of supporting the campaign.
A longtime Democrat, Oprah also endorsed Harris-Walz at the same event, which was attended by celebrities including Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep, JLo, and Bryan Cranston.