Oprah Cuts Frey Into A Million Little Pieces

Posted on January 27, 2006

We knew something was up when Oprah invited Frey back on her show to "answer a million little questions." The talk show host absolutely skewered James Frey for the entire hour yesterday. She even brought in columnists like Maureen Dowd and Frank Rich to help her. But that's not all -- she blasted Nan Talese, Frey's publisher for not double-checking some of Frey's facts.

Oprah told Frey, "I really feel duped. But more importantly, I feel that you betrayed millions of readers."

Frey, who submitted his book as fiction but eventually had it published as a memoir without a word being changed, defended his work. "I don't think it is a novel," he said. "I still think it's a memoir."

But after Winfrey had addressed a series of disputed passages, including Frey's claim to have endured root canal surgery without anaesthetic, the author was more contrite.

"This hasn't been a great day for me," he said. "I feel like I came here and I have been honest with you. I have, you know, essentially admitted to..."

"Lying," Winfrey interrupted.

"To lying," said Frey. "It's not an easy thing to do in front of an audience full of people and a lot of others watching on TV... If I come out of this experience with anything it's being a better person and learning from my mistakes and making sure I don't repeat them."

Oprah also said she initially supported Frey because she had received many messages of support. She now regrets letting these messages cloud her judgment and defend Frey on CNN. She says, "I regret that phone call. I made a mistake. I left the impression that the truth does not matter, and I am deeply sorry about that. That is not what I believe... To everyone who has challenged my position, you are absolutely right."

Frey, to his credit, didn't cry -- not even once. He just sat there and took it, and admitted he lied. That has to be the most brutal author humiliation in the history of publishing. It was totally awesome shocking.