Swiss Saleswoman Is Now Calling Oprah Winfrey a Liar

After Oprah Winfrey claimed that she was denied service at a trendy Swiss boutique and told that she couldn't afford a $38,000 handbag, and Switzerland's tourism office and the boutique where she was shopping issued their apologies, the saleswoman at the center of this maelstrom is now saying that Oprah is lying and "cannibalized" her on television.

Update 2:35 p.m.: Oprah has semi-apologized for unleashing this story upon the world. At a red carpet premiere for her film The Butler last night, Oprah apologized for naming the country the store is in. "I'm really sorry that it got blown up. I purposefully did not mention the name of the store. I'm sorry that I said it was Switzerland," she said, adding: "It's not an indictment against the country, or even that store. It's just one person who didn't want to offer me the opportunity to see the bag."

Original: After Oprah Winfrey claimed that she was denied service at a trendy Swiss boutique and mistakenly told twice that she couldn't afford a $38,000 handbag, and Switzerland's tourism office and the boutique where she was shopping issued their deepest apologies, the saleswoman at the center of this maelstrom is now saying that Oprah is lying and "cannibalized" her on television.

"'I didn't hurt anyone. I don't know why someone as great as her must cannibalize me on TV," the shop girl, not wanting to be identified by name, told the SonntagsBlick newspaper, reports the The Daily Mail. Ugh, "cannibalizing" is maybe not the best word to use. But, well, she said it.

Oprah was in Zurich for Tina Turner's birthday when she went shopping, hoping to score a handsome new handbag — only to be reportedly refused. But contrary to Oprah's depiction of the incident last week, the saleswoman insists that she did not deny Oprah a chance to look at the $38,000 bag.

"She looked at a frame behind me. Far above there was the 35,000 Swiss franc crocodile leather bag. I simply told her it was like the one I held in my hand, only much more expensive, and that I could show her similar bags," the saleswoman said in her own defense. At best, that still kinda sorta sounds like not showing someone the bag.

The saleswoman apparently did not even know who Oprah was: "I didn't know who she was when she came into the store. That wouldn't have made any difference if I had." Clearly, this woman does not watch enough daytime television.