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Whew! One thing about social media: sometimes folks will take a short clip and run with it! Well, that’s exactly what happened to Kerry Washington and Oprah Winfrey following the NAACP Image Awards.
RELATED: Here’s Who Popped Out & What Went Down At The 55th NAACP Image Awards (Videos)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 16: (L-R) Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry, and Kerry Washington attend the 55th NAACP Image Awards at Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall on March 16, 2024, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images for BET)
How Did The Kerry & Oprah Beef Rumors Start?
Folks were side-eyeing the relationship between these two GREATS after BET shared a clip of Kerry interacting with Tyler Perry on the event’s red carpet. The 18-second video begins with Kerry and Tyler sharing a hug while Oprah holds a conversation with someone off-camera nearby.
When a photographer requested a group photo, Kerry Washington moved to stand on one side of Tyler while Oprah stood on the other. However, the video seemingly shows Kerry “ignoring” a tap from Winfrey on her shoulder. After they posed for a few shots, Winfrey again reached out and tapped the side of Washington’s leg, seemingly saying goodbye before walking off.
@betOprah, @Kerry Washington, and #TylerPerry all in one shot. This moment will go down in #NAACPImageAwards history. 🤩
♬ original sound – BET Networks
Given that Kerry didn’t acknowledge any of the taps, a first impression of the clip might be that Washington was swerving the TV mogul. Social media wasted no time drawing that conclusion in the TikTok post’s comment section. By Monday, the 18-second clip was all over X (formerly Twitter) after collecting over 200,000 views and more than 380 comments on TikTok.
Peep some of the “beef” narratives below.
On TikTok, @jasminecaldwell24 wrote, “PEEP KERRY DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE OPRAH. She knows something.”
@favorti3wolf added, “She tried to touch Kerry shoulder then her leg pls leave that lady alone she saw you d**n.”
Meanwhile, some attributed Kerry’s behavior (which was later proven to be nothing) to her being friends with Taraji P. Henson. As previously reported, Taraji went viral several months ago after speaking out about pay disparity for Black women in Hollywood and her experiences on the set of ‘The Color Purple.’
RELATED: Enough Is Enough! Taraji P. Henson Slams Rumors About Feuding With Oprah Winfrey
@imwithgodru703 wrote, “I felt a little tension between Oprah and Kerry ….Kerry must be team Taraji.”
@bluestaff15 added, “Kerry and Taraji are sisters, Oprah could never break that bond.”
Kerry Washington and Oprah are beefing??
— nina (@ninaDNJ) March 18, 2024
Oprah Snubbed Taraji and Kerry Washington did the same to Oprah 🫢 pic.twitter.com/NIKmQWUXMM
— DeMarko (@freakymarko) March 18, 2024
Kerry Washington paying Oprah like legend 😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/brUHehGi5x
— Banjee Barbie 💋 (@BoujeeNBanjee) March 18, 2024
SIKE! Ain’t No Beef With These Two Women
But, it looks like this time, all the rumors are NOT true. That first 18-second clip did not show the interaction Oprah and Kerry actually had, which included lots of love! To clear the air, BET took to TikTok on Monday with a second clip.
This time, in 16 seconds, we see Kerry eagerly walk up to Oprah with a huge smile on her face. In fact, the women embraced and laughed together before Kerry hugged and greeted Tyler Perry. Washington also congratulated Oprah on all the love ‘The Color Purple’ received at the award show.
So, we can put this one to rest, social media detectives. Ain’t no beef here! Just a clip cut a lil’ too short. Happy Women’s History Month y’all!
Watch the before and after interactions below.
@betReplying to @ashbash We loved it, and that good energy between @Kerry Washington and Oprah. #NAACPImageAwards
♬ original sound – BET Networks
