Oprah Winfrey had the political chattering classes buzzing over Bloomberg Television interviewer David Rubenstein’s recent query on whether she would consider running for president.
"I thought, 'I don't have the experience, I don't know enough,'" Winfrey said in the interview taped Dec. 12. "Now I'm thinking, 'Oh, oh.'"
Winfrey’s answer implied that if former reality TV star Donald Trump won the presidency without any government or political experience, why not the “Queen of All Media”?
But Gayle King, co-anchor of “CBS This Morning” and Winfrey’s best friend, poured cold water on the chances of another super-celebrity presidential bid in 2020.
“I was in the audience that day, and it was clearly a joke when she was playing with David because they have such a great rapport,” King said on her program Thursday. “But I also heard on the Oprah Winfrey show over the years you always have the right to change your mind, but I would bet my first, second born and any unborn children to come, that ain't never happening. Never. I'll say never on this one. Nevah, n-e-v-a-h. Nevah.”
Winfrey may be just the first of many famous names floated as a possible opponent to Trump in 2020. Trump’s rise to the White House demonstrated that a celebrity mogul with high name recognition can become a serious political contender.
The Hollywood Reporter, citing unnamed sources, reported that Walt Disney Co. Chairman Robert Iger is being encouraged by friends to run for president as a Democrat in 2020. Iger has said publicly in the past that he has been urged to seek political office.
As the executive in charge of the company that includes Disneyland, Iger could accurately claim that he’s already responsible for running “The Happiest Place on Earth.”
Watch a time-lapse of the 89th Academy Awards red carpet in two minutes.
Watch a time-lapse of the 89th Academy Awards red carpet in two minutes.
Watch a time-lapse of the 89th Academy Awards red carpet in two minutes.
Watch a time-lapse of the 89th Academy Awards red carpet in two minutes.
"Moonlight" won the best picture Oscar after a botched announcement threw the ceremony into chaos.
"Moonlight" won the best picture Oscar after a botched announcement threw the ceremony into chaos.
Staff writer Tre'vell Anderson asks 2017 Academy Awards ceremony attendees to discuss the significance of the Oscars.
Staff writer Tre'vell Anderson asks 2017 Academy Awards ceremony attendees to discuss the significance of the Oscars.
A time-lapse video of the Oscars red carpet.
A time-lapse video of the Oscars red carpet.
WATCH: Barry Jenkins, writer and director of "Moonlight," on the red carpet at the 2017 Academy Awards. "Everyone looks to the filmmaking community to reflect the world we live in," he said. And after the Oscars? "I'm going to Mexico," he said. "I'm going to the Yucatan."
WATCH: Barry Jenkins, writer and director of "Moonlight," on the red carpet at the 2017 Academy Awards. "Everyone looks to the filmmaking community to reflect the world we live in," he said. And after the Oscars? "I'm going to Mexico," he said. "I'm going to the Yucatan."
stephen.battaglio@latimes.com
Twitter: @SteveBattaglio
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