A lucky fan of Oprah Winfrey, who was among the audience members to receive lavish gifts including diamond earrings, a luxury handbag, and a brand new car during the TV host’s “favorite things” giveaway, has now revealed what Winfrey said to the crowd off-camera. Candi Davis, a married mother of two from Chicago, shared the details in a trending TikTok video.
According to Davis, during the Oprah Winfrey Show in 2010, Winfrey gave away Volkswagen Beetles as Christmas gifts. In her video, which has garnered over 3.1 million views, Davis recounted how Winfrey, now 69, had an intimate conversation with the audience after presenting them with the cars. She took off her gold high-heeled shoes, sat on the edge of the stage, and addressed everyone directly.
Davis recalled Winfrey’s words, “I know you don’t feel like you deserve any of this stuff, and you don’t. None of you deserve it. But you are worthy of it, and I want you to remember that.” She described the moment as a beautiful one.
However, some cynical critics on social media interpreted Winfrey’s remarks as a veiled insult. They saw it as a backhanded compliment rather than words of encouragement. Davis responded to the criticism, clarifying that she didn’t tell the story correctly and that Winfrey’s intention was to uplift the audience.
In another post, Davis explained that after the show, many people were emotional and even considered selling the gifted cars to give money to their children. Winfrey overheard these conversations and intervened, encouraging the recipients to accept the gifts and let go of any guilt they might feel. She wanted them to feel worthy and not apologize for receiving the cars.
Davis emphasized that Winfrey’s words were genuinely meant to be sweet and not a backhanded compliment. She further shared that each audience member could choose the color of their 2012 Volkswagen, which was not yet available on the market at that time. They later picked up their cars, adorned with big red bows, from local dealerships.
In a follow-up post, Davis showcased other luxurious items she received from the giveaway, including Le Creuset cookware, a Coach purse, sequin Ugg boots, pear-drop diamond earrings, and the car key fob handed out during filming. She also confirmed that she has taken good care of her cherry red Volkswagen Beetle over the past 12 years.
