I think it is more a reaction to a slap in her ego than a racial undertone. My experience...
I was a guest on her show in 1996 and quit being a "fan" after that experience. She was WAY catered to as in obviously the boss...ie, she says to no one in particular (sort of out to the air) "I want a cup of tea" and one just appears out of no where....there was a small glitch with a video segment and she says again "we *will* have a meeting about this" and several people were all scrambling to get to phones etc.
She was not all that friendly with the audience during the commerical breaks being all business and she seemed to interact with certain African American members of the guests more than us normal audience crazies (white or black). Actually one very *fine* AfricanAmerican man in particular
otherwise she bare acknowledged we were in the room during the commerical breaks.
She *doesn't* allow photos with guests UNLESS her official photographer does the photos..and he is ONLY there when it is a celebrity (from the producer of my segment).
When I had my make up done, I told the makeup artist NO mascara I would do my own - I don't share. She insisted to using her stuff and I ended up with a HUGE eye infection. I let the producer know this happened and they never even acknowledged my correspondence. Seriously, you think she could either afford to supply fresh for her guests OR she could work a deal with revlon, etc to have samples for guest to use that aren't reused.
so when I heard about her interaction with the Paris shop, my first thought was "I bet she thought they should have opened for her simply because she said to" and when they wouldn't she decided that they were going to "regret" it. I think she is pretty damned used to getting what she wants, when she wants it, and isn't used to being told "No, you aren't the most special" person around.
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