LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Oprah Winfrey was inspired by her longtime friend Tina Turner's hairstyle and even wore a wig similar to the singer's wild and eccentric hairstyle. After the death of the legendary performer at the age of 83 on Wednesday, May 24, the former 'Oprah Winfrey Show' host said that "becoming her friend was a blessing of a lifetime."
In 2011, during an Oprah Winfrey Network interview, Winfrey explained why she decided to sport a Tina-inspired wig and why she wore it "all times, even while sleeping." She said that "it was the ultimate groupie story," and added that she traveled to different cities while she attended the 'Poor Mary' hitmakers concerts after the media mogul packed up her talks show "at great expense" at the time.
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'I had a wig made so I could be a part and close to Tina in wigdom'
In the resurfaced YouTube video, Winfrey recalled that she "had a wig made so I could be a part and close to Tina in wigdom. And then I wouldn’t take the wig off." In the video of the interview, a clip of Winfrey wearing the short Tina-inspired hairpiece was flashed on the screen.
"I did it for the show, I did it for the next show, I think we did five or six shows around the country," she said and revealed that she then "started wearing it on the weekends" and "to bed." "I started wearing it all time," she added.
Winfrey said that her longtime love Stedman Graham told her "I don’t know when somebody’s gonna tell you, you're not Tina Turner," and later explained to her that "it’s a problem. It’s become a problem. I think you think you’re Tina Turner."
'If I had it right now I’d put it on'
Though Winfrey did not continue wearing the wig, the TV personality admitted that she still thinks the wig is fabulous. "Truth of the matter is I still like my Tina wig. If I had it right now I’d put it on. You know, I don’t feel like that was such a terrible thing to put on the Tina wig. Could I have a little happiness here? Could I just have a little moment?", she said.
Talking about the death of the 'Queen of Rock 'n' Roll', the talk show host said that Turner "was certainly aware that she was ill" and added that "she was actually ready to go, meaning, ready to leave the planet," according to Page Six.
