Why Ms. Winfrey's Not Coming to Washington

Evermay estate in the heart of Georgetown---but not Oprah's. (Stu Estler)

Look, we'd love to be wrong on this. But there is no way Oprah's moving to Washington. That was the big rumor that broke before the holidays: By snapping up Georgetown's $49 million Evermay mansion, Ms. Winfrey would have a base convenient to her new best buds, the Obamas. Her people quickly denied it -- but in case that's not enough, we break down the reasons this isn't happening:

High-end properties are a breeding ground for bad celeb rumors. People see an eight-figure asking price and can't imagine anyone south of Bill Gates/Jay-Z who could afford it, and speculation soon hardens into omigod-have-you-heard? Remember your pals who had it "on good authority" that Brangelina were buying that place in Kalorama, or that TomKat were moving to Upperville? Yeah . . .

Oprah already has a $50 million house -- in California, where she spends most of her time, and it's a lot bigger. She's also got a kajillion acres in Maui. Whereas in Chicago, where her media empire is based, she has only a crash-pad apartment. Granted, it's a luxury penthouse -- but point being, even billionaires have limits on how many mansions they need or can afford.

Oprah's a smart businesswoman. You really think she's going to invest that kind of money in this real estate market?

By The Reliable Source | January 5, 2009; 1:04 AM ET

Save & Share: Previous: Quoted
Next: The Baucus Split-Up? You Could See It in the Cards

Network News

Why Ms. Winfrey's Not Coming to Washington