Russell Simmons is seemingly trying to get ahead of the backlash that he may receive from Oprah Winfrey’s #MeToo documentary slated to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January. The Apple TV + documentary will focus on sexual assault in the music industry.
In an Instagram post, Simmons calls his former friend out for singling him out in the documentary. He says, “Dearest OPRAH, you have been a shining light to my family and my community. Contributing so much to my life that I couldn’t list a fraction of it in this blog. I have given you the gift of meditation and the groundbreaking book “THE POWER OF NOW” we bonded to say the least.” He continued, “This is why it’s so troubling that you choose me to single out in your recent documentary. I have already admitted to being a playboy more (appropriately titled today “womanizer”) sleeping with and putting myself in more compromising situations than almost any man I know.” He ends his message by reiterating that he is not guilty of being violent or forcing himself on any woman.
Simmons then goes on to say that he has already taken lie detector tests to prove that he is telling the truth. “Please note that ur producers said that this upcoming doc was to focus ONLY on 3 hand chosen women. I have refused to get in the mud with any accusers, but let’s acknowledge what i have shared. I have taken and passed nine 3-hour lie detector tests (taken for my daughters), that these stories have been passed on by CNN, NBC, BUZZFEED, NY POST, NY MAG, AND OTHERS. Now that you have reviewed the facts and you SHOULD have learned what I know; that these stories are UNUSABLE.”
50 Cent recently called Winfrey out for “going after black men” with both her Michael Jackson and #MeToo documentary. “I don’t understand why Oprah is going after black men,” the “Power” producer wrote in an Instagram post on Thursday (Dec. 12). “No Harvey Weinstein, No Epstein, just Micheal jackson and Russell Simmons this shit is sad.”
Winfrey has not issued a response.