Oprah Gets a Sign From God (And Stephen Colbert) to Run for President

It’s hard to believe that it’s been two months since Oprah Winfrey gave her presidential speech at the Golden Globes, but here we are. She’s since shot down rumors that she would actually run for office in 2020, but that hasn’t stopped pretty much everyone from asking her about it. Last night, Winfrey appeared as a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to discuss her role in Ava DuVernay‘s latest flick A Wrinkle in Time, and Colbert couldn’t help himself.

After discussing Trump’s famous tweet that called her “insecure”, Colbert steered things towards the elephant (or donkey?) in the room: a potential presidential run. “There are a lot of people out there who would like to see you be President of the United States,” Colbert said. “Or at least run to be President of the United States.” The audience responded enthusiastically, but Winfrey was quick to shut down any theories about a run. “I feel humbled and honored by that, it just isn’t something – I’ve said this before. I would know it.”

“You said, ‘God, if you think I’m supposed to run, you gotta tell me, and it has to be so clear that not even I can miss it’,” Colbert quoted back to her. Winfrey reiterated the statement, and when Colbert asked if she’d had any signs at all, she told him “not one”, and repeated that she just didn’t feel it, and Colbert seemed content to move on. That is, until, a special guest arrived. Colbert summoned God to appear on the ceiling of the Ed Sullivan Theater and he made his case as best he could. “God, I don’t mean to hurry you along, but is there something you’d like to tell Oprah?” Colbert asked.

“Oh yeah. I hear thou seekest a sign?” God asked. “Well, is this clear enough?” he said, brandishing a sign that said “run”. Winfrey proceeded to laugh so hard she had something of a coughing fit, and when the message still didn’t seem clear enough, God revealed some Oprah 2020 merchandise.

“Lord, let me just say this to you,” Winfrey said. “It’s not something I’ve ever seen myself doing. It’s not the kind of job that you can have without fully devoting yourself to it 100%.”

“Have you seen this White House?” God retorted. Winfrey still couldn’t be moved, but she did leave viewers (and God) with a positive message.

“God, take it from me… Oprah,” she told him. “It’s going to be OK. Everything’s going be OK. And I’m sure you’re going to find someone that you are just as inspired by in 2020.”