Did Oprah host a show with Johnathan routine?
Executive summary
A widely shared claim that Oprah Winfrey “mocked” Jonathan Roumie on a live Harpo/Oprah program is false: independent fact-checkers found the viral footage and headlines to be fabricated or AI-manipulated and no credible reporting shows such an exchange occurred [1] [2]. The story was amplified by low-credibility or opportunistic sites that repackaged the manipulated clip into sensational headlines [3] [2].
1. What the viral claim said and how it spread
The narrative circulating in June 2025 portrayed a live “spiritual enlightenment special” produced by Harpo in which Oprah allegedly ridiculed Jonathan Roumie, the actor known for playing Jesus in The Chosen, and then was left “speechless” by his response; that clip was shared widely on YouTube and social platforms and accumulated hundreds of thousands of views [1] [2]. Versions of the story appeared in sensational posts and on fringe news sites that used clickbait titles and edited thumbnails to suggest a dramatic on-air confrontation [3] [2].
2. What fact-checkers and entertainment reporters found
Snopes examined the viral material and concluded the claim was false, noting that the video and associated imagery were manipulated and that the narrative was fabricated [1]. SoapCentral reached a similar conclusion, reporting that the viral video’s stills and editing appear to have been altered — including evidence that AI-generated imagery was used to create a misleading impression of Oprah’s behavior — and that the clip was widely reposted without independent verification [2].
3. Who amplified the false narrative and how
At least one republishing site presented a re-written narrative as if it were an original news item, packaging the manipulated clip into an article and social posts that framed the encounter as a controversy; those pages and shares fueled the clip’s reach but did not supply verifiable sourcing or on-the-record video from a recognized broadcast [3] [2]. Fact-checkers highlighted that the strongest traction came from social reposts and YouTube uploads rather than from established entertainment outlets or Harpo/OWN confirmations [1] [2].
4. What’s confirmed about Oprah’s programming relevant to the claim
Oprah has hosted and produced many interviews and specials across decades through Harpo and related platforms, including recent podcast episodes and guest interviews on topics such as social media and parenting [4] [5] [6]. However, the sources reviewed do not document an on-air appearance by Jonathan Roumie on an Oprah-hosted television special in which he was mocked, nor do they provide any authenticated clip showing the alleged exchange [1] [2].
5. How to interpret conflicting reports and the limits of available evidence
Because the claim was spread primarily through edited viral videos and republished clickbait articles, the preponderance of evidence from independent fact-checkers is that the incident did not occur as described; this assessment rests on analysis of the viral media and absence of corroboration from primary broadcast records or credible outlets [1] [2]. Reporting does show that opportunistic sites repurposed the clip into sensational headlines [3], and while it’s possible other unexamined footage exists, the available credible sources do not support the claim.