Melinda French Gates received what she calls a “huge compliment” when Good Morning America anchor Robin Roberts, 64, compared her to legendary broadcaster and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey, 71.
The moment came during a heartfelt conversation for the second season of 'Moments That Make Us', in which Robin grew emotional while reflecting on the last moments she shared with her late mother, Lucimarian Tolliver, who passed away in 2012 at the age of 88.
© Melinda Gates/PivotalOn the brink of tears, Robin quipped: “Wow, you’re Oprah, is that you? You’re getting me to cry.”
Melinda told People magazine: “Oh, my gosh, I forgot she did that. I mean, what do you say? It’s just really, really nice. I have a world of respect for Oprah and who she is and what she’s done in society, particularly with her authenticity. So to me, that was a huge compliment."
© Melinda Gates/Pivotal”She even named Robin her favorite guest: “I always feel like I don’t get to see her enough. We have a great connection.”
Despite the flattering comparison, Melinda says she has no plans to follow in the broadcasting footsteps of Robin or Oprah. “I’m so happy in the lane that I’m in, being able to invest in others, do grants on behalf of others, or to lift others up, to be able to hopefully inspire others to give in various ways. That’s enough for me,” she explained.
“You reach a certain age… where enough is enough. If you know yourself well enough and you like yourself enough and know what you stand for, you don’t have to do everything.”
Season two of Moments That Make Us also features Hollywood icon Jamie Lee Curtis, 66, a conversation Melinda called a “pinch me” moment. “The person that I interviewed this time that I had never met before was Jamie Lee Curtis. I mean, obviously I followed her work, but you never know how you’re going to connect with somebody,” she shared.
Jamie offered a piece of advice that struck Melinda: “Life hinges on a couple of seconds you never saw coming, and what you do in those moments will define your future.”
Melinda has since passed that wisdom on to her three children, Jennifer, 29, Rory, 26, and Phoebe, 22, whom she shares with her ex-husband, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, 69.
“One of [them] in particular is a lot like me in terms of planning…But to go and say, ‘Hey, leave some space for the unexpected to happen, and you’re going to be surprised by those things?’ That was a message I definitely carried forward.”
