Gayle King is revealing her friend Oprah Winfrey’s reaction to the unexpected and hilarious callout to her iconic 2004 car giveaway at the 2025 Tony Awards.
During the star-studded night on June 8, Winfrey was treated to a playful tribute by host Cynthia Erivo, which brought a wave of nostalgia and laughs.
A Surprise at the Tony Awards
As Oprah sat in the audience at the Tony Awards next to Gayle King, Erivo approached and teased Winfrey with a surprise, referencing her legendary habit of gifting her talk show audience with extravagant presents.
Erivo quipped, “Miss Oprah, as a change of pace, I thought we should give you a gift,” prompting Winfrey to look under her chair.
To Winfrey’s delight, she pulled out a box of Junior Mints and a bag of Haribo Goldbears before discovering a small red toy car.
At that moment, Erivo declared, “You get a car!” mimicking Oprah’s famous 2004 giveaway. The audience erupted in cheers and applause, and Winfrey couldn’t stop laughing at the fun surprise.
“I’ve been waiting all night to do that,” Erivo added with a grin.
Oprah’s Reaction: ‘Such an Iconic Thing’
When PEOPLE caught up with Gayle King at the opening night of Call Me Izzy on June 12 in New York City, King shared that Oprah loved the playful tribute. “Oh, she loved that,” King said. “That is so iconic. That is such an iconic thing. It’s associated with Oprah. It’s always been a big compliment, always.”
Though the toy car moment came as a surprise to Winfrey, King had been in on the secret. “I knew [Erivo] was going to do that,” King admitted. “I loved that moment.”
The 2004 Car Giveaway That Became Legendary
The surprise car giveaway at Oprah’s talk show in 2004 is one of the most famous TV moments in history. Winfrey shocked an audience of 276 people, gifting each of them a Pontiac G-6 car. As the audience opened boxes containing car keys, Winfrey excitedly shouted, “You get a car!
You get a car! You get a car! Everybody gets a car!” This unforgettable line became a cultural phenomenon and continues to be one of the most iconic moments in TV history.
Reflecting on the moment years later, Winfrey told Oprah Daily in 2011, “The buildup to that surprise that day was almost more than I can handle.”
The moment not only etched Winfrey’s generosity into pop culture but also sparked endless memes and GIFs, making it a staple of internet culture for over two decades.
A Nod to the Past: Oprah’s Red Suit
In an interview with PEOPLE in 2024, Winfrey shared that Gayle King didn’t approve of the red Celine suit she wore that day.
“I was like, ‘I’m going to wear the red suit because the red suit matches the red bows,’” Winfrey explained, adding, “And that was the best decision. That red suit. It has carried us through a couple of decades now.”
Winfrey also fondly recalled how King flew in to witness the car giveaway live in 2004. “It remains one of the happiest days of my life,” Winfrey said, expressing the joy she felt from making others so happy.
The Tony Awards’ tribute to Oprah Winfrey’s “You get a car!” moment was a perfect blend of nostalgia and fun, reminding everyone of the joy and laughter Winfrey has brought to millions.
As Gayle King shared, the iconic giveaway will always be associated with Oprah, and the 2025 Tony Awards’ surprise was just a lighthearted reminder of the moment that continues to bring smiles to fans worldwide.
