Oprah was raised by a man named Vernon Winfrey and both Vernon and her mother are still alive. Her biological father is allegedly someone else, though. While promoting her new Oprah biography, author Kitty Kelley has said that Oprah’s cousin, who calls herself “Aunt Katherine,” told her who Oprah’s biological father was, but swore her to secrecy. Kelley has not revealed the man’s identity in her book or during her press tour. The National Enquirer reported this week that Oprah’s father is a guy named Norh Robinson, 84, who lives in a VA hospital and used to work as a farmer in Mississipi. Robinson has confirmed the news to the NY Post, and says that he’s willing to take a paternity test to prove it. He also said he’s sent letters to Oprah but never received a response.

The Enquirer says that Oprah is of course mortified that this is coming out, and is particularly upset at Kelley for using the fact that she possesses this information as some sort of selling point for her book. They quote a source who says “Oprah is outraged that Kitty Kelley is bragging about finding out the identity of her biological father. It’s a very sensitive subject for Oprah, and she resents Kitty digging up that information. Oprah has moved on, and she may never want to confront this final piece of the jigsaw.” They also report that Oprah financially takes care of the man who raised her, Vernon, and that she bought him a house and “gives him money when he least expects it.”

Oprah’s mother, Vernita Lee, is 74 and a diabetic. She lives in a condominium that Oprah bought her in Milwaukee and is visited at home by “three nurses and a doctor who alternate” every day. Oprah has tried to convince her to move into an assisted living facility, but from what I can find Vernita has refused so far. According to Kelley’s biography, Oprah’s mother has a driver and a car and is well taken care of financially, but does not have her daughter’s direct number and has to go through an assistant to reach her.

Maybe Oprah’s self proclaimed dad is hoping his famous daughter is his ticket out of the VA hospital. I could see Oprah throwing some money at him but not really acknowledging him publicly. Now that he’s spoken to the press, though, his chances of getting a payday from Oprah have gone substantially down. This book has got to get under her skin and she’s not about to acknowledge any of Kelley’s claims.