Oprah Reveals Her Fear Of Balloons + 9 Shocking Celebrity Phobias

In the October issue of O magazine, Oprah Winfrey opens up about her an unusual fear of balloons. While the party favorite brings joy to most people, 59-year-old media mogul said just the thought of a balloon “really freaks me out.”

“I don’t like balloons, and for my 40th birthday my entire staff decided to surprise me,” Winfrey recalled. “I come downstairs and the entire audience is filled with balloons. Literally, I’m stepping over balloons, having to walk through balloons and I’m so, like, ‘Oh! When is one going to pop?'”

Why does she hate balloons so much? “It reminds me of gunfire,” she shared.

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Despite her extreme anxiety, O said eventually she was forced to face her fear. “No way around it – [I] just had to walk through them,” she said. “There are a few things that in life, if you allow them to, can really keep you from moving forward. You have to really walk through it.”

Balloons aren’t the TV queen’s only phobia. She’s also has a strong dislike of chewing gum, which stems back to her childhood. “My grandmother used to save [used gum],” she revealed in a previous interview. “So gross!”

Of course, Oprah isn’t the only celeb with bizarre fears. From toes and airplanes to dolphins and seagulls, the list of Hollywood phobias is ongoing. Take a look at our top nine below.

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