I bet you are right -- they are trying to make her more Oprah-like. I do not like her, either, at ALL. And it just doesn't seem in character for her, either, do you think?
As I recall, Pontiac paid for all those cars that Oprah "gave away", but she took credit for it. She's one of the richest women in the world and she didn't even spring to pay the tax, but she reaped all the publicity. At least with the cruises, the taxes were also paid by Celebrity Cruises.