Posted on 05/24/2005 8:59:31 PM PDT by quidnunc
Last Saturday, thousands of screaming fans paid a minimum of $185 apiece to attend a motivational seminar given by a television icon who has mesmerized a generation with her ability to seem like the girl next door. Her amazing communication skills have made her Oprah-ness a veritable billionaire by connecting with a kind of desperate housewife aggregate of entertainment-starved acolytes.
Five thousand people jammed the Dallas Convention Center for the “Live your best life” seminar, many of whom got on line in the wee hours of the morning, even though they had reserved seats. Watching the TV news film clips featuring throngs of women giddily reaching toward the talk show host, as if struggling for a chance to place a hand on a god, was interesting as well as sad. Interesting because it tells us how powerful the medium of television is, and sad because so many people need to boost their self-esteem by worshipping someone else. We all admire those who lived the rags to riches story, and Oprah is a classic example of the American dream. However, it’s important to keep a few things in mind when practicing idolatry.
For one thing, Ms. Winfrey didn’t find a cure for cancer; she didn’t invent a formula to reverse the aging process, and she didn’t pioneer space travel for the 21st Century. Instead, she developed a super successful daytime talk show. Entertaining? Yes! Poignant, at times? Definitely! But, elevating one to god-like prominence? Gimme a break!
Ms. Winfrey, given all her talent for chatting with afternoon TV watchers, is merely famous for being, well, famous. With all of that fame and the influence that comes with it, she rarely takes on any controversial subjects. Instead, she tackles issues that could be viewed more dramatically on any given soap opera with a tear jerking script. …
What’s So Great About Oprah?
Nothing.
I disagree. In business, she is a money machine. She rounds up audiences and entertains. I can never watch her, because I rarely watch TV, and I am usually picking up the kids at 3 from school.
She's shill for the house, but the suckers think that SHE - the American Isis - gives away Pontiacs, baby supplies, and make-overs.
No Chicago newspaper has had an Oprah- free day in years. Oprah does not give a dime to inner city Catholic schools; but she gets distressed when they close; she wants a better world but let someone else pick up the tab.
She is a great American huckster - You'll never go broke underestimating the American public.
Probably would never go broke trying to overestimate the seemingly huge percentage of FR's who love to piss on someone else's successful parade, either.
It's one of the less admirable habits hereabouts.
Have you ever wondered by everybody likes Oprah Winfrey? Well if you have, please keep reading. For starters Oprah isn't judgemental at all. One show can be about Hollywood starlets who also have "open" relationships with their second or third husband and the very next show can be about teen pregnancy. In the Hollywood starlet show she'll fawn and laugh and cry. In the teen pregnancy show she'll wonder why and fawn and cry. The next show will have Tom Cruise and his new marriage. It's all good. Secondly, she gives things away. What's not to like about that? All it proves is that you can be "new moral" and generous at the same time. Third, she has new hair and waist size every seven months. This shows her openness to diversity and the fluid nature of her life. Fourth, she's a woman. Women are generally likable. Fifth, she's wealthy and since we don't have royalty in America we'll take wealthy. Sixth, she's committed in a non-committed kind of way. There's is always a mention of good old Stedman, but what's all this marriage talk anyway? Who needs that? And, finally, once in a while she'll mention God. That proves she's spiritual. And even though it's daytime t.v. God (repleat with wholeness and you being you, yet lacking doctrine and Christ) it's still God and everybody loves spiritual people who don't bring matters of right and wrong into the picture. And that's why everybody likes Oprah. middle school comp./>
Then she is a ... CALEDONIA !!!
Glad she changed.
Think of all the wealthy egoists who never change . . . except for the worst.
"Oprah offers more practical hope in far more palatable bites than, sadly, even a lot of the TV evangelists do. HOPE is a priceless thing. And all the more so for the desperately mired in their own messes."
Hope is totally priceless, I agree. But my question to her would be how many of people has she really cured of their problems? Depression is big business and lots of corporations profit from it and that includes Oprah.
IMHO, Oprah has been elevated too high. According to Jeanne Wolf, "There may be no more omnipotent woman in show business than Oprah Winfrey." Omnipotent? In that interview, Winfrey said regarding Monica Lewinsky: "Would any of us have done what she did? I sometimes think the country has lost its collective memory about being 21 and having a crush on someone, never mind that he's the President of the United States. I truly understand how a girl can be smitten by someone powerful who's calling you and buying you little gifts. Believe me, I've been there. When people say Monica set Clinton up, I think, I guess they weren't the 20-year-old I was. I think we've formed our opinions of Monica without having all the facts. How does an intern even get into the Oval Office? If she got the President's attention flashing her thong bikini, how did she even get a chance to do that?"
Huh?
Sorry, forgot to give you the link to the quotes. http://www.eonline.com/Celebs/Qa/Oprah/interview3.html
Mike,
Long time no speak - seems like many Freepers are devout Opraphites - God love 'em. Marcus Garvey cashed in on Hope, as I recall, but there are a pantheon of saints who give it away for free. You never read about them in the papers.
Interesting points about Monica. Doesn't justify anything imho.
In terms of curing depression--I'd say she helped cure millions by getting them into serious therapy/treatment programs.
He has a gift for getting people off their imploding duff's and doing something constructive about changing their lives.
I can only applaud that--as a human, a Christian and as a psychologist.
He has a gift = She has a gift
A couple of years ago, I was filling my Chevy Malibu at a gas station on 111th & Talman ( Kean - I believe). A long white stretch limo pulled up and the tinted glass window in the back slid down. There before me was Ms Oprah Winfrey - the American Isis - 'Excuse me,' she purred, 'How do I get down to 294?' - I said eat a salad now and then and try a rigorous course of aerobic exercise. She pulled away and only then did I realize that she meant the Tri-State Tollway at 127th & Cicero. Lawd, Lawd, I got the miseries and the vapors!
I know I can't call up Pontiac and ask for two hundred cars that's for sure.
Great laughter to start the day with. Thanks.
I think I'd have written an apology just to see how she'd respond.
I have no need to deprive the chemical companies FITTING profit for helping depressed people . . . though there are some flags on the play in many respects. . . . and a recent study or 3 indicates that talk therapy has more lasting effects.
In terms of Oprah's authentic lasting good . . . I don't need studies to tell me. I know people. I especially know hurting people. And I know the effects someone like Oprah can have on hurting people. It's easy to extrapolate on the 300+ million population fromw hat I know. I figure my extrapolations on the good Oprah has done are quite conservative. I expect she's done a lot MORE good than I even guesstimated.
I'd love to see the studies too. But I don't need them to consider it very solid fact. I know the impact a well worded and placed sentence can have in the life of a desperate person.
Being a liberal is a mental disease.. like being a socialist is a symptom of being a democrat and democracy <<- which is also a disease..
Being a liberal is a symptom of not being able organize thoughts well.. basically dislexic moonbat pandering..
But the liberals say that anyone who is rich shouldn't be and that they should be limited in what they earn and should give ALL the rest away. This 'rule' of the libs seems to not apply to their cherished 'celebs' while it applies to anyone who earns their money via more traditional business methods. Multiple standards, as always, for the libs.
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