Posted on 02/22/2011 8:26:31 AM PST by lbryce
Oprah's Long History Of Sketchy "Experts" And EndorsementsWith the news that Dr. Melvin Levine—who appeared on Oprah repeatedly over the course of several years as a childhood education expert—committed suicide on Friday, the same day that 40 of his former patients filed a medical malpractice and sexual abuse suit against him, it raises the question of whether O is doing enough vetting of the authors and experts to whom she chooses to lend her credibility.
The number of recent scandals that have emerged — and we're talking about scandals that go beyond Dr. Phil not being a "real doctor," or Rachael Ray not having any formal culinary training, or her own falling-out with Iyanla Vanzant, or even the whole James Frey debacle — is troubling. Seeing as how Oprah's most successful "product" these days is cultivating and grooming personalities into credible and trusted sources, a great deal of responsibility comes with that task.
Oprah's Long History Of Sketchy "Experts" And Endorsements Charges of pedophilia first emerged against Dr. Levine, who was the Professor of Pediatrics at the University of North Carolina Medical School in Chapel Hill, in 2008. His most recent appearance on Oprah was in 2006. Carmen Durso, the attorney representing the Levine's former patients, had approached the show to discuss Levine, but Oprah wanted nothing to do with topic. In fact, aside from one article in 2006, her entire website has basically been scrubbed clean of Levine and his former contributions to her show. In the clip on the left, Dr. Levine is interviewed by Katie Couric on Today about his book Ready or Not, Here Life Comes, and for someone who had sat on Oprah's stage numerous times before, he seems completely uncomfortable and shifty-eyed.
(Excerpt) Read more at jezebel.com ...
It seems that Oprah always wanted to provide answers for people. Sadly, she never gave them the right one. Oprah, if you hear the voice of the Lord today, harden not your heart.
She lent her credibility to OBOZO.......That right there is all anyone needs to know!
Judge a cook by the quality and taste of the meals they produce and not by the 'training' they may or may not have received.
Oprah is irrelevant period.
I agree, she never claimed to be anything but a 30 minute meal cook.
A cute and good one at that.
I agree with you on that. Rachel Ray has never promoted herself as having formal training. In fact she has always made it clear she doesn’t. Formal training does not a good cook make.
I did not know that "Doctor Phil" did not have a doctorate but as far as Rachael Ray not having "any formal culinary training", has she ever claimed it?
I believe that Oprah is culpable, and should be added to the lawsuit.
The Oprah is nothing more than New Age atheism.
Pray for America
I find it curious they included Rachel Ray in this article.
I’ve read several articles about Rachel Ray and she, from the beginning, would state she had no formal training.
She may be a lib, but I did like that picture of her licking the chocolate syrup off of the wooden spoons while wearing an apron...:)
Yum!
What Rachel Ray shows is more practical home cooking, emphasizing practical and simple. Much of it likely learned and further developed by experience. It’s a subject I doubt is taught in culinary school.
True, trying to help folks understand that cooking a great meal isn’t as hard as they may think.
Does RR still scurry about the kitchen gathering the necessary items? I got so tired of that act that I haven’t watched her show in a long time.
Martha Stewart was a stockbroker who just took up catering one day.
Now, I've never watched her talk shows because I hate that format, particularly directed at women. Yuck. I hate Hollywood celebs and hate it when they open their stupid pieholes.
Just wondering why this is a slam at a good performer, RR, who doesn't try to tell me how to vote.
You’re right on the money
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