# Can Dr. Oz sink any lower? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 14, 2014, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-dr-oz-sink-any-lower/688433 "2014-05-14T12:33:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-dr-oz-sink-any-lower/688433/81 "2014-05-15T06:24:08Z")
My thoughts on Ms Winfrey’s responsibilities: She is surely aware of the influence she wields, and has been for some time. It may be “infantilizing” her fanbase to assert that, on the whole, they uncritically accept as an unalloyed good anything that she mentions ashaving given her a favorable first impression; however, it is arguably a fact that they do, as unflattering as that fact may be. I would consider it the height of disingenuousness were I to learn that she claims to be unaware of this state of affairs. She did, after all, start her OWN\* television network on the strength of it, after all. Personally, I would be horrified to find that I had this level of influence. She apparently is okay with it, and more power to her, AS LONG AS SHE IS RESPONSIBLE ABOUT IT. As much of a pain in the ass as it may be, she does have a responsibility to vet the more consequential of the movements that she graces with her Midas touch attention. Gourmet cupcakes? A silly concept, and one that cannot ruin lives simply by virtue of having received her imprimatur. _The Secret_, OTOH, is something that she really should have made her disclaimers BEFORE giving it her endorsement. As for anointing any individual as a guru for any field at all, whether it’s personal self-fulfillment or health and fitness, she has no way of ensuring that they don’t go off the rails one day, so she really shouldn’t be getting into that sort of thing at all. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-dr-oz-sink-any-lower/688433/82 "2014-05-15T07:40:29Z")
She’s not a fucking doctor, counselor, scientist or therapist and she has never claimed to be. If her IDIOT fucking audience are DUMB enough to get suckered in my OBVIOUS shucksters, then that is too damn bad. I honestly can’t even believe people are pretending that just because a bunch of housewives have christianed Oprah their messiah, she is now the worst person in the world for feeding them a bunch of woo. Haha. It’s not like she is even calling herself a pastor…with the straight up scamming they do every day to their congregations. She is just a talk show host. Hahaaa at people believing in magic cause she says to. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-dr-oz-sink-any-lower/688433/83 "2014-05-15T07:49:38Z")
Amen, Nzinga. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-dr-oz-sink-any-lower/688433/84 "2014-05-15T07:57:28Z")
A responsibility… to GROWN ASS PEOPLE. They have a responsibility to _themselves_. To put down the cheetos and homes and gardens magazines or whatever and PICK UP A BOOK. Get their critical thinking game up and stop being a bunch of gullible suckers. Her same harsh critics will grin and smile and laugh at John Stewart every night and then watch his sponsors convince women that they are ugly fat and old and need a bunch of useless crap to be young and beautiful. Shut up. Hypocrites. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-dr-oz-sink-any-lower/688433/85 "2014-05-15T08:05:27Z")
Are you folk seriously defending Oprah? Seriously?? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-dr-oz-sink-any-lower/688433/86 "2014-05-15T08:08:02Z")
Yeah. Seriously. Now defend John Stewart for his fucking Oil of Olay commercials and shit. I know you were all cozy in your “we are all right because we agree and only crazy stoid with her lawsuits will defend oprah” but surprise. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-dr-oz-sink-any-lower/688433/87 "2014-05-15T08:21:44Z")
Actually, it’s less about defending Oprah, she doesn’t need defending, than pointing out that the “crimes” she’s being accused of are pretty ridiculous. I don’t have the time or the patience right now to do the research, but without doing that research I’m going to bet that more than one person in this thread getting on board with the idea that it is Oprah’s fault that people who watch her act stupidly can be found on other days, in other threads, arguing vehemently for the idea that people must take responsibility for themselves and not look for someone else to blame. But since I did not test it, it remains mere speculation for now… ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-dr-oz-sink-any-lower/688433/88 "2014-05-15T09:36:00Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > Yeah. Seriously. Now defend John Stewart for his fucking Oil of Olay commercials and shit. > > I know you were all cozy in your “we are all right because we agree and only crazy stoid with her lawsuits will defend oprah” but surprise. Well, I just learned that Nzinga, Seated is a crazy person. ---
**Author:** ![Not\_Carlson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc79bd/32.png) [@Not\_Carlson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_Carlson)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-dr-oz-sink-any-lower/688433/89 "2014-05-15T11:05:06Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > Yeah. Seriously. Now defend John Stewart for his fucking Oil of Olay commercials and shit. I MUST SEE THIS! Seriously, I think the vitriol that some have expressed about Oprah is odd. Call her detestable if you\* really think she’s willfully helped to spread ignorance and quackery, but hate on the level of “I hope that cunt dies alone and in misery,”\*\* that’s silly. I mean, if I had a [death note](http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZFoO3HhcwE), I wouldn’t even think of putting her on the list. \*You Oprah-hatin’ folks that is, not that Seated Nzinga chap who just tagged into team Stoid. \*\*As the dick said. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-dr-oz-sink-any-lower/688433/90 "2014-05-15T11:23:58Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > A responsibility… to GROWN ASS PEOPLE. They have a responsibility to _themselves_. To put down the cheetos and homes and gardens magazines or whatever and PICK UP A BOOK. Get their critical thinking game up and stop being a bunch of gullible suckers. > > Her same harsh critics will grin and smile and laugh at John Stewart every night and then watch his sponsors convince women that they are ugly fat and old and need a bunch of useless crap to be young and beautiful. Shut up. Hypocrites. I agree, she’s no different than her audience. Totally lacking in intelligence, education and moral fiber. However you want to excuse it, she wields power and influence over her audience and she knows it. Books become best sellers on her say-so. Purveyors of worthless and harmful ideas and products are anointed with her approval and thus gain credence with her audience. . ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-dr-oz-sink-any-lower/688433/91 "2014-05-15T11:30:45Z")
> [@Not\_Carlson](#): > > I MUST SEE THIS! > > Seriously, I think the vitriol that some have expressed about Oprah is odd. > Call her detestable if you\* really think she’s willfully helped to spread ignorance and quackery, but hate on the level of “I hope that cunt dies alone and in misery,”\*\* that’s silly. Eh, people use hyperbolic condemnations of things they dislike on the Internet in general, and the Pit specifically. I wouldn’t get too worked up about it. But as you say, it is detestable. Allowing people to use your show to spread disinformation about important issues, such as medicine, is morally wrong. Making a career out of it is repugnant. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-dr-oz-sink-any-lower/688433/92 "2014-05-15T11:55:27Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > I’m not really sure what it is you mean by this. She’s supposed to project the extreme possibilities of people’s behavior and modify herself based on that? Because if that’s the rule now, then I can think of some media figures promoting far more terrifying things than a belief in the power of belief. > > Again, I don’t think it’s legitimate to hold Oprah responsible for the way some people will choose to respond to things they learn about on her show, particularly in an areas of such importance as health. That’s foolish, and it’s not foolishness that Oprah created, it’s already built-in. I can see why people who hold Oprah in high esteem would perceive her as trustworthy, and give credence to the ideas and products that she promotes on her show. Harder to understand are the sophisticates like you and **Nzinga** who appear to realize that she sometimes promotes lies, misinformation, bad science, and products and practices that are ineffective if not outright dangerous, and \*still \* leap to her defense. It isn’t the con man’s (or woman’s, as the case may be) fault for swindling the victims out of their money, it’s their fault for being stupid, gullible rubes. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-dr-oz-sink-any-lower/688433/93 "2014-05-15T14:14:01Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > You also see that in criminals who think they won’t get caught because they believe they are smarter than the police. The MENSA member who thought he committed the perfect murder, for example. Let me guess, he told everybody about it? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-dr-oz-sink-any-lower/688433/94 "2014-05-15T14:14:51Z")
So let’s see if I’ve got this straight: Celebrity quackery/woo enablers are guiltless because only really stoopid people will fall for the garbage promoted on their shows, and these idiots deserve whatever they get because they’re so damn moronic. That’s quite the enlightened attitude. Should we extend it to lies promoted by politicians and political action committees and featured on network news shows? After all, only really dumb people believe that stuff, and the lie-promoters can’t be held accountable. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-dr-oz-sink-any-lower/688433/95 "2014-05-15T14:22:02Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > A responsibility… to GROWN ASS PEOPLE. They have a responsibility to _themselves_. To put down the cheetos and homes and gardens magazines or whatever and PICK UP A BOOK. Get their critical thinking game up and stop being a bunch of gullible suckers. > > Her same harsh critics will grin and smile and laugh at John Stewart every night and then watch his sponsors convince women that they are ugly fat and old and need a bunch of useless crap to be young and beautiful. Shut up. Hypocrites. Yup, dangerous shit like The Secret and vaccine refusal and bullshit [hormone therapy](http://www.newsweek.com/experts-slam-oprah-and-somers-take-menopause-82463) is the same as skin cream. Right! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-dr-oz-sink-any-lower/688433/96 "2014-05-15T14:44:51Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > Let me guess, he told everybody about it? [Sorta.](http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20114650,00.html) ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-dr-oz-sink-any-lower/688433/97 "2014-05-15T14:45:20Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > Let me guess, he told everybody about it? “I don’t even _own_ a TV. Also, I committed the perfect murder.” ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-dr-oz-sink-any-lower/688433/98 "2014-05-15T14:46:14Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > I agree, she’s no different than her audience. > Totally lacking in intelligence, education and moral fiber. Well, we all already knew this about Stoid but now we know this about Nzinga, Seated too. Couple of crazy bitches. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-dr-oz-sink-any-lower/688433/99 "2014-05-15T14:52:03Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Celebrity quackery/woo enablers are guiltless because only really stoopid people will fall for the garbage promoted on their shows, and these idiots deserve whatever they get because they’re so damn moronic. In this case, I’m not sure you even have to be particularly moronic. Dr Oz is an actual, accomplished Dr. Most Dopers have read up on various types of quackery, so his tripe seems obvious to us. But lots of non-moronic people haven’t put that much thought into identifying quackery. And when a famous Dr. tells you to take a supplement for your health, or that Mike Adams knows what he’s talking about, I don’t think you have to be a moron to believe him. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-dr-oz-sink-any-lower/688433/100 "2014-05-15T14:52:46Z")
Man, the shit you people get apoplectic about. If a tv talk show gets you that outraged, don’t ever take a look around the real world. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-dr-oz-sink-any-lower/688433.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-dr-oz-sink-any-lower/688433.md?page=6)