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Glad to respond if you want- Diane Rehm is on NPR for chrissakes- where people go for discussions of books. You don’t tune in to Oprah for that, just like you wouldn’t expect Diane Rehm to spend an hour on people with a lot of clutter in their house. For the masses, book club recommendations of real literature are as silly as opera recommendations. It would be like Jerry Springer stopping in the middle of one of his hillbilly incest triangles to recommend some Proust. And yes, your average Joe American is an idiot- just the type ripe for Oprah’s mind control, if you will. 
And housefrau is an acceptable bastardization of the word.
Apparently you’re wrong about that.
I would be surprised to learn that in the thousands of hours that Diane Rehm has spent on the radio that she hasn’t spent at least one hour talking about cluttered houses.
Presumably his audience would get bored and stop watching. Apparently Winfrey’s hasn’t. Don’t you see how the success of the book club completely undermines your argument?
If this is the case, shouldn’t you be thanking her for not using her powers to do something really bad?
I have no problem with her, other than I think she’s pompous, that’s all. I don’t wish her dead, I don’t throw a shoe at my TV when she’s on, nothing like that- just she’s a bit full of herself, as are millions of other people.
The book club also strikes me as, in lieu of a better comparsion, kind of like putting a suit on a turd.
Oprah is a real saint. Given that she has issues with the malevolent publishers of her magazine, she was nothing but supportive to James Frey when uncovering the meaning of the word “memoir.”
Oprah fan checking in, and I’m a heterosexual man! Yes, it’s true…I Tivo the show!
Now, I don’t watch all the episodes (admittedly, a lot of the topics aren’t geared to my demographic), but I find the shows I do watch (especially the one’s on health, or interesting interview topics) to be compelling. As a host, she’s respectful of both her audience (she isn’t afraid to ask a tough question of an interviewee) and of her subjects (she’s often spoken of the need to learn from people going through tough times, rather then merely gawk at their plight).
As an example of her recent episodes, I watched two concering health and aging (feauring Doctor Mehmet Oz, who is also a health consultant for Esquire magazine), which provided good common-sense advice on nutrition, exercise, and stress management. Another focused on keys to quit smoking (or, as the panel suggested, “breathing free”). I also watched an episode on childhood obesity; although the epsiode included teenagers who had undergone gastric banding surgery, the underlying point of the episode was that eating disorders require an examination of underlying psychological issues; surgery is not a simple solution.
My point? Oprah does episodes that are intelligent and interesting. Even when the topic is “lighter” (celebrity gossip), she doesn’t pander. What she does is provide entertainment that suits her audience. And she often devotes her time to useful information that helps people better themselves.
As to her personal life, I’ve never heard anything truly bad about her. Ambitious? Motivated? Successful? Yes to all these, but I’m not sure how these are bad things. Her best quality, though, is that she is open; that is, she has discussed her troubles and foibles publicly, which motivates those in her audience to be honest and forthright about their own lives. If Oprah can acheive despite of her flaws, they seem to say, then so can I. And for many, many people, this is a powerful message.
If she was as egomaniacal, shallow, or self-absorbed as some in this thread seem to allege, then this loyalty wouldn’t exist. The fact that so many people do look at her as a role model is underlying proof that she isn’t as some have portrayed.
Or, millions of people are just stupid, and those in the thread who “know better” are the only ones who see through the facade. Wow…talk about self-deluded egomaniacs!
I’m wondering if anyone has the gumption to tell God he’s not Oprah Winfrey.
This really bugs me.
Like that author who was insulted that he was chosen to be in her book club, as though the “Oprah’s book club” label on the cover would sully it. As though the door to culture could only be accessed through certain exclusive alleys.
Talk about snobbery.
I meant I see the book club as her attempt to add class to a talk show thats basically one step up from Ricki Lake and Jenny Jones- the Dick Cavett Show this ain’t. Look at “Dr.” Phil’s recent embarassments, and remember who put him on the map.
And your point about the author is way off base- if someone doesn’t want their work tied to a certain segment of the populace, that’s their right. Some band recently was embraced by Christians and went on record as saying they are not a Christian band- is anything wrong with not wanting to have a certain demographic embrace your work? How about if it affects your future career path, or earnings?
Why can’t it be Dick Cavett, too?
Geez, with the evening news sounding more and more like TMZ, isn’t it a GOOD thing for someone to reach the other direction?
And the point about her promoting someone’s book ISN’T that she did so with an agenda. Just merely that she LIKED the book and thought that was worth sharing. Isn’t she (and her audience) “good” enough to like something “highbrow”?
Is her audience of (mainly) dullards really going out and reading these books, or just buying them- she wins once the purchase is made, even if they use it as a coaster. Cynical I know, but my 0.02.
How do you know her audience is made up of dullards? What makes you so sure of that? Have you ever picked up her magazine and seen who’s paying big bucks to advertise there?
I was going to make an unflattering Springer comparison, but then I remembered the one time I did actually turn the show on for a couple of minutes and saw someone I knew in the audience. So you just never know.
Why would people buy books they don’t intend to read?
Why should just the possibility that people might be doing that be important enough to bug you?
In other words, she’s exactly like millions of other people except that she built a very profitable media business and gives large chunks of money to good causes and unlike most rich celebrities has not done anything notably awful.
That’s why she’s deserving of so much random bad vibery.
I don’t get it. If you hate her book selections and her discussions about books and her show in general, then why isn’t it just putting a turd overall on a turd? Maybe if you think of it that way, your mind will be less agitated.
How about as an attempt to add a feature to her show that she believes might capture the interest of her audience? If her audience was not interested in it, then she would stop doing it, right?
The idea that Sally Housecoat maybe goes out and spends 30 bucks she doesn’t have on a book she won’t read because her hero Oprah tells her to is kind of offensive to me, especially when the only effect of such a chain is more cash in Oprah’s pocket that she doesn’t need at the expense of one of her brainwashed lemmings. I don’t believe you should take advantage of people just because you can.
But it doesn’t upset me- I could care less about people I don’t know. I’m offering my opinion on the topic, but I’m not shaking with rage and my forehead isn’t red and throbbing as I’m typing this.
You seem to have a rather astonishing knowledge of the demographics of Winfrey’s audience. You know, you could make some money with this kind of expertise.
I’m Sally Housecoat. Where’re your proof that you’re superior to me?
What is offensive to me is your characterization of the women who are fans of Oprah’s. If what you mean by “Sally Housecoat” is that many of these ladies are stay at home moms, then you are probably right. But I’d like to know what about this career choice makes them “dullards,” exactly. And as far as spending $30 they don’t have, I doubt there is a public library in the USA that doesn’t carry all the books that Oprah recommends. If people spend money on books they can’t afford when those books are available to be read for free, then I think that’s their own fault, not Oprah’s. You may believe that Oprah is getting a kickback on books sold, but I’m quite sure she isn’t.
The reason people read the books she recommends is that most of them are pretty good books (not always my cup of tea, but still pretty good books), and taking part in the book club is fun. Geez, what a bitch she is for encouraging people to read.