Wednesday, September 5, 2007

IM TIRED OF OPRAH (lets hear the screams)



(WARNING: If you think Oprah Winfrey is a Do-No-WRONG QUEEN – Please don’t read…. You will be disappointed with my latest take on her)


I told someone recently that I needed to write about an American Untouchable, Miss Oprah Winfrey. I am not writing because I dislike Oprah, I’ve always been a big supporter, but after watching this past season of the Oprah Winfrey Show I think she is too out of touch, too powerful, too rich, too spoiled, and too full of her damn self. She may very well have become too much of everything.

From the moment Oprah Winfrey came on the screen in the movie adaptation of Alice Walker’s “The Color Purple” it was evident there was a star in the making. She exuded a talent, charm and likeability rarely seen in the movies. So it was not surprising that within the next year she had a nationally syndicated television show. Little did I know at the time she was already a talk show staple in the Chicago television market.

Since that time I have followed her continuous weight loss and gain and the hundred of hairstyles. I’ve been through the Emmy awards and the made-for-TV movies. I have purchased the monthly selections from her book club and I have even donated to her Angel Network.

It was during the past television season that I came to the realization that my love affair with Oprah was waning.

The trip across the country with Gayle King may have started it. Her difficulties with pumping her own gas, her bitching about Gayle’s singing (some people – myself included – know all the words to the songs on the radio and cannot help ourselves from singing – its an innate thing) and in hindsight I thinks rather rude to crash someone’s wedding, even if they are from Oklahoma.

The opening on the Oprah (Furer) Winfrey’s Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa became more of a tribute to herself than about the girls’ potential and when it was announced that the contact between the girls and their parents would be limited, I had to question.

With all of that money, why not build an academy like that here in the United States… also? I understand the importance of the school in Africa but honestly, the money would be better spent on America girls of African descent. There are many deserving low, middle and higher income black girls in this country who could benefit from such an opportunity - girls who live within miles of her multi-million dollar penthouse and Harpo studios.

Don’t misunderstand. I think the school in South Africa is wonderful and it will definitely give the enrolled girls a head-start in their lives, but there are just as many American girls of African descent who could be helped greatly as well.

Another problem is that Oprah does nothing without a camera present. She gives away cars, she helps build houses for Katrina victims. Everywhere she goes there is a camera. What happened to quiet philanthropy? I can’t imagine her donating $100 without there being a camera crew filming the counting out of each bill.

She brings to her show, people who have turned in pedophiles, and hands them checks for $100,000 each. That’s wonderful - isn’t it - but she parades them around like she is a queen and they are lucky that she has anointed them.

What about the Best of Show? That show is so choked full of over-priced, over-inflated, over- pampered rich lady crap it is ridiculous. Here her audience is struggling to buy shoes for their children and she is barking on about some $350 foot cream that makes you feel like you are in a private spa. Well excuse me, but I can use that $350 to pay the light, water, and grocery bills. She has become the purveyor of pampered rich white lady’s shit.

Oprah does not cry unless a camera is directly on her. It seems that she waits until the camera is right on her (and she is looking for it too) before she lets out the big tears. The same is true on her singing along with every musical guests - she never knows the words. She is sitting there singing along like a teenage girl, but the bitch, I mean woman, never even knows the chorus.

And don’t get me started on how she hugs everyone, everyone but John Travolta, like they have cooties. Maybe she should give everyone that knuckle bump that Howie Mandel gives the contestants on his show.

Is it possible to come from dirt poor beginnings, and grow up to have the top rated syndicated television show for 21 years and become famous and rich, truly rich, and stay humble? I’m going to answer HELL NO… because I think if there was a possibility, it would be Oprah Winfrey and she has clearly forgotten where she came from. She talks a good talk but I see a judgmental, spoiled white woman every time I look at her these days.

(NO ONE has to agree with me on this…. And you are more than welcome to leave me an honest comment.)

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh, Chris, me-fuckin'-ow - wow - venting aren't ya'.

I must give some thought into an appropriate response later - but I'll be back. FYI - on some levels I agree - hmm - we will see.

Welcome home!!! Palestar

Kevin "your brother" Willi said...

My words, my voice, your blog! I have been saying these things to you for ages only to be made to feel (by you) that it was a "race" thing. Not an original thought Mr. Willi. I expect more out of you.

Anonymous said...

Chris you have actually put into words what I have felt about Oprah for a long time!!! To be honest I've never watched her show on a regular basis so I'm just basing my opinion on her from watching bits and pieces of the show from time to time, and the odd time actually watching the whole program. I can only take so much of Oprah before I feel like yelling..."get real lady!"...sorry just my gut reaction to her. Yes I've also noticed the way she looks for the camera to be on her before showing any emotions or 'sing' along to music. Having missed most of her shows over the years, I guess I'm not the best judge, but I just have always had this feeling that she is too full of herself....give me people like Rosie O'Donnell or Whoopi Goldberg every time!

Andrea (apretli)

shyladare said...

While I agree with pretty much everything you said, I think another thing needs to be said.....that's show business, baby! There are definitely a select few who are private humanitarians but it's rare and far between those who are not private. Even our lovely Rosie O is guilty of the same thing. Her Katrina help was publicized, her give aways were publicized, her support to the troops was publicized. Angelina Jolie has a perma camera attached to her when she visits foreign countries.

It's just the way things roll there. I think it's the fame thing. They crave the camera and attention. They want to be applauded for their good deeds.

But...gimme somebody like Harry Connick Jr, a celebrity who was in the trenches of the Katrina aftermath helping to build homes before any cameras were around. And now that's why he's on the chair for Habitat of Humanity.

Anonymous said...

I agree with you Chris on some levels. I too was disappointed that she took her school to Africa, without one here. I read that she looked around poor areas of America, but as she said the kids only cared about materialistic things, and not about an education. I'm sure for some kids, that's true...but I know for a fact that there are plenty of kids who would give their right arm for an oppotunity if someone would show them the way.

As for the spoiled white woman, personally, I think money and power does that to all people. I don't know why people become so disconnected from reality after wealth becomes them. Some wealthy people really do want to make a difference with their money, but a lot of the time, they are misguided in that endeavor. I honestly think that Oprah's heart is in the right place, but I also think that she is for sale, and doesn't even own a part of who she is...

She's a powerful woman indeed, but I believe with all of my heart that that power has strings attached to it.

We can't say what she does as far as charity when the camera's are off, because...well, the camera's are off. I hardly watch Oprah anymore because it feels staged, and rehearsed to me. But I still believe, no matter out of touch Oprah is with reality, she has a good heart and good soul, and I hope someday she gets all of herself back from the white corporate man.

Anonymous said...

"The same is true on her singing along with every musical guests - she never knows the words."

I've so noticed that. It drives ME NUTS!!!

As for her school, the children even complained they were being mistreated there. Then I heard nothing of it anymore in the media. That bitch has power! She probably had the accused killed...

On your note about "African" decent. I have never considered myself African American. I hate the term. In fact, while we are at it, it should be African-Asian-Irish-and who the hell else knows American. If you mean African like the girls who come here as second generation, that I see. But having the school in Africa makes sense. What doesn't is that she doesn't do both here AND there. She has the money.

Nice rant. I agreed on about 98 percent! She is a bit of a spoiled white lady.

Bobby Crow said...

WOW...I am not sure what to say. Except you have made a strong argument that would be very interesting to defend on the opposite spectrum of things.

Excellent reading for me!

Anonymous said...

I agree with you on most points, but i just wanna know why you feel she is being a spoiled "white" bitch, and not just a "bitch".Why bring color into it .....its not neccessary, we all bleed the same color...if God wanted us all one color we would be my dear....

still lovin u ,

shortmama910

Anonymous said...

Chris come join us in the new group:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/rsummerphotos/discuss/72157601887434311/

hope this works - anyway hope all is well. We don't want to miss you - we would like for you to be in the middle with us...

Hope to hear from you soon - Palestar