Oprah really disappointed me today.

Thalia · Feb 19, 2003

I have always loved Oprah, and defend her to the end, but that may have changed today. She did a show on redecorating on a budget, and she bought all this stuff at Wal-Mart. She repeated their name with praise over and over again. Showing the low prices on the internet, and oohing and awing, etc. It made me gag. 
I sent the following letter, and I invite anyone else (whether you watch or not, to send something similar, at her website, oprah.com ) <div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">I have been a fan of Oprah's since I was about 12 years old, and I always defend Oprah when anyone says anything bad about her. In fact, if I could meet any living person, it would probably be Oprah, the person who has inspired me so much over the years. 
But my admiration faded today (2/18/03)when I turned on Oprah, not only to see an entire show devoted to advertising a single company, but that company was Wal-Mart. 
Wal-Mart is responsible for driving out local businesses and the local color they contribute to their communities, as well as take money out of local economies. Well many large chains do that, but Wal-mart is competetive with so many other businesses at once- optomitrists, autoparts, clothes, groceries, even gas. 
Furthermore, Wal-Mart has a poor labor record. The New York Times reported that, "But many current and former workers and managers said an intense focus on cost cutting had created an unofficial policy that encouraged managers to request or require off-the-clock work and avoid paying overtime. " 
This is just one of many criticisms of Wal-Mart. More can be found here- walmartwatch.com. 
Please tell Oprah that if she is going to turn her entire show into an infomercial, to make sure that it is at least a business with socially responsible business practices. 
Thank you, 
Thalia</div>
</div>
 
etchange my name to my online persona. (whoops! I'm unlisted, it's OK)

GhostUser · Feb 19, 2003

Good letter. I especially like this part: 
Please tell Oprah that if she is going to turn her entire show into an infomercial, to make sure that it is at least a business with socially responsible business practices. 
I like to see people actually do something when they get perturbed rather than sit on their butt and complain. You are inspiring! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/grin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="

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mushroom · Feb 19, 2003

Oprah bites.

GhostUser · Feb 19, 2003

Oprah is a big jerk, I have always thought so.

GhostUser · Feb 19, 2003

never been a big oprah fan, though i did like when she played the therapist who helped ellen accept herself as a big honkin' lesbian...great episodes...

kpickell · Feb 19, 2003

I thought the Wal-Mart episode was nice. Finally a show about decorating on a budget! 
[edit]

Thalia · Feb 19, 2003

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally posted by kpickell I thought the Wal-Mart episode was nice. Finally a show about decorating on a budget! 
[edit]</div>
</div>
 
Even if you are being sarcastic, this show probably was the first where the products she talks about aren't all super expensive. She's always telling everyone about these dept store cleansers and stuff $20 a bottle. Oprah- get real! And in her magazine she has this section of her favorite things- stuff no one should buy unless they want to burn money.

kpickell · Feb 19, 2003

I wasn't being sarcastic. I like Wal-Mart and do shop there regularly -- mainly because I can't afford shopping at a health food store on my budget.

Kreeli · Feb 19, 2003

i don't like oprah. i don't like her freaky obsessions with appearance and weight loss. i feel like she had an amazing opportunity to take a radical stance on feminist issues and instead has just gone on to tow the party line. her alliance with that fecking weirdo "Dr." Phil soured my feelings even more. that guy is the ultimate jerk-off. 
that being said, although i think it's great that people are aware of the kind of damage big super-stores like walmart cause, i also think it's incredibly naive (and possibly even classist) to talk negative about people who shop there. some people really *are* too poor to go with their conscience and take their dollars out of walmart's cash registers. 
if you can afford to shop elsewhere, by all means, do so. 
if you can't, don't let the 'culture jammers' guilt you. 
we all do what we can.

The_Gazumper · Feb 19, 2003

I think Montel Williams is infinitely superior <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/wink3.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="

">

Vegankat · Feb 19, 2003

No no, Maury is the best. I love how trashy he's become, and how he tries to find the "freakiest" people to be on his show so he gets better ratings. For some reason, people like to watch those things, and they get a perverse satisfaction from knowing they're normal. 
And as for Oprah, well...she just pisses me off. I get physically ill when my mom watches her show. Ugh. 
But I like her book reccommendations...

Thalia · Feb 20, 2003

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally posted by Kreeli 
that being said, although i think it's great that people are aware of the kind of damage big super-stores like walmart cause, i also think it's incredibly naive (and possibly even classist) to talk negative about people who shop there. some people really *are* too poor to go with their conscience and take their dollars out of walmart's cash registers. 
if you can afford to shop elsewhere, by all means, do so. 
if you can't, don't let the 'culture jammers' guilt you. 
we all do what we can.</div>
</div>
 
I definitely agree with this. 
I wish Oprah had a show perhaps on decorating from Ebay or garage sales or flea markets.

SilverC · Feb 20, 2003

I love when Oprah has financial planners on, and their advice on how to save money was to bring a lunch to work with you, don't eat out every day. Yeah, that's super. But what about us folks who can only afford to eat out maybe once a month if we're lucky? Or how about those who can't afford food, period? Any advice for them? Of course not, because poor to Oprah is upper middle class, apparently. 
You think Oprah would understand what it's like to be poor, considering that's how she grew up. I guess a bazillion dollars can really fiddle with your memory! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/tongue3.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="

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1vegan · Feb 20, 2003

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally posted by Kreeli some people really *are* too poor to</div>
</div>
 
I cant judge on Americans, but these are my thoughts: 
People think they are poor, but they aint really poor. 
In Europe I see poor people wearing designer clothes, mobile phones etc. 
They get in to financial problems but the only thing they seem to do is cut back on food or rent. Not on buying CDs. 
Some people think that there mobile phone is more important then the rent being paid. 
Dont get me wrong, I realize some people are living on a tight budget and cant afford to let their money talk for a better world. Living on a tight budget aint fun nor easy, I (sort of) know what thats like. 
But I seriously think that there is a big group that has the ability to let their money talk. 
And they dont care, or put personal pleasure/wealth before anything.

RiceBoy · Feb 20, 2003

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally posted by SilverC Of course not, because poor to Oprah is upper middle class, apparently....I guess a bazillion dollars can really fiddle with your memory! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/tongue3.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="

"></div>
</div>
 
Exactly, I was in California in August 2001 on a work related trip & talking to some local guys I found out Oprah spent $55 million on a property in Montecito (exclusive suburb near Santa Barbara) - I think it included a house & property and some land around it, to help maintain privacy. 
You could buy an awful lot of anything at a Walmart with $55 million.....

Kreeli · Feb 20, 2003

1vegan, those kinds of people are not the ones i'm talking about.

Joe · Feb 20, 2003

Oprah is an entertainer. Not a guru, religious leader, etc. I think it is very foolish to try to make her into some sort of icon or pillar of wisdom. 
Oprah has been popular in large part because she reflects popular feelings. She does not try (much) to elevate, educate or reform those feelings. She was asked very early in her career what she would do if she won a million dollars, and she said something like: "I'd be a spending fool!" That's probably what most people would say if asked, or rather what they would say if they were uninhibited about expressing their natural feelings.(Not that that is the best answer.) 
She has never expressed any inhibitions about spending her money, and she has accumulated an unusually large fortune. 
She is not an ascetic, and lives a life of relative luxury. 
As for her having once been poor, I do not believe that that guarantees sympathy with the poor. There is such a thing as the "zeal of a convert" syndrome, where people who change their lives are more antagonistic toward their former situations than the average person. It can be seen as a form of self-hate. But whatever you might call it or however you might explain it, it seems to me just as likely (or even more likely) that a once-poor rich person would have less sympathy for the poor than the "average" person than that they would have more sympathy for the poor.

mushroom · Feb 20, 2003

On one show Oprah talks about money, how to get more etc. 
On another show she gives stuff away (and feels disgustingly generous) On another show, she has lottery winners as guests etc. She glorifies money, spending and having. Models wearing expensive clothes, spas, trips, money, money, money. It is so obvious money is very important to her. 
Then, once in a while she has a show about "the real riches of life" saying one can be very happy without money or things... 
Really? Let's see you do it Oprah. 
Can you say greedy hypocrite, boys and girls?

Tame · Feb 21, 2003

Oprah jealous? Seems like you are the one turning into the green-eyed monster. 
Perhaps Oprah's shows center around material wealth and related issues because that is what her target audience wants? 
No need to hate on Oprah. I'm with her - I would rather be happy and rich than happy and poor.

GhostUser · Feb 22, 2003

...not to mention that she IS nice. She's not vindictive or rude in any way. In my book, if all I care about is whether or not someone is nice and honest.

Oprah really disappointed me today.

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