Here it is.
I'm glad it's not just me. For years, I've had this disdain towards Oprah. A common saying I have with my kids, is that I give shit where shit is due and credit where credit is due. Most times, I find it's the shit I feel is due where it comes to Oprah.
The sum total, is that for too many years, she's presented herself as the "Just follow me, I know the path all people should take. I am the way, follow me" entity.
It's a dangerous place to plant one's self. She can't possibly hope to live up.
I stumbled across a cafepress store selling I Hate Oprah shirts, and it prompted me to look for others who share my opinion. This isn't a paid post. Please note that.
Here is a collection of links for those who prefer to worship someone other than Oprah. It might seem like it some days, but you are not alone.
[Editor's Note] One Nation Under Oprah
"While playing a jolly game of inquiries recently, I was prompted to answer the question, “What is the biggest threat to humankind?” Hastily, and foolishly, I responded, “ignorance.” But after further rumination over the question, I have arrived at what I know to be the most imminent, dangerous catalyst for utter self-destruction: Oprah Winfrey."
We Hate Oprah!
"Do you remember that show were Oprah “gave” away all those cars?! People thought she was the best! So generous! After all, 276 cars is a lot of cash to give away! 8 million to be exact. Guess what. Oprah never paid for them, she just wanted it to appear that way. General Motors wanted to launch the new Pontiac G6 in a big way, so they stuck a deal with Oprah, yet another clever product placement deal, GM gets themselves a massive market, and in turn, Oprah’s image is better than even."
Hating Oprah
"Roughly half the respondents to today's Tribune click poll say they "hate" Oprah Winfrey."
Why I Hate Oprah
"i guess i’m expecting too much from a woman who expects closed stores to open the doors for her after closing time, and who then publicly flogs the store and its management until they are forced to come on the show and apologize. for no good reason, i might add, except that she is evidently so god-like at this point that no one can dispute what she says, even if it is dead wrong, and so the company has to eat crow to save their stock price. would hermes open the store for me after closing time? or you? hell no."
Columns - I Hate Oprah
"Oprah Winfrey is a modern demagogue. She's like the soccer mom's Mussolini, prescribing what to wear, what to read, who to vote for, and even what to eat. The truth is, I just don't think that I, nor anyone else, really comprehend the limits of her power. And just think, ten years ago she was nothing more than the female equivalent of Geraldo Rivera"
Why I Hate Oprah
"She has this vast fortune, and could do so much good. But instead she makes these little pet projects that she can plaster her fat fucking face all over, and tell the world, "oooh, look how fucking good I am for helping the little poor kids". When instead, had she done a little fucking research, she could have accomplished something phenomenal, and helped thousands more. But of course, those kids wouldn't have had her face on every goddamn book cover. Congratulations, Ms. Winfrey, on creating a brand new class of haves and have-nots, you egomaniacal fuckhead douchebag*."
Oprah educating a whole new generation of man haters.
"The extravagances involved with this girls’ school seems a bit too elitist to accomplish anything more than resentment from the middle-class families whose incomes were too great to make the cut. "
And it doesn't end there. You might spend your time at Google, Youtube, or at any other website you favour for seeking information online. You'll find there are indeed, folks out there who like me, prefer to put Oprah's status as a Saint, on that very last backburner. You know... the one that hasn't worked in years and you just don't care whether you use it or not. That's where the campaign to declare Oprah a Saint belongs. And anyway... if you asked her, it's probably not the position she wants anyway. She's fixing to be The Saviour. No thanks.
I'd rather buy the t-shirt.
[Oprah Image Source: Uncooked Meat (see link also above and please visit the blog)
T-Shirt Image Source: Simple Hatred Store]
22 comments:
I remember when she was just an anchorwoman in Baltimore when I was a kid, and Elvis died.
I guess this means I can't go on her show now. ::sigh::
Fine, fine, fine.
I was babysitting when the news of his death was announced on tv.
But um.. why can't you go on her show now? I think you'd be a fine guest. Tom Cruise jumped on her couch... you could pee on it.
(runs away laughing wildly)
I love Oprah a lot for being an inspiration of being powerful and rich.
The Oprah show most of the time is pleasing big sponsors for big money, but since she is quite popular, she knows what she is doing in her medium.
She does do some charity and she doesn't seem to harm anybody in the process.
And when her show is too silly, it's a good way to fall asleep.
Ah Linky, but there's the rub. She is out for pleasing the sponsors, but presenting it all in such a way to make the average viewer think it's all because she cares for them personally.
I have respect for those like Donald Trump.. who is admittedly an ass, but he makes no secret of being an ass or that his goals are money and business. Oprah on the other hand, is about money and business, but want to fool and use the average person about it.
Unfortunately, fooling the average person is quite easy.
I don't respect that. It's like saying that you don't have the faith in yourself to make your money in a straight up way.
Making money or fame isn't the issue so much as whether or not you do it with integrity or whether or not you do it through cheating or fooling people.
If a person can't make money with integrity (and that means being up front about your goals like Trump)then that person is still really just a small time creep with a bigger audience.
UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH!! I can't stand the woman! Why give the cars to people who just happen to be in the audience? Why not do a little research and fill the audience with people who could USE a car? GRR! Why fund a school in Africa when there are plenty of needy children and girls right here in the US and in fact, there are plenty IN CHICAGO WHERE YOUR FANCY SCHMANCY STUDIO IS!!!!!!!
*off soapbox*
@Carrie
I do understand there are always other charities one could spend money for. Then again, she must be pleasing some sponsors there that she didn't get in the US.
@fracas
I see what you mean, I always try to guess who the sponsors are of every show she does, because being a blogger for money, I would love to attract sponsors as well.
Agreed: she should be clear about what she is doing, but then: would the sponsor be happy with that?
Blogging for money: lots of advertisers don't want you to tell you are being paid for what you write either.
Seems that's how the world turns if you want to grab a piece of it (or I am too stupid to figure out how to do things better)
On another note fracas: I am having an idea of a blog for money where 10% would go to charity: being humble of the money that comes in, it would be sponsoring a child for education (again being humble for the money coming in, this would be in the continents of Asia or Africa). Would you be interested in joining such a blog for money where the big part of what you do will be for your personal earnings?
If you do PayPerPost you CAN donate to charity.
Carrie - I know. I included that link from the person who was upset about the school because honestly, she'd do more good with her money in Africa in another way... so it begs to ask why do it the way she is unless it's all about her own benefits and public image. There's that dishonesty again. And the thing that gets me, is how the abuse that happened at her school (which is the same as with the Catholic residential schools) was not made such a fuss about... oh... because she cried on camera about it. Excuse me while I vomit.
Linky - I'd have to know more about your idea and how it will work before I decide.
Carrie again - Indeed, one can. I gave fuelmyblog an idea for a spring book that involves sponsoring a child or education in some way... that will be another option for bloggers if they choose to use my idea.
@carrie
Any idea "how much" money that is donated at PPP gets "where"?
@all
Indonesian President Suharto is dying and gets jets with visitors from:
1. neighbouring countries
2. swiss bankers
With which I want to say: who out there really says what he is working for?
@fracas
It's almost out of the design phase and the sponsering will be like you say sponsoring a child or education in some way.
Main thing is to prepare a good SEO first and then I will ask again :-)
Mainly there will be 2 types of authors invited-needed:
-the ones good in attracting lots of visitors (that's where you come in and if you decline me will be the backup)
-the ones good in writing quality content yet not managing to get the flow of visitors there posts deserve.
I will first start asking the bloggers in my linky love toplist, let the project run and then evaluate. The more brains, the more good ideas and improvements that will come out.
*drags out Carrie's soapbox*
I don't idolize Oprah -- I don't think I've idolized anyone in my life. We all cry the same tears, bleed the same blood and put on our pants one leg at a time. That said...
1) The title of this post answers everyone's questions about Oprah. She doesn't do things perfectly because she's not God.
2) It's her money. She started dirt poor and earned it. She can spend it how she wants. I don't want anyone telling me how to spend mine, so I have no right to tell anyone how to spend theirs.
3) Poverty is a mindset as much as a financial state. We need to believe things can be different before we can achieve it. Putting those kids in "rich" surroundings does as much for their mindset as books do for their eductation. It was more opulent than it needed to be, perhaps, but I get the point of what surroundings do for mindset.
4) IMO, I don't believe it's possible to hate anyone I don't actually know. I don't know Oprah... I know the part of Oprah that her producers think we should see. I have no clue what she thinks, feels or says OFF the air.
5) I'm not God, either, therefore it's not my job to judge anyone - Oprah included.
Just my opinion, of course.
**puts soapbox back in the corner**
Can't we all just...'get along'?
Why don't we all just turn our dials and watch a little bit of Dr. Phil and get in touch with all these emotions?
Or we can all switch to 'Jerry', and see if they'll take the sistanistas on takin' it on.
Nude beaches are for those wanting to be nude. Not for those wanting to watch people doing it.
We isn't fightin' John.. we's just opinionatin'. The fraccy sisters do that opinionatin' all the time and we never hold it against each other 'cause we're just awesome like that.
So...
I don't care much what anyone does with their money, I agree with Linda that it's their money and they can do with it what they want. I do think that people should be honest about why they do something though.
For example... where I live there are two different prominent families. One donates significant amounts of money to good causes... and their name gets added to every damn thing they do. Places renamed.. ads in the paper to recognize their donations, etc. The other family donates the same amounts to worthy and good causes, only they specify that their name is not given out. People don't know they've given what they have. People who know them know they've given... but they ask for no public image benefit for it.
It's why I do not use the envelopes at church. The envelopes allow the secretary to keep track of how much money you've given in a year, and issue your tax receipt. Years ago, I decided that if I'm giving it because I want to give it, then why am I wanting a tax benefit for it? So I tossed the envelopes and you know.. it took more than two years for them to get the picture, that I really didn't want a tax receipt. It's a gift. My reward is giving it. No one knows, and no one pats me on the back. It bothers me when people give so that they can get a public image benefit for their gift. It's not a gift anymore.
That's how I see Oprah. Just do good and stop making sure everyone gives you credit for it is how I feel.
The title I chose for my post was meant to convey something other than how you saw it Linda. I chose that title because so many people do idolize her and treat her as though she is God. She herself, presents herself as though she is the one to follow... when in fact, we should remember that she ISN'T God and we should (if we choose to follow God) follow God and not Oprah. This has made me ill for years. I find it sad to watch so many women forget that she is in fact, no better than they are.
I think you meant kind of the same thing, just in a different way though.
I hate to see anyone idolize anyone. I prefer to try lift others up so that they see the greatness in themselves and that they don't need to hold someone else up higher than themself. I think that's what God wanted for us anyway... for us to each see how valuable we are.
I guess mainly we agree, just said in different ways. I don't think we should "hate Oprah" as much as it is we should hate what that whole thing stands for. I think it's a shame she can't just be more honest about her obvious goals.
And... people are often confused about what "judging people" means. In fact, (if we are talking about expectations of Christians) we are supposed to tell each other when we/they aren't doing right. That's not "judging". The judging we aren't supposed to do is when we decide to tell someone else that they're going to hell... in other words it isn't our place to judge another person's soul because that is reserved for God. It is not our business nor our place to decide anyone's end. That is what it means to judge someone. In the end, each person's fate is up to God and God alone and so judging refers to when we think it's up to us to think we know that.
Letting our fellow man/woman know if they're not living as they should, is something we're actually supposed to do.
(So if you ever find me coveting my neighbour's ass, please do correct me and I won't think you're judging me. LOL)
But um John... do you want to talk about how you know so much about nude beaches? Enquiring minds want to know.
And btw... I cannot watch Jerry. It makes me grow hives. I don't look good in hives, and they're really uncomfortable once you put on one of those Olga/Petra looking bras.
we are supposed to tell each other when we/they aren't doing right. That's not "judging". The judging we aren't supposed to do is when we decide to tell someone else that they're going to hell...
I dunno... doing right according to who? According to me? What's right for me might not be right for someone else. Right according to my religious beliefs? But that might not be right according to someone else's religious beliefs.
And if I presume that "my" choices and "my" religion is the "right" way to do things, why shouldn't everyone else do the same and assume "their" way is right?
When I stayed in a bad marriage, it was the right thing for "me" because I wasn't ready to leave. When I left, it was also the right thing because I was ready to leave.
If "right" changes for me over time and with situation, experience and age... who am I to presume what 'right' is for anyone else at any given time?
With the Oprah thing, I think we're saying the same thing in different words.
I don't idolize people, but I know that many others do. I'd rather see them idolize someone that's donating to charity and living a clean life than what they could idolize.
How many times do we hear stories of kids seeing some stupid stunt on tv and copying it? Or teenagers making bad decisions because they did what their friends say or do? You know?
Hard for me to get into a follower's head, but if one *is* going to be a follower, might as well follow someone who reads books, donates to charity and isn't an addict.
P.S. John... but we DO get along. People won't always agree (wouldn't THAT be boring?) but we CAN always get along. Just takes good manners, is all. ;)
Now see John.. that's why I love my sis, and she me. we don't always agree (or say things the same) but we always listen to each other and give each other that consideration.
LOL Linda.. I guess I didn't explain myself all that well. I agree that when people have different beliefs, they ought not to be telling each other what's right. How true. I'd not want someone telling me I must wear a burka. Totally valid point.
I meant... if one chooses to be a Christian, they are supposed to care enough about a fellow Christian to say when that person is doing something outside of that. Key is... that's all. Then they're supposed to back off because that person has free will and it is up to them to choose their own actions. So if (for example) my friend is secretly having an affair... I am supposed to say, hey.. are you sure that's what you really want to do.. (or something like that) and that isn't me judging her.. it's me being responsible.
I get on my soapbox a bit with the whole "judging" thing because many people use that "you're not supposed to judge others" as an excuse to bury their head in the sand and excuse themselves of any responsibility. (Like that thing we talked about on the phone the other day... you know...)
I agree.. I think we are saying the same things in different ways.
And I would choose that people just treat her like an entertainer instead of a God.
I'm just ornery like that. ;-)
I got lost in your long windeyness somewhere. Can't even tell where.
What's a nude beach?
John... a nude beach is where people walk around naked, which is different than nekkid.
I get on my soapbox a bit with the whole "judging" thing because many people use that "you're not supposed to judge others" as an excuse to bury their head in the sand and excuse themselves of any responsibility.
People are amazingly good at finding excuses for not taking action.
I would never presume to think I'm right all the time... but that never stops me from HAVING an opinion, or speaking it, or stepping up to the plate to do what I believe is right.
If all those Oprah worshippers would take one thing away from the show -- to pick up a book more often -- we might be on the right track. If nothing else, maybe a few more people would know the difference between your, you're and ur. LOL
@Fracas
Oprah does openly say in her show that she is promoting books... But I heard her saying that only once in so many years...
About religion: some religions mix politics too much for comfort. And some politicians mix religion too much for comfort.
Anyways, as a minority religion living in a country with a different religion back home... it's quite troublesome to say the least...
John - s'ok. I get lost in my own long windedness too. You should be around when all of us get together... no one gets a word in I tell ya!
About that nude beach... is Johnny Depp there?
Linda - All those Oprah worshippers *do* pick up a book... but only the ones she tells them to read via her book club. Rofl.
Linky - I used to like Oprah, but then she went to her own head. It's sad.
Want to hear funny? I have never actually watched Oprah. LOL. I am *so* not a tv person.
I've read some of the articles on her site, but that's about the extent of it.
Doesn't prevent me from yattering on, though. lol.
Linda,
Mentioning my known problem of "they are/their/they're reminds me of the time my doctor said I might have Tourette's.
I told her "Fuck you, NIPPLE biting SLAG ass WHORE!"
::smiles passing the dish:: Macaroon, anyone?
Hi Fracas,
I am getting you...
Just saw an Oprah show where he invites Dr. Oz who nicely doesn't promote any products and then straight after she invites her personal trainer Mr. Greene who so conveniently promotes his "green" line of healthy food labels he puts on cans of mostly Unilever...
It's great to be as big as Oprah and get the biggest brands as sponsors... yet she should start using a disclosure policy...
I tried to go to her website and ask dr oz what he thinks about all thyese, but I always get redirected to a page that says: you can ask anything to Dr Oz... well, seems I can't :-(
what can I say?
Opra is and has been for quite some time, a Hipporcrit, racist, who is full of herself.. And she gets along so well with Obama, because (birs of a feathr flock together)
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