Thursday, October 25, 2007

Turns Out She's Human After All

Poor Oprah has had a run of bad stuff lately, hasn't she? First she realized even she would experience menopause when her age and body hormones merged, then she has to put out the fire that is the scandal ridden girls school she built and opened in South Africa. What's a billionaire to do?

Here's the deal, Lucille, er, Oprah: women of a certain age go through menopause. It is not a revelation. It is only a revelation to you now because you are facing challenges brought on by this time of life. I am younger than you and the whole malfunctioning thyroid thing hit me a over a year ago and I am doing just fine with a little pill each morning. No fuss, no muss.

Now, I don't have a talk show or an ever present audience of sheeple women from the suburbs who breathlessly wait for your next dispatch, but I do look to the same woman doctor/author/motivational speaker that you used on your show to explain all this to women around the world. However, when I saw a brief piece of a big time story of your newly discovered 'health crisis' on an entertainment news kind of show, while waiting for another show to begin on the channel, I thought to myself, "Self, this is a bit much, even for you, Oprah." Health crisis? Please. You gained weight, you were tired, you went to Africa for a month over the summer break from your show to rest, and then you did just what you should have done, you went to the doctor, after calling the aforementioned doc and chatting about it. It's a blood test and then medication. It's not a crisis of your health.

None of us are getting any younger. And, the word crisis is entirely overused. Eventually, the very reaction wanted by the use of the word stops.

Then the scandal broke about the girls school in South Africa. The school that Oprah built and opened last year is coping with an allegation that one of the female staff member is charged with assault to sexual misconduct. Rumors that the employee choked a girl and threw her up against a wall. Oprah dispatched a team of private investigators, former Chicago policemen, to get the story. She has flown to the school two weekends in a row. I'm thinking it'll be a regular weekend trip now until it's all sorted out.

I have pondered for a while now that Oprah is just not a very good judge of people. Years ago when I watched her show I noticed a pattern. She would bring on guests, especially celebrities, and fawn all over them as talk show hosts do. For example, Mike Tyson and Robin Givens spring to mind. Still to this day. Oprah said they were the perfect couple, so happy, blah, blah, blah. Next thing you know they're grabbing headlines that he beats her up, he's a manic depressive personality, they're divorcing. Another one was her 'girl', as she called her, Hallie Barry. She's so beautiful, so wonderful, so solid. Then we read she's charged with a hit and run accident. And she keeps marrying guys who abuse her.

I haven't watched her show in years. It's too insulting. I know she's a philanthropist, she's successful and very wealthy, a rags to riches story. She reads and can make an author successful overnight by picking his/her book for her book club selection that month. But still.

She's just human.

7 comments:

Jolene said...

For years those of us that hung out on the thyroid boards on About.com have appealed to her do a show on what untreated thyroid problems can do to a women and how some are never treated properly. It took me a year to find the right doctor and medication after my thyroid was killed off. But not until she suffered the problem was it even brought out. How unfortunate too - her "star" power could have helped so many women. I'm sorry her girl's school is having issues because I really belive she just wants to help them. I don't watch either - but do read her magazine.

Anonymous said...

She could have done so much more for the people of Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina. Robin Roberts has done so much for her hometown of Pass Chritian while Oprah made a granstand visit in the immediate aftermath.

Brett Favre continues to help the communties of the Kiln.

Oprah was just here for the publicity, not as bad as Sean Penn but close!

I haven't watched Oprah since the 1990's.

I appluad what she is trying to do in Africa but you're are correct, she is a bad judge of people.

Carol ReMarks said...

AMEN! And well said!

Conservative Belle said...

I lost interest in Oprah about 10 years ago.

Shira is right about Oprah's help after Katrina. The good news is that with the help of Roberts, Favre, and the true resiliency of its citizens, Mississippi doesn't need her.

I couldn't care less what Oprah thinks about anything.

Anonymous said...

I call people like Oprah "spit-shine people." It's like a gorgeous car, with all the bells and buzzers and a hand-wax job, but you pop the hood and no one has checked the oil level. They are great to look at, but there's nothing on the inside.

I don't watch her -- I can't stand that 'Me, too, gir'frien' act. Probably because I see right through it.

Stylin said...

I havent watched her shows in a long time,sometimes I try watching the ones on picking the perfect jean/bra etc but when they all cost upwards of $120.00..I gave up!!
She is too full of herself

Ron Simpson said...

I have never been a fan of Oprah, and it is not because I am a guy. She just never held any apeal for me. Her views and politics, not to mention her guests all irritate me, are nowhere near mine.
So, Oprah does some good things with the money she has earned, good for her. But I am not part of the Cult of Oprah