Oprah's on right now, so I'm watching while I'm picking up and cleaning the family room. Mostly I'm listening to Oprah, and mostly what I hear is screaming, clapping, crying, shrieking, gasping.
Why? Because it's Oprah's "Favorite Things for Christmas" show. The women in the audience - and they're all women, all teachers, in fact - are scaring me a little. They are weeping, shaking, screaming. Some seem about to pass out. Others are jumping up and down wildly. They can't believe their good fortune -- they are gettings lots and lots of really expensive stuff, free! From Oprah!!!
Their reaction seems a little out of proportion, really. I would think that kind of reaction would be saved for something major. You know, a life and death issue. Maybe if I was in that audience, I'd be caught up in all the excitement, too.
But I think the real reason for the hysteria is because they LOVE Oprah. Love loveloveLOVE her. She's an American pop culture goddess. She's beautiful, she's lost weight, she's stylish, she never looks a day older, she gives a bunch of money to deserving causes. She's the great American success story. She overcame a very difficult childhood of abuse and poverty and never claims victimhood. She can switch from standard middle class English to black girlfriend-ese in a flash. She's funny, she's warm, she emotes. She tears up when people say touching things. She likes books. She has a steady boyfriend, but doesn't "need" to marry. She's wildly famous and yet completely down-to-earth. She's the richest woman in America (the world?), but she's not pretentious. She's powerful, but not arrogant.
And that's why the crowd always goes absolutely insane when she walks out at the start of every show, even if it's not a "Favorite Things" edition.
UPDATE: The second comment below asks if Oprah gives the things away out of her own pocket or if it's donated by the companies. Definitely the latter. It's huge publicity and goodwill for them.
Interestingly, here's a story about a local guy, Tim Cuprisin, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel TV/radio critic, who got a phone call from Oprah -- because he wrote an article only slightly critical of her "Favorite Things" show. His take was a little similar to mine, in that the screaming/crying/fainting stuff is a bit much, and he also mentioned that the show ends up being one huge hour-long commercial. Today he was interviewed on local TV; he said that he also objects to the greediness of the whole spectacle. Like I said, if I was there, I'd probably be just as excited to get all that cool stuff. I'd like to think I'd also be considering who I would share it with. I hope.
Monday, November 22, 2004
Oprah: The Goddess of Consumer Culture
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2 comments:
I'm a guy, so by definition, I don't totally get the Oprah experience. I can objectively see that she's pleasant and attractive and conducts a competent television show targeted at women. But there are many people in the entertainment industry who are all those things. But everything she does is wildly successful. What's different about her? Whatever it is, it has the same feeling as every other fundamental gender gap, "Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus" type of thing.
Interestingly, Rosie O'Donnell tried to mirror the Oprah route - talk show, production company, magazine. I don't necessarily know what works for that target audience, but even casually, I could tell that O'Donnell was harsher, less attractive, agenda-driven, and ultimately she flopped.
I don't have a problem with Oprah or her success. The women in the audience over-reacting to her extravagance - the free fur sinks and Sharper Image automatic knee cap buffers, that's a little much for me.
But I agree with your assessment, Oprah is an icon at this point and she is the embodiment of the American Dream - and she succeeded like few can and cleared more hurdles getting there, including poverty, gender, and racial bias. She's worth gobs of cash because her talent generates gobs of cash and that's the American way. I wouldn't want it any other way!
...Of course, after the revolution 100 families will live in Oprah's old wardrobe, comrade. HaHa!
TJS
Hi! I found your blog through my blogging-friend Terrie at EveryOpinion blog. I enjoyed this post. My work schedule recently changed and I'm home with my two teens preparing supper at 4pm each day. I spent 10 years loving Oprah and then spent ten more years telling others I detested her. Now I like her again, mostly, as long as she doesn't spout off her pseudo-religious beliefs on me. I absolutely love the shows where she's giving stuff away and people are screaming. I want to dislike Oprah, but I'm finding it quite difficult. The recent favorite things show with the teachers was the best. I'm still wishing that someone would give me a Sony Vaio laptop!!! I still don't know if she's actually giving the stuff away or it is being donated by other companies. Do you know?
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