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ICB: Oprah Winfrey. Woman of wise words or woo-woo?

Tory Shepherd

by Tory Shepherd

26 May 12:30pm

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Filed under: Celebrity, Entertainment, I Call Bullshit, Icb, Oprah, Oprah Winfrey

91 comments

Welcome to this week’s episode of I Call Bullshit. Today we’re going to look at Oprah. Oprah Winfrey is the sort of mega-star who often leaves people breathless. With wide-eyed adoration, gasping sycophancy, or cynical shock that she is indeed such a mega star.

What do we call people who don't dream it and do it? That's right, kid, LOSERS! Photo: Supplied

She is worth gazillions, and her passing endorsement of any old product is worth millions, even billions. Her gift is that people dwell on her every word. But is she full of pearls of wisdom, or is she full of the proverbial? Let’s look at some of her more famous quotes.

I know for sure that what we dwell on is who we become.
Utter tosh. I am not becoming a crispy-topped piece of melt-in-your-mouth pork belly.

I’ve come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that’s as unique as a fingerprint - and that the best way to succeed is to discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others in the form of service, working hard, and also allowing the energy of the universe to lead you.
Oh, come on. Unique? Don’t most of us just want health, love, happiness? We want the same things. It’s what makes us human. Ahhh unless of course you want to be the richest and most influential black woman in the history of the universe… that would be less common.

Don’t get me started on the energy of the universe.

Let your light shine. Shine within you so that it can shine on someone else. Let your light shine.
If you have a light shining within you you have either spent too much time in Fukushima or you overrate yourself. Maybe she’s talking about vehicles. If you’re on your bike or in your car after dark, then yes. Let your light shine.

As you become more clear about who you really are, you’ll be better able to decide what is best for you - the first time around.
That just makes no sense. Unless Oprah has a time machine. Holy shit, maybe Oprah has mastered travelling through the warped fabric of spacetime! That would also back up her ramblings about unique fingerprint callings.

I’ve learned that you can’t have everything and do everything at the same time.
OK this is not bullshit. It’s just common sense. Which makes the claim that Oprah is a bastion of wisdom bullshit.

Every day brings a chance for you to draw in a breath, kick off your shoes, and dance.
Unless, for some reason, you literally cannot physically draw in a breath, kick off your shoes, and dance.

Excellence is the best deterrent to racism or sexism.
If this is true then why are there still racists and sexists about the place, when there are obviously excellent people from all races and genders? Or is Oprah saying that women and black people are not yet excellent therefore racism and sexist exist? Well that’s just racist and sexist.

The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you’re willing to work.
What about The Secret, then? Didn’t you endorse that?

I do not believe in failure. It is not failure if you enjoyed the process.
Unless of course you thoroughly enjoyed drinking yourself to death in which case you failed at life.

My philosophy is that not only are you responsible for your life, but doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.
Tell that to Manal al-Sharif, a woman in Saudi Arabia who has just gone to prison for driving a car as part of a protest about women’s rights. Go on, tell her.

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91 comments

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    • Kika says:

      01:24pm | 26/05/11

      But in what context did she say these things? Don’t be so cynical Tory. She rose from rags to riches on the basis she can connect with everybody regardless of who they are or where they were from. And she’s damned good at what she does. Only mean spirited people knock her. It’s not like you have a multil billion dollar empire to sit there and judge from.

      Reply

    • St. Michael says:

      01:45pm | 26/05/11

      There is another kind of person who rises to prominence on the basis that they can “connect” with everybody regardless of who they are or where they were from.

      They’re called politicians.

      The reason they succeed is because they are social chameleons—they will shift and change to suit whoever they’re talking to.  This sort of talent is useful if you’re a counsellor or in an industry which requires you to empathise.  It’s a talent to be distrusted in people who either want power over you or subsequently go on to tell you—as Oprah does—what is good for you or what is the right thing to do with your life, as she did with The Secret.

    • Tory Shepherd

      Tory Shepherd says:

      03:22pm | 26/05/11

      You’re right, Kika - and you made me think about why I’m so cynical about Oprah - cynical enough to pluck her from all the bullshit around and pick on her. And I think this is why:

      I dislike her style of self help because the main message is that you can be a ‘self-made’ success no matter your circumstances.

      I reckon while this may be empowering or liberating for some people, for many it’s unrealistic and just makes them feel like it’s their fault they’re not a success; which statistically and in the real world is just absolute bullshit.

      The classic example is the one I mentioned at the bottom - a woman in oppressive Saudi Arabia tries to protest the limitations on her freedoms and gets tossed in gaol for it. Not everyone can lift themselves up by their bootstraps and pretending that some self-help guru uttering inane platitudes can save the world is really frustrating.

      That’s what pisses me off and makes me cynical. That and the fact she’s a billionaire who could probably do a better job as a philanthropist.

    • WallyW says:

      03:46pm | 26/05/11

      I agree with Tory on this one, which makes a nice change from climate change and the carbon tax. In my line of work I spend time with a lot of sick people, and all the self-will and refusal to accept defeat aint gonna overcome that one. In fact the denial or reality and circumstances bigger then them can be positively poisonous!

    • Kika says:

      03:55pm | 26/05/11

      St Michael -  I agree. Her condoning of the Secret was weird. All that cash just for what, to be told get off your but&t and do it. I don’t necessarily think Oprah is a social chameleon. I know the kind of person you are talking about. But Oprah is different because she is just a good communicator. She bridged so many gaps, particularly in America.

      Tory - You are right. There are some people who cannot jump the barriers to getting what they want. But, and I will generalise here, most Americans see America as the whole world. They don’t really realise that there’s a world outside of their own. I don’t know if Oprah really targets Saudi Arabia, but she certainly targets her own country. And they love her. And the world loves her. Maybe it’s because she’s just a normal person - has weight issues, has family problems, can understand what it’s like to be poor, can understand what it’s like not to be famous. I dunno. I can’t pretend to be her biggest fan, but I appreciate her career. She’s done pretty good for a poor black girl from teenage parents back in 1950’s Mississippi.

    • Luce says:

      05:41pm | 26/05/11

      WallyW and Tory, I agree. Tory, I’ll admit your article did come across as unnecessarily cynical at first, but your reasoning is mostly sound.

      It reminds me of when I was in school and some motivational speaker came in and told my entire grade that if we really wanted to we could get super high marks in the HSC, we just had to believe in ourselves. They failed to mention a) how much hard work and discipline it actually takes, and b) that some people simply are not smart enough to get those kind of grades, no matter how hard they work.

      In effect they weren’t really helping us because they set up these false expectations about what could be achieved and how to go about it. Life is hard, and not everyone succeeds. People need to understand this, learn how to handle it if their attempts at success don’t work, and learn to stay positive, regardless.

      I like the feeling of positive feelings Oprah puts out, but her message could definitely be more realistic then is currently is… although if that was the case I doubt she’d be as rich as she is. Funny that.

    • Mouse says:

      10:36pm | 26/05/11

      So does that mean that there is no big Secret Men’s Business then? Oh no!! Erick is gonna be so p!ssed off!!!

    • Unionist says:

      04:58am | 27/05/11

      Kika says:03:55pm; “St Michael -  I agree. Her condoning of the Secret was weird. All that cash just for what, to be told get off your but&t and do it. I don’t necessarily think Oprah is a social chameleon. I know the kind of person you are talking about. But Oprah is different because she is just a good communicator. She bridged so many gaps, particularly in America.”

      Interesting to note she couldn’t bridge the gap for her own people. Most African Americans don’t like Oprah, they think she sold out and refer to her as the white black woman. The African Americans she has on her show are far from being in a lower socio-economic class. Like Tory said if you read between the lines Oprah is so full of herself she cant see the bullshit she spurts out. Sure she maybe a good marketing tool but the reality is she id just a big TOOL!

    • Michael says:

      08:32am | 27/05/11

      Hey Tory, i put it to you that what pisses you off is the emotional reaction you have to your judgements about Oprah, “she could probably do a better job at being a philanthropist” just a string of judgements you have about her is all.

      Her job isn’t philanthropy it’s showbiz, maybe you’re angry that YOU aren’t using your position to be philanthropic, or You are disappointed that you can’t summon the goodwill to see Oprah’s intent as opposed to being focused on the imagined idea that others might imagine ideas that are harmful to themselves LOL

      Sometimes it’s easier to view our indoctrination as valuable life lessons, or being smarter or clearer thinking than the sheeple, most of it is only evident to the believer, our own private delusion.

      I know i haven’t done as much good in my life as Oprah has tried to do in hers, how bout you?

    • Gladys says:

      01:26pm | 26/05/11

      Hey Tory, not everyone is as enlightened as you.

      I’m not sure if you’ve watched her program or if you even watched it last night, but there were two or three girls who watched the program in lieu of having a mother. Oh, no. She’s speaking to young girls and shaping their minds in to be thinner, kinder or to find forgiveness in their hearts for deaths of loved ones. Shame on her!

      The other thing she’s done is she’s walked the talk. She’s made a motza out of her audience over the years, but she’s also gone and put a lot of it back into charities, community projects and her pet cause, teachers and education.

      I had a friend who said that Oprah was treated like a messiah in Sydney. So what if she was? She hasn’t done anything more than set out ways for people to be better in themselves.

      I’m not even a huge ‘must sit down to watch her every day’ fan. But I know positive influences in the media when I see them. And she is one of them, if not the only one.

      She isn’t bullshit. She’s a very successful woman. And you, Tory are doing a tall poppy.

      Reply

    • St. Michael says:

      01:48pm | 26/05/11

      “I had a friend who said that Oprah was treated like a messiah in Sydney. So what if she was?”

      Because we normally reserve messianic treatment for someone who has messianic qualities about them—i.e. integrity, telling the truth, an addiction to other than the almighty dollar.

      For example, how many weight loss treatments has she spruiked over the years, and how much weight has she taken off and kept off as a result of supposedly following those schemes?

    • Gladys says:

      03:03pm | 26/05/11

      Oh, no. A woman has a weight problem and she tries something, it works and she tells other people aobut it. Close the airport! She’s a criminal!

      Women do that. I do it. I remember getting a phone call from a friend as I was using a caffeine roll on pen around my eyes. She wanted to tell me about caffeine pens that help reduce bags under the eyes.

      That’s what we do.

      The other thing is Oprah came from an impoverished background and she now makes money. That does not make her a criminal, it just makes her wealthy. Why is it a crime for her to make money?

      What is it with us nowadays that we can’t be happy for people who are successful and make a few bucks? Oh, I forget. We’re Australian. We love failure. Look at the Blues.

      And she has given significant amounts of money to people affected by Hurricane Katrina. She gave money to the Premier’s Flood Appeal when she was in Australia. Oh, no. How dare she!

      I think on this one Tory has got it wrong. If people find value, solace or strength in Oprah and the people she has on her show, then that’s a matter for them.

    • Tory Shepherd

      Tory Shepherd says:

      03:24pm | 26/05/11

      Yeah, I agree with the finding strength bit, but “she’s speaking to young girls and shaping their minds to be thinner” is a bit problematic, isn’t it?

    • St. Michael says:

      03:44pm | 26/05/11

      @ Gladys:

      You managed to get through 7 paragraphs variously changing the subject or setting up straw men against my objections whilst avoiding confronting my propositions at all.  Congratulations.

      “Oh, no. A woman has a weight problem and she tries something, it works and she tells other people aobut it. Close the airport! She’s a criminal!”

      She is if she doesn’t actually try it or tries it, it doesn’t work, and she spruiks it anyway.  That is professionally and personally dishonest given Oprah touts herself as a “journalist”.

      “The other thing is Oprah came from an impoverished background and she now makes money. That does not make her a criminal, it just makes her wealthy. Why is it a crime for her to make money?”

      There is your first straw man.  It’s not a crime to make money.  It is a crime to make it dishonestly.  It’s called fraud.  We even have this little law called the Trade Practices Act and this thing called “misleading or deceptive conduct in commerce” that covers it.  Also, rags to riches does not make you a saint.  The same thing can be said of most millionaires and billionaires—the very rare few inherited their money, and most built their empires out of nothing.

      “What is it with us nowadays that we can’t be happy for people who are successful and make a few bucks? Oh, I forget. We’re Australian. We love failure. Look at the Blues.”

      Here is your second straw man.  My reason for distrusting Oprah is her moral compass as displayed by her actions, not her nationality or her bank balance.  Rich people are good for society.  They employ poor people and ensure said poor people can have jobs.  That does not, however, make their actions moral.

      “And she has given significant amounts of money to people affected by Hurricane Katrina. She gave money to the Premier’s Flood Appeal when she was in Australia. Oh, no. How dare she!”

      Philanthropy does not excuse moral cowardice or dishonesty.  Also, the fact you know about those donations is because Oprah advertises it.  Conspicuous philanthropy is distasteful - Jesus Christ himself pronounced against it, if we’re looking for moral authority.  In some situations I would argue philanthropy evidences a guilty conscience - you get some money unethically, so you give it to others to make yourself feel better to feel like Robin Hood.

      “If people find value, solace or strength in Oprah and the people she has on her show, then that’s a matter for them.”

      Nice try at moral relativism, but it doesn’t wash.  Say I told you there was $10,000 in cash buried somewhere in your backyard.  You spend a whole day digging for it and don’t find it, at which point I tell you I lied about it “but hey, at least you got fit looking!”  Would you excuse my lie by saying you’d found “value, solace, or strength” in me?

    • AdamC says:

      03:57pm | 26/05/11

      St Michael, what exactly are you accusing Oprah of doing? You seem to be finding fault with Gladys’ points without making any of your own. Are you contending that Oprah’s influence on people’s lives is bad? If so, why?

    • Rikki says:

      06:02pm | 26/05/11

      @ Gladys “She gave money to the Premier’s Flood Appeal when she was in Australia.”

      Ummm - she had left Australia before the major flood incidents hit and the Premier’s Flood Appeal was set up.  Just saying ..............

    • rightway rogan says:

      07:07pm | 26/05/11

      I have enjoyed many Oprah shows eg addressing bullying, sexual abuse suicide and many other issues. I didn’t enjoy the star adulation content of the show. However, she is a massive success and shared a lot of her money and even persuaded some of the stars to share also. Good on yer Oprah.

    • St. Michael says:

      09:32pm | 26/05/11

      @ AdamC: interestingly, the Punch KO’ed my response to this one.

      In brief: I made my point.  Gladys then straw manned, so I pointed that out to her.

      Also in brief: Oprah’s a moral coward when it comes to admitting when she was wrong.  It’s almost Papal in its arrogance of infallibility.  This is a particularly bad thing when she has as much influence as she has.

      As an example, Oprah’s support for anti-vax crusades is de facto damaging.  Her failing to come out and say she was wrong particularly after the “MMR vaccine causes autism” research was proven falsified is bloody disingenuous and gutless.  By supporting anti-vaccinators she puts the whole society at risk.  But hey, at least a bunch of dumb midwesterners get to enjoy free cars while they spend the ends of their lives kicking and screaming from measles, mumps, or rubella.  Because that’s the really important thing, isn’t it?

    • Placebo says:

      10:05am | 27/05/11

      I agree with Tory on this one. Oprah may be great and has an inspiring story to back it too but the fact of the matter is, she got lucky and i think she sold herself by endorsing Obama. She always stood against “racism” but the endorsement was looked on by many as a racist and political move.
      I have seen a few of her shows and i couldnt find myself agreeing with her on anything. Somehow, she just doesnt do aything for me. I find her annoying and too preachy at most times. She gave us one of the biggest BS in the TV history- Dr Phil.
      She has done lots of work towards charity but still, somehow, my heart doesnt warm up to her like it does for other philanthropes like Bill Gates or closer to home, Glen McGrath. I wont be shedding any tears over her departure.

    • Tim says:

      01:35pm | 26/05/11

      All this does is prove that those who watch daytime TV are made dumber by the experience.
      I think the cause of Baby Brain for some women has less to do with having and looking after a baby and more to do with sitting around watching hours of Oprah and The Circle.
      That stuff would melt anyones neurons.

      Reply

    • Shane says:

      03:12pm | 26/05/11

      So what’s your excuse for the melted neurons in your brain?
      I call Tim - as a judgemental prat.

    • Luce says:

      05:29pm | 26/05/11

      All TV numbs the mind because it does the thinking for you, it’s not just Oprah. What ever happened to picking up a good old fashioned book and doing some reading? (God I’m starting to sound like my parents…)

    • Mathias says:

      01:35pm | 26/05/11

      I have never watched an Oprah episode, except for that Simpsons episode… OPROH hahahaa

      Reply

    • the lv says:

      01:35pm | 26/05/11

      I haven’t watched an episode of Oprah for nearly 20 years and I couldn’t care less about her or her show. I feel sorry for you though, if you really believe what you have written,  you are one bitter, cynical person.
      Manal al-Sharif IS taking responsibility for her own life, thats why she’s choosing to risk jail in her protest, rather than sit around feeling sorry for herself.
      Stating excellence is the best deterent for racism or sexism is not stating that one persons excellence is a 100% cure for everyone elses racism or sexism.
      I would have thought basic comprehension skills would have been a part of the criteria for a journalism degree.

      Reply

    • Tubesteak says:

      02:22pm | 26/05/11

      If that’s the definition of cynical and bitter then I’d rather be cynical and bitter than deluded and pathetic. At least you can oopen your eyes and not be blinded by simplistic statements aimed at cattle.

    • EnnB says:

      02:30pm | 26/05/11

      I must say that I hardly ever make blog comments, let alone comment on others’ comments, but I read this one and thought it was the most balanced and reasoned response. Well done the lv!

    • Macca says:

      02:55pm | 26/05/11

      EnnB: the sockpuppet…

    • Tom says:

      07:04pm | 26/05/11

      On “Excellence is the best deterrent to racism or sexism.”, so is a machete, a billion in the bank or a great golf swing.

    • MD says:

      01:37pm | 26/05/11

      Television for small minds, who knew…

      Reply

    • fairsfair says:

      01:40pm | 26/05/11

      holy harshness batman.

      I think the woman has her moments, but for her faults she makes an overall positive contribution on this planet. I won’t knock that and even though she genuinely likes Tom Cruise, I’ll try my bestest not to judge.

      Reply

    • St. Michael says:

      04:00pm | 26/05/11

      The problem being is that she has “moments”, ff.  As in, plural.  One mistake or wilful lie you might excuse for being a first offence.  As the saying goes, “Once may be an error; twice maybe incompetence; but three begins to look like malice aforethought.”

      Robert Kiyosaki.
      James Frey.
      The Secret.
      Anti-vaccination.

      I would posit that the collective negative impact of Oprah wilfully spruiking or promoting these harmful individuals, concepts, and products—amongst others—morally far outweighs the dollars she’s contributed to philanthropy.

    • fairsfair says:

      07:15pm | 26/05/11

      fair call St Mick.

      I won’t lie to you though, I love’d her for her Xmas Favourite things episodes. I’m sorry, I know that makes me a bad person wink

    • St. Michael says:

      10:56pm | 26/05/11

      @ fairsfair: No, it just makes you a capitalist, and therefore one of God’s children wink

    • St. Michael says:

      01:41pm | 26/05/11

      James Frey.  “A Million Little Pieces”.  Google it in connection with Oprah and find out all you need to know about Oprah’s ethics and principles.  For those who can’t be bothered, here’s the short time line:

      26 October 2005: Oprah endorses the book as the Oprah Winfrey Book Club Selection of the Month.  This turns the book into a best seller because morons think that because Oprah reads it that they’ll like it too.  Chief element in her endorsement is that it’s a non-fiction book.

      8 January 06: The Smoking Gun website fact-checks Frey’s book and turns up some significant disrepancies with fact, i.e. lies, which suggest Frey was writing fiction, not non-fiction.  Frey, the author admits he lied and made up a number of the events in the book.  (Link to the article: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/celebrity/million-little-lies )

      After the story goes up, Oprah says she will continue to recommend the book even though “some of the facts have been questioned.”  Remember, this is after Frey’s admissions he lied.

      The Washington Post criticises Oprah for apparently not caring about the truth.

      27 January 2006: Oprah backflips, puts Frey and his publisher up on the show and rips him a new one on live TV.  According to Frey’s account, after the show was over, Oprah approached him and said “Don’t worry too much about it.  It’s just business.”

      12 May 2009: Oprah backflips again and apologises to Frey on national TV.

      Oprah’s been a celebrity endorsement guru for a good 20 years or more.  Any moron with a superficially attractive and dishonest book to peddle—whether it’s Robert Kiyosaki or The Secret—can get her endorsement.  There’s nothing to cry over given she’s now retiring from personally spruiking shit.

      Reply

    • Fiona says:

      09:46pm | 26/05/11

      Clearly you don’t like her.  It was her show to spruik whomever she wanted. A LOT of people loved her, more fool them if they swallowed everything she ever came out with. I don’t know about her being morally bankrupt etc. After all, how harmful was the secret? Anti vaccination guests like Jenny McCarthy, yes. Overall though I would still go down on the side of good rather than evil.

    • St. Michael says:

      10:52pm | 26/05/11

      Yes, I don’t like her.  That’s because I don’t like people who lie barefaced whilst putting on a homely front of “I’m one of you, I care about you, I wouldn’t say something untrue to you.”  Duplicity’s still a reason not to have an emotional reaction of dislike for someone, isn’t it?

      I also don’t like people who hire out their integrity to whoever can throw enough cash at them.  I call such people the worst hypocrites since they profess to empathise with you whilst knowingly deceiving you.  It’s about as low a moral act as you can do.

      Sure it was her show to spruik whomever she wanted—IF, and ONLY if, she put a disclaimer on her shows that it was an infomercial or a commercial promotion without objective research into the facts.  Without that, it amounted to misleading or deceptive conduct under Australian law at least—since Oprah and/or Harpo clearly had a reckless disregard for the truth before she set out to broadcast it to millions of people in the Frey case and others.  That’s not acceptable for someone who advanced her career off her reputation as a journalist first and therefore as someone who could be trusted to tell the objective truth.

      Put it this way, if one person died from a preventable, vaccine-available disease because they took Oprah at her word that she believed anti-vaccination propaganda was real, would that still put Oprah on the side of good , on balance?
      If not, how high does the body count have to go?
      Where do you draw the moral line?

    • LINDA says:

      01:42pm | 26/05/11

      I dont feel a thing for this woman one way or the other, she can live or die, smile or cry…I wont even blink. never bothered watching her show after seeing a couple of episodes that came on after my shows ended….just “house wife dribble” that lies to ordinary women and gives them false hope….“oh, looky here at me , I is jus a ordinary gurl like yo all’s…but I is now filthy fkn rich…thanks to all yo peeps watchin muh show”
      pppfffttt…all she has done is show me how easily people are led and will give away their hard earnt money *rolls eyes*

      Reply
    • Tory Shepherd

      Tory Shepherd says:

      03:27pm | 26/05/11

      You’re right, RallyGirl - it is easy to punch holes - but it’s also a genuine attempt at starting a debate. Simpering adoration, on the other hand…

      If you want, you can point out the specific bits in that you think are bullshit and I’m happy to respond.

    • Geoff - Brisbane says:

      01:44pm | 26/05/11

      We’re going to USTRAL YAH!!!!!

      Reply

    • St. Michael says:

      04:10pm | 26/05/11

      And do we all remember how annoyed we all were with Oprah when she disclosed “privately” how she hated being at Ayers Rock?

      Wouldn’t have anything to do with her hyperbole of praise spouted a good week or two earlier?

      Lack of integrity, anyone?

    • AdamC says:

      01:51pm | 26/05/11

      Geez, Tory, you wouldn’t want to come across as a humourless cynic, would you?

      Reply

    • Brad Coward says:

      01:56pm | 26/05/11

      The funniest article that I will read all day.  Would Oprah have become the megastar that she has become had she been born anywhere else other than America.

      I doubt it.  Americans thrive on BS artists and Oprah tops the list of American BS artists.

      Hope that this becomes a regular feature of The Punch.  It’s a touch of lightness in our serious world.

      Reply

    • SM says:

      01:58pm | 26/05/11

      Her stuff is perfectly targeted towards her audience

      Your attempt at a humorous critique of those isolated quotes falls very flat Tory

      Comedy isn’t your go

      Reply

    • Sheedy's Left Foot says:

      01:59pm | 26/05/11

      I haven’t watched an episode of Oprah. What language is she speaking? Is it Greetingscardese?

      However we shouldn’t criticise. Oprah single handedly revitalised Australia’s ailing tourism industry. I can’t move in Queensland for all of the tourists from the cult of Oprah.

      Reply

    • SQ says:

      02:01pm | 26/05/11

      What a load of dribble. Seriously. Comments taken out of context, no insight or background on the subject matter and a nice dose of the ole tall poppy syndrome. Clearly a reflection of Tory’s own insecurities than an “expose” of Oprah. I have no reservations in saying that I have nothing but admiration for Oprah, not only as an entertainer but as a human being. She has done tremendous things for those less fortunate and her journey in overcoming poverty, abuse and adversity should be respected.

      As the old saying goes ’ haterz alwayz gonna hate’. Peace out.

      Reply
    • Tory Shepherd

      Tory Shepherd says:

      11:37am | 27/05/11

      Feel free to provide the context; these are quotes that exist on their own in Oprah’s magazine and many fan pages; so fans are taking them ‘out of context’ too.

    • Adam says:

      02:02pm | 26/05/11

      Oprah is a great example of the halo effect in action. Because she is likeable/successful people assume everything she says/does must be very wise, etc.

      Reply

    • Bruce says:

      05:22pm | 26/05/11

      Never understood the attraction of Oprah. Just another over rated midday talk show host.

    • Ando says:

      10:31am | 27/05/11

      “Every one has a calling” sounds good but in the real world you need to take the best job you can get and ditch the pipedream.
      It reminds me of Lady Ga Ga encouraging kids to be as weird as possiible. It all sounds good if you are getting paid millions for being weird but not to practical for everyoner else.

    • Laura says:

      02:04pm | 26/05/11

      I feel like I’ve just witnessed a grandparent trying to converse with their thirteen year old grand child who simply rolls her eyes in response and makes that “blah blah blah” motion with her hand. This was a depressing read.

      Reply

    • Simon says:

      02:05pm | 26/05/11

      Is this honestly what passes for an article on the punch now?  Overly cynical musings that take things far too literally? 

      I don’t even know what this is.  Is it an attempt at humour?

      Reply

    • John the Zombie says:

      02:08pm | 26/05/11

      How many people have read the book the Great Gatsby. I recomend you read it as Oprah is most likely a true reflection of this book. She has come from rags to riches and to live the American dream and that is what I say is her greatest attraction as many still chase this dream. She stands out as someone who has do it so in the mind of the people why cant I.

      Tory I am waiting for the PC police to come out and say that the use of Fukushima is a no no.

      Reply

    • hot tub political machine says:

      04:32pm | 27/05/11

      John the Zombie. I see the Great Gatsby in a vastly different light ot you, but my reading isn’t anymore legitimate than yours. Personally I think F. Scott Fitzgerald was trying to point out the utter fraud of the American Dream (check out the types Gatsby invites to his parties to see the underscoring of this point)  - though plenty of folks with great literature knowledge read it the way you do.

    • Zaf says:

      02:09pm | 26/05/11

      Um, if you’re so smart, why aren’t you (as) rich (as Oprah)?

      Reply

    • St. Michael says:

      04:08pm | 26/05/11

      Irrelevant.  You don’t have to have a bank balance to query someone’s morals.

    • Michael says:

      11:57am | 27/05/11

      who says he/she isn’t as wealthy as Oprah? or just wealthy in his/her own right?:

    • S N says:

      02:11pm | 26/05/11

      I like this article Tory…it’s funny…. well done.

      In reference to this…
      ‘My philosophy is that not only are you responsible for your life, but doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment’...
      ...tell that to people who are born into disadvantage…no wait…Oprah was…what is she talking about?

      In reference to…‘I do not believe in failure. It is not failure if you enjoyed the process’....lets hope all those essays I just finished and thoroughly enjoyed writing do not come back to me with a fail mark…this quote will definately be bullshit if that happens

      I actually dont mind Oprah…but c’mon…not everything she says is great… she does say some utter bullshit stuff.

      Reply

    • Darragh Scully says:

      02:22pm | 26/05/11

      OMG. I got told off by a scientist at UWA yesterday for using the word shit in a sentence. I said ‘I make shit happen’, and I believe she was offended by that. I then went on to discuss the matter with the UWA administration to find out if it was really against student policy for a student say Shit in a sentence even if it was in the modern Semantically Changed Positive venacular. I said to them that there must of been alot of disciplinary action when Forrest Gump was hip and people were going around saying shit happens. Is it something in the Air. Just after reading some of these comments I have to say that some of the things your saying about OP are tottaly out of Context.

      Context is a word that is fully covered in Year 12 English. It is an essential part of our language skills development. First of all there are lots of cultural differences between the USA and Australia. For further reading I suggest you try http://www.convictcreations.com/culture/yankaussie.htm  So its not odd that you think she is a cracker however thats just your inability to put her comments into the context of where she is at. Satire maybe, thats another word we fully covered in School, and it has to be Juxtaposed against sarcasm. Now alot of your comments are just plain sarcasm, which is supposed to be funny right? Then you have mataphors. The quoted comments are often metaphors that your supposed to infer things from, like the dancing quote, which has been taken totally out of context here.
      So in my opinion you get an F and a referal to the School Psychologist for suspect Stupidity Disorder though a differential diagnosis may be neccessary to.

      Reply

    • Not Me says:

      02:23pm | 26/05/11

      Oprah, who is worth an estimated $2.5 Billion now has a street value of $8.6 Billion.

      Sarah Palin has never met Oprah, but she has seen her from her house.

      Oprah’s latest book club pick is Ken Follet’s 973-page “Pillars of the Earth.” Her praise for the novel, however, took a hit when Dr. Phil called Follet a lazy sack of crap for not writing 27 more pages.

        “One of the things I loved ... I loved the fact that you had real breasts,” Oprah tells Winslet, to which the actress gushed, “Thank you very much!” Immediately after Oprah’s comment she pointed at the audience and exclaimed “Everyone look under their chairs! You get new breasts!, You get new breasts!, You get new breasts!,……”

      Ice Cube is the latest rap star to complain that Oprah won’t book him on her show. “Oprah’s got a problem with hip hop,” said a baffled Ice Cube, while working on a new CD. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I gotta figure out what rhymes with ‘pussy-rape.’”

      Reply

    • iansand says:

      02:25pm | 26/05/11

      If you wrap up commonplaces in semi-coherency airheads will think you are wise.

      Reply

    • Seano says:

      02:59pm | 26/05/11

      She’s also lowered herself to having a few skeptics on from time to time but from the clips I’ve seen they are generally cut off, ignored or belitted.

      The anti-vaccine people particularly disgust me.

    • Lawrence says:

      02:47pm | 26/05/11

      Oh, Tory, I see bullshit too, but it’s not Oprah’s. And that’s a shame because there’s so much about the whole Oprah phenomenon that you could argue is bullshit without having to willfully misunderstand her comments.

      Reply
    • Tory Shepherd

      Tory Shepherd says:

      11:38am | 27/05/11

      Please share, Lawrence!

    • Redeker Plan says:

      02:59pm | 26/05/11

      “‘The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you’re willing to work.’ What about The Secret, then? Didn’t you endorse that?”
      GOLD!
      The Secret is one of those phenomenons that has one very useful ability: if you see it in the house or hands of a new workmate/acquaintance/F-buddy, then you know straight off not to bother getting to know them any better.  It’s like people (are there any?) who take Samantha Brett seriously.  I bet she has a copy of The Secret… Sorry about the tangent; I just read Samantha’s latest tripe for a laugh and ended up intensely irritated instead. 
      As for Oprah, meh.

      Reply

    • Kassandra says:

      03:26pm | 26/05/11

      Oprah will no doubt be distraught when she reads some of the comments about her on the Punch. Probably cry all the way to the bank. And she has the cheek to use her considerable influence and to spend huge chunks of her money on poor and disadvantaged people to give them hope and a leg up and to make a lot of people happy, if only for a time. She understands them and they adore her because she has been there. Who cares if she is no Siddhartha in the philosophy dept? More powa to her. Go find another tall poppy to pick on.

      Reply

    • Suzanne says:

      03:37pm | 26/05/11

      Please readd my comment on the dangerous woo that she peddles and maybe even click on the link for more information.

    • Kassandra says:

      03:52pm | 27/05/11

      @ Suzanne:
      Jesus, if every person on the planet who “peddled dangerous woo” was to be done away with there wouldn’t be many left! And the Punch would be scrambling to find many posters….This girl who made it big time off her own talent and effort at least does some good in this world and isn’t just selfishly socking it away like most other rich people.

    • St. Michael says:

      04:50pm | 27/05/11

      @ Kassandra: not every person who peddles dangerous woo has the reputation that Oprah has for objectivity, which is what makes her peddling that much more effective and that much more dangerous.  Nor does every person who peddles dangerous woo have the sort of apparent hold over her followers commensurate with the Dalai Lama’s apparent hold over Leftie morons.

    • NSW says:

      03:29pm | 26/05/11

      People please - Oprah is the queen of the lowest common denominator. End of story.

      Reply

    • Anonymously says:

      03:35pm | 26/05/11

      Exactly. Just look at some of these silver bullets of wisdom that will never gain the heady status of planet-accepted truthliness, because Harpo didn’t say them:

      “You are unto yourself that what others is about” (1)

      “If we all take just one minute out of each day, in four years we can cancel February 29” (2)

      “There is hatred in the world. But if we all live like the Dalai Lama, we can have a security team to take care of it for us.” (3)

      “In all things ask yourself this - how will your action impact my legacy? - Not your leagcy, of course, you’re insignificant. MY legacy..” (4)

      “A rolling stone is like a sheep that gathers no bush. Hard to swallow.” (5)

      References
      1, 2, 3, 4, 5 - anonymously

      Reply

    • rogert says:

      03:47pm | 26/05/11

      I find her a manipulative, self righteous Uncle Tom.  She reminds me of Prissy (Butterlty McQueen) in Gone with the Wind every time she opens her mouth.  The galling patronisation of all and sundry turns my stomach,,,,

      Tom Cruuuuuuuuuuuuissssseeee!!!! Don’t we just love him, audience?
      Mmmmmmhhhhhmmmm!

      Reply

    • fox says:

      07:43am | 28/05/11

      Funny you should mention that, Oprah was called out for doing exactly that, ie pretending SHE was giving out free cars, when it turned out later that it was the car company doing so, and that each recipient still had to fork out thousands of dollars before they could get their car. Oprah has never given away anything without capitalising on the ‘gift’.. ie receiving more net benefit than she gives away. She’s a total scam artist and Tory is completely correct in her critisism. And I found the article very funny!

    • Outraged says:

      04:05pm | 26/05/11

      Shame on you, Tory!

      Feminists love to complain that the “Patriarchy” is holding women back…but it seems “sisters” can’t help tearing another sister down…

      Women are their own worst enemy…you don’t support each other!

      Reply

    • AAAdam says:

      04:36pm | 26/05/11

      Yep, because blindly supporting someone on the basis of gender works so well (whatever name you want to give it).

    • Tory Shepherd

      Tory Shepherd says:

      11:40am | 27/05/11

      Yep, so women should unconditionally support other women or face accusations of betraying some nebulous ‘sisterhood’. Would that mean female journalists should not criticise our PM?

    • Not Happy Oprah says:

      06:29pm | 26/05/11

      I still have my feet on the ground, I just wear better shoes.
      My philosophy is that not only are you responsible for your life, but doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.
      I think that when you invite people to your home, you invite them to yourself.
      Turn your wounds into wisdom.
      Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity.
      I was raised to believe that excellence is the best deterrent to racism or sexism. And that’s how I operate my life.
      I trust that everything happens for a reason, even when we’re not wise enough to see it.
      Every time you state what you want or believe, you’re the first to hear it. It’s a message to both you and others about what you think is possible. Don’t put a ceiling on yourself.
      Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.
      The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude.

      Reply

    • The Badbadbadger says:

      06:31pm | 26/05/11

      Not Happy Oprah?
      Take this

      Ice Cube is the latest rap star to complain that Oprah won’t book him on her show. “Oprah’s got a problem with hip hop,” said a baffled Ice Cube, while working on a new CD. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I gotta figure out what rhymes with ‘pussy-rape.’”

      Sarah Palin has never met Oprah, but she has seen her from her house.

      Oprah just interviewed Sarah Pailin.  Winfrey could have gotten less convoluted answers from my intestines during a game of Twister.

      Oprah’s latest book club pick is Ken Follet’s 973-page “Pillars of the Earth.” Her praise for the novel, however, took a hit when Dr. Phil called Follet a lazy sack of crap for not writing 27 more pages.

      The star, who is worth an estimated $2.5 Billion now has a street value of $8.6 Billion.

        “One of the things I loved ... I loved the fact that you had real breasts,” Oprah tells Winslet, to which the actress gushed, “Thank you very much!” Immediately after Oprah’s comment she pointed at the audience and exclaimed “Everyone look under their chairs! You get new breasts!, You get new breasts!, You get new breasts!,……”

      Reply

    • fairsfair says:

      07:39pm | 26/05/11

      masking tape?

    • bikinis on top says:

      06:47pm | 26/05/11

      Make Oprah Winfrey the next USA Ambassador to Australia.
      Change is coming to America! Yes it can!

      Reply

    • stephen says:

      07:47pm | 26/05/11

      She’s rich and not too bright which should be the best endorsement for the rest of us that she can ever consciously hope for.

      Reply

    • david says:

      03:07am | 27/05/11

      ‘what we dwell on is who we become’ is proven by Tory throughout the rest of the piece.

      With regard to Oprah, Tory dwells on negativity, cynicism and disrespect - and has become negative, cynical and disrespectful toward Oprah.

      Reply

    • Traxster says:

      10:23am | 27/05/11

      Hey Tory,you’re probably too young to remember the song sung by ‘Kermit’ the Frog in that movie.
      It suits you to a ‘tee’.and it’s called….
      ‘It’s Not easy Being Green’.
      and it has nothing to do with the environment.

      Reply
    • Tory Shepherd

      Tory Shepherd says:

      11:42am | 27/05/11

      Jesus, does my pic make me look that young?

      It’s sad that you think this springs from envy; if that was the case it would be targeted at Annabel Crabb, maybe, or Leigh Sales.

    • Michael says:

      12:03pm | 27/05/11

      i heart Leigh Sales and Annabelle Crabb, except Crabb is a bit too left for me.

    • The Badger says:

      12:03pm | 27/05/11

      Tory
      You leave Annabel out of this.

    • Az says:

      10:57am | 27/05/11

      Anyone who uses a bloated American TV host for moral compass needs to take a good long hard look at themselves and drag themselves away from the TV.

      Reply

    • Anjuli says:

      03:19pm | 27/05/11

      Your comment   :I stopped watching Oprah when I stopped feeling sorry for myself many years ago and just got on with life thereby feeling better about myself .Besides couldn’t stand all the treacle that was being dished out. Still good luck to her she has made billions ,because people did watch her .

      Reply

    • Pam says:

      04:46pm | 27/05/11

      I hope I am not misquoting her, however ,I switched off on the first of this week’s farewell trilogy when Madonna said that one of the reasons for Oprah’s success or why she admired her   was that she had ‘balls’.  If anything, I would have thought that Oprah’s success was testimony to the fact that one didn’t need ‘balls’ to succeed.    I’m happy to be corrected and apologise sincerely if that’s not what Madonna said - but from the look on Tom Hanks’ face I think I heard correctly

      Reply
 
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