Article Link Newsweek article on Oprah is not flattering.

[Vintage VFer]

Originally Posted by SharonNYC

I understand that the day after Rodney Yee appeared on Oprah his video sales climbed enough to pay for his kids' college educations.

And that pesky alimony...

[Sissy B]

Originally posted by Pippa
I find it equally if not more disturbing though that people seem to just take whatever Oprah says as the *gospel* on any particular subject. I understand the idea that "Oprah has access to the best so if she says it's good, it must be." But, at the end of the day, we all need to take responsibility for ourselves. Oprah can tell me what her favorite book is or her favorite eye cream or how she lost 100 lbs by starving herself, but she can't make me read, buy or do anything. Yes, she makes things sound good, she makes people want things...but she doesn't make anyone do anything.

Honestly, the scariest things about this article for me is that we apparently need Newsweek to tell us not to believe everything we see on Oprah. I mean, shouldn't we already know that?

I totally agree with this post and Pippa said it better than I ever could.

I have gotten to the point that if Oprah endorses it I have no interest. I have read several of her Book Club picks and find them depressing. Bob Greene does not impress me (although the Newsweek article thought highly of him) because his claim to fame is being Oprah's trainer. If it weren't for that then no one would probably even know who he was. It's not like she has maintained her weight loss and is a success story. I don't look to Oprah for my fitness advice. And I think sherry7899 makes a great point:

Oprah also does not use her influence/celebrity to potentially help people to love fitness. Anytime they show her exercising, she is trudging along on a treadmill or elliptical looking like she'd rather be anywhere else. She seems to equate exercise with getting dental work done! She could have great guests on her show to demonstrate that there are more forms of cardio-like using Cardio Coach or itrains on equipment. Or she could have Chalean on to demonstrate Turbo Jam, have the creators of NIA, Kukuwa, Billy Blanks, Leslie or Gin Miller-people who make exercise more enjoyable....can you imagine Mindy Mylrea on her show

And let me just say this about videofit's comment:

This isn't a nanny state (yet) and people are allowed to make up their own minds. I personally like having choices.

I make my own choices and I choose not to let Oprah dictate what I do. She is not an expert but many people do take her recommendations as gospel and do things because that's what Oprah does. And Oprah is not the ultimate authority on everything. And neither are some of her guests/gurus.

~Sissy B

[videofit]

Originally Posted by Sissy B

I make my own choices and I choose not to let Oprah dictate what I do. She is not an expert but many people do take her recommendations as gospel and do things because that's what Oprah does.
~Sissy B

What about all the people who have followed the "financial experts" on MSNBC or CNN?

How many people on this board are "fitness experts" and yet people take their advice? They could be seriously injured doing some of the workouts, right?

Turn on the Today Show or NBC Nightly News and there are plenty of "experts" saying things that are bogus, unproven or dangerous. Some of them are actually doctors! Even doctors don't agree on everything. Read Overdosed America to see how the FDA is "protecting" you.

I question everything, do my research and make up my own mind. There is no lack of information. People make up their own minds and have to take responsibility for their choices.

Oprah is still as much of a lightning rod as Tracy Anderson on this board. Thank God, because things were getting pretty dull. By the way, Gwyneth was on Conan's show the other night and looked fantastic. She had Conan do some butt exercises because he is buttless.

[ots]

Wow! I feel like I'm the only person on the planet that actually likes Oprah. I both admire and like her for always trying to improve her life and the lives of those around her.

Granted, sometimes she is duped by so-called experts. I also couldn't believe Suzanne Somers regimen with bio-identicals and the autism/vaccine issue which scientists have pretty much ruled out. I think Dr. Oz should have been used as a consultant on both these issues.

Nonetheless, I believe that she is always striving (not necessarily succeeding) with living a better life. Suze Orman was on frequently over the past year dealing with the financial meltdown. Also, she has included environmental issues on her show over the last few years. I think this is an uncomfortable and unappealing issue for her ---- especially if you saw her reaction to vermiculture. But, despite that, I think she realizes that these issues are important.

Last, I don't think that Jonathan Frantzen tried to withdraw his book. IIRC, Oprah dropped him after he accepted her invitation to be part of the book club and then dissed her on his tour. That was ungracious of him. I don't like all the books that she recommends --- but, she has certainly improved the reading habits of millions and if "wonderful" books don't get exposure because they don't want to sully themselves, then the literary world should never again complain that people don't read their tomes.

I don't feel like she dictates my life. I don't blindly follow her suggestions. I find her enthusiasm infectious and entertaining.

[Janga]

Re Oprah, although still ignoring the topic of her , I'd say that though I admire her to an extent for having worked hard and made a good life for herself apparently, I'd say that at this point in time she is not so much a lightning rod as an anti lightning rod. It seems to me that as a marketing tool her star has descended. People are just tired of it. I also have, for years, felt massively weary with the Saint O routine, with the magazine that only has herself on the cover, etc. und so weiter.

It's just overkill and not believable anymore.

Re taking advice lol, I never take anyone's advice unless it is about cars or plumbing.

[Gilda]

I have been an Oprah fan for a number of years for a number of reasons -- one of which is that her TV show went national just at the time I was starting my business. I watched the show for information and was inspired by her story. We have some things in common and in the 1980s it was great for me to see that she was rising above it all. I admire her for that.

Oprah has mentioned several times that she appreciated it when people close to her told her the truth about herself. One example she used was when Bill Cosby told her that she had on way too much makeup during an awards show. In case any of her people ever read this, I'll add two examples where some of them ought to have spoken up and told the truth.

First, when the author of the book, A Million Little Pieces, was found to have not been totally truthful, he was brought back on Oprah to 'fess up. It was as though the worse thing in the world was to have told an untruth to Oprah. He was to have a heavier weight on his shoulder because he had done this great wrong on her show. Not being truthful is not being truthful. You don't get more points deducted because you told an untruth to Oprah. We have to be careful about that kind of thinking. I understand that on Oprah, his message was broadcast to millions of people, yet there are ways to handle that without sending the message: "You lied to Oprah and you now have done the ultimate wrong."

Secondly, she recently had the woman on who is known for doing damage to her husband's private parts. If any of you saw that show, you know I'm not kidding here: Oprah and the audience laughed several times during the discussion! Oh me oh my. I did not find that funny at all. Just think of a man being on the show and them making light of something similar he'd done to a woman. Ain't gonna happen and it shouldn't! Bottom line is that was just not funny, but I think I said that already. OK, I'll stop here before I get too worked up.

[Janga]

Yes, glad that you mentioned this.

Originally Posted by sherry7899

...

Also, she said for her treatment that she relaxed and drank soy milk. Soy products interfere with the absorption of thyroid medications. I cringed when I read that, picturing women on thyroid medication blindly following her methods.

Sherry..going back to studying..

[F1mom]

Originally Posted by MuscleGuy

Case in point.....Tracy Anderson has written a book. :ROLLEYES:

Nooooo!!!! And I was enjoying all the Tracy-free thread.

Seriously, she hasn't written it yet, just received the advance money and probably hired a ghost-writer (we hope).

[F1mom]

Originally Posted by Alta

And that pesky alimony...

Oooooo!!!!!!

[FitBoop]

Originally Posted by ronnee

I've always been deeply annoyed by Oprah and this just confirms my feelings. Northrup is another character that angers me. According to one of her books, my fibroids were caused by repressed anger and my miscarriages by my supposed ambivalence about being a mother. oy. Don't even get me started on Suzanne Somers. Just because you write a book doesn't maake you an expert. It's being an expert that should lead to writing the book.

Ronnee

Ditto. It never ceases to amaze me how some people achieve fame, fortune, and power.