A Generation Of Oprah Winfrey: Top Ten Moments

The power of Oprah Winfrey is such that while news Winfrey would be ending her talk show in 2011 was not really a shock to anyone, the idea of turning on the TV at 4pm and not finding Oprah on her couch may take some time to absorb. The Oprah Winfrey Show has been in syndication since 1986 meaning, among other things, that at least half my office has not known television without Oprah, and that the other half (including myself) does not remember after school television without Oprah. Even if you weren't the biggest fan, she was just always there. Oprah will inevitably be remembered in totality and not for specific highlights -- she is so far reaching, and now so much a part of the American psyche, that it's hard to think of a place she hasn't had some sort of ripple effect on (though perhaps at this moment in time it will be book publishing that will miss her presence most). With that said, here's a look at the top ten Oprah moments of the last 23 years, which were harder to come by than you might think mostly due to the fact YouTube has only been around for the last four of those years. Nevertheless! Here are some outstanding highlights. NEXT>>> The Oprah Fat Wagon Without question one of the most memorable moments of the Oprah Winfrey Show was in 1988, when after four months of severe dieting appeared on stage in size 8 designer jeans pulling a wagon full of 67 lbs of fat -- the exact amount she had lost. The weight was quickly gained back. What this show also marked was the moment Oprah's personal struggle with fat became the nation's, resulting in an entire cottage industry of Oprah shows and books detailing how to live your best life, etc. NEXT>>> Oprah and Tom Cruise It's entirely possible that Tom Cruise's career is still recovering from this appearance on Oprah when he jumped on her couch to demonstrate how excited he was about his new romance with Katie Holmes. NEXT>>> A Million Little Pieces After practically saving the book publishing industry and launching the careers of various authors with her Book Club, Winfrey (and everyone else) was caught way off guard when it was revealed that James Frey's memoir A Million Little Pieces, which had been a book club pick, was partly fictionalized. Frey and his publisher Nan Talese were called to the floor (couch) for and accounting that publishing will not soon forget. NEXT>>> Oprah Meets Michael Jackson The two most powerful entertainers on the planet sit down for an interview inside Michael Jackson's Neverland ranch. I remember this at the time being a really big deal, coming as it did after Jackson's infamous court case, though after Jackson's death Oprah admitted that she wished she'd been better prepared. michael jackson- Oprah winfrey interview part 4Uploaded by wecanluvagain. - Full seasons and entire episodes online. NEXT>>> Oprah Teaches the World How To Give Sometime after the rise of Jerry Springer, Oprah made a clear decision that she wasn't going to truck in the sort of tabloid talk show that swept the nation by storm in the early nineties. One of the results of this was a focus on how viewers could better themselves and the world. Enter the Angel Network which Winfrey launched in 1997 asking viewers to send in their spare change. NEXT>>> You've Got a Car! You've Got a Car! Viewers themselves frequently got a taste of Oprah's generosity, perhaps most spectacularly when she gave her entire audience a free car. Fun remix below. NEXT>>> The Book Club Launch Of all the things Oprah has managed to do with her platform, I would argue Oprah's Book Club might have the most lasting impact. Launched in 1996 it began by focusing on Oprah faves like The Deep End of the Ocean by Jacquelyn Mitchard and She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb, but evolved to include classics, meaning that in 2004 Leo Tolstoy became a national bestseller thanks to Oprah tapping Anna Karenina as that month's selection. Her departure will be an enormous blow to the publishing world, not to mention America's literary habits. NEXT>>> Oprah's Men: Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz, Nate The list of careers Oprah has launched is long. Before becoming the host of his own straight-talking national show, the nation became acquainted with Dr. Phil a regular guest on Oprah. More recently she has favored the advice of Dr. Mehmet Oz, who also has his own show now thanks to Oprah. Interior designer Nate Berkus also found national fame after being featured as a regular guest and now host of Oprah's Big Giveaway. NEXT>>> Mad Cow And Twelve Angry Cattlemen After doing a show in 1996 about Mad Cow disease Oprah exclaimed "It has just stopped me cold from eating another burger!" Such is the power of Oprah that Texas cattlemen sued her in early 1998 for "false defamation of perishable food" and "business disparagement." Oprah won. NEXT>>> Oprah And Barack Oprah announced her support for Barack Obama in 2007 and shortly thereafter stated that as a result she would not be interviewing any candidates on her show, which I think was a real loss for both Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin (for entirely different reasons). A mystery man however, reaped huge rewards.

A Generation Of Oprah Winfrey: Top Ten Moments

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A Generation Of Oprah Winfrey: Top Ten Moments

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