Topic: Oprah-Winfrey

Oprah Promoted Self-Esteem, But Her Retail Therapy Didn’t Come Free

Oprah Promoted Self-Esteem, But Her Retail Therapy Didn't Come Free

Now that Oprah‘s show is drawing to a close, I can’t help but reflect on the many ways that she changed the face of daytime television, and people’s lives. When The Oprah Winfrey Show hit the airwaves 25 years ago, it followed the same formats as Phil Donahue and Sally Jessie Raphael, in that, it portrayed sensationalist every-man stories about family gossip, medical wonders, and relationship blunders. Then in the mid-90s, Oprah switched gears and decided her show was going to help people’s self-esteem, self-worth, and self-confidence. Segments like “Remembering Your Spirit,” “Oprah’s Book Club,” “Live Your Best Life,” and “Favorite Things” popped up, cataloging different items people could purchase to enhance their self-worth. Treat yourself, was the idea behind it. Unfortunately, I find that by promoting self-help through consumerism, her quest to make Americans happier is a message diluted by crass methods.
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We’re as jealous as the next person of the altruistic audience members who recieved iPads, $500 Nordstrom gift cards, and expensive Nikon cameras. (Though we’re perfectly happy not to be stuck with those glittery UGG boots.) But we also think Oprah betrayed her audience a little with these gifts: From beauty products full of chemicals that disrupt the human endocrine system to household items that aren’t the equally elegant and eco-friendly functional alternatives, we think the Queen of Talk could have done better.

– Blisstree Deputy Editor Briana Rognlin questions Oprah’s recent gift-giving choices in her post: Oprah’s Ultimate Audience Betrayal: 5 “Favorite Things” We Wish She’d Stop Promoting

We’re as jealous as the next person of the altruistic audience members who recieved iPads, $500 Nordstrom gift cards, and expensive Nikon cameras. (Though we’re perfectly happy not to be stuck with those glittery UGG boots.) But we also think Oprah betrayed her audience a little with these gifts: From beauty products full of chemicals that disrupt the human endocrine system to household items that aren’t their equally elegant and eco-friendly functional alternatives, we think the Queen of Talk could have done better.

We’re as jealous as the next person of the altruistic audience members who recieved iPads, $500 Nordstrom gift cards, and expensive Nikon cameras. (Though we’re perfectly happy not to be stuck with those glittery UGG boots.) But we also think Oprah betrayed her audience a little with these gifts: From beauty products full of chemicals that disrupt the human endocrine system to household items that aren’t their equally elegant and eco-friendly functional alternatives, we think the Queen of Talk could have done better.

Blisstree Deputy Editor Briana Rognlin calls Oprah on her recent (and final) two-part Ultimate Favorite Things episodes, from her post: Oprah’s Ultimate Audience Betrayal: 5 “Favorite Things” We Wish She’d Stop Promoting

Oprah Gives Away Favorite Things, Terrifies Audience Members

Oprah Gives Away Favorite Things, Terrifies Audience Members

Obviously we’re just jealous, but we find Buzzfeed’s photo gallery of the Best Crowd Reactions From Oprah’s Ultimate Favorite Things episode to be completely hilarious. Part one of Oprah’s glitzy and teary holiday giveaway aired on Friday; part two happens on Monday. In the meantime, enjoy these 35 photographic gems (here are three of our particular faves), because this is as close as most of us are ever going to get to making Oprah’s Christmas gift list, much less getting her to fulfill ours. More »