Yes – the world’s most powerful woman (according to some reports, anyway) is celebrating the big 5-6 today. Even if you’re not a big fan, you have to admit, the woman’s done pretty well herself. Oprah hasn’t kept too many secrets about herself over the years, so I’m avoiding the big shockers that she has revealed on air – the child she had at 14, the sex abuse she suffered at the hands of relatives. These are just a few fun facts about O.
1. If things had been just a little bit different, she could have been Oprah Ebert. Doesn’t have a great ring to it, does it? The talk show host and the film critic went on a few dates in the ‘80s before deciding they worked better as friends. It’s Ebert who convinced Oprah she should syndicate her talk show, though. During a date at the Hamburger Hamlet (“My treat,” Ebert said) she asked his advice. He told her what he was making to do his syndicated show, then told her to double it, since she wouldn’t be using a co-host, then told her to double it again, because her show would be an hour instead of 30 minutes, then told her to multiply that by five since she would be on all week, then told her to double everything because her ratings would be better than his. That’s when Oprah decided to syndicate.
2. You’ve probably heard the story that Oprah’s name was supposed to be “Orpah” after a character in the Book of Ruth, but it was spelled wrong on her birth certificate, and so she became Oprah. Well, that’s not entirely true. According to Oprah herself, her birth certificate really does say “Orpah,” but no one could pronounce it. Somehow the “R” and the “P” always got switched, and eventually “Oprah” was just easier.
3. Even Oprah’s theme song boasts a rich history. Musical heavyweights who have composed lyrics or music for her opening tune include Paul Simon, Quincy Jones and Patti LaBelle. In 1999, Oprah took voice lessons so she could sing her own theme song, “Run On.” She made a music video for the song as well.
4. Only one author has ever turned down the opportunity for his book to be featured as one of Oprah’s Book Club books – Jonathan Franzen. Oprah chose Franzen’s novel The Corrections to be featured in 2001, and initially he accepted. Then he decided that having Oprah’s logo on his cover might alienate him from a male audience and rather insulted the intelligence of the people who read the books featured in her club by saying, “It’s a hard book for that audience.” Ouch.
5. She won the Miss Fire Prevention Contest when she was 17. She claims she was the only African-American in a pageant full of fair-skinned girls with auburn hair, so she wasn’t really banking on winning. When they got to the Q&A portion of the contest, she wasn’t really concerned about giving the cliché “world peace” answer. She responded to the question, “What would you do with a million dollars?” by saying, “I would be a spendin’ fool. I’m not quite sure what I would spend it on, but I would spend, spend, spend. Spendin’ fool.” Apparently the judges liked her humor and candor, because Oprah won. And now she has a million dollars many times over.
6. But not all critically-acclaimed authors shun the power of Oprah: in 2007, she was granted the first-ever onscreen interview with the notoriously private Cormac McCarthy when she chose The Road as one of her Book Club books.
7. Oprah’s idea of heaven? “A great big baked potato and someone to share it with.”
8. When Oprah opened her own studio, she was only the third woman in history to do so. The two before were Mary Pickford and Lucille Ball, so it had been quite a while since a woman had the pull and capital to do so.
9. The Oprah studio might be haunted. In the early 1900s, the land her studio complex in Chicago occupies today obviously wasn’t a television studio – it was Chicago’s Second Regiment Armory. When the SS Eastland overturned in the Chicago River in 1915, nearly 850 people died. The Armory was turned into a makeshift morgue where the hundreds of recovered bodies were brought for identification. These days, employees of Harpo Studios report seeing an apparition they call “The Gray Lady” and hearing phantom laughter at night.
10. The first-ever “The Oprah Winfrey Show” was called “How to Marry the Man or Woman of Your Choice.” Ironic, considering the fact that she says she and longtime boyfriend Stedman Graham will never marry, despite dating since 1986. Although they were once engaged, they later decided that they would rather have a “spiritual union” and that a traditional marriage would never work with the craziness of their lives.
Will you be devastated when Oprah goes off the air next year? Or will you not even notice? I’m in the latter category – although I’m very impressed with Miss O as a businesswoman and a person, I’ve never really gotten into her show.
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i only liked watching the shows where she gave the audience a bunch of stuff…. wishing i could be there getting free stuff the whole time… other than that i’m not big on any daytime talk shows…
posted by Fate on 1-29-2010 at 5:08 pm
I’m probably one of the only 24 year olds who can say that Oprah was a BIG part of my childhood. My mother watched it everyday at 4pm and it would always be on the tv when I got home from school. And although i haven’t watched it in probably 8 years, television will never be the same without her.
posted by Kate on 1-29-2010 at 5:42 pm
Is it just me, or are you waiting for Oprah to pull a Leno and make a comeback?
posted by Big Jonny on 1-29-2010 at 7:32 pm
She may pull a Leno. Rumor is she is leaving her syndicated show in order to do a show on the new cable network she is launching. If that network fails, expect to see Oprah back in syndication. (in my opinion)
posted by TheZed on 1-29-2010 at 8:18 pm
I have been SO over Oprah for many, many years. I will be happy when she no longer ‘influences’ the will of so many followers/sheeple.
posted by cmfalls on 1-30-2010 at 12:28 am
I agree, i admire her for her business savvy work but other than that I think people follow her words a little too closely
posted by Heather on 1-30-2010 at 5:07 am
Before Oprah moved to Chi-town to do her show, she was on a local (here in Baltimore) show called People Are Talking. This was her first real taste of hosting a talk show and from what I remember (this was the late 70′s) she wasn’t good at it and she didn’t enjoy doing it. Obviously, she grew into the role and the rest is history, but imagine if she had never been tapped for this show? She may have never gotten into it and she wouldn’t be the power she is today.
posted by Ian from Baltimore on 1-30-2010 at 10:26 am
I find Oprah completely annoying. I have never watched more than a few minutes of her show, so I will definitely not miss it. I usually won’t read the books she picks simply on principle. (I’m not much of a follower.) If I do want to read the book I won’t buy an edition with the Oprah Book Club logo on it unless I have no other reasonable choice.
posted by Wendy on 1-30-2010 at 10:30 am
I admire her as a woman, but I’ve never been a big fan of her show. I don’t like talk tv.
posted by Sara in AL on 1-30-2010 at 10:56 am
Ian – I also remember that her replacement on that show (Beverly Burke) did a far better job than she did
posted by PartiallyDeflected on 1-30-2010 at 11:45 am
Aside from the decreased opportunity for an inside joke between my brothers and myself, I’m not terribly concerned with Opera leaving.
But as it has been said, I do have to admire her business chops.
posted by Patrick on 1-30-2010 at 5:39 pm
If Oprah told her most devoted followers to jump off a bridge, they probably would.
posted by TiredoftheOprahhype on 1-30-2010 at 7:06 pm
will it ever come out publicly that she is a lesbian? i think it’s a bit hypocritical that someone who makes a living airing other people’s dirty laundry continues to deny what everyone already knows.
posted by ee the c on 2-1-2010 at 8:49 am
It seems to me that many flocked to her,”to suit their own desires, they gather[ed] around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want[ed] to hear.” The opening of her show this year, with the mass crowd dancing and bowing just really, REALLY grated on my nerves, and it confirmed that many find her a guru and a spiritual leader. She’s a TALKSHOW HOST.
posted by Helenann on 2-1-2010 at 10:50 am
I’m fairly confident that Oprah is the devil. How else does one amass a net worth of 40 billion dollars exploiting the suffering of the downtrodden and maintain a global image of a pillar in the charitable community? Between her unfounded, overinflated ego and lack of intelligent interview skills the only reason I can think of is that she is either the Dark One, or at least goes to the same country club. The Queen of Deception, indeed.
posted by Rabullione on 2-1-2010 at 2:03 pm
This home does not have T.V. so we won’t be missing Oprah. (We probably wouldn’t watch the show even if we had T.V.) Truthfully, I’m rather fed up with celebrities. They allow fame and all that money to really mess up their lives.
posted by weezy on 2-5-2010 at 8:05 am
Oprah’s a phenomenal woman, a person of strength and character, compassion, intellect, and a deep, abiding concern for the well-being of all.
She is a leader; leaders offer vision and example, and she is one of high caliber. She offers and encourages, but doesn’t command anything (those who control, demand). Obviously, what she shares speaks to the hearts of many, otherwise she wouldn’t be so successful.
I admire her immensely for the woman she became—personally and commercially. While I don’t choose to agree with everything she opines, I still greatly love, honor, and respect her.
posted by DeeDee on 2-5-2010 at 11:06 am
Couldn’t care less. I am only reading as a followup on Mentalfloss
posted by Steve Cartier on 2-7-2010 at 6:14 pm