Just about everything, according to Hollywood Reporter critic Ray Richmond. His review of the reality miniseries that debuts this Sunday is just scathing — 800 words of bile. If this thing came with an EW-style letter grade, it’d have to be some sort of F-minus-minus: "[A] profoundly hyperkinetic and unwieldy adventure inproduct placement, in Oprah-as-Messiah hype and, ultimately, in what’sso utterly fake and insidious about ‘reality’ television itself… Shallow as a birdbath, the program would appear to exist less as a truephilanthropic exercise than yet another self-aggrandizing vehicle inOprah’s divine quest to become synonymous with all that is virtuous andgood on Earth."
I haven’t seen Oprah’s Big Give, but I’m inclined to agree with Richmond’s (slightly unhinged-sounding) take — this show does look like a vapid, hyper-materialistic mess posing as charity. Still, Richmond doesn’t address my biggest problem with the TV ads that have been airing constantly this week. Namely: The word "Give" is not a noun, for O’s sake! Every time I see this title come on my screen, I get furious. "Aw, man, did you see that give? It was pretty big." NO! I’m not generally a grammar-police type, but something about that title just drives me nuts, no matter what the actual content of the show is. Anyone else filled with uncontrollable rage when they read those three words? (Or do any of you want to defend Oprah against Richmond’s and my intemperate snark?)
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The biggest problem is that the concept is unrealistic. I am almost certain that if you try to give away a huge amount of money, Uncle Sam would want a nice percentage of the proceeds.
This is just another reason to add on my long list of why I can’t stand Oprah. I am amazed by the number of people that buy any product that she endorses and live their lives by every little thing she says.
Oprah saw the ratings Extrme Home Makeover keeps getting and decided to get in on the act.
I think the tide is beginning to turn against Oprah; not a full-fledged backlash, but people are growing tired of her. I don’t think backing Obama has helped her image much because she seems to be acting on a God-complex. And people hate nothing more than arrogance in a celebrity.
Besides, many of Oprah’s film and tv-related projects tend not to do well (ie. Beloved).
I think the tide is beginning to turn against Oprah; not a full-fledged backlash, but people are growing tired of her. I don’t think backing Obama has helped her image much because she seems to be acting on a God-complex. And people hate nothing more than arrogance in a celebrity.
Besides, many of Oprah’s film and tv-related projects tend not to do well (ie. Beloved).
I would say that even if Oprah’s show is a vainglorious, materialistic mess, there are other reality shows that are far more egregiously damaging to our society. No good can come of “Flavor of Love” or Jerry Springer’s show.
Hate the title, hate the concept, hate Oprah. Won’t be watching this sanctimonious s***.
I can’t stand Oprah. At all. Ever.
at least she’s trying to help people, for chrissakes. most people never even give charity or philantrophy a mere thought. what is so wrong with you ppl that you can overlook that simple, and most important fact? being cynical and snarky all the time is not a virtue…
I am literally flummoxed at the hate directed towards this show. No I have not seen it yet, But I admire the fact that Oprah uses her celebrity and influence for good. This is the first reality show where instead of competing to get something, people are competing to give and help other people. What I find astounding is that there is nary this much hate directed at a show like “The Moment Of Truth”, which is another in a continuing line of “whatever I have to do to get on television” shows where people debase themselves and the people they “supposedly” love. If you watch her show, Oprah doesn’t yell at people in unfortunate situations. She empathizes and then tries to find a solution. And yes, after all that she has done and continues to do, I think Oprah gets the benefit of the doubt regarding her new show. Just the concept alone of “The Big Give” elevates the reality genre.
I have long thought that Oprah needed to get her head out of the clouds. I saw 5 minutes of a show where her style guru was helping people make the most out of the space of their studio Manhattan apartments. He showed a filing cabinet that doubled as a coffee table. Oprah thought it was great and quite a bargain at something ridiculous like $900. Does she really think people who watch her show and are trying to get the most space out of their studio Manhattan apartment can afford $900 for that??!! OPRAH, GET YOUR BLACK HEAD OUT OF THE CLOUDS!!!!!!!!
Count me as another person who can’t stand Oprah. She’s always seemed to me to have a bit of a messiah complex.
As a vague-at-best Oprah fan, I like the idea of this show. She wears her celebrity well.
Wait – is Extreme Home Makeover sanctimonious too? What may be somewhat exploitive at least has its virtue in exposing people to how good charity can feel. It drives ME nuts that cynical snark is considered the thinking mans tv while people like Ellen or Oprah are chastised for being “arrogant media whores” who only do this type if thing to – what – take over the world with their virtue? Why can’t a woman who has earned bajillions of dollars give it away to the people she sees fit? I can only hope that once Ray Richmond makes bajillions of dollars he will give it to people he thinks are worthy. Sorry for the rant – I’ve been hanging out on the Clinton vs. Obama message boards and the vitriol there is contagious I guess.
She does do good stuff. I’d just respect it more if she didn’t publicize it.
As far as messiahs go, I’ll take Oprah anyday over the likes of those who use their wealth and/or power to promote greed, intolerance, materialism, xenophobia and exploitation of those less fortunate. If the show is poorly produced, obviously scripted and/or outright fiction, then blast away, but I’d caution people to take hard looks at themselves before dissecting Ms. Winfrey.
That Hollywood Reporter reviewer is such a hater. He was complaining about things in this Oprah show that occur in every single reality show (ex: cameras when contestants find out that they made it on the show) and I bet that he doesn’t even say anything about those other shows. I don’t understand why the Reporter and EW give writers assignments about subjects that they obviously hate. They shouldn’t just choose fans, but maybe someone who is objective. That just really gets on my nerves.
I don’t hate or love Oprah. The only thing about her is that I don’t like is that whole Oprah spiritual leader/ Messiah stuff, but other than that she is a great role model.
The previews for the Big Give is reason #37 for trying to ignore Oprah. Reason #1 is she is responsible for the insufferable Dr. Phil.
There’s a ton of TV (and other media) that can be call “manipulative” because it produces some sort of emotional response (generally tears). When I was a kid there were shows like “Queen for a Day” where the saddest sob story won the prize.
Combine the heartwarmingness (is that a word?) of Extreme Makeover Home Edition with the brand name of Oprah, and (on paper at least) this show should be a decnt sized hit.
For a comment on Oprah’s influence I refer you to Tina Fey’s Weekend Update segment on 2/23.
REVIEWERS of TV shows or movies really carry no weight whatsoever in ratings and box office results. Oprah has done a lot of good in the world and made so many countness viewers happy for years, so who cares what Ray Richmond or any other media type thinks about her new show on ABC…it means nothing and its into the waste basket or for DELETE button the day after.
I agree Al, you are right on my man. Oprah is to be admired. The world needs more celebritees like Oprah who help others and have a social conscience like she does. I look forwerd to seeing Oprahs Big Give show this weekend coming
I agree with Marc. So many shows today elevate people for how back-stabbing and vicious they are (Big Brother, Survivor, Apprentice and such ilk), but here’s a show where people are actually competing to HELP others and it’s eviscerated. WTF?
Listen it’s really hard for me to think highly of all the “giving” Oprah does. Do you realize what a small percentage of her wealth she gives away? She lives the high life and I’m suppose to think “how wonderful” it is when she gives away a cent!? Not to mention the fact that she always, always televises it, either on her show or in some inane special. When she starts living a regular life and gives all the excess away then I’ll be impressed.
Yes, I do think Extreme Home Makeover is a problem too! I think charity is important and good, but I worry that EHM and Oprah’s increasing give-aways on her show (unfailingly sending the adult audience into shrieks befitting teenagers) send a message of materialism-worship. I believe Oprah’s heart is in the right place – I am NOT an Oprah-hater by any means. But I believe that our society is starting to measure everything by bigger, fancier, glossier, most jaw-dropping this and that and losing sight of the humanity that needs to be helped. E.G., how many truly poor and middle income people who rent would love to just have a simple, nice, clean, safe house? Spending a zillion dollars to give ONE FAMILY A WEEK (referencing EHM here) a palace is for ratings and glamor, not for truly helping the needy I fear.
Frankly,I simply cannot relate to the Oprah “phenonomen”…she his so highly over rated. I find her show to be very dull….cannot understand at all why she has such a huge audience…one of those many things in life that continue to baffle me,I guess.
It’s not the giving that bugs me about Oprah so much (though the faux-excitement worked up over what is blatant materialism does stick in the craw) it’s the need to tell everyone about it and thereby make herself the center of attention.
Extreme Makeover HE suffers from similar problems: the house is getting way over the top and I wonder if the benefactors of the show’s “charity” are thinking about the real needs of the recipients or just want to pat themselves on the back for being so wonderful. I used to like this program when it started out but now, not so much.
Charity should be its own reward.
Oops…second paragraph should have read creators of the show’s charity not benefactors.
I think the possible backward feeling I’m getting from this show is that the reason for a lack of charity and compasion is our world is that people do not feel capible nor satified with themselves or what they have. Now Oprah has an outlet to make people realize how truly rich and blessed most of are but doesn’t do too much of it. I would love to see Oprah do more to assure people of their status rather than tell what new item will lead them toward “perfection”. If we felt better about our positions we would show some compasion for those who do have have bare basics like food, shelter, education and health.
How strange. EW constantly pushes the vapid-ness that is Paradise Hotel, Big Brother, The Moment of Truth, the list goes on. Here is a show with good intention and you decide to discuss that you hate it’s title. really? It’s a really weird and very disappointing. Isn’t possible that this show is sending a good message? A message good enough to cut it slack if you don’t like it’s grammar.
When you measure the tensility, resistance, or flexibility of something, say the clutch pedal, do you not use “give” as a noun? I understand your point in this case, but I don’t know if “give is not a noun” is the most accurate reasoning.