There were a lot of things that made me feel old this year—Say Anything’s 20th anniversary? Are you sure?—but nothing quite hits me like the news that Oprah Winfrey will be quitting her talk show on Sept. 9, 2011. A little maudlin? Yes, I admit. First, it’s not like she’s actually retiring: By all accounts, she’s making the move in order to devote time to her network OWN, which might mean more Oprah in the end, not less. And second, even though the date has been set, it’s still almost two years hence, which leaves plenty of time for commemorative episodes, extra-special interviews, celebrity drop-ins, and free goodies for screaming audience members. (Did we mention Oprah’s brilliant negotiating skills? Can we also point out the marketing genius of announcing your farewell 22 months before it actually happens?)
Still, as Oprah prepares to sign off on the nice, round number of her 25th season, you can’t help but note that an era is passing. She’s been hosting that show for a quarter of a century. For most of my life, I could count on the fact that at 4 p.m. here in New York and New Jersey, no matter what else was going on, you could sit down and watch something amazing, fascinating, silly, ridiculous or any combination thereof. Whether you agreed with her or not, she had people talking from the start. So I’ll leave you with this link to Paul Simon’s song “Ten Years,” the theme to Oprah’s 10th season, and three questions: How do you feel about The Oprah Winfrey Show bidding adieu? Will you follow her to OWN? And — for real now, since she might have the time — would you vote for her for president?
Photo Credit: Marion Curtis/Startraksphoto.com
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Comments (1-30) of 33 Add your comment
Maybe..
Watch her next act? Are you kidding? I didn’t watch her first act. The only times I did see her were when a clip of her going completely psycho showed up on The Soup.
I will definitely watch Oprah’s next act. She does a great deal of good in the world and I salute anyone who adds to the good and offers positive solutions in this life.
I agree. Even if you don’t like her you can’t deny the woman is brilliant and has had a huge impact on the world. She’s changed so many lives and had so many historical television moments. TV won’t be the same without her. I think having her own network is a good idea. I’m surprised it hasn’t happened already.
I want O’s genes.
No; she is hugely overexposed and overrated.
All I can say is thank god “Oakra” is over! As far as watch whatever she does next, I don’t waste my time watching her now. Just goes to show you that if you have a big enough mouth you don’t need talent to make money.
Oprah is an institution, and I am looking forward to her next act.
Oprah in my mind used to be a great example of woman power, however i feel over the last 2 years something snapped and she has become just like every other money hungry billionaire. I no longer care to hear from her and i feel that the reason why she is leaving is because of the lack of ratings, after she started the Oprah church, her Christian following plummited. I know she does good things too, but she does equal ammounts of damage, with her plublicity stunts. But thats just my 2 cents.
Thank you Oprah for all the years of not just entertainment but your commitment to personal growth. I have grown temendously with you and because of you. I know that this is only a transition to bigger and better on OWN- I will definately be there!
I’m glad she’s going! Watch her next move? No!!! Vote for her for president? Absolutely not! She’s dangerous and awful! America is stupid for buying into her.
Buying into her? How many kids have you sent to college? How many homes have you built for Katrina survivors? I can go on, but whats the point with someone so ignorant.
Don’t watch her now so have no interest in what Oprah might come up with next. Guess 2 years will give her lots of time for a long goodbye.
I’m sorry to see her go. All the miserable jealous cowards who bash Oprah are just unhappy people. Oprah has always inspired me with her honesty, wisdom and effort to make the world a better place. I truly don’t get how someone could spew so much hate whose entire existence was about spreading love. Like I said, it’s about you all being losers not Oprah. Its not Oprah you hate, its yourself. Oprah is one of the last shreds of decency on the air and to see her go is to make room all the awful, sad people that permeate America. At least I get to watch for two more years. Good luck Oprah!
Unfortunately over the years she has become a snob where when she started she was the woman that everyone can relate to. Now you see her slip in comments all the time about celebrities she knows, nice things she has, and how much she rules the world. And have you seen her interviews? She basically tells people what to say and she doesn’t even allow people from the audience to speak anymore! She went from relatable to biotch in 25 years!
Boring, unless you like watching ads. The Oprah show is 45 minutes of tv commercials and 15 minutes of her show. The network is going to lose lots of cash once she’s gone.
The Oprah Winfrey show is syndicated. She doesn’t belong to any one network.
The only time I watch (tape for future viewing) Oprah is when she has a can’t-miss-this guest. Otherwise, nah.
Same here. I do love her interviews, and she’s had some really good ones this year, i.e. Whitney, Tyson, Chimp lady. I typically don’t watch the other shows about makeovers, Dr. Oz, book club stuff, etc. I’m not sure I’ll be interested in her next act because I’m afraid it will focus on all of the things Oprah-related that don’t interest me.
You people are very mean!!!!!! But she does have her own race on the show many times and she is doesn’t like men very well. Thou, which I don’t care, I like the show and I’m going to miss her deeply. So GOOD LUCK OPRAH!!!!!
GOOD RIDDANCE! Now the women who watch her will get off the couch.
After her show ends, that’s it for me. I think that Oprah Winfrey wants to leave her show while she’s on top. She wants to focus more on her network and I respec that. She’s done an excellent 23 years with the show so far and I’m sure she’s ready to walk away after 25 years! Most shows I liked, some I didn’t like, but she made quality TV shows.
She actually promoted reading on a national TV show. That in itself is an achievement.
you go girl!!! keep on leveling up!!!!
Even though I never watched Oprah it’s the end of a television era. She’s the richest African American billionare who will give you free stuff if your worthy.
Even though I like Oprah, she has been getting a bit full of herself the past five years or so. Looks like the inflatable ego problem will only get worse. Face it, she’s super-popular and super-wealthy and she needs something to keep herself occupied.
The minute Oprah starting promoting hogwash like “The Secret”, that show became irrelevant. And don’t tell me the Palin interview was anything but a big butt kiss.
I think she made the right decision. She is an institution but over the past few years the spark has faded. So I look forward to seeing her do something new.
I am not sorry to the biggest egotist that I have ever seen. Now to the OWN network ( Oprah Winfrey Network ) What next !!!!!!!!!
Oprah is not only overexposed and highly overrated, but also a supreme egotist. A magazine with only yourself on the cover 98% of the time is telling. Yes she’s done good for others, which is not unheard of or surprising for a person with much money. So have many other wealthy people, but nobody else does it with so much personal publicity or an attitude of “Look at me and how wonderful and generous I am.” She’s pushed some questionable people and ideas onto her gullible audience. I’m not sad to see her go. But she’s not really going, just moving on to her own network, probably to be even more ubiquitous.
Oprah is “retiring”. Anyone else notice her conincidental choice of the most significant recent historical date 9/11 as her final show? Guess now she can pretend that the world is referring to her retirement when they discuss 9/11. Oprah is an extremely shrewd businesswoman and a successful one who built her reputation on an “aw shucks I’m just like y’all” foundation. For me, the foundation crumbled when she screamed racism when a French store clerk had the termity to refuse to open the store special for Oprah without advance notice and when she held her black and white ball to honor her heros (classy idea) only to show up herself in a red gown which just screamed the whole night is really about me! and all the generous gifts she gives on her show? Donated by the people who produce the merchandise. Oprah takes the credit but does not bear the cost. She did get a generation to read true, but only what she told them too. She built a girls school in Africa which is amazing yes, but how about all the American children who need a safe place to learn? Her good acts I am sure outweigh her egotisical ones, and the best news of all? Once the sheep who emulate her every move vote her for President, she will be able to declare war the next time a store clerk slights her…after all, isn’t that what all us “regular folk” do? HAH!
She set the bar very high. Now there’s Tyra, Wendy, Ellen, they all owe it to Oprah.
What is all the fuss??? The last show is over TWO YEARS AWAY!!! She can change her mind several times before that. What a pitiful ratings booster!