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Wikipedia

The Oprah Winfrey Show

January 21, 2023

This article is about the television talk show. For its host, see Oprah Winfrey.

The Oprah Winfrey Show, often referred to as The Oprah Show or simply Oprah, is an American daytime syndicated talk show that aired nationally for 25 seasons from September 8, 1986, to May 25, 2011, in Chicago, Illinois. Produced and hosted by Oprah Winfrey, it remains the highest-rated daytime talk show in American television history.[2]

The Oprah Winfrey Show
GenreTalk show
Infotainment
Created byOprah Winfrey
Directed byJoseph C. Terry
Creative directorReed Woodworth
Presented byOprah Winfrey
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons25
No. of episodes4,561[1]
Production
Production locationsHarpo Studios
Chicago, Illinois
Camera setupMultiple
Running time40–45 minutes
Production companiesWLS-TV Chicago
(1986–1988)
(seasons 1–3)
Harpo Productions
(1988–2010)
(seasons 3–24)
Harpo Studios
(2010–2011)
(season 25)
DistributorKing World
(1986–2007)
(seasons 1–22)
CBS Television Distribution
(2007–2011)
(seasons 22–25)
Release
Original networkSyndication
Original releaseSeptember 8, 1986 (1986-09-08) –
May 25, 2011 (2011-05-25)
Chronology
RelatedOprah's Lifeclass
Super Soul Sunday
Oprah's Next Chapter
Oprah: Where Are They Now?

The show was highly influential to many young stars, and many of its themes have penetrated into the American pop-cultural consciousness. Winfrey used the show as an educational platform, featuring book clubs, interviews, self-improvement segments, and philanthropic forays into world events.[3] The show did not attempt to profit off the products it endorses; it had no licensing agreement with retailers when products were promoted, nor did the show make any money from endorsing books for its book club.[4]

Oprah was one of the longest-running daytime television talk shows in history. The show received 47 Daytime Emmy Awards before Winfrey chose to stop submitting it for consideration in 2000.[5] In 2002, TV Guide ranked it at No. 49 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.[6] In 2013, they ranked it as the 19th greatest TV show of all time.[7]

In November 2009, Winfrey announced that the show would conclude in 2011 following its 25th and final season. The series finale aired on May 25, 2011.

Early history

Oprah had its roots in A.M. Chicago, a half-hour morning talk show airing on WLS-TV, an ABC owned-and-operated station in Chicago. In 1983, Dennis Swanson, the new general manager of WLS-TV, hired Winfrey to replace Robb Weller, that program's former host.[8][9] Winfrey took over as host on January 2, 1984, and, within a month, took it from last place to first place in local Chicago ratings.[10] By 1985, the local A.M. Chicago program was renamed to The Oprah Winfrey Show.[11] Following Winfrey's success in—and Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for—her performance as Sofia in the film The Color Purple, on September 8, 1986, the talk show was relaunched under its current title and picked up nationally.[12] For the premiere, the show's producers tried rigorously to book Miami Vice's Don Johnson as the first guest, even trying to bribe him with Dom Pérignon and a pair of rhinestone sunglasses. All attempts to book Johnson failed and Winfrey decided to "do what we do best, and that is a show about and with everyday people". The theme for the premiere show was "How to Marry the Man or Woman of Your Choice".[13]

Interviews

Winfrey interviewed a plethora of public figures and everyday people during the show's 25-year history. When celebrities and newsmakers were ready to share their most intimate secrets their first stop was Winfrey's couch and when a serious story hit, the Oprah show focused on putting a human face on the headlines.

Celebrities

Winfrey claims her worst interviewing experience was with Elizabeth Taylor in the show's second season. Just before the interview, Taylor asked Winfrey not to ask any questions about her relationships. Winfrey found this to be a challenge considering Taylor had been married seven times.[14]

On February 10, 1993, Winfrey sat down in a prime-time special broadcast with Michael Jackson, who had performed nine days earlier in the Super Bowl XXVII halftime show, for what would become the most-watched interview in television history. Jackson, an intensely private entertainer, had not given an interview in 14 years. The event was broadcast live from Jackson's Neverland Ranch and was watched by 90 million people worldwide and, as a result, his then 14-month-old studio album Dangerous hit the top-ten on the album charts. Jackson discussed missing out on a normal childhood and his strained relationship with his father, Joe Jackson. During the interview, Jackson attempted to dispel many of the rumors surrounding him and told Winfrey he suffered from the skin-pigment disorder known as vitiligo when asked about the change in the color of his skin. While admitting to getting a nose job, he denied all other plastic surgery rumors. Later in the interview, Jackson was joined by his close friend Elizabeth Taylor, her third appearance on the show.[15]

Winfrey's interview with Tom Cruise, which was broadcast on May 23, 2005, also gained notoriety. Cruise "jumped around the set, hopped onto a couch, fell rapturously to one knee and repeatedly professed his love for his then-girlfriend, Katie Holmes."[16] This scene quickly became part of American pop-cultural discourse and was heavily parodied in media.

Celine Dion appeared on the show 28 times, the most of any celebrity, besides Gayle King, Winfrey's best friend, who appeared 141 times.[17]

Winfrey also interviewed Chicago's "Guardian Angels" and Raymond Lear in 1988.

Notable guests

Winfrey interviewed Kathy Bray three weeks after her 10-year-old son, Scott, was accidentally killed by a friend who had found his father's gun. Viewers later commented that the interview changed their feelings about having guns in their homes.[18]

In the 1989–90 season, Truddi Chase—a woman who was diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder, having 92 distinct personalities—appeared on the show. Chase had been violently and sexually abused beginning at the age of two and said her old self ceased to exist after that. After introducing Chase, who was there to promote her book When Rabbit Howls, Winfrey unexpectedly broke down in tears while reading the teleprompter, relating her own childhood molestation to that of the guest. Unable to control herself, Winfrey repeatedly asked producers to stop filming.[19]

Erin Kramp, a mother dying of breast cancer, appeared on the show in 1998. After realizing that her six-year-old daughter, Peyton, would have to grow up without her, Kramp began recording videotapes filled with motherly advice on everything from makeup tips to finding a husband. She also wrote letters and bought gifts for Peyton to open every Christmas and birthday she was gone. Kramp died on October 31, 1998. She had recorded over a hundred videos and audiotapes for her daughter.[20]

Jo Ann Compton's daughter Laurie Ann was stabbed to death in 1988—and a decade later, the mom was tangled in her grief. "I hope they're in the same hell I'm in." she said of her daughter's murderers on a 1998 show. Oprah brought in Dr. Phil to help Jo Ann. He asked her if she thought her daughter would want her to be in so much pain—and Compton said no. "Maybe the betrayal is focusing on the day of her death, rather than celebrating the event of her life." Phil continued. "She lived for 18 vibrant years, and you focus on the day she died." After a moment, Compton uttered her breakthrough sentence: "I never thought of it that way." Later, she sobbed while revealing that she had been planning to end her life after the show. When Compton returned to the show in 2011, she had a new viewpoint on the daughter she lost: "She continues to stay alive every time I do something positive." Compton's surviving daughter, Cindy, said "She went from existing to living. It was an amazing transformation."[21]

In 2001, Winfrey met 11-year-old Mattie Stepanek, who was born with dysautonomic mitochondrial myopathy and wrote inspirational poetry he titled "Heartsongs." On the show, Stepanek stated, "A heartsong doesn't have to be a song in your heart. It doesn't have to be talking about love and peace. … It's your message, what you feel like you need to do."[22] In October 2008, Winfrey spoke at the posthumous dedication of Mattie J.T Stepanek Park in Maryland.[23]

Regular segments and campaigns

Oprah's Book Club

Main article: Oprah's Book Club

Originally featured a monthly book highlight, including author interviews. Its popularity caused featured books to shoot to the top of bestseller lists, often increasing sales by as many as a million copies at its peak. It was suspended in 2002 and returned in 2003, featuring more classic works of literature, with reduced selections per season. The original format was reintroduced in September 2005, but Winfrey's selection of James Frey's A Million Little Pieces became controversial due to accusations of falsification. January 2006 saw Elie Wiesel's Night selected; Winfrey even traveled to Auschwitz with Wiesel. In 2008, Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth was selected. Modernizing the book club's platform, Winfrey and Tolle began a series of live webcast classes that were streamed on Oprah.com to discuss elements of the book with a worldwide audience.[24]

Oprah's Favorite Things

Main article: Oprah's Favorite Things

Items personally favored by Winfrey were featured on the show and given away to audience members. Since its launch in 1996, the "Favorite Things" episode quickly became the hottest ticket in television. When a product was featured, its sales skyrocketed. Select groups were sometimes chosen to receive the items. In 2004, the audience was made up of educators from across the country. Hurricane Katrina volunteer workers were invited to the 2005 show. Winfrey has said that the iPad, given away to her 2010 audience, was her all-time favorite "Favorite Thing". During a Season 25: Oprah Behind the Scenes episode documenting the production of the giveaway, Winfrey talked about why the event resonates with viewers:

The things of "Favorite Things" is the least of the experience. It's sharing that moment with 300 other people, acknowledging that surprise and fantastical, sensational, wonderful, happy things can still occur in your life.[25]

Oprah & Gayle's Big Adventures

Winfrey and Gayle King are friends. In 1976, Winfrey was working as a news anchor in Baltimore when she met King, a production assistant. The two bonded during a snowstorm when Winfrey told King she could stay at her home to wait it out. Their friendship was often showcased on the show when the best friends decided to take a trip together.

In 2004, they traveled back in time, participating in the PBS series Colonial House. The series intended to recreate daily life in Plymouth Colony in 1628. Their 24-hour Puritan adventure included wood-chopping, cooking over an open fire, battling with mice, and using leaves as toilet paper.[26]

Winfrey and King joined 60 other women for a spa getaway in 2006. They spent five days at Miraval Life in Balance Resort and Spa taking part in self-improvement exercises. For an exercise called A Swing and a Prayer, the women were hoisted 40 feet in the air and told to let go. Once in the air, King—who is afraid of heights—wouldn't let herself fall. Winfrey couldn't help but laugh as King remained in the air, but eventually persuaded her to let go.[27]

In the summer of 2006, Winfrey and King decided to go on an 11-day, 3,600-mile road trip across America – from California to New York. They were excited to meet people from small towns and see how America really lives. However, the initial excitement quickly wore off. The friends had minor meltdowns and fought for control over the radio; King likes to have music constantly playing while driving, Winfrey prefers silence. Despite the challenges of the road trip, they got to see the beauty of Sedona, meet the people of Navajo Nation, crash a couple of weddings, take a dip in the healing waters of Pagosa Springs, and learn about Amish culture. Winfrey's many driving anxieties and King's tone-deaf singing made the trip a huge hit with viewers.[28]

The friends visited the State Fair of Texas in 2009. They played traditional state fair games like Flip-the-Chick and the water gun race. They tried many of the fried foods offered at the fair and judged a best "Best of Show" food contest.[29]

For the farewell season, the best friends hit the road again for an overnight camping trip at Yosemite National Park. Park ranger Shelton Johnson wrote to Winfrey because he was concerned by the low number of African-Americans who visited the national parks each year. So Winfrey and King packed up their camper and headed to Yosemite to help Johnson attract visitors. When they arrived, Johnson took Winfrey and King around the park to see some of its famous sites including Mariposa Grove and the Tunnel View, from which El Capitan is visible in the distance. On the way to the campsite, Winfrey made a sharp turn causing their trailer to hit a rock. After setting up their pop-up camper, the two mixed up some Moscow Mules to pass out to their camping neighbors. The drink has become a signature Oprah cocktail. The next day they took a lesson in fly fishing and wrapped up their stay with a mule ride.[30]

Remembering Your Spirit

A segment at the end of the show that featured spiritual counselors, ordinary people who had been involved in extraordinary situations. They would come on the show and share their stories of overcoming adversity with the audience, inspiring viewers to do the same in their own lives.[31]

Change Your Life TV

Iyanla Vanzant

Iyanla Vanzant is a former attorney, spiritual teacher and self-help expert who was a regular on the show in the late 1990s. She started the show in its 12th season and became known for her no-nonsense, hard-hitting, and often humorous advice. Vanzant's take on everything from cheating spouses to financial struggles connected with viewers and, at times, Winfrey sat in the audience while Vanzant led the show. Her books In the Meantime and One Day My Soul Just Opened Up became New York Times bestsellers.[32]

Dr. Phil

Winfrey met Phil McGraw when he worked as a consultant for her legal team during her 1998 beef trial in Amarillo, Texas. Starting in April of that year, he became a fixture on the show and a viewer favorite. McGraw gave guests tough, tell-it-like-it-is advice and didn't allow excuses or rationalizations for their bad habits, bad marriages, or bad attitudes. His popular Tuesday appearances on the show led to his own talk show, Dr. Phil, in 2002.[33]

Suze Orman

Financial expert Suze Orman became a viewer favorite, offering money tips, spending interventions, and her famous "Suze smackdowns." She encouraged people to be honest with themselves about what they could afford and gave advice on getting rid of credit card debt. Her motivational approach to fixing finances has led to her own financial advice empire.[34]

What's The Buzz?

Winfrey introduced up-and-coming public figures who generated industry buzz but not otherwise widely known. In what several media commentators have labelled The Oprah Effect, people appearing on this segment such as Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx and singer James Blunt benefited from the extra publicity the show garnered. Blunt, in particular, saw album sales increase dramatically and landed a Top Two spot on the Billboard 200.

Wildest Dreams

A show feature called "Wildest Dreams" fulfilled the dreams of people reported to Winfrey by the producers – mostly viewers who wrote into the show – be the dreams of a new house, an encounter with a favorite performer, or a guest role on a popular TV show. It was named after the Tina Turner song "In Your Wildest Dreams," and Turner was one of the celebrities featured on the segment.

Tuesdays with Dr. Oz

Mehmet Oz, the head of cardiac surgery at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in NYC and better known to millions of Winfrey's viewers as "Dr. Oz", regularly appeared on Tuesdays during the 2008–2009 season. In 2009, Dr. Oz debuted The Dr. Oz Show in first-run syndication. The series is co-produced by Harpo Productions and Sony Pictures Television.

Fridays Live

A weekly live episode premiered in the show's 23rd season with a panel consisting of Winfrey, Gayle King, Mark Consuelos, and Ali Wentworth. The panel discussed the week's news and highlighted events in the media and on the show.

In the 2009–10 season, Winfrey hosted this segment on her own. Fridays Live did not return for the show's 25th season.[35]

No Phone Zone

Main article: No Phone Zone

In March 2010, Winfrey began a campaign to stop drivers from talking or texting on their cell phone in their vehicles while driving. This campaign was regularly noted near the beginning or at the end of episodes.[36]

Memorable moments

On November 10, 1986, during a show about sexual abuse, Winfrey revealed that she was raped by a relative when she was nine years old. Since this episode, Winfrey has used the show as a platform to help catch child predators, raise awareness, and give victims a voice.[37]

Liberace appeared in the first season of the show on December 25, 1986. He performed a Christmas medley; Winfrey said it was "the most beautiful I've ever heard". Six weeks later he died of cardiac arrest due to congestive heart failure brought on by subacute encephalopathy. The episode was Liberace's final televised appearance.[38]

The show had only been on the air for just six months when, in 1987, Winfrey traveled to Forsyth County, Georgia, a community in which, for 75 years, no black person had lived. Winfrey brought attention to racial tensions in the area, which had just experienced several protests. The show was set up as a town hall meeting where residents expressed their divisive opinions on the matter. The meeting was becoming heated when one woman stood up and said:

I just hate to think that someone is going to get hurt before the people get some sense about them and talk about this and get it like it's supposed to be...black and white together in Forsyth County. There's no other way.[39]

The "Diet Dreams Come True" episode from November 15, 1988, has become one of the most talked-about moments in the history of show. After years of struggling to lose weight, Winfrey had finally succeeded in doing so. In July of that year, she had started the Optifast diet while weighing 212 pounds. By Fall, she weighed 145 pounds. To commemorate achieving her weight loss goals, Winfrey wheeled out a wagon full of fat to represent the 67 pounds she had lost on the diet. She showed off her slim figure in a pair of size 10 Calvin Klein jeans. However, after returning to real food she quickly gained back much of the weight she had lost.[40] Winfrey now refers to that moment as her "ego in a pom pom salute."[41]

While doing a show centered on women drug users in 1995, Winfrey opened up about her personal history with drug abuse:

I relate to your story so much. In my twenties, I have done this drug cocaine. I know exactly what you're talking about. It is my life's great big secret. It is such a secret because I realize that the public person that I have become, if the story were ever revealed, the tabloids would exploit it and what a big issue it would be. But I was involved with a man in my twenties who introduced me to cocaine. I always felt that the drug itself was not the problem, but that I was addicted to the man. I've often said over the years in my attempt to come out and say it, I have said many times, I did things in my twenties I was ashamed of, I've done things I've felt guilty about. And that is my life's great secret that's been held over my head. I understand the shame and I understand the guilt, I understand the secrecy, I understand all that.[42]

In 1996, Winfrey spoke with seven of the Little Rock Nine and three white former classmates who tormented the group on their first day of high school in 1957 as well as a student who had befriended them. Winfrey was grateful to have the remaining members of the Little Rock Nine on her show because she credits her success to those who have contributed to the Civil Rights Movement which paved the way for people like herself.[43]

Comedian Ellen DeGeneres came out publicly as a lesbian during her appearance on the show in 1997 after appearing on a Time magazine cover next to the headline "Yep, I'm gay." At the time, DeGeneres was the star of her own sitcom, ABC's Ellen. The episode brought Winfrey the most hate mail she had ever received.[44]

Clemantine Wamariya and her sister Claire appeared on the show in 2006 when Wamariya was selected as one of the winners of an essay contest held by Winfrey. It was revealed that the siblings had not seen their parents in 12 years after fleeing Rwanda during the 1994 genocide. Winfrey surprised the sisters by flying their family to Chicago for one of the most emotional reunions on the show.[45]

In 2007, the Marines of the Second Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion Alpha Company and their naval corpsman, made the show their first stop after a seven-month tour on the front lines in Iraq. Winfrey welcomed the Marines with a big homecoming celebration where they were reunited with their loved ones on the show.[46]

 
Two hundred men who were molested stand together during a 2010 episode

On November 11, 2009, Charla Nash, who was mauled by her friend and employer Sandra Herold's pet chimpanzee Travis, came to the show to speak out for the first time about the terrifying attack that took place just nine months prior. Nash wears a veil daily because the attack left devastating injuries to her face and she "doesn't want to scare people." During the show, she agreed to lift her veil for the first time in public.[47]

While taping the show's 24th-season premiere on September 8, 2009, the entire audience of 21,000 people, gathered on Chicago's Magnificent Mile, surprised Winfrey by breaking out into a synchronized dance set to The Black Eyed Peas' performance of "I Gotta Feeling" (with new lyrics congratulating Winfrey on her show's longevity). The dance had been choreographed and rehearsed for weeks by a core group of dancers, who taught it to the entire crowd earlier in the day.[48]

During the farewell season, two hundred men who were molested came forward as part of a two-day event in 2010 to take a stand against sexual abuse. The men were joined by director and producer Tyler Perry, who had also experienced sexual abuse. Winfrey hoped that the episode would help survivors suffering in silence release the shame.[49]

On January 24, 2011, Winfrey revealed that just before Thanksgiving 2010 she had discovered she has a half-sister. Winfrey decided to share the news on her show because she knew the story would eventually get out and wanted to be the first to address the matter.[50]

Giveaways

On the season premiere of 2004, every person in Winfrey's show audience was given a new Pontiac G6 that was donated by General Motors,[51] worth about $8 million in total.[52] The giveaway was the genesis of the oft-satirized Oprah quote, "You get a car! You get a car! Everybody gets a car!" For the premiere of the show's farewell season, the studio audience of 300 "ultimate fans" were rewarded by being given a trip to Australia with Winfrey (donated by Australian tourism bodies).[53] Other giveaway shows included the annual Oprah's Favorite Things show, in which the studio audience received products Winfrey considered good Christmas gifts.

Controversies

In 1996, on a discussion of Mad Cow Disease, Winfrey stated that the disease fears had "stopped [her] cold from eating another burger!"[54] Texas cattle ranchers considered that quote tantamount to defamation, and promptly sued her for libel. The show was still producing new episodes at the time of the trial and could not go into reruns, so the production was forced to move to Amarillo, Texas for a period of approximately one month during the proceedings. A gag order meant Winfrey was not allowed to even mention the trial on her show. Winfrey was found not liable.[55][56][57] The trial and move to Amarillo led to Winfrey meeting Phil McGraw; Winfrey made McGraw a regular guest on her show shortly thereafter, which eventually led to McGraw getting his own show, produced by Winfrey's Harpo Productions.[58]

A controversial episode, which aired in 2005 (though originally aired to little apparent notice in October 2003), saw guests discussing the sexual act of "rimming", igniting criticism. The FCC received a proliferation of complaints from angry parents whose children watched the show in an early-evening slot in many television markets. However, most FCC correspondents were prodded to write by Howard Stern, a noteworthy target of the agency, as well as Jimmy Kimmel, in an attempt to expose an FCC double standard.[59]

During the 2008 presidential election campaign, Winfrey was criticized for apparently declining to invite Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin to her show until after the election.[60]

A 2009 episode attracted criticism from the crowd after Winfrey suggested mothers should buy vibrators for their teenage daughters.[61]

Winfrey's program was criticized for featuring alternative medicine and junk science advocates such as Suzanne Somers and vaccine denialist Jenny McCarthy.[62][63][64]

In the lead-up to Winfrey's tour of Australia, the show was heavily criticized for airing a segment sponsored by the McDonald's Corporation[65][66] in which it was claimed by Australian TV personality Carrie Bickmore that Australians liked to hang out at "hip McCafés".[67] This depiction of Australian culture was greeted with surprise by many Australians,[65] and anger throughout the Australian coffee industry, which claimed the statements did not accurately reflect the industry, painted the Australian coffee drinker in a bad light, and expected that the industry would be negatively affected by the statements.[66] In the same episode, McDonald's products were handed out to the studio audience.

Final season

Early in its twelfth season, Winfrey confessed she was "exhausted" and considered quitting.[68] However, while making the 1998 movie Beloved, Winfrey then admitted that it brought her back to her responsibility as an admired black woman with a great deal of power and influence. She realized that being in such a position within the media industry, she could make a positive difference in people's lives. Winfrey was once again inspired to continue to help people take better control of their destinies, hence her slogan, "Live Your Best Life".

I made the decision ... in the midst of doing Beloved. I was doing some scenes—Beloved is about an ex-slave, and during that process of doing that I connected to really what slavery had meant, and my own personal ancestry and history connected it to a way I have never before from reading all about Black history and, you know, talking to relatives. And I realized that I had no right to quit coming from a history of people who had no voice, who had no power, and that I have been given this—this blessed opportunity to speak to people, to influence them in ways that can make a difference in their lives, and to just use that.[68]

On January 15, 2008, Discovery Communications, Harpo Productions, and Winfrey announced a joint venture to establish a new cable channel in 2009, known as the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN).[69] In November 2008, it was reported that, during a conference call, Discovery Communications CEO David Zaslav stated that Winfrey did not intend to renew her contracts for The Oprah Winfrey Show beyond the 2010–11 season. Zaslav stated that Oprah could potentially move to the new channel in some form following the end of the syndicated series. However, Harpo Productions denied the report, stating that Winfrey had "not made a final decision as to whether she will continue her show in syndication beyond [2011]".[70][71]

On November 20, 2009, Winfrey officially announced that The Oprah Winfrey Show would conclude in 2011, after its 25th and final season. Winfrey explained that 25 was "the perfect number—the exact right time", and that "I love this show. This show has been my life. And I love it enough to know when it's time to say goodbye."[72] The 25th season premiered on September 13, 2010, featuring guest John Travolta, and an audience of 300 of her "most loyal" fans.[73]

During the episode, it was also announced that the entire audience had been invited to join Winfrey on an eight-day, all-expenses-paid trip to Sydney, Australia for a series of special episodes, via a plane piloted by Travolta.[74] On December 11, 2010, Winfrey arrived in Sydney to record shows at the Sydney Opera House. Winfrey and her 300 American audience members were officially welcomed at a cocktail party in Sydney's Botanical Gardens overlooking Sydney Harbour.[75] The beach-themed party, hosted by New South Wales Premier Kristina Keneally, featured live music and a fireworks display over the water which culminated in the lighting of a red 'O' on the Harbour Bridge.[76] The episodes in Australia were coordinated between Harpo Studios, Tourism Australia, Tourism New South Wales, the Sydney Opera House, Tourism Victoria, Tourism Queensland, R. M. Williams and Network Ten.[77][78] The federal government of Australia spent $1.5 million on the event while the government of the state of New South Wales spent an additional $1–2 million to promote the region. Tourism minister Martin Ferguson said "I think it's money well spent".[77][78] In addition, Tourism Victoria spent a further A$650,000.[79]

The farewell season featured several notable cast reunions, including The Sound of Music, The Color Purple, and The Way We Were.[80][81][82]

In May 2011, Winfrey interviewed U.S. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, her first-ever interview with a sitting president and First Lady. They talked about the challenges of parenting at the White House, the strength of their relationship, and their concern for the country's future. President Obama also thanked Winfrey for her contributions to the country. "You've got a big heart, and you share it with people. Nobody knows how to connect better than you do," he said. "We are just blessed and grateful to have you in our lives."[83][non-primary source needed]

Final episodes

The final episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show aired on Wednesday, May 25, 2011. It was preceded by a two-part farewell special recorded at the United Center in Chicago in front of an audience of 13,000.[84] The two-part show featured appearances by Aretha Franklin, Tom Cruise, Stevie Wonder, Patti LaBelle, Beyoncé, Tom Hanks, Maria Shriver, Will Smith, and Madonna.[85][86][87] Several hundred graduates of Morehouse College who were the recipients of Oprah's Oprah Winfrey Scholarship also attended to thank Oprah and pledge their future support of the scholarship program.[88][89] The final episode was a smaller affair, recorded in the usual recording studio. Winfrey spent most of the finale thanking the show's staff and her fans.

I've been asked many times during this farewell season, 'Is ending the show bittersweet?' Well, I say all sweet. No bitter. And here is why: Many of us have been together for 25 years. We have hooted and hollered together, had our aha! moments, we ugly-cried together and we did our gratitude journals. So I thank you all for your support and your trust in me. I thank you for sharing this yellow brick road of blessings. I thank you for tuning in every day along with your mothers and your sisters and your daughters, your partners, gay and otherwise, your friends and all the husbands who got coaxed into watching Oprah. And I thank you for being as much of a sweet inspiration for me as I've tried to be for you. I won't say goodbye. I'll just say...until we meet again. To God be the glory.[90]

She finished the show in tears.[91] The finale was marked by viewing parties across the US,[87] and the episode was also shown in movie theaters.[92] The episode received the show's highest rating in 17 years.[93]

After the show's final episode, reruns of Oprah remained available to air until September 2011, by which point individual stations had selected other syndicated or local programs to fill the show's timeslot. Several stations that had carried the show in the 4:00 p.m. timeslot began carrying local news programs at that time, with a handful of stations debuting these newscasts the day after the final episode aired; as a result, the show's final months of reruns did not air in the normal timeslot in some areas.[94]

United States viewership

 
Marquee for the show, above entrance at Harpo Studios in Near West Side, Chicago. The first Oprah show was taped there on January 15, 1990.[95]

It has been reported that the show averages an estimated 7,[96][97] 14,[98] and 15–20[99] million viewers a day in the United States. It has also been reported at 26 million[100] and 42 million[101][102] a week (5.2 and 8.4 million a day). Viewership for the show has been reported to have dropped over the years, averaging 12.6 million in 1991–2,[103] 9 million in 2004,[97] 9 million in 2005,[104] 7.8 in 2006,[100] 7.3 million in 2008,[100] and 6.2 million in 2009.[103]

The show was number one in the talk show ratings since its debut. The show spent many years as the highest-rated program in daytime television. Even with stiff competition, Oprah still maintained a consistent lead over other talk shows.[105]

Spin-offs

Multiple shows have spun off of Oprah, including The Dr. Oz Show, Dr. Phil, The Nate Berkus Show, and Rachael Ray. The Doctors is a spin-off of Dr. Phil, making it a third-generation spin-off.

International syndication

The show aired on most ABC-owned stations in the United States (except KTRK-TV, but CBS-affiliate KHOU carried the show for the entire run) (as well as various other stations through CBS Television Distribution, successor to King World), CTV in most Canadian markets,[106] Diva Universal in Malaysia,[107] TV3 in Ireland,[108] GNT in Brazil, national TV3 in Sweden, Network Ten in Australia, La7d in Italy, MBC 4 in the Arab world, MetroTV in Indonesia, FARSI1 in Iran, and in the Netherlands on RTL4.

In the United Kingdom, the show has been broadcast on a number of different channels. Channel 4 first broadcast the series on Monday October 3, 1988,[109] The BBC & Sky one acquired the rights and started broadcasting the series from 9 January 1995[110] which meant at time during 1995 the show went out on 3 different channel. Five[111] pick up the terrestrial rights from early 1998. Rights subsequently went to Living TV by 2002, followed by ITV2 in 2006, and then to Diva TV, until rights went to TLC for the last couple of series.

The show aired in 149 countries worldwide and was often renamed and dubbed into other languages.[112]

See also

References

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Further reading

  • Illouz, Eva (2003). Oprah Winfrey and the Glamour of Misery: An Essay on Popular Culture. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 978-0-231-11813-2. Retrieved May 31, 2011.
  • Oppenheimer, Mark (May 28, 2011). "The Church of Oprah Winfrey and a Theology of Suffering". The New York Times. Retrieved May 31, 2011.

External links

  Media related to The Oprah Winfrey Show at Wikimedia Commons

  • Official website
  • Oprah's Book Club
  • TV Network
  • The Oprah Winfrey Show at IMDb
  • Oprah Winfrey at TVGuide.com

January 21, 2023
oprah, winfrey, show, this, article, about, television, talk, show, host, oprah, winfrey, often, referred, oprah, show, simply, oprah, american, daytime, syndicated, talk, show, that, aired, nationally, seasons, from, september, 1986, 2011, chicago, illinois, . This article is about the television talk show For its host see Oprah Winfrey The Oprah Winfrey Show often referred to as The Oprah Show or simply Oprah is an American daytime syndicated talk show that aired nationally for 25 seasons from September 8 1986 to May 25 2011 in Chicago Illinois Produced and hosted by Oprah Winfrey it remains the highest rated daytime talk show in American television history 2 The Oprah Winfrey ShowGenreTalk showInfotainmentCreated byOprah WinfreyDirected byJoseph C TerryCreative directorReed WoodworthPresented byOprah WinfreyCountry of originUnited StatesOriginal languageEnglishNo of seasons25No of episodes4 561 1 ProductionProduction locationsHarpo StudiosChicago IllinoisCamera setupMultipleRunning time40 45 minutesProduction companiesWLS TV Chicago 1986 1988 seasons 1 3 Harpo Productions 1988 2010 seasons 3 24 Harpo Studios 2010 2011 season 25 DistributorKing World 1986 2007 seasons 1 22 CBS Television Distribution 2007 2011 seasons 22 25 ReleaseOriginal networkSyndicationOriginal releaseSeptember 8 1986 1986 09 08 May 25 2011 2011 05 25 ChronologyRelatedOprah s LifeclassSuper Soul SundayOprah s Next ChapterOprah Where Are They Now The show was highly influential to many young stars and many of its themes have penetrated into the American pop cultural consciousness Winfrey used the show as an educational platform featuring book clubs interviews self improvement segments and philanthropic forays into world events 3 The show did not attempt to profit off the products it endorses it had no licensing agreement with retailers when products were promoted nor did the show make any money from endorsing books for its book club 4 Oprah was one of the longest running daytime television talk shows in history The show received 47 Daytime Emmy Awards before Winfrey chose to stop submitting it for consideration in 2000 5 In 2002 TV Guide ranked it at No 49 on TV Guide s 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time 6 In 2013 they ranked it as the 19th greatest TV show of all time 7 In November 2009 Winfrey announced that the show would conclude in 2011 following its 25th and final season The series finale aired on May 25 2011 Contents 1 Early history 2 Interviews 2 1 Celebrities 2 2 Notable guests 3 Regular segments and campaigns 3 1 Oprah s Book Club 3 2 Oprah s Favorite Things 3 3 Oprah amp Gayle s Big Adventures 3 4 Remembering Your Spirit 3 5 Change Your Life TV 3 5 1 Iyanla Vanzant 3 5 2 Dr Phil 3 5 3 Suze Orman 3 6 What s The Buzz 3 7 Wildest Dreams 3 8 Tuesdays with Dr Oz 3 9 Fridays Live 3 10 No Phone Zone 4 Memorable moments 4 1 Giveaways 4 2 Controversies 5 Final season 5 1 Final episodes 6 United States viewership 6 1 Spin offs 7 International syndication 8 See also 9 References 10 Further reading 11 External linksEarly history EditOprah had its roots in A M Chicago a half hour morning talk show airing on WLS TV an ABC owned and operated station in Chicago In 1983 Dennis Swanson the new general manager of WLS TV hired Winfrey to replace Robb Weller that program s former host 8 9 Winfrey took over as host on January 2 1984 and within a month took it from last place to first place in local Chicago ratings 10 By 1985 the local A M Chicago program was renamed to The Oprah Winfrey Show 11 Following Winfrey s success in and Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for her performance as Sofia in the film The Color Purple on September 8 1986 the talk show was relaunched under its current title and picked up nationally 12 For the premiere the show s producers tried rigorously to book Miami Vice s Don Johnson as the first guest even trying to bribe him with Dom Perignon and a pair of rhinestone sunglasses All attempts to book Johnson failed and Winfrey decided to do what we do best and that is a show about and with everyday people The theme for the premiere show was How to Marry the Man or Woman of Your Choice 13 Interviews EditWinfrey interviewed a plethora of public figures and everyday people during the show s 25 year history When celebrities and newsmakers were ready to share their most intimate secrets their first stop was Winfrey s couch and when a serious story hit the Oprah show focused on putting a human face on the headlines Celebrities Edit Winfrey claims her worst interviewing experience was with Elizabeth Taylor in the show s second season Just before the interview Taylor asked Winfrey not to ask any questions about her relationships Winfrey found this to be a challenge considering Taylor had been married seven times 14 On February 10 1993 Winfrey sat down in a prime time special broadcast with Michael Jackson who had performed nine days earlier in the Super Bowl XXVII halftime show for what would become the most watched interview in television history Jackson an intensely private entertainer had not given an interview in 14 years The event was broadcast live from Jackson s Neverland Ranch and was watched by 90 million people worldwide and as a result his then 14 month old studio album Dangerous hit the top ten on the album charts Jackson discussed missing out on a normal childhood and his strained relationship with his father Joe Jackson During the interview Jackson attempted to dispel many of the rumors surrounding him and told Winfrey he suffered from the skin pigment disorder known as vitiligo when asked about the change in the color of his skin While admitting to getting a nose job he denied all other plastic surgery rumors Later in the interview Jackson was joined by his close friend Elizabeth Taylor her third appearance on the show 15 Winfrey s interview with Tom Cruise which was broadcast on May 23 2005 also gained notoriety Cruise jumped around the set hopped onto a couch fell rapturously to one knee and repeatedly professed his love for his then girlfriend Katie Holmes 16 This scene quickly became part of American pop cultural discourse and was heavily parodied in media Celine Dion appeared on the show 28 times the most of any celebrity besides Gayle King Winfrey s best friend who appeared 141 times 17 Winfrey also interviewed Chicago s Guardian Angels and Raymond Lear in 1988 Notable guests Edit Winfrey interviewed Kathy Bray three weeks after her 10 year old son Scott was accidentally killed by a friend who had found his father s gun Viewers later commented that the interview changed their feelings about having guns in their homes 18 In the 1989 90 season Truddi Chase a woman who was diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder having 92 distinct personalities appeared on the show Chase had been violently and sexually abused beginning at the age of two and said her old self ceased to exist after that After introducing Chase who was there to promote her book When Rabbit Howls Winfrey unexpectedly broke down in tears while reading the teleprompter relating her own childhood molestation to that of the guest Unable to control herself Winfrey repeatedly asked producers to stop filming 19 Erin Kramp a mother dying of breast cancer appeared on the show in 1998 After realizing that her six year old daughter Peyton would have to grow up without her Kramp began recording videotapes filled with motherly advice on everything from makeup tips to finding a husband She also wrote letters and bought gifts for Peyton to open every Christmas and birthday she was gone Kramp died on October 31 1998 She had recorded over a hundred videos and audiotapes for her daughter 20 Jo Ann Compton s daughter Laurie Ann was stabbed to death in 1988 and a decade later the mom was tangled in her grief I hope they re in the same hell I m in she said of her daughter s murderers on a 1998 show Oprah brought in Dr Phil to help Jo Ann He asked her if she thought her daughter would want her to be in so much pain and Compton said no Maybe the betrayal is focusing on the day of her death rather than celebrating the event of her life Phil continued She lived for 18 vibrant years and you focus on the day she died After a moment Compton uttered her breakthrough sentence I never thought of it that way Later she sobbed while revealing that she had been planning to end her life after the show When Compton returned to the show in 2011 she had a new viewpoint on the daughter she lost She continues to stay alive every time I do something positive Compton s surviving daughter Cindy said She went from existing to living It was an amazing transformation 21 In 2001 Winfrey met 11 year old Mattie Stepanek who was born with dysautonomic mitochondrial myopathy and wrote inspirational poetry he titled Heartsongs On the show Stepanek stated A heartsong doesn t have to be a song in your heart It doesn t have to be talking about love and peace It s your message what you feel like you need to do 22 In October 2008 Winfrey spoke at the posthumous dedication of Mattie J T Stepanek Park in Maryland 23 Regular segments and campaigns EditOprah s Book Club Edit Main article Oprah s Book Club Originally featured a monthly book highlight including author interviews Its popularity caused featured books to shoot to the top of bestseller lists often increasing sales by as many as a million copies at its peak It was suspended in 2002 and returned in 2003 featuring more classic works of literature with reduced selections per season The original format was reintroduced in September 2005 but Winfrey s selection of James Frey s A Million Little Pieces became controversial due to accusations of falsification January 2006 saw Elie Wiesel s Night selected Winfrey even traveled to Auschwitz with Wiesel In 2008 Eckhart Tolle s A New Earth was selected Modernizing the book club s platform Winfrey and Tolle began a series of live webcast classes that were streamed on Oprah com to discuss elements of the book with a worldwide audience 24 Oprah s Favorite Things Edit Main article Oprah s Favorite Things Items personally favored by Winfrey were featured on the show and given away to audience members Since its launch in 1996 the Favorite Things episode quickly became the hottest ticket in television When a product was featured its sales skyrocketed Select groups were sometimes chosen to receive the items In 2004 the audience was made up of educators from across the country Hurricane Katrina volunteer workers were invited to the 2005 show Winfrey has said that the iPad given away to her 2010 audience was her all time favorite Favorite Thing During a Season 25 Oprah Behind the Scenes episode documenting the production of the giveaway Winfrey talked about why the event resonates with viewers The things of Favorite Things is the least of the experience It s sharing that moment with 300 other people acknowledging that surprise and fantastical sensational wonderful happy things can still occur in your life 25 Oprah amp Gayle s Big Adventures Edit Winfrey and Gayle King are friends In 1976 Winfrey was working as a news anchor in Baltimore when she met King a production assistant The two bonded during a snowstorm when Winfrey told King she could stay at her home to wait it out Their friendship was often showcased on the show when the best friends decided to take a trip together In 2004 they traveled back in time participating in the PBS series Colonial House The series intended to recreate daily life in Plymouth Colony in 1628 Their 24 hour Puritan adventure included wood chopping cooking over an open fire battling with mice and using leaves as toilet paper 26 Winfrey and King joined 60 other women for a spa getaway in 2006 They spent five days at Miraval Life in Balance Resort and Spa taking part in self improvement exercises For an exercise called A Swing and a Prayer the women were hoisted 40 feet in the air and told to let go Once in the air King who is afraid of heights wouldn t let herself fall Winfrey couldn t help but laugh as King remained in the air but eventually persuaded her to let go 27 In the summer of 2006 Winfrey and King decided to go on an 11 day 3 600 mile road trip across America from California to New York They were excited to meet people from small towns and see how America really lives However the initial excitement quickly wore off The friends had minor meltdowns and fought for control over the radio King likes to have music constantly playing while driving Winfrey prefers silence Despite the challenges of the road trip they got to see the beauty of Sedona meet the people of Navajo Nation crash a couple of weddings take a dip in the healing waters of Pagosa Springs and learn about Amish culture Winfrey s many driving anxieties and King s tone deaf singing made the trip a huge hit with viewers 28 The friends visited the State Fair of Texas in 2009 They played traditional state fair games like Flip the Chick and the water gun race They tried many of the fried foods offered at the fair and judged a best Best of Show food contest 29 For the farewell season the best friends hit the road again for an overnight camping trip at Yosemite National Park Park ranger Shelton Johnson wrote to Winfrey because he was concerned by the low number of African Americans who visited the national parks each year So Winfrey and King packed up their camper and headed to Yosemite to help Johnson attract visitors When they arrived Johnson took Winfrey and King around the park to see some of its famous sites including Mariposa Grove and the Tunnel View from which El Capitan is visible in the distance On the way to the campsite Winfrey made a sharp turn causing their trailer to hit a rock After setting up their pop up camper the two mixed up some Moscow Mules to pass out to their camping neighbors The drink has become a signature Oprah cocktail The next day they took a lesson in fly fishing and wrapped up their stay with a mule ride 30 Remembering Your Spirit Edit A segment at the end of the show that featured spiritual counselors ordinary people who had been involved in extraordinary situations They would come on the show and share their stories of overcoming adversity with the audience inspiring viewers to do the same in their own lives 31 Change Your Life TV Edit Iyanla Vanzant Edit Iyanla Vanzant is a former attorney spiritual teacher and self help expert who was a regular on the show in the late 1990s She started the show in its 12th season and became known for her no nonsense hard hitting and often humorous advice Vanzant s take on everything from cheating spouses to financial struggles connected with viewers and at times Winfrey sat in the audience while Vanzant led the show Her books In the Meantime and One Day My Soul Just Opened Up became New York Times bestsellers 32 Dr Phil Edit Winfrey met Phil McGraw when he worked as a consultant for her legal team during her 1998 beef trial in Amarillo Texas Starting in April of that year he became a fixture on the show and a viewer favorite McGraw gave guests tough tell it like it is advice and didn t allow excuses or rationalizations for their bad habits bad marriages or bad attitudes His popular Tuesday appearances on the show led to his own talk show Dr Phil in 2002 33 Suze Orman Edit Financial expert Suze Orman became a viewer favorite offering money tips spending interventions and her famous Suze smackdowns She encouraged people to be honest with themselves about what they could afford and gave advice on getting rid of credit card debt Her motivational approach to fixing finances has led to her own financial advice empire 34 What s The Buzz Edit Winfrey introduced up and coming public figures who generated industry buzz but not otherwise widely known In what several media commentators have labelled The Oprah Effect people appearing on this segment such as Oscar winner Jamie Foxx and singer James Blunt benefited from the extra publicity the show garnered Blunt in particular saw album sales increase dramatically and landed a Top Two spot on the Billboard 200 Wildest Dreams Edit A show feature called Wildest Dreams fulfilled the dreams of people reported to Winfrey by the producers mostly viewers who wrote into the show be the dreams of a new house an encounter with a favorite performer or a guest role on a popular TV show It was named after the Tina Turner song In Your Wildest Dreams and Turner was one of the celebrities featured on the segment Tuesdays with Dr Oz Edit Mehmet Oz the head of cardiac surgery at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in NYC and better known to millions of Winfrey s viewers as Dr Oz regularly appeared on Tuesdays during the 2008 2009 season In 2009 Dr Oz debuted The Dr Oz Show in first run syndication The series is co produced by Harpo Productions and Sony Pictures Television Fridays Live Edit A weekly live episode premiered in the show s 23rd season with a panel consisting of Winfrey Gayle King Mark Consuelos and Ali Wentworth The panel discussed the week s news and highlighted events in the media and on the show In the 2009 10 season Winfrey hosted this segment on her own Fridays Live did not return for the show s 25th season 35 No Phone Zone Edit Main article No Phone Zone In March 2010 Winfrey began a campaign to stop drivers from talking or texting on their cell phone in their vehicles while driving This campaign was regularly noted near the beginning or at the end of episodes 36 Memorable moments EditOn November 10 1986 during a show about sexual abuse Winfrey revealed that she was raped by a relative when she was nine years old Since this episode Winfrey has used the show as a platform to help catch child predators raise awareness and give victims a voice 37 Liberace appeared in the first season of the show on December 25 1986 He performed a Christmas medley Winfrey said it was the most beautiful I ve ever heard Six weeks later he died of cardiac arrest due to congestive heart failure brought on by subacute encephalopathy The episode was Liberace s final televised appearance 38 The show had only been on the air for just six months when in 1987 Winfrey traveled to Forsyth County Georgia a community in which for 75 years no black person had lived Winfrey brought attention to racial tensions in the area which had just experienced several protests The show was set up as a town hall meeting where residents expressed their divisive opinions on the matter The meeting was becoming heated when one woman stood up and said I just hate to think that someone is going to get hurt before the people get some sense about them and talk about this and get it like it s supposed to be black and white together in Forsyth County There s no other way 39 The Diet Dreams Come True episode from November 15 1988 has become one of the most talked about moments in the history of show After years of struggling to lose weight Winfrey had finally succeeded in doing so In July of that year she had started the Optifast diet while weighing 212 pounds By Fall she weighed 145 pounds To commemorate achieving her weight loss goals Winfrey wheeled out a wagon full of fat to represent the 67 pounds she had lost on the diet She showed off her slim figure in a pair of size 10 Calvin Klein jeans However after returning to real food she quickly gained back much of the weight she had lost 40 Winfrey now refers to that moment as her ego in a pom pom salute 41 While doing a show centered on women drug users in 1995 Winfrey opened up about her personal history with drug abuse I relate to your story so much In my twenties I have done this drug cocaine I know exactly what you re talking about It is my life s great big secret It is such a secret because I realize that the public person that I have become if the story were ever revealed the tabloids would exploit it and what a big issue it would be But I was involved with a man in my twenties who introduced me to cocaine I always felt that the drug itself was not the problem but that I was addicted to the man I ve often said over the years in my attempt to come out and say it I have said many times I did things in my twenties I was ashamed of I ve done things I ve felt guilty about And that is my life s great secret that s been held over my head I understand the shame and I understand the guilt I understand the secrecy I understand all that 42 In 1996 Winfrey spoke with seven of the Little Rock Nine and three white former classmates who tormented the group on their first day of high school in 1957 as well as a student who had befriended them Winfrey was grateful to have the remaining members of the Little Rock Nine on her show because she credits her success to those who have contributed to the Civil Rights Movement which paved the way for people like herself 43 Comedian Ellen DeGeneres came out publicly as a lesbian during her appearance on the show in 1997 after appearing on a Time magazine cover next to the headline Yep I m gay At the time DeGeneres was the star of her own sitcom ABC s Ellen The episode brought Winfrey the most hate mail she had ever received 44 Clemantine Wamariya and her sister Claire appeared on the show in 2006 when Wamariya was selected as one of the winners of an essay contest held by Winfrey It was revealed that the siblings had not seen their parents in 12 years after fleeing Rwanda during the 1994 genocide Winfrey surprised the sisters by flying their family to Chicago for one of the most emotional reunions on the show 45 In 2007 the Marines of the Second Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion Alpha Company and their naval corpsman made the show their first stop after a seven month tour on the front lines in Iraq Winfrey welcomed the Marines with a big homecoming celebration where they were reunited with their loved ones on the show 46 Two hundred men who were molested stand together during a 2010 episode On November 11 2009 Charla Nash who was mauled by her friend and employer Sandra Herold s pet chimpanzee Travis came to the show to speak out for the first time about the terrifying attack that took place just nine months prior Nash wears a veil daily because the attack left devastating injuries to her face and she doesn t want to scare people During the show she agreed to lift her veil for the first time in public 47 While taping the show s 24th season premiere on September 8 2009 the entire audience of 21 000 people gathered on Chicago s Magnificent Mile surprised Winfrey by breaking out into a synchronized dance set to The Black Eyed Peas performance of I Gotta Feeling with new lyrics congratulating Winfrey on her show s longevity The dance had been choreographed and rehearsed for weeks by a core group of dancers who taught it to the entire crowd earlier in the day 48 During the farewell season two hundred men who were molested came forward as part of a two day event in 2010 to take a stand against sexual abuse The men were joined by director and producer Tyler Perry who had also experienced sexual abuse Winfrey hoped that the episode would help survivors suffering in silence release the shame 49 On January 24 2011 Winfrey revealed that just before Thanksgiving 2010 she had discovered she has a half sister Winfrey decided to share the news on her show because she knew the story would eventually get out and wanted to be the first to address the matter 50 Giveaways Edit On the season premiere of 2004 every person in Winfrey s show audience was given a new Pontiac G6 that was donated by General Motors 51 worth about 8 million in total 52 The giveaway was the genesis of the oft satirized Oprah quote You get a car You get a car Everybody gets a car For the premiere of the show s farewell season the studio audience of 300 ultimate fans were rewarded by being given a trip to Australia with Winfrey donated by Australian tourism bodies 53 Other giveaway shows included the annual Oprah s Favorite Things show in which the studio audience received products Winfrey considered good Christmas gifts Controversies Edit In 1996 on a discussion of Mad Cow Disease Winfrey stated that the disease fears had stopped her cold from eating another burger 54 Texas cattle ranchers considered that quote tantamount to defamation and promptly sued her for libel The show was still producing new episodes at the time of the trial and could not go into reruns so the production was forced to move to Amarillo Texas for a period of approximately one month during the proceedings A gag order meant Winfrey was not allowed to even mention the trial on her show Winfrey was found not liable 55 56 57 The trial and move to Amarillo led to Winfrey meeting Phil McGraw Winfrey made McGraw a regular guest on her show shortly thereafter which eventually led to McGraw getting his own show produced by Winfrey s Harpo Productions 58 A controversial episode which aired in 2005 though originally aired to little apparent notice in October 2003 saw guests discussing the sexual act of rimming igniting criticism The FCC received a proliferation of complaints from angry parents whose children watched the show in an early evening slot in many television markets However most FCC correspondents were prodded to write by Howard Stern a noteworthy target of the agency as well as Jimmy Kimmel in an attempt to expose an FCC double standard 59 During the 2008 presidential election campaign Winfrey was criticized for apparently declining to invite Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin to her show until after the election 60 A 2009 episode attracted criticism from the crowd after Winfrey suggested mothers should buy vibrators for their teenage daughters 61 Winfrey s program was criticized for featuring alternative medicine and junk science advocates such as Suzanne Somers and vaccine denialist Jenny McCarthy 62 63 64 In the lead up to Winfrey s tour of Australia the show was heavily criticized for airing a segment sponsored by the McDonald s Corporation 65 66 in which it was claimed by Australian TV personality Carrie Bickmore that Australians liked to hang out at hip McCafes 67 This depiction of Australian culture was greeted with surprise by many Australians 65 and anger throughout the Australian coffee industry which claimed the statements did not accurately reflect the industry painted the Australian coffee drinker in a bad light and expected that the industry would be negatively affected by the statements 66 In the same episode McDonald s products were handed out to the studio audience Final season EditEarly in its twelfth season Winfrey confessed she was exhausted and considered quitting 68 However while making the 1998 movie Beloved Winfrey then admitted that it brought her back to her responsibility as an admired black woman with a great deal of power and influence She realized that being in such a position within the media industry she could make a positive difference in people s lives Winfrey was once again inspired to continue to help people take better control of their destinies hence her slogan Live Your Best Life I made the decision in the midst of doing Beloved I was doing some scenes Beloved is about an ex slave and during that process of doing that I connected to really what slavery had meant and my own personal ancestry and history connected it to a way I have never before from reading all about Black history and you know talking to relatives And I realized that I had no right to quit coming from a history of people who had no voice who had no power and that I have been given this this blessed opportunity to speak to people to influence them in ways that can make a difference in their lives and to just use that 68 On January 15 2008 Discovery Communications Harpo Productions and Winfrey announced a joint venture to establish a new cable channel in 2009 known as the Oprah Winfrey Network OWN 69 In November 2008 it was reported that during a conference call Discovery Communications CEO David Zaslav stated that Winfrey did not intend to renew her contracts for The Oprah Winfrey Show beyond the 2010 11 season Zaslav stated that Oprah could potentially move to the new channel in some form following the end of the syndicated series However Harpo Productions denied the report stating that Winfrey had not made a final decision as to whether she will continue her show in syndication beyond 2011 70 71 On November 20 2009 Winfrey officially announced that The Oprah Winfrey Show would conclude in 2011 after its 25th and final season Winfrey explained that 25 was the perfect number the exact right time and that I love this show This show has been my life And I love it enough to know when it s time to say goodbye 72 The 25th season premiered on September 13 2010 featuring guest John Travolta and an audience of 300 of her most loyal fans 73 During the episode it was also announced that the entire audience had been invited to join Winfrey on an eight day all expenses paid trip to Sydney Australia for a series of special episodes via a plane piloted by Travolta 74 On December 11 2010 Winfrey arrived in Sydney to record shows at the Sydney Opera House Winfrey and her 300 American audience members were officially welcomed at a cocktail party in Sydney s Botanical Gardens overlooking Sydney Harbour 75 The beach themed party hosted by New South Wales Premier Kristina Keneally featured live music and a fireworks display over the water which culminated in the lighting of a red O on the Harbour Bridge 76 The episodes in Australia were coordinated between Harpo Studios Tourism Australia Tourism New South Wales the Sydney Opera House Tourism Victoria Tourism Queensland R M Williams and Network Ten 77 78 The federal government of Australia spent 1 5 million on the event while the government of the state of New South Wales spent an additional 1 2 million to promote the region Tourism minister Martin Ferguson said I think it s money well spent 77 78 In addition Tourism Victoria spent a further A 650 000 79 The farewell season featured several notable cast reunions including The Sound of Music The Color Purple and The Way We Were 80 81 82 In May 2011 Winfrey interviewed U S President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama her first ever interview with a sitting president and First Lady They talked about the challenges of parenting at the White House the strength of their relationship and their concern for the country s future President Obama also thanked Winfrey for her contributions to the country You ve got a big heart and you share it with people Nobody knows how to connect better than you do he said We are just blessed and grateful to have you in our lives 83 non primary source needed Final episodes Edit The final episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show aired on Wednesday May 25 2011 It was preceded by a two part farewell special recorded at the United Center in Chicago in front of an audience of 13 000 84 The two part show featured appearances by Aretha Franklin Tom Cruise Stevie Wonder Patti LaBelle Beyonce Tom Hanks Maria Shriver Will Smith and Madonna 85 86 87 Several hundred graduates of Morehouse College who were the recipients of Oprah s Oprah Winfrey Scholarship also attended to thank Oprah and pledge their future support of the scholarship program 88 89 The final episode was a smaller affair recorded in the usual recording studio Winfrey spent most of the finale thanking the show s staff and her fans I ve been asked many times during this farewell season Is ending the show bittersweet Well I say all sweet No bitter And here is why Many of us have been together for 25 years We have hooted and hollered together had our aha moments we ugly cried together and we did our gratitude journals So I thank you all for your support and your trust in me I thank you for sharing this yellow brick road of blessings I thank you for tuning in every day along with your mothers and your sisters and your daughters your partners gay and otherwise your friends and all the husbands who got coaxed into watching Oprah And I thank you for being as much of a sweet inspiration for me as I ve tried to be for you I won t say goodbye I ll just say until we meet again To God be the glory 90 She finished the show in tears 91 The finale was marked by viewing parties across the US 87 and the episode was also shown in movie theaters 92 The episode received the show s highest rating in 17 years 93 After the show s final episode reruns of Oprah remained available to air until September 2011 by which point individual stations had selected other syndicated or local programs to fill the show s timeslot Several stations that had carried the show in the 4 00 p m timeslot began carrying local news programs at that time with a handful of stations debuting these newscasts the day after the final episode aired as a result the show s final months of reruns did not air in the normal timeslot in some areas 94 United States viewership Edit Marquee for the show above entrance at Harpo Studios in Near West Side Chicago The first Oprah show was taped there on January 15 1990 95 It has been reported that the show averages an estimated 7 96 97 14 98 and 15 20 99 million viewers a day in the United States It has also been reported at 26 million 100 and 42 million 101 102 a week 5 2 and 8 4 million a day Viewership for the show has been reported to have dropped over the years averaging 12 6 million in 1991 2 103 9 million in 2004 97 9 million in 2005 104 7 8 in 2006 100 7 3 million in 2008 100 and 6 2 million in 2009 103 The show was number one in the talk show ratings since its debut The show spent many years as the highest rated program in daytime television Even with stiff competition Oprah still maintained a consistent lead over other talk shows 105 Spin offs Edit Multiple shows have spun off of Oprah including The Dr Oz Show Dr Phil The Nate Berkus Show and Rachael Ray The Doctors is a spin off of Dr Phil making it a third generation spin off International syndication EditThe show aired on most ABC owned stations in the United States except KTRK TV but CBS affiliate KHOU carried the show for the entire run as well as various other stations through CBS Television Distribution successor to King World CTV in most Canadian markets 106 Diva Universal in Malaysia 107 TV3 in Ireland 108 GNT in Brazil national TV3 in Sweden Network Ten in Australia La7d in Italy MBC 4 in the Arab world MetroTV in Indonesia FARSI1 in Iran and in the Netherlands on RTL4 In the United Kingdom the show has been broadcast on a number of different channels Channel 4 first broadcast the series on Monday October 3 1988 109 The BBC amp Sky one acquired the rights and started broadcasting the series from 9 January 1995 110 which meant at time during 1995 the show went out on 3 different channel Five 111 pick up the terrestrial rights from early 1998 Rights subsequently went to Living TV by 2002 followed by ITV2 in 2006 and then to Diva TV until rights went to TLC for the last couple of series The show aired in 149 countries worldwide and was often renamed and dubbed into other languages 112 See also EditOprah After the ShowReferences Edit Hollingshead Iain May 20 2011 Oprah Winfrey retires Those in the spotlight can t bear the final curtain The Daily Telegraph London Retrieved May 23 2011 Rose Lacey January 29 2009 America s Top Earning Black Stars Forbes Retrieved May 23 2012 Oprah Winfrey on Career Life and Leadership Inspiring Interview on Personal Development retrieved October 27 2022 Carr David November 22 2009 The Media Equation Oprah Winfrey s Success Owes to Decisions That Avoided Common Traps The New York Times Retrieved May 26 2011 The Oprah Winfrey Show Trivia Web Oprah com January 1 2006 Retrieved June 26 2012 TV Guide Names Top 50 Shows CBS News Fretts Bruce Roush Matt The Greatest Shows on Earth TV Guide Magazine 61 3194 3195 16 19 Anderson Jon August 16 1983 No dog days of August for Ch 7 s new chief Chicago Tribune Chicago Illinois p 2 15 Retrieved March 6 2022 via Newspapers com Anderson Jon December 2 1983 Picture of unemployed works in Steel Chicago Tribune Chicago Illinois p 5 14 Retrieved March 5 2022 via Newspapers com Oprah Winfrey s Official Biography Web Oprah com May 17 2011 Retrieved June 26 2012 Oprah Winfrey Encyclopedia com www encyclopedia com Retrieved October 1 2021 The Oprah Winfrey Show to End September 2011 Oprah com November 20 2009 Retrieved May 26 2011 The Big Premiere O the Oprah Magazine Harpo Print LLC Official Commemorative Edition 14 2011 Elizabeth Taylor Most Watch Oprah Shows Oprah com April 29 2011 Retrieved June 26 2012 Oprah Reflects on Her Interview with Michael Jackson Web Oprah com September 16 2009 Retrieved June 25 2012 Waxman Sharon June 2 2005 How Personal Is Too Personal for a Star Like Tom Cruise The New York Times Retrieved August 22 2013 Repeat Attenders Oprah Official Commemorative Edition Harpo Print LLC 69 2011 Viewers Choice Web Oprah com January 1 2006 Retrieved June 28 2012 Truddi Chase on Sexual Abuse and Multiple Personalities Web Oprah com May 21 1990 Retrieved June 26 2012 In Memoriam Erin Kramp Web Oprah com May 16 2011 Retrieved June 26 2012 Jo Ann Compton s Profound Moment Web Oprah com May 13 2011 Retrieved June 28 2012 Mattie Stepanek s Heartsongs Web Oprah com October 19 2001 Retrieved June 26 2012 Jennifer Smith Stepanek April 23 2012 Mattie s Death amp Legacy Mattie J T Stepanek Foundation Archived from the original on September 11 2019 Retrieved December 13 2014 A New Earth Are You Ready to be Awakened Web Oprah com January 30 2008 Archived from the original on June 21 2012 Retrieved June 25 2012 Oprah s Ultimate Favorite Things Season 25 Oprah Behind the Scenes Season 1 Episode 7 February 4 2011 OWN Oprah and Gayle Back in Time Web Oprah com October 29 2010 Retrieved June 28 2012 Oprah and Gayle s Big Spa Adventure Web Oprah com October 29 2010 Retrieved June 28 2012 Oprah and Gayle s Road Trip Web Oprah com October 29 2010 Retrieved June 28 2012 Oprah and Gayle s New Adventure The Biggest State Fair in Texas Web Oprah com October 29 2010 Retrieved June 28 2012 Oprah and Gayle s Big Yosemite Camping Adventure Web Oprah com October 29 2010 Retrieved June 28 2012 Marjorie Dorfman Television Talk Shows Web Culture Shock Online Retrieved June 28 2012 Iyanla Vanzant Returns to The Oprah Show Web Oprah com February 16 2011 Retrieved June 27 2012 The Oprah Show Official Commemorative Edition O The Oprah Magazine 2011 p 76 Ask Oprah s All Stars Suze Orman Web Oprah com 2011 Archived from the original on July 3 2012 Retrieved June 28 2012 Kaplan Don November 24 2008 Oprah s Man New York Post No Phone Zone Retrieved May 14 2010 Most Shocking Moments Oprah s Sexual Abuse Web Oprah com April 15 2011 Retrieved June 25 2012 In Memoriam Liberace Web Oprah com May 16 2011 Retrieved June 25 2012 Race in Forsyth County Georgia Web Oprah com April 14 2011 Retrieved June 25 2012 Oprah s Top 20 Moments Web Oprah com October 2005 Retrieved June 25 2012 The Complete Webcast of Oprah s Lifeclass with Eckhart Tolle Web Oprah com October 10 2011 Archived from the original on July 7 2012 Retrieved June 25 2012 Oprah Winfrey Confesses Drug Use February 1995 Retrieved June 25 2012 The Little Rock Nine Web Oprah com January 17 2011 Retrieved June 25 2012 Ellen DeGeneres Stands in her Truth Video Oprah com October 13 2011 Retrieved June 25 2012 Meet the Essay Contest Winnders Web Oprah com May 25 2006 Retrieved June 25 2012 Soldiers Families Reunited Web Oprah com November 2 2011 Retrieved June 25 2012 Chimp Attack Victim Charla Nash Shows Her Face Web Oprah com November 11 2009 Retrieved June 25 2012 Oprah s Kickoff Party Flash Mob Dance Web Oprah com September 10 2009 Retrieved June 25 2012 A Two Day Oprah Show Event 200 Adult Men Who Were Molested Come Forward Web Oprah com November 5 2010 Retrieved June 25 2012 Oprah s Family Secret Web Oprah com January 24 2011 Retrieved June 25 2012 Freeman Sholnn September 14 2004 Oprah s GM Giveaway Was Stroke of Luck For Agency Audience The Wall Street Journal Retrieved January 7 2021 Phippen J Weston June 6 2016 John Oliver s 15 Million Debt Giveaway The Atlantic Retrieved June 6 2016 Quinn Karl January 22 2011 When Oprah gives someone else pays The Age Melbourne Australia Retrieved January 22 2011 Howe Verhovek Sam January 21 1998 Talk of the Town Burgers v Oprah The New York Times Retrieved November 30 2018 Cattlemen Condemn False and Misleading Oprah Show Mad cow org Archived from the original on July 19 2011 Retrieved May 26 2011 Oprah s report on Mad Cow Disease Mcspotlight org April 15 1996 Retrieved May 26 2011 Oprah Free speech rocks Texas cattlemen lose defamation suit CNN Retrieved May 25 2010 Game Changing for Dr Phil in New Season of Hit Show Fox News September 9 2009 Time Waster FCC Swamped With Oprah Indecency Complaints May 4 2004 Thesmokinggun com Retrieved May 26 2011 Lisi Clemente September 6 2008 Palin Clubbed By Oprah Snub New York Post Moms should buy vibrators for teen daughters retrieved June 15 2012 Stanley Alessandra November 21 2009 The Fine Art of Quitting While She s Ahead The New York Times Retrieved May 25 2010 Allen Arthur May 6 2009 Say It Ain t So O Slate Oprah s long history with junk science January 9 2018 a b Meade Amanda Sinclair Lara December 6 2010 When Oprah educates Yanks on our hip McCafes it s the dollar talking The Australian Retrieved May 26 2011 a b Elser Daniela December 6 2010 Coffee houses in a froth over Oprah s McCafe sell out news com au The Australian Way Video Oprah com Retrieved May 26 2011 a b Cover Story Oprah Winfrey Reveals the Real Reason Why She Stayed on TV Jet 58 November 24 1997 Retrieved May 26 2011 Discovery Winfrey to Team Up On Network Washington Post Retrieved April 29 2017 Will Oprah Winfrey End Show in 2011 TV Guide November 8 2008 Retrieved November 12 2008 WINFREY S SET TO DISOWN ABC Page Six November 8 2008 Retrieved October 14 2018 Stelter Brian November 20 2009 A Tearful Winfrey Explains Her Departure Media Decoder The New York Times Retrieved October 14 2018 Benedictus Leo September 14 2010 Oprah surprises her audience with a trip to Australia on a plane flown by John Travolta The Guardian Retrieved October 14 2018 Oprah Winfrey sends audience to Australia BBC News September 14 2010 Harbour Bridge lights up for Oprah Australian Broadcasting Corporation December 12 2010 Retrieved December 27 2010 Video excerpt Network 10 News on Oprah s Australian visit YouTube Archived from the original on November 4 2021 Retrieved December 27 2010 a b To Host The Oprah Winfrey Show in Australia Tourism Australia Archived from the original on February 15 2011 Retrieved May 26 2011 a b Oprah visit to cost taxpayers 3m Australian Broadcasting Corporation September 14 2010 Retrieved May 26 2011 Peter Mickelburough Taxpayers forked out 650 000 for Oprah Winfrey s Melbourne visit Herald Sun July 20 2011 For the First Time in 45 Years The Entire Cast of The Sound of Music Reunites Web Oprah com October 28 2010 Retrieved June 25 2012 The Color Purple Reunion Web Oprah com November 15 2010 Retrieved June 25 2012 A Once in a Lifetime Barbra Streisand Extravaganza Web Oprah com November 16 2010 Retrieved June 25 2012 President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama Web Oprah com May 2 2011 Retrieved September 11 2012 Final Oprah Winfrey talk show is broadcast BBC May 25 2011 Retrieved May 26 2011 Final Oprah Winfrey talk show is broadcast BBC May 25 2011 Retrieved May 26 2011 Goudreau Jenna The Last Oprah Winfrey Show Tears Cheers And Oprah s Final Lesson Forbes Retrieved May 26 2011 a b Fans across the country gather for Oprah viewing parties CNN May 26 2011 Retrieved May 26 2011 Oprah s Generosity Spurs Past Morehouse Scholarship Recipients to Pledge New Scholarship Funding diverseeducation com Diverse Issues In Higher Education May 27 2011 Retrieved June 3 2017 Stanley Alessandra May 25 2011 Television Diva Gives Thanks and Signs Off The New York Times Retrieved May 26 2011 Oprah Signs Off After 25 Years of The Oprah Winfrey Show Oprah Oprah s finale Until we meet again USA Today May 25 2011 Retrieved May 26 2011 Oprah Show Finale at Aksarben Cinema Action3News com Archived from the original on May 29 2011 Retrieved May 26 2011 Oprah s finale draws highest ratings in 17 years USA Today May 26 2011 Retrieved May 26 2011 KGO to add 4pm News after Oprah says goodbye www adweek com Retrieved July 6 2018 O The Oprah Magazine May 2015 p 190 Stelter Brian Carter Bill November 19 2009 Oprah Winfrey to End Her Talk Show The New York Times Retrieved May 25 2010 a b Wark Penny May 29 2008 Oprah Winfrey the TV queen s crown slips London Times Newspapers Ltd Retrieved May 25 2010 TIME 100 Oprah Winfrey Time Inc June 8 1998 Oprah Winfrey The Many Faces of Oprah New York TV Show Tickets Inc Archived from the original on August 31 2010 Retrieved January 29 2010 a b c TV Show Reviews AuditionAgency com November 28 2020 The Oprah Winfrey Show to end in 2011 New Jersey On Line LLC November 20 2009 Oprah decides to end show after much prayer Today com November 20 2009 Archived from the original on August 5 2020 Retrieved November 22 2019 a b Oprah Winfrey queen of a declining empire daytime TV The Christian Science Monitor November 22 2009 Cockcroft Lucy May 27 2008 Oprah Winfrey Show suffers ratings slump The Daily Telegraph London Archived from the original on May 29 2008 Retrieved May 25 2010 Media Queen Oprah Winfrey Losing Ratings Battle May 27 2008 The Oprah Winfrey Show CTV ca September 25 2003 Archived from the original on May 28 2007 Retrieved January 12 2009 Diva Forums The Oprah Winfrey Show Divatv co uk Archived from the original on November 27 2010 Retrieved May 26 2011 The Oprah Winfrey Show TV3 Tv3 ie September 30 2010 Archived from the original on May 23 2011 Retrieved May 26 2011 Evening Times Google News Archive Search Schedule BBC Programme Index Crisell Andrew June 29 2005 An Introductory History of British Broadcasting Routledge ISBN 9781134538058 via Google Books Global Distribution List of The Oprah Winfrey Show Oprah com March 29 2011 Retrieved May 26 2011 Further reading EditIllouz Eva 2003 Oprah Winfrey and the Glamour of Misery An Essay on Popular Culture New York Columbia University Press ISBN 978 0 231 11813 2 Retrieved May 31 2011 Oppenheimer Mark May 28 2011 The Church of Oprah Winfrey and a Theology of Suffering The New York Times Retrieved May 31 2011 External links Edit Media related to The Oprah Winfrey Show at Wikimedia Commons Official website Oprah s Angel Network Oprah s Book Club TV Network The Oprah Winfrey Show at IMDb Oprah Winfrey at TVGuide com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Oprah Winfrey Show amp oldid 1132744510, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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