Is it me, or are Oprah’s audiences easy to please?
So was I watched Oprah this afternoon and pondered just how ridiculous her show has become. I mean, her audience is pretty damn easy to please, what with the clapping for just about anything every other minute and all. I always sort of catch Oprah on, but never plan to watch it. Mainly because she’s on at 4pm. Okay the real reason is that I hate the way she gushes all over her celebrity guests.
Today she had on the cast of Seinfeld, which not so coincidentally coincides with the impending release of the first three seasons of the comedian’s sit-com on DVD. Her whole show was a commercial for the DVD. Every three seconds Oprah was reminding her viewers that the DVD was coming out, and that it would be a great Christmas gift. The Seinfeld cast was likeable, maybe a little stunned at all the hollering and attention they were getting. To say they were kind of reserved would be an understatement. They looked like four people who had a contract to fulfill and made nice with smiles and all, and traded nice stories about each other. Oprah was cracking jokes like she was a part of the cast, smiling and grinning like there was no more war in Africa. Again, the cast was polite and smiled and acknowledged her excitement, which was a little bewildering to me. I mean, the show ended six years ago, and had been in syndication prior to its ending. It doesn’t feel like six years. We see these mofos everyday, sometimes twice a day. And who needs a reunion show with a cast whose faces look like, “yeah, thanks everybody, but we’re actors, get over it!” Maybe I expected them to be funny, or perform skits right there on show. They just sat there and politely answered Oprah’s stupid questions. Her fawning was jitterbuggimg on my last nerve.
Of course Oprah wouldn’t be Oprah without saying that there everybody in her studio audience would be getting copies of the Seinfeld DVDs. The audience reacted like they had won the lotto. My question is this: does anyone really miss Seinfeld? I mean, go away and give me a chance to miss you, you know? Oprah’s losing what touch she had and seems to be celebrating celebrities for the sake of $$$. She’s turning into Entertainment Tonight at 4pm EST.
I think that Oprah is a genius. Oprah Winfree is a modern day Booker T. Washington. I agree that some of her celebrity interviews are down right pandering. But She uses her celebrity better than any other famous person that I can think of.
I think that she entertains the masses (who are predominantly caucasion)while simultaneously educating about world issues. She has shed light on the plight of Africa. She has built numerous boarding schools and AIDs hospices in S. Africa,
she has donated $20 million to Morehouse and many millions to other historically Black colleges.
So I say Brava! Also, I think that it is sad that in this day in time we still attack one another because we disagree with one another's tactics. We need to look at the end result.
i stopped watching oprah years ago. hated her and her show. primarily because i thought she catered to her white audience. but after watching a few "after the show" eps i got to see the real oprah for the first time, and i like her. i really do.
as far as her audience goes, i've seen people wait on line at the supermarket for a free sample of cheese. why wouldn't these same people go crazy over a FREE dvd--or better yet car?
face it, most of us love free shit. *extends hand* hey steve, got anything?
Posted by christopher david / on Nov 30 @ 11:56 AMOh, I loved that line "smiling and grinning like there was no more war in Africa" - sheer comedic brilliance. Yes, Larry, her ass should be DISTRAUGHT until that day ... *snickers!*
I noticed how Oprah changes when she has celebrities on versus when she has regular people with sensational problems. The questions are sometimes only a couple of steps from combative and the disconnection is palpable, becoming more so when their segment is about to finish.
Anyway, if I see Julia Roberts on Oprah again this year, I'll scream!
Posted by Donald / on Nov 30 @ 8:27 AM"smiling and grinning like there was no more war in Africa"
So, I'm hoping this was just an ill-aimed attempt at humor, but I gotta ask the question:
Should Oprah be sulking around until there's a permanent cease fire in Africa? Does her celebrity saddle her with any greater responsibility of going on a smile strike than that which you shoulder?
Geez.
In other world news, I caught some of the episode and I do agree that the audience is easy to please... But can we fault people who are
1. prompted by signs and crew when to clap and how intensely?
2. eager to have the camera pan their way so that their friends & family can catch a glipse of them on TV?
3. praying that there's a golden ticket under their chair that will win them the luxury vehicles Oprah has the resources to shell out like candy?
And let's no single out Oprah. Audiences are mere mobs of clapping hands and emphatic agreements these days. Have you seen Jerry Springer lately? I've even seen applause erupt in the reality TV courtrooms! It's not just an Oprah thing.
Posted by Larry D. Lyons II / on Nov 29 @ 11:07 PMNow Sweevie. Why you hatin'?
"O" is the queen of all television. If she wants to honor the phenomenally talented thespians who starred on "Seinfeld" who are we to do anything other than watch, smile adoringly and applaud on cue.
Conform, Steven. Conform.
Posted by Bernie / on Nov 29 @ 10:38 PMI accidently caught a few minutes of it. I normally am working but needed to check the Tivo setting to make shure it was getting my shows for the week LOL.
I get caught on her statements that us regular folk just can't connect with... like the fact that it took three years to build her mansion, but only took 18 months to build Seinfeld's.. Did anyone really care ?
Posted by Prime (AKA Mike) / on Nov 29 @ 8:08 PM