Oprah
I love Oprah but...I really do, I think she’s an inspiration, particularly to a section of America needing inspiration but to all of us too. I admire anyone who strives to achieve their dreams (and far beyond in this case) particularly when there are obstacles thrown in their way. A non-supportive family is an impediment at a young age and I know I’m lucky to have the encouragement I did that lead me to believe I could and can do anything I set my mind to.A lot of people don’t have that support and that’s where Oprah comes in. I’ve been 50/50 when it comes to the Oprah Winfrey show; I’ll watch it if the subject matter appeals to me or if someone I like is being interviewed. I’m not into the stories of abuse and gruesome murders but I can’t help but watch the transformations of women who have simply dressed to stay at home and watch TV and then they are transformed into ladies wot lunch. The same with houses that haven’t seen a lick of paint or any visitors since 1975 and the gay one (I assume) converts it to 21st century living by kicking the short floral curtains into space and putting bamboo blinds in their place. His main victim is chintz and he’s not keen on animal shaped fur rugs.So it’s some years after becoming a fan of Oprah and just as her TV series ends that I pick up copy of ‘O’ magazine. Somehow, taking a rare (and I mean I cannot remember the last one unless I count travels abroad) morning off I unexpectedly end up watching back-to-back Oprah shows, enticing me to even more Winfreyness.The magazine however, is not meant for people like me who just want to bask in the O great one’s glory as I do. This publication is for those who really need help and fair play to Ms Winfrey & her BFF Gayle King for giving it to them.What strikes me first is the amount of advertising; it’s not unusual to have the first 20 or so pages of a glossy women’s magazine to be full of advertising but ‘O’ magazine goes beyond; it is full of product placements too. An excellent business decision but oh so obvious to the trained eye! I’m wondering if the average ‘O’ reader realises these are adverts and not the Great One’s recommendation?Then there’s talk of ‘emotional mugging’ and apparently long ring fingers mean you are ‘at risk of osteoarthritis’ plus thick dark facial or body hair means you could have ‘Polycystic ovary syndrome’. Or just that you have thick dark hair elsewhere on your body I would have thought. Is this just making everyone hypochondriacs?What stops me in my tracks is when readers are asked to pray, I mean you just would not get that in the UK’s ‘She’ or ‘Red’ magazines (I think). If America doesn’t already know the answers then all this then all I can say is thank God for Oprah. Long may she reign in America, beyond the television show.