Over the weekend at Clutch Magazine Online, I wrote a post chronicling Oprah Winfrey returning just a wee bit to her tabloid roots (but like, it's still fancy n' stuff) in her effort to raise her cable network's ratings. This week's "boo-hoo bait" was a teary-eyed Rihanna recounting her love for abusive ex-boyfriend, singer Chris Brown. But where have I seen this from Oprah before?
In a new post for Clutch Magazine I write how Oprah's OWN network is failing because it's still centered on the guru and not on the larger themes of what a full-fledged network created by the guru should be. People didn't want to see more Oprah, necessarily, they wanted to see what Oprah would actually do with a network. And what they expected was magic, not an unfocused muddle. People wanted Oprah to go big, or go back to basic television. Otherwise, how could she justify such a move?
Danielle Belton | 1 Comment | Share Article | Email Article | Print Article | tagged Clutch Magazine, OWN, oprah winfery, the snob 
I didn't see the whole interview. The clips I found of it were more than enough to make me uncomfortable as Mo'Nique's brother Gerald Imes discussed how as children he sexually molested his sister. Oprah interviewed Gerald, as well as he and Mo'Nique's parents about the abuse and the whole thing was unsettling. Largely because even though Mo'Nique OKed the interview with Oprah, she chose not to participate, making the whole thing seem like one part an examination of how deep denial can run in a family that has held the secret of abuse and another part uncomfortable exploitation featuring an odd apology from Gerald.
Danielle Belton | 33 Comments | Share Article | Email Article | Print Article | tagged Mo'Nique, media, oprah winfery, sexual abuse 
John TeshKidding. Or maybe John Mayer has John Tesh's racist penis disease.* I can't keep track of these things.
Why do I say this things about the smooth jazz man and former Entertainment Tonight show host? Well, funny you asked, but there this gossip celebrity book doyenne (Or is it dowager? I get those two confused sometimes.) known as Kitty Kelley and she is apparently slapping together a tome on Oprah Winfery. Naturally it's unauthorized and promises all the things Oprah hasn't overshared because even Oprah likes to keep some stuff to herself. She'll gladly talk about her weight isssues and some of her personal life struggles, but other things? A woman can't just have all her bidness out in the street.
But out of pure randomness, John Tesh has come out to admit that at least one story in the book is true -- that he used to date Winfery in the 1970s. But what was more fascinating than the fact that they once lived together was this nugget.
From Yahoo News:
The 57-year-old Tesh says he and the 56-year-old Winfrey dated while working in local news in Nashville, Tenn.
The book "Oprah: A Biography" claims Tesh and Winfrey didn't just date, but lived together for a short period in the 1970's.
It goes on to say Tesh abruptly ended the relationship one night when he noticed their contrasting skin colors and couldn't handle being in an interracial relationship.
Tesh has not commented on the book's explanation for their split, but did tell "Entertainment Tonight" he and Winfrey remain good friends.
Because of ... well, just the general suckiness of life, I can understand how some folks would have to bow out of an interracial relationship because they couldn't handle the drama that comes with it. That's understandable and honest. But I seriously hope he didn't just bolt and end the thing so quickly because one night he woke up and realized he was sleeping with a black woman. Surely he'd noticed beforehand that she was black. Unless you're lighter than a paperbag, blackness is not something easily hid. It's kind of obvious. But maybe it was just the weight of it and it sunk in that if they made the babies there was a good chance that baby wasn't going to come out looking the same color as Tesh. Either way, bizarre way to end it, Tesh, if that's the way you ended it. Glad you and Oprah are still friends.
*Totally stole that joke from Faith on Twitter. Hat tip to Erica Kennedy for the link.
So Oprah Winfery is retiring in 2010 and I feel ... well, meh. I like Oprah on principle. Who can't root for the little black girl who grew up, did good and became Queen of All Media? That's a pretty awesome storyline. But I wasn't in Oprah's target demographic. I always saw Oprah as something for folks who needed a Best Black Friend Guru to tell them what books to read and what products to buy and how to best dump their horrible husbands and live their "Best Life Possible." I wasn't looking for some Neon Messiah to lead me to the retail promised land, so I pretty much passed on Oprah all of my child, teen and adult life. But to realize that I don't really know a world without Oprah on television, that people have been born and have grown up knowing nothing but the Mighty O is pretty amazing. I actually have a few pre-Oprah memories. They all involve Phil Donahue and Jerry Springer trying to be Phil Donahue, but there aren't many.
Danielle Belton | 17 Comments | Share Article | Email Article | Print Article | tagged media, oprah winfery, the snob 
The Queen of Day Time Talk has taken some hits lately on everything from her school in South Africa to her weight to her endorsement of President Obama in 2008 to her love for all things "New Age-y," but the latest trend in THE END OF OPRAH meme involves her ratings, which have slid by seven percent this year.
Danielle Belton | 42 Comments | Share Article | Email Article | Print Article | tagged media, oprah winfery, question 
Crusing the Web for a break on all things Michael Jackson related and I found this story on Black Voices caliming that Oprah had denied Jesus as the only path to God. Suddenly the Scooby Sense in my brain went "Ruh-Roh!" knowing this was NOT going to go over well with Oprah's Christian base and a majority of black folks.
More story and video after the jump.
Danielle Belton | 51 Comments | Share Article | Email Article | Print Article | tagged celebrities, media, oprah winfery, religion 
"And you get a degree! And you get a degree! And YOU get a degree! Whoooooo!"
Did you know that Oprah is rich? Like, really rich? And that she lurves it? Like, super lurves it?
Our fair Oprah is catching some flack for giving a commencement speech at Duke University where she started talking about how great it is to have money. This was not the whole speech, but you know folks. People don't like it when you toss your jetliners in their faces.
But in O's defense, homegirl was just keepin' it real.
More after the jump.
Danielle Belton | 15 Comments | Share Article | Email Article | Print Article | tagged celebrities, economics, oprah winfery, racism 
Via Gawker and its documentation of the Great Chicken Riots of 2009.
By Luvvie
I didn't think Madame O would need a sternly-worded letter, but alas, I was forced to write one.
Dearest Oprah,
You know I STAN for you more than Michael Jackson stans for little boys plastic surgery, right? Well I does. That day when I SEED you in "The Color Purple", I KNEW there was a GAWD!! Did you ever know that you're my SHERO? Well, you is.
However, I got a bone to pick with you (ALL pun intended). I know you mean well but I got slight beef, or is that chicken, with you (yes, feel free to boo me for both the premise and the corniness of that line). You ain't right for this free chicken that you not only endorse, but you initiated. I've just 'bout HAD it with all this chicken being given away lately. And before y'all start saying I'm a vegetarian hater, that ain't it. I LOVES me some fried chicken wings.
More after the jump.
Luvvie | 11 Comments | Share Article | Email Article | Print Article | tagged Kentucky Fried Chicken, advertising, luvvie, oprah winfery 
