Okay, admit it...you have that favorite talk show that you TiVo, DVR, find On-Demand, or rush home from work to watch. For drama junkies, there's "Maury" or the ever reliable "Jerry Springer", both of which make no apologies about showcasing everything wrong with society...and make it look so entertaining! Then there are the health conscience talk shows, like "Dr. Phil", "Dr. Drew", and "Dr. Oz". Beneficial? Yes! Exciting? Sometimes. Then there are the Foodies, shows that remind us how much we love to eat and how bad we cook. Thanks Rachel Ray and "The Chew"!!
But once in a generation, we are graced with a phenomenon that changes lives and changes the world.
In a word...Oprah.
Just the sound of her name can create goosebumps in the average American homemaker. For years, millions tuned in to hear her words of encouragement and inspiration. Books would become best sellers at her mere mention. She made stars out of everyday people. When Oprah spoke, people bought. Her favorite things became the favorites of others.
By and large, I wasn't part of that massive group of fortunates...and I make no apologies for it.
For years, I was quite cynical about "The Oprah Winfrey Show", especially towards the end of its run. I thought my head was going to explode when she announced The Oprah Winfrey Network, or OWN for short. By the time it hit the air, I couldn't help but be intrigued. What was she going to do? What was the next level? Was she about to go intergalactic?!
OWN debuted at a time that I became serious about changing my life. I began to take the needed steps to heal some serious spiritual wounds. At this point, I was willing to give OWN a shot.
Like any new network, there were hits and misses. There was still some residual Discovery Health and some occasional true crime. But I do enjoy Oprah being out in the world, "gettin' out the house", so to speak.
Do I have a favorite, you ask? I do. I really enjoy "Oprah's Next Chapter". Only she can bring out the best in the likes of Steven Tyler, bring understanding about Hasidic Judaism, make George Lucas look like the genius next door and bring elevated dignity to the memory of Whitney Houston. I just watched the new episode with Lady Gaga and her mother. Quite impressive.
Now that I've outed myself as a "later in life Oprahphile", I plan to start "Oprah's Lifeclass" online. I doubt if I'll follow the tour starting this Monday, but I'll explore the lessons already on the website, at my own pace, of course. I'll let your know how it goes!
I look forward to discovering what Oprah has to offer in the future. I have a long way to go before I get to where I want to be. I'm glad she'll be along for the ride.
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