THE MAGIC OF OPRAH
BY DAN MILLER
(first posted September 22. 2004)
Oprah Winfrey came to Fort Campbell on Monday, and some of the hundreds of women who turned out said it was a "blessing".
I've heard my sister say the same thing.... "Oprah is a blessing to the world".
When Oprah walks into a room, people react as if they're in the presence of royalty, or even deity.
There are TV consultants who pontificate on what's good or bad about various shows and people on TV.
One of them, while analyzing Oprah's show, said "Oprah has no weaknesses..... None."
That's astounding, because these guys always find something negative to say.
I decided to ask some people I trust...... What's the deal with Oprah? What makes her so special?
Here are excerpts of what they said:
Sara Harper - my sister, (and the best writer in our family):
".....there's no one like her. I love her as the 'best friend' I can laugh with and cry with. She doesn't preach, and she has a sense of humor." "Her emotions are real. She shares and she empathizes with, what seems, a 'guided' understanding of people. Over the years Oprah has allowed her audience to join her journey in learning how to live a life."
Steve Ramsey - WSMV General Manager:
".....because she cares and she is curious. It is the combination of the two that makes it magical."
Mike Bohan - sidekick on WSIX's House Foundation:
"....absolute honesty. She never tries to pretend she doesn't have a gazillion dollars.... she acknowledges it, and generously helps people better themselves when she can."
"Besides, there's always a chance she'll give you a car."
As many of you know, Oprah was a 'news anchor' here in Nashville years ago.
Being a news anchor myself, I can tell you we anchors like to be thoroughly familiar with the words and stories we're reading, mainly so we don't stumble.
But Oprah told me something very revealing a few years ago.
She said - doing the news, she never liked to read over her news script, or even be familiar with it, prior to delivering it on TV...... she liked to read it cold.
Why?, I asked....
Oprah said - quote - "I liked to hear what I was reading for the first time, along with everybody else, so I could react naturally."
Perhaps those were the early signs of Oprah's magic.
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