Oprah

[Brandy]

jman, your long post above here was really good and I agree - and I hadn't known about many of those talk show disasters. But shining a spotlight on someone unstable can do all kinds of damage, I think. That is an unnatural situation and if they're already obsessing about negative things, now they have more reason to - because they will have to realise that the entire nation might have seen their flawed self, too! (Not just their home town). Especially if they felt the show would make them feel good and then they were ridiculed. Or 'surprised' (I hate those surprise shows). And now anywhere they go someone might say "aren't you the guy whose girlfriend slept around on him?" etc.

The guy who shot the guy after the Jenny Jones taping, said that he just kept thinking over and over, that everyone (in America) will now think he's also gay. That he would never have a chance at a happy life. (Job, wife, etc.) That he'd now have to worry about people thinking that/making fun of him (people were already teasing him about it once he got back to his town). He had gone on the show hoping for a new girlfriend ('secret crush'). He did name fear of the show airing and what people would think, as a reason.

Robin Quivers is a smart lady. A lot of people in 'show biz' are narcissists, or even sociopaths. It isn't easy to 'make it' in that field and some people who do, have done not so nice things to get there. The values are also often skewed. Money, fame... trappings a narcissist is fed by. (Note, I'm not saying they are all this way. Some actually are there for love of their art.)

Maybe James Frey is a sociopath. I have not seen enough of him to have an opinion. I have not read his book. If so, we can stop worrying about suicide - sociopaths commiting suicide is nearly unheard of. They don't feel guilt, they don't ruminate. They just spin as best they can, and move on.

Not sure what you meant about Dr. Phil, jman.

[AJane]

Phil Donahue tried to be more *serious*, and was boring as hell. Like Montel is now, and like Jerry Springer used to be.

jman, I don't think Oprah's fans will think her credibility is shot at all. I like Oprah and frankly, I think the Hermes incident was a far worse gaffe than this. I was really disappointed in her at the time and was very pleased she backed off from hyping the non-"Crash" moment.

When all is said and done, all Frey did was write a book that wasn't completely truthful. He's not a monster...in fact, he now seems to be a little pathetic.

I don't agree that talk shows prey on the weak...rather, they prey on the opportunistic. Hard to feel sorry for anyone like that.

[babydollbrat]

I agree that Frey needed to be called out. I dont' agree with the way Oprah did it. She really went overboard with the raking over the coals she gave him. There was no need of it. She should have blasted the publisher more. Frey had shopped the book as fiction many times. After the book came out, before Oprah chose it for the book club, there were sites debating the controversy of it. The publisher should have fact-checked but in my opinion Oprah also should have had it fact-checked. She knows her word is "gospel" to millions of people and I think it's her duty to have all facts before she "preaches" to her fans. Oprah needs to accept responsiblity too. She was just trying to save face. I don't think she did it for her fans...I think she did it for herself. JMHO. As for the dentist visit, whose to say that is not how he remembers it? I have to laugh at my brother when he is telling storied from our childhood.........you would think we grew up in seperate houses! How one person remembers things may not be how another remembers. I also think being an addict, his memories would be cloudy anyway.
I will be surprised if Frey makes it through this without a relapse......or worse!

[jman79]

Well, I was watching "dateline" last night and they had did a short piece on the QUEEN. They say bloggers are bashing Frey, just as much as Oprah. About time the queen got hers.

The reporter said Oprah is not a journalist, he needs to do his "fact checking" She is a journalist. Actually, many talk shows were journalist, before hosting their own talk show. Now celebrities, get talk shows. Journalists turned talk show hosts:

Jerry Springer (also former Mayor of Cincy. Bounced a bad check to a hooker. He really should of paid in cash)
Maury Povich
Maureen O'Boyle
Sally Jessy Raphael
Phil Donahue
Geraldo Rivera
Rolonda Watts(much prettier than Oprah)

Actually, I remember reading an article, that Oprah was a little pissed when Rolonda got a show. They were both produced by King World. Rolonda was "coined" the next Oprah. But it never happened.

Just off the top of my head.

Lucky break:
Ricki Lake

Casting Couch:
Jenny Jones (she was also a star search winner as a comedian. I always found that strange. She never really came across to me as comical, more toxic)

[Brandy]

I don't agree that talk shows prey on the weak...rather, they prey on the opportunistic. Hard to feel sorry for anyone like that.

Some people are dragged on or talked into, appearing on a talk show by a loved one. Others are naive or gullible and sadly just want the free plane ticket to a city they have never visited. People who may not even be able to afford a computer like we're all typing upon; people who see appearing on a talk show as 'stardom'. I've met one or two like this and it's sad. You can kind of tell some guests, on Ricki Lake for example, who feel this is their moment in the spotlight.

Well, imagine any of the people in the above examples getting in front of the cameras, and discovering they're the butt of the joke, or the negative surprise. Kind of like showing up for dinner and discovering you're it.

Is that opportunism? If so, whose? Who's really being taken advantage of? The show makes money, the host becomes famous, and the guests are ridiculed. Just my opinion.

[jman79]

I think some people who go on talk shows want their 15 minutes. In the mid 90's there was about 20 talk shows. I think people who went on some of these shows were looking for "fame"

I think Jenny Jones was one of the most mean spirited shows. I actually read a post from someone online who said how she felt ambushed by the show. The producers told her one thing, and then when she went on, she got something else. I also remember after appearing on Oprah, a guest was also was on Jenny Jones. This has happened with several shows. Remember Jenny Jones had that character "rude jude" he was cruel. Jenny Jones was a poor actor, Rude would make horrible comments and Jenny would sort of shake her head, like how "terrible of him" He was a regular on Jenny.

Back to Oprah and Dr philofit. People see "DR" and think, this man is going to fix me. I think some people who do go on Oprah are also looking for 15 minutes. But, not so much with Phil. If you go to his website, look at his shows this week. Pure trash. He gets worse by the week.

I went to James Frey website, and I don't know the guy, but he does seem like he is sociopath. He has an open message board, where people are ripping him apart. I am sure he could close it, if he wanted to. There are people who are thick skinned, but sociopath don't really care what anyone thinks.

I don't think Oprah's credibly is really tarnished. But it does hurt her some, the book is still #1 on NY Times, her name is attached to it, along with that sticker. How can it not be? The book was suppose to be non-fiction and a large part is fiction.

Oprah said she use to be a "people pleaser" I would like to read the book she read, because she is far from it now.

[prhoshay]

Being a "people pleaser" is not a healthy thing.

[jman79]

Being a "people pleaser" is not a healthy thing.

True(re:your pm to me) That is true, but Oprah is just a down right b*tch a lot of the time. If you watched dateline last night, people aren't exactly happy with how she handled the situation.

We don't know James state of mind. He could be a sociopath, or he could just be a screwed up guy. Oprah "ambushed" him. And you disagree all you want, but it's the truth.

[ArchieComic Fan]

To change the subject a little - if any of you watch "Will and Grace", Jack mentioned the "Oprah hug" and it was hilarious! He described it as the way people will come at Oprah with their arms out for a hug and at the last second she'll put her hands up to meet theirs and grasp their hands and say something like "good for you" without actually having to HUG the person! I know I'm not doing it justice but it was very funny. I don't know if she actually does that since I hardly ever watch the show anymore.

[prhoshay]

Don't agree with "ambushed".