39 replies to this topic

[canter]

Just creating a forum for this show, since the Oprah thread wasn't the place to discuss it.

I watched the "Find your Calling" episode today, with Lady Gaga as the focus of the beginning of the show. Again, I found it preachy, and I just kept thinking how people need to make a living, you know? Why does your "calling" also have to be the thing you do to earn money? Why can't you have a day job and pursue your philanthropy, music, baking, or whatever as a hobby in your free time? Over and over, she said, "So-and-so left her job to ______."

I dunno, it's great when jobs and passions overlap, and I do think you shouldn't spend 8 hours a day in an absolutely miserable job, but if you have work that you find tolerable or even a little fun that just happens to not be your "calling," and also cultivate free time in which to pursue your passions, I think that's fine too.

[car54]

what's up with this two hour thing she's doing on Friday nights? Was that Iyanla with her on the promo????? oy.

[Lava VaVoom]

Don't forget the show on Sunday morning (8 AM and 7 PM Eastern) about your soul. I guess that needs its own thread, too. God forbid.

[Jempilot]

At the risk of being slightly off-topic, but to respond to canter, the latest issue of O Magazine does more of what you suggest than this show. The article explains how you can pursue a hobby/passion/whatever in your free time, as opposed to what Oprah usually says, which is if you follow your passion ... you're being your highest self ... and the money will magically follow. Yes, I hear organic cheesemakers are in high demand these days.

I saw the premiere episode about the 67 pounds of fat and I feel bad - regardless of whether you think she's great, too preachy, etc., I wish she could be happy slightly plump and let the body issues go. 20 years and all the money in the world later, she still hasn't. Sometimes that doesn't give me much hope. When she starts to preach, I think her comments about money are sometimes disingenuous, the "I don't need to go to therapy because I had this show for 25 years" is off base, but her continued struggle with weight (as opposed to saying, this is me and I'm ok with it) shows that it's a universal problem.

[gldlox]

I'm just not finding motivation from this show. The hour is too long to listen to Oprah say the same thing over and over and over and over. She really is coming off as superior to the TV audience. It feels like more of a pat on Oprah's back than a way to inspire greatness in others. I find myself feeling very.....blah because I must not be as "enlightened" as Oprah, who seems to know all, and have deleted it from my DVR lineup.

[zane73]

gldlox: I agree the hour is way too long.

I so very rarely surface to comment on anything but I think the repetitive nature of Lifeclass is annoying and not helpful or uplifting. She could say it in half the time.

Frankly I enjoy the updates on past Oprah show guests more than whatever the linking "topic of the day" is. I wish she had done more of that on the 25th season.

I just don't know how much longer I want to sit through the preaching to get to the clips. That makes me sad.

[curbed]

The hour is too long to listen to Oprah say the same thing over and over and over and over. She really is coming off as superior to the TV audience.

I enjoy watching the old clips & hearing her talk about what she was thinking at that moment, but when she repeatedly rambles on & on with her self-righteous wisdom I get bored out of my mind. It takes me right back to being in school & staring at the clock in the classroom wishing the time would hurry along. Does she think we're stupid that we can't come to a realization on our own, especially without it being excessively shoved at us?

During the beautiful women segment she must have said 25 times that not in 25 years had a beautiful guest revealed what Cybill Shepherd did. Of course they know they are beautiful & their looks opened doors for them. Duh. Was it really that important for her to hear because it wasn't to me. Over & over she repeated it as if the worlds grandest discovery had been found ...that or they were telling her she had 20 minutes to kill.

[King Cat Sam]

So, what I take from this show is that if we watch we won't need to seek therapy from a board certified therapist. Dr. Oprah will cure us !

Edited by King Cat Sam, Oct 19, 2011 @ 7:05 PM.

[Dee Clutter]

Did any of you ever get that free journal? I applied as soon as I got the email AND I got a confirmation it would be arriving soon... but I'm still waiting.

I'm thinking the network is in trouble. They had promised to send out one million books ...

[LoveIsJoy]

Nope...I never received my journal, either. Like you, Dee Clutter, I responded immediately and received confirmation that it was on its way. So far, nothing.

[navine]

not that anyone with access to her that she might actually listen to ever will ----- but someone needs to tell Oprah that she is NOT a doctor/therapist/whatever.

I watched the first show and was appalled at her I-know-it-all and have-all-the-answers attitude ..... but then, she left behind the interviewer-persona and adopted the Oprah-as-guru thing a LONG time ago.

[rustyspigot]

This show is very Stuart Smalley. And hilarious at times. When you have a whole show obsessing about ego maybe that should tell you something. Hey, that must have been my "Ah. Ha!" moment.

[Xingu]

Hey Oprah. You have more money than god, if you want to be a teacher, go teach. If you want to preach, start your own church. But stop making your already shitty network worse with this drivel.

I really mean that about being a teacher. She has always said that if she wasn't a talk show host she would be a teacher. Well, now's your chance. Go make a difference where it really counts. And I don't mean your sexist "leadership academy".

God knows she doesn't know the first thing about running a network. For fuck's sake she doesn't even watch TV. How in the hell did she think she could run a network?

I was really hoping this show would be kind of like Oprah Winfrey Mystery Theater 3000 where she would run clips of her old show and then talk over them. But, instead, she feels the need to edumacate us poor, pitiful ignoramuses.

I think she's going to find life after The Oprah Winfrey Show very difficult for her ginormous ego. She can't go back to a talk show and heaven knows her acting is fair at best. (The clip of her acting as Ellen's therapist was cringeworthy.) So she has decided to be an on-air therapist. Except that she has had no formal training whatsoever and has never even been to therapy.

I really think she is going to lose part of her identity without her talk show. I don't think she realizes how fickle her fans can be.

[Mimi10022]

This show is very Stuart Smalley. And hilarious at times. When you have a whole show obsessing about ego maybe that should tell you something

So far I have learned a few things from this show. It seems that whatever O thinks isn't a problem for her is a big problem for her. No ego except that weight thing? Sure. The show is so overly egotistical. It comes completely from her. There's a way to do it that's more in the vein of "Look, I met a lot of people and they've taught me some interesting things that you might take something from" than, "Since I have done a talk show, I am more enlightened, smarter and deeper than thou. Listen and learn, peons".
And this week I learned that O has huge issues about her looks. All of her carping that Cybil Shepherd "finally told the truth" meant that Cybil finally answered the question in the way O thought all beautiful people think. Maybe all of the other beautiful people really did not think it was a big deal for them, they knew it was going to fade (any cute kid will tell you that ugly old ladies delight in telling you how you will be ugly one day!), and wanted to be looked at as a person, not a face or body.
No wonder she bought into the Secret. It is kind of interesting and horrifying to watch O give her opinion as absolute fact. I wonder what it must be like to be Gayle or Steadman. How do you even have a conversation with her?
O, you've accomplished a lot. But you are not God.

[curbed]

Why did she bring Iyanla Vanzant back to join her on OWN? Why?

[tresc]

I have never seen a more self-indulgent program on television than Oprah Lifeclass LIVE.

How much praise does Oprah need to receive? Does Oprah need to work this hard to prove to her "students" that her Lifeclass is so life changing and globally transformative?

The most entertaining part of the program, by far, is watching the adulatory Facebook comments streaming across the bottom of the screen. "This class is a brilliant idea!" "You are blowing me away with Lifeclass!" and my favorite – "What you are doing is actually raising the consciousness of the entire planet." Yes, that was proudly displayed across the bottom of the screen.

Other highlights...
-Oprah scolding the teleprompter.
-Oprah calling out comments from the "wall of Facebook." These are not the comments on the bottom of the screen, but rather another visual area for Oprah to read more incoming flattery.
-Oprah introducing Sheri who is sitting at the "producers' table." Sheri is in awe as she names countries where people are presumably watching the webcast. Sheri appears later in the program saying that "Twitter is all a buzz." She names more countries. Ok, we get it.

Now OWN will probably announce, "Next week on Oprah Lifeclass LIVE: The Apotheosis of Oprah."

[rustyspigot]

Oprah scolding the teleprompter.

That was my favorite part. "I'm not talking in third person, its MY lifeclass."

That and her "Presidents" discussion with the producer lady.

And her fascination with this new fangled thing called the internet.

[Kali12]

Oprah calling out comments from the "wall of Facebook." These are not the comments on the bottom of the screen, but rather another visual area for Oprah to read more incoming flattery.

I keep hoping Oprah will get an "ah-ha" moment as in, "Oh, this seems very vain of me, doesn't it, all this flattery read and reviewed and gushed over."

[zane73]

My PVR failed to record the live ep. However from what you've all described and also from what I saw of the behind the scenes show, its entirely conceivable to me that this was entirely the producers' idea.

What I can't figure out is why Oprah goes along with it.

Also I do have to admit that I love watching the clips from the "Joy Rising" shows.

Loved the Stevie Wonder clip and also the one of the Rwandan sisters who were reunited with their family.

Laughter and Joy truly are the best medicine. I just wish Oprah didn't act like she invented the phrase even after showing the clip of the flash mob dance participant using the phrase.

<sigh> this show is like a bad habit I can't break. Maybe I just like to complain about it too much.

[marsha]

I missed the "live" show on Friday but I've seen most of the shows so far and this is the thing: Maybe it's just where I'm at in my life right now but many of the things O is talking about seem to be resonating with me. Yes, I know what an ego O has and that she seems to have a need to be, for lack of a better word/term "worshiped", but I'm really getting something from this show.

I mean, not every show/story but more than I would ever have guessed. The commercial they air for the show (at least on OWN in Canada) has O saying that this show was "inspired by The Oprah Winfrey Show" which always makes me roll my eyes and think/laugh "Oh gee, even O has been inspired by O!" Now, from the descriptions I've read here, the Friday "live" show sounds like something I could happily skip but otherwise I find this show to be quite good and by far the best thing (next to the "behind the scenes of the last season of O" show) this channel has offered to date.

[frigidare]

Why did she bring Iyanla Vanzant back to join her on OWN? Why?

Unlike most people, she may enjoy people who try to hold her hostage with other show offers and then try to lie about it repeatedly on national television. Not a good move IMO.

[vmc88]

I'm so disappointed in this show. I found the ego show hilarious. That woman dragging the fat in the wagon was 100 times more likable than the one sitting in a chair browbeating me with her nuggets of wisdom.

[Intuition]

And this week I learned that O has huge issues about her looks. All of her carping that Cybil Shepherd "finally told the truth" meant that Cybil finally answered the question in the way O thought all beautiful people think. Maybe all of the other beautiful people really did not think it was a big deal for them, they knew it was going to fade (any cute kid will tell you that ugly old ladies delight in telling you how you will be ugly one day!), and wanted to be looked at as a person, not a face or body.

Count me in as one of those people, and let me tell you she came off as quite condescending, superior and presumptuous when she admonished pretty women to develop their "inner selves" as if she assumes that just because they're pretty they DON'T develop their inner selves and need wise old sage Oprah to tell them to do it. After all, as she pretty much said, it was because she wasn't attractive that she was able to put the focus on developing her inner self (gloat, gloat) as if all of us pretty women only focus on our external appearance. GAG ME!!! As someone who studied Philosophy, Theology and Psychology in college and did not even wear eye makeup on my wedding day, yet who was considered beautiful when I was young, she really made my blood boil!

What gets me is that if she had really done the "inner work" she tells us she had the advantage of being able to do because of her relative unattractiveness, she would not still have such a complex about her appearance and the appearance of women she considers to be more attractive than she is - So much of a complex that she forces Cybil Shepard to make some admissions just so she can gloat over it and cheer at Cybil's sadness and misfortune at realizing that her looks were fading. Man, this woman is even more deluded than I ever thought she was, and I knew she was full of herself and had delusions of grandeur but this was enough to make me spit!

[Kali12]

Today's live Lifeclass with Iyanla was the worst yet, imo. It's like some kind of cult of Oprah, and the people who babble to her with all the right phrases, "not a problem, an opportunity"...."my ah-ha moment"...."a blessing"....interspersed with "You are such an inspiration!" are rewarded by Oprah (as in the one getting her chocolate business pimped. I'm sure business will BOOM tomorrow).

Iyanla makes me ill with all her pontificating, esp. because I get the feeling that in her own life she's a big hypocrite. But when she took issue with the woman who described her father as "crazy", blasted her, "Never, ever call your father or mother crazy. Your aunt or uncle, okay, but not your father. He gave you life, in God's blessing, and you need to always honor your father and your mother...blahblahblah."

I guess if your father was Jeffrey Dahmer or John Wayne Gacy, it's not okay in IyanlaWorld to have an independent judgment. And all that God talk...I'm sure some like it, but she's so sanctimonious and judgemental and sure of herself. Oprah's not like that (not quite, not yet), but she seems in awe of Iyanla's arrogance and certainty and little catch phrases (like repeating "Iyanla said that guilt and shame are toxic!")

I don't think this woman is a spiritual, loving person like I really do think Oprah is. It's weird to see their dynamic and I find I really dislike Iyanla. Oprah hangs on her every word, but Iyanla never looks like she's listening to Oprah and learning anything from her or anyone else. She just exudes "ego" but somehow Oprah thinks she's some kind of insightful spiritual teacher.

Edited by Kali12, Oct 29, 2011 @ 1:50 AM.

[tresc]

I just finished watching this week's Oprah Lifeclass LIVE. The guests were still gushing over her, but overall, I thought this week presented a humbler, more modest Oprah in comparison to the insufferable braggadocio of last week. The streaming Facebook comments were tamed down; instead of endlessly praising Oprah, the comments now primarily focus on personal insights and a-ha moments. "General Salata" is thankfully no longer boasting about countries where people are watching or tweeting.

It's like some kind of cult of Oprah,

Too funny...the charismatic leadership, public confessions, thought reform, altering past events, use of buzz words, lol...so cult like!

[rustyspigot]

The live shows are hilarious.

My favorite parts:
The journal debacle. Its not that big of a deal, Oprah.
The Wall of Facebook's new possible name. How about Oprah's Joy of Non-Ego Praise Area.

Iyanla makes me ill with all her pontificating, esp. because I get the feeling that in her own life she's a big hypocrite.

Yes, The lady doth protest too much, methinks. And the don't call you father crazy (but, you can call your uncle crazy) logic was stupid as hell. I think Oprah even chimed in to mildly negate that comment.

And now a reading from the Book of Oprah, from the first letter of Oprah to the Corinthians.

[Kali12]

The journal debacle. Its not that big of a deal, Oprah.

The three different reactions to this were hilarious.

Iyanla: "Who cares? A million people think you should be giving them a free journal? Who do they think they are?"

General Salata: "It's a scandal. Our first scandal."

Oprah (sorry, but kind of bemused): "I'm sorry because I know how that is when you're promised something. Of course, y'all CAN write your lessons down on any ol' piece of paper and it'd still be good! But...I know. We promised. I'm going to track it down."

I have to say that, time and again, Oprah strikes me as a remarkably grounded and well-centered, pragmatic person. It amazes me, given her iconic status for 25 years. (And, lucky that Iyanla wasn't the one who became so famous. That woman screams, "inconsiderate diva!" to me, even if she does pontificate about God, or some fake-sounding spirituality or Oprah-speak--often kind of the same thing--every two seconds.)

Edited by Kali12, Oct 29, 2011 @ 8:38 PM.

[Dee Clutter]

The journal debacle. Its not that big of a deal, Oprah.

What you talking about, Willis? ; ) I refuse to watch until I have my special Oprah journal.

Given the ratings, she and Sheri and Gayle and all the rest better be binding them out in the backyard of her magnificent plantation ...

[Kali12]

Very surprised that a show billed as "about intuition" was a show about rape and how you should listen to your instincts about danger. Maybe a useful message, but hardly the topic promised.

[car54]

Last night was the first time I've seen one of the online ones with Oprah and Iyanla and the Huffington Post lady and Sherri sitting beside the stage at a table. All the people sitting in folding chairs looked kind of cheesy--doesn't Oprah have access to Rosie's theatre or some other space that is set up better?

Why is she bringing Iyanla back? My guess when she did that 2-parter on the Oprah show with her was that it was the beginning of Iyanla's rehab and that she would somehow bring her into the OWN fold to help fill up the network.

I just don't know about this show. Many of the insights Oprah discusses are interesting but the whole lecture thing and all the online praise running on the screen, etc feels very skeevy to me--it just seems like a big ego thing despite all the marketing she does about helping people. I don't dislike Oprah but I feel like she is very disconnected with real life anymore and her perception of how she comes off is a little out of touch. I don't watch regularly but they show it a lot--so I have seen parts of a lot of the shows and I always come away feeling this way.