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I'm not sure I will read Oprah's unauthorized biography. So much information has leaked out already, that it many not be necessary. For some reason, I'm also just not interested in her "story." It sounds rather boring to me, and a little too sordid.
My interest in Oprah has never really been in her "autobiography" but in how she managed to pull practically the whole female population of the planet into her world. I don't know what she has tapped into. She is not a particularly empathetic person, she is not very forthright either. Other than tell us her story of childhood sexual abuse, teen pregnancy and the consequent death of her infant son, she never talks much about herself. In fact, her abuse is a major part of her Oprah Show, shaping many of her programs. As one of her relatives says, all this may have been exaggerated. It is telling that these are the parts she focuses on most when presenting her background.
I think her mystique comes from this strange secrecy she maintains, along with her aloofness. I’m not sure Kitty Kelley’s unravelling will provide much more new information. I’m not sure it is more facts we need about Oprah, but more psychology. Not just, "who is she?" but, "what makes her tick?"
I’ve tried to answer the latter question once in a while in this blog, simply by watching her shows, and analyzing her behavior. One thing I noticed, for example, is that she craves attention; everything has to revolve around her, and if it doesn't, she has no qualms about setting that straight. She also often cries in her show, but I once watched her doing it quietly in a corner (she wasn’t in the main part of the show), and it seemed like she was crying for herself, rather than for the victim that was her guest. She's also addicted to human horror stories, the worse the better. Most of her guests have overcome their tragedies, but she seems to relish in recounting their stories, like picking at a scab. And she’s not as sophisticated and as cultured as she likes to make out. Her "favorite things" are simply items anyone can find and pick out from some high-end store. At the end of the day, she is a rather boring woman, with strange obsessions.
But, why do millions upon millions of women tune into her show, and follow her guidance through so many of their life's experiences? That is the $64,000 question. And I think I’m a little closer to answering it. No book offers yet, though!
My Oprah blog posts:
- Oprah and Sarah Gang Up on Bristol
- Sarah, Oprah and Hillary
- Why Does Oprah Cry on Air?
- Oprah and Martha
- Oprah, the Most Powerful Everywoman in America
- Oprah Power
