After 25 years of dominance The Oprah Winfrey Show finally came to a close. Not without an epic exit along with a nearly three-decade rise to prominence for Oprah Winfrey, who know ranks amongst the top of numerous “richest …” lists. Oprah and her show meant a lot not only for daytime television, but also for many communities including women, African-Americans, and those who have overcome negative circumstances to achieve success in life. Oprah was able to create a loyal base of fans that not only enjoyed her material but also believed in her message. As Oprah departs from our daily television sets (at least in terms of new topics and interviews) it may bring an end to an era that spawned mainly due to her efforts. Although now bombarded with The Maury Show and other trashy material, there was once a point where talk show’s ruled the afternoon. The iconic life of Oprah exceeds television, and has extended into many facets of life, but also leaves an impact of culture, media, and cultural media. Oprah has remained one of the few strong figures of an African-American woman on television, who is not there merely due to looks or some connection to a man, but her own establishments. As Oprah tried to maintain a certain level of integrity within her topics, many others like Tyra Banks do not take the same importance in everyday substance. This could lead to an instantaneous end of an era, with the Oprah Network not showing much sign of life. Hopefully Oprah’s legacy will lead to even more entrepreneurism in the lives of those suffering with less than desirable conditions. No matter what her impact will be felt forever, especially in this city of Chicago. – C.S.
I agree, Oprah holds a soft spot in many hearts of Chicagoans because of the fact that she has done so much to help out around the world. She set record breaking ratings during the finale of her shown and I love the fact that her race itself is a factor that is overlooked because of her great charity work and contributions. She is perceived a respectable, educated, and likable figure in television, as opposed to a wannabe like Tyra Banks. The difference is, Oprah was able to be taken serious because of how the public perceived her whereas Tyra in opposition was seen as a joke.
ReplyDeleteI agree with both Craig and Sam. Throughout Oprah's entire career, we saw her determination and hard work shine through. She started at the bottom and worked her way to the top, which is very very admirable for us, especially being in college and about to enter the real world. There are other women who aspire to be Oprah, but what we don't see is the hard work of these women and if/how they worked their way to the top. I believe that is why Oprah is regarded so highly, because we watched her rise, which is absolutely appropriate to do so.
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