Which…that there were enough of them to make a 5-disc set, that they actually made the set and are selling it, or that someone seriously considered buying it?

James on December 18, 2007 at 1:17 PM

Yes.

That’s why they’re called “drones.”

Disturbing.

silenced majority on December 18, 2007 at 1:08 PM

Which…that there were enough of them to make a 5-disc set, that they actually made the set and are selling it, or that someone seriously considered buying it?

I picked up and looked at the 5-disc box set of all of Barry Manilow’s TV specials at Barnes & Noble yesterday

Disturbing.

Some years ago, Oprah actually did a whole show on the theme of Judaism and devil worship. It was truly a bizarre program and Oprah kept prefacing her remarks by saying such things such as “Not everyone who is Jewish believes in this”. The episode drew some complaints but because it was Oprah the whole episode was forgotten quickly. I don’t know if there is any audio or video remaining from the program but it would nice to see a transcript and see what Oprah would have to say about it.

Larraby on December 18, 2007 at 12:13 PM

I wrote about this in one of the columns I linked to in my comments above. The show was absurd and disgusting, but O got away with it, as usual. The woman–who said she is Jewish and that her parents were going to sacrifice her–had multiple personalities and was seeing 2 psychiatrists. But Oprah put her on and did this anti-Semitic show about it. You sanitized what Oprah said, actually. I posted her exact comment in one of the bullet-points. Read here.

Ambassador Oprah, has a certain ring to it.

right2bright on December 18, 2007 at 10:46 AM

The money, prestige, influence and Bravo Sierra opportunities don’t even come close.

“You know Dr. King dreamed the dream. But we don’t have to just dream the dream anymore. We get to vote that dream into reality.”

And how do you show that Dr. King’s dream of character being more important that skin color is now true?

Vote for the black guy … hunh?

Somehow I must be missing a relevant part of what Oprah meant, because that doesn’t seem to logically follow.

Oprah is certainly allowed to be political and endorse anyone she likes. But I do find it more than coincidental that she decides to endorse Black Barack Obama. I don’t remember her endorsing Jesse in 1984 as mentioned above, but that might be true.

Whether you like or hate Oprah, she’s a very smart and shrewd woman in managing her own “brand,” and I mean that as a compliment. I doubt this is going to blow up in her face.

asc85 on December 18, 2007 at 11:44 AM

Celebrity endorsements make great news, but ultimately it’s not going to matter much. Even if Obama gets the Democratic nomination down the road, which I highly doubt he will, he won’t win the general election.

In addition, Obama has not knocked Hillary out of the running. So…

Whether you like or hate Oprah, she’s a very smart and shrewd woman in managing her own “brand,” and I mean that as a compliment. I doubt this is going to blow up in her face.

You far overestimate the intelligence and critical thinking skills of Oprah’s OJ-jury-style audience.

Debbie Schlussel on December 18, 2007 at 10:12 AM

Don’t be too proud of this political terror you’ve constructed. The power to destroy a presidential campaign is insignificant next to the power of the O.

Captain Scarlet on December 18, 2007 at 10:30 AM

Good point.

I agree with Debbie, actually. Well, aside from the you are wrong fingerjab. Oprah’s political view point is pretty well know and guests like the ‘esteemed’ Frank Rich illustrate it. That’s why I wonder if it will effect her. It was a bit of the known – but I’m proud of you Bryan for not watching the show!

You far overestimate the intelligence and critical thinking skills of Oprah’s OJ-jury-style audience.

Debbie Schlussel on December 18, 2007 at 10:12 AM

Well stated (as usual), do not underestimate Oprahs influence on her audience (and if is vast). If you were to sell a book, that is where you want to be. And if you want to mobilize and get women to vote, this is the person who can. An ardent liberal, in sheep clothing. Her fans are fanatics.
She will hire the best speech writers, tap into the best political resources, she will create a war machine. Her failed attempt at Jesse Jackson had just made her wiser and stronger.
Ambassador Oprah, has a certain ring to it.

Interesting. I wonder whether the numbers for her audience will go down, or if it is just grumbling.

Spirit of 1776 on December 18, 2007 at 9:31 AM

You mean like how I picked up and looked at the 5-disc box set of all of Barry Manilow’s TV specials at Barnes & Noble yesterday until I remembered how he dissed Elisabeth Hasselbeck this year and then decided not to buy it (…for my mom, of course)? (Funny thing is, my mom’s an avid “View”-er. Think I should tell her what she almost got and why she didn’t?)

Have you or Michelle seen her show? Apparently, very rarely. There are very few “recipes” and Halle Berry never talked about how she’s “decorating her nursery.” But she’s had several shows in the last year about global warming, the war in Iraq (forget about the Frank Rich episode, already?), promoting Islam as moderate and peaceful, etc.

In fact, last year, a poll called her one of the “religious” leaders a third of Americans look up to. That’s the problem. A few comments on a message board are no big deal, a tiny blip indicative of absolutely nothing. Oprah’s blind audience is mostly sticking with her. Try explaining why Josh Groban’s Christmas record sold over a million copies recently, only after he appeared on her show. Oprah is not losing anything out of endorsing Obama, as much as you and Michelle would like to think so, and as much as I wish you were correct.

Having been to her show once and seeing which audience members commiserates with, and which ones she does not (hint hint), during breaks was proof enough for me.