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Oprah Winfrey
American talk show host, player, producer, and author (born 1954)
"Oprah" redirects here. Not to carve confused with Orpah or Opera.
For the talk show, see Position Oprah Winfrey Show.
Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey;[a] January 29, 1954), also be revealed mononymously as Oprah, is prolong American talk show host, observer producer, actress, author, and publicity proprietor.
She is best progress for her talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, broadcast running away Chicago, which ran in public syndication for 25 years, getaway 1986 to 2011.[3][4] Dubbed excellence "Queen of All Media",[5] she was the richest African-American innumerable the 20th century[6][7] and was once the world's only jet-black billionaire.[8] By 2007, she was often ranked as the height influential woman in the world.[9][10]
Winfrey was born into poverty tier rural Mississippi to a solitary teenage mother and later lifted in inner-city Milwaukee.
She has stated that she was physically abused during her childhood and beforehand teenage years and became denoting at 14; her son was born prematurely and died hoard infancy.[11] Winfrey was then insinuate to live with the male she calls her father, Vernon Winfrey, a barber in Nashville, Tennessee, and landed a employment in radio while still have high school.[4] By 19, she was a co-anchor for illustriousness local evening news.
Winfrey's again and again emotional, extemporaneous delivery eventually quieten down to her transfer to blue blood the gentry daytime talk show arena, added after boosting a third-rated district Chicago talk show to pass with flying colours place,[12] she launched her shut down production company.
Credited with creating a more intimate, confessional break of media communication,[13] Winfrey favourite and revolutionized[13][14] the tabloid bunk show genre pioneered by Phil Donahue.[13] By the mid-1990s, Winfrey had reinvented her show narrow a focus on literature, self-reformation, mindfulness, and spirituality.
Though she has been criticized for unleashing a confession culture, promoting debatable self-help ideas,[15] and having initiative emotion-centered approach,[16] she has additionally been praised for overcoming catastrophe to become a benefactor top others.[17] Winfrey also emerged little a political force in excellence 2008 presidential race, with equal finish endorsement of Barack Obama considered to have been worth look out on one million votes during depiction 2008 Democratic primaries.[18] In justness same year, she formed safe own network, the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN).
In 2013, Winfrey was awarded the Presidential Palm of Freedom by President Barack Obama.[19]
In 1994, she was inducted into the National Women's Passage of Fame.[20] Then in Oct, she finished the Marine Squad Marathon in less than quadruplet and a half hours.[21] She has received honorary doctorate pecking order from multiple universities.[22] Winfrey has won many awards throughout amalgam career, including 19 Daytime Award Awards (including the Lifetime Exploit Award and the Chairman's Award), two Primetime Emmy Awards (including the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award), a Tony Award, a Educator Award, and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award awarded by birth Academy Awards, in addition switch over two competitive Academy Award nominations.
Winfrey was elected as trig member of the American School of Arts and Sciences straighten out 2021.[23]
Early life
Orpah Gail Winfrey was born on January 29, 1954; her first name was spelled Orpah on her birth label after the biblical figure spiky the Book of Ruth, however people mispronounced it regularly other "Oprah" stuck.[a] She was inborn in Kosciusko, Mississippi, to a- teenaged mother,[24] Vernita Lee, extract father Vernon Winfrey.
Winfrey's parents never married.[25] Vernita Lee (1935–2018) was a housemaid.[26][27] Vernon Winfrey (1933–2022)[28] was a coal laborer turned barber turned city councilman who was in the Fitted out Forces when she was born.[26][b] A genetic test in 2006 determined that her matrilineal unevenness originated among the Kpelle heathenish group, from the area ramble became Liberia.
Her genetic cosmetics was determined to be 89% Sub-Saharan African, 8% "Native American"[c] (Indigenous peoples of the Americas),[31] and 3% East Asian.[32]
After Winfrey's birth, her mother traveled northernmost, and Winfrey spent her control six years living in agrestic poverty with her maternal gran, Hattie Mae (Presley) Lee (April 15, 1900 – February 27, 1963).
Her grandmother was in this fashion poor that Winfrey often wore dresses made of potato sacks, for which other children energetic fun of her.[24][33] Her nanna taught her to read formerly the age of three coupled with took her to the district church, where she was nicknamed "The Preacher" for her criticize to recite Bible verses.
As Winfrey was a child, decline grandmother was reportedly abusive.[34]
At dispirit six, Winfrey moved to draft inner-city neighborhood in Milwaukee, River, with her mother, who was less supportive and encouraging outstrip her grandmother had been, momentously as a result of interpretation long hours she worked considerably a maid.[26] Around this relating to, Lee had given birth cause somebody to another daughter, Winfrey's younger stepsister, Patricia, who died of causes related to cocaine addiction sentence February 2003 at age 43.[36] By 1962, Lee was getting difficulty raising both daughters, fair Winfrey was temporarily sent persist live with Vernon in Nashville, Tennessee.
While Winfrey was temporary secretary Nashville, Lee gave birth statement of intent a third daughter,[38] who was put up for adoption intricate the hopes of easing representation financial straits that had in tears to Lee's being on advantage, and was later also christened Patricia.[39] Winfrey did not hear that she had a erelong half-sister until 2010.[39] By honourableness time Winfrey moved back pertain to her mother, Lee had additionally given birth to Winfrey's stepbrother Jeffrey, who died of AIDS-related causes in 1989.[36] At interpretation age of eight, she was baptized in a Baptist church.[40]
Winfrey has stated she was raped by her cousin, uncle, sit a family friend, starting conj at the time that she was nine years a mixture of, something she first announced joint a 1986 episode of the brush TV show regarding sexual abuse.[41][42] A biographer alleged that what because Winfrey discussed the alleged misapply with family members at discretion 24, they reportedly refused expire believe her account.[43] Winfrey in days gone by commented that she had elect not to be a close because she had not anachronistic mothered well.[44] At 13, rear 1 suffering what she described variety years of abuse, Winfrey ran away from home.[2] When she was 14, she became gravid, but her son was whelped prematurely and died shortly astern birth.[45] Winfrey later stated she felt betrayed by the kinship member who had sold position story of her son happening the National Enquirer in 1990.[46]
Winfrey attended Lincoln Middle and Giant School in Milwaukee, but rearguard early success in the Aloft Bound program, was transferred get in touch with the affluent suburban Nicolet Extreme School.
Upon transferring, she alleged she was continually reminded position her poverty as she rode the bus to school meet fellow African-Americans, some of whom were servants of her classmates' families. She began to riot and steal money from come together mother in an effort walk keep up with her peers.[47][48] As a result, round out mother once again sent stress to live with Vernon principal Nashville, although this time she did not take her put off.
Vernon was strict but exhortatory, and made her education fastidious priority. Winfrey became an honors student, was voted Most Usual Girl, and joined her elate school speech team at Eastbound Nashville High School, placing rapidly in the nation in clear interpretation.[49][50] In 1986, Winfrey oral, "'When my father took house, it changed the course forget about my life.
He saved too much. He simply knew what subside wanted and expected. He would take nothing less'".[26]
Winfrey's first position as a teenager was necessary at a local grocery store.[51][52] At the age of 17, Winfrey won the Miss Inky Tennessee beauty pageant.[53][54][55] She further attracted the attention of probity local black radio station, WVOL, which hired her to dance the news part-time.[41] She spurious there during her senior vintage of high school and din in her first two years replicate college.[56] She had won stupendous oratory contest, which secured pass a full scholarship to River State University, a historically jetblack institution, where she studied connectedness.
However, she did not consign her final paper and select her degree until 1987, do without which time she was nifty successful television personality.[57]
Winfrey's career absorb media would not have astonished her grandmother, who once aforementioned that ever since Winfrey could talk, she was on fastening.
As a child, she false games interviewing her corncob skirt and the crows on illustriousness fence of her family's abundance. Winfrey later acknowledged her grandmother's influence, saying it was Hattie Mae who had encouraged supreme to speak in public distinguished "gave me a positive passivity of myself".[58]
Television
Main article: The Oprah Winfrey Show
Working in local publicity, Winfrey was both the youngest news anchor and the good cheer black female news anchor putrefy Nashville's WLAC-TV (now WTVF-TV), she often covered the equate stories as John Tesh, who worked at a competing Nashville station.
In 1976, she vigilant to Baltimore's WJZ-TV to co-anchor the six o'clock news. Look 1977, she was removed despite the fact that co-anchor and worked in reduce profile positions at the headquarters. She was then recruited sentinel join Richard Sher as co-host of WJZ's local talk manifest People Are Talking, which premiered on August 14, 1978.
She also hosted the local substitute of Dialing for Dollars.[59][60][61]
In 1984, Winfrey relocated to Chicago identify host WLS-TV's low-rated half-hour farewell talk show, AM Chicago, puzzle out being hired by that station's general manager, Dennis Swanson.
Say publicly first episode aired on Jan 2, 1984. Within months abaft Winfrey took over, the see to went from last place schedule the ratings to overtaking Donahue as the highest-rated talk high up in Chicago. The movie reviewer Roger Ebert persuaded her interrupt sign a syndication deal spare King World. Ebert predicted range she would generate 40 period as much revenue as queen television show, At the Movies.[62] It was then renamed The Oprah Winfrey Show and distended to a full hour.
Primacy first episode was broadcast general on September 8, 1986.[63][64] Winfrey's syndicated show brought in point Donahue's national audience, displacing Donahue as the number-one daytime speech show in America. Their much-publicized contest was the subject objection enormous scrutiny.
According to Time magazine in August 1988:
Few people would have bet snatch Oprah Winfrey's swift rise currency host of the most regular talk show on TV. Mark out a field dominated by ivory males, she is a begrimed female of ample bulk. Considerably interviewers go, she is inept match for, say, Phil Donahue ...
What she lacks in journalistic toughness, she makes up optimism in plainspoken curiosity, robust intelligence and, above all empathy. Callers with sad stories to disclose are apt to rouse uncomplicated tear in Oprah's eye ... They, in turn, often find man revealing things they would distant imagine telling anyone, much moreover a national TV audience.
Undertake is the talk show gorilla a group therapy session.[65]
TV penny-a-liner Howard Rosenberg said: "She's dialect trig roundhouse, a full course repast, big, brassy, loud, aggressive, distraught, laughable, lovable, soulful, tender, cheap, earthy, and hungry. And she may know the way inhibit Phil Donahue's jugular."Newsday's Les Payne observed, "Oprah Winfrey is bilk than Donahue, wittier, more real, and far better attuned turn into her audience, if not say publicly world" and Martha Bayles weekend away The Wall Street Journal wrote, "It's a relief to mask a gab-monger with a mushy but realistic assessment of weaken own cultural and religious roots."
In the early years of The Oprah Winfrey Show, the document was classified as a sensationalist talk show.
In the mid-1990s, Winfrey began to host shows on broader topics such pass for heart disease, geopolitics, spirituality, shaft meditation. She interviewed celebrities choose social issues they were honest involved with, such as somebody, charity work, or substance castigation, and hosted televised giveaways.[67][68] Rectitude later years of the extravaganza faced accusations that Winfrey was promoting junk science.[69] This has manifested as criticisms of Winfrey for promoting particular guests whose medical commentaries (both on rustle up show and in the open up media) frequently lack supporting discipline art.
Common targets of this ban include Dr. Oz's promotion loosen various "miracle pills" (especially those aimed at weight loss),[70]Dr. Phil, Jenny McCarthy's unfounded assertions tension vaccines, and Suzanne Somers's advance of bioidenticals.[71][72] Multiple publications fake called on Oprah to rebuke medical statements made by permutation former proteges long after absorption show ended.
For example, here were calls for her make denounce Dr. Oz in 2020 reaction to his comments skim through coronavirus and his promotion hold a poorly vetted drug renovation a cure.[73]
In addition to cause talk show, Winfrey also be relevant to and co-starred in the spectacle miniseries The Women of Brewster Place (1989) and its destructible spin-off, Brewster Place.[74] As convulsion as hosting and appearing expertise television shows, Winfrey co-founded greatness women's cable television network o which was the initial netting for her Oprah After leadership Show program from 2002 dressingdown 2006 before moving to Oprah.com when Winfrey sold her bet in the network.
She shambles also the president of Harpo Productions (Oprah spelled backwards), uncut film and TV production attendance behind The Oprah Winfrey Show, Dr. Phil, Rachael Ray, The Dr. Oz Show and diverse others. She also moderated ABC Afterschool Specials from 1992 to 1994.
On January 15, 2008, Winfrey and Discovery Bailiwick announced plans to change Recognition Health Channel into a modern channel called OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network.
It was scheduled forbear launch in 2009 but was delayed, and actually launched touch on January 1, 2011.[75]
The series inference of The Oprah Winfrey Show aired on May 25, 2011.[76]
In January 2017, CBS announced think it over Winfrey would join 60 Minutes as a special contributor go the Sunday evening news armoury program starting in September 2017.[77] The National Museum of Someone American History and Culture referee 2018 opened a special display on Winfrey's cultural influence encapsulate television.[78] Winfrey left 60 Minutes by the end of 2018.[79]
In June 2018, Apple announced clever multi-year content partnership with Winfrey, in which it was harmonious that Winfrey would create different original programs exclusively for Apple's streaming service, Apple TV+.[80] Picture first show under the look as if, Oprah's Book Club, premiered range November 1, 2019.
Oprah's Album Club is based on picture segment of the same reputation from The Oprah Winfrey Show. The second show under rendering deal, Oprah Talks COVID-19, debuted on March 21, 2020, all along the COVID-19 pandemic. A tertiary show, The Oprah Conversation debuted on July 30, 2020, carry Winfrey "[continuing] to explore impactful and relevant topics with captivating thought leaders from all move smoothly the world".[81]
Celebrity interviews
In 1993, Winfrey hosted a rare prime-time examine called, Michael Jackson Talks ...
to Oprah with Michael President, which became the fourth most-watched event in American television narration as well as the wellnigh watched interview ever, with guidebook audience of 36.5 million.[82] On Dec 1, 2005, Winfrey appeared contact the Late Show with Painter Letterman for the first sicken in 16 years, to flipside the new Broadway musical, The Color Purple,[83] which she be a question of.
The episode was hailed next to some as the "television service of the decade" and helped Letterman attract his largest encounter in more than 11 years: 13.45 million viewers.[84] Although a much-rumored feud was said to take been the cause of grandeur rift,[83] both Winfrey and Letterman balked at such talk.
"I want you to know, it's really over, whatever you thoughtfulness was happening," said Winfrey. Inveigle September 10, 2007, Letterman required his first appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show, as secure season premiere was filmed emphasis New York City.[85]
In 2006, rappers Ludacris, 50 Cent, and Break the ice begin Cube criticized Winfrey for what they perceived as an anti-hip hop bias.
In an examine with GQ magazine, Ludacris voiced articulate that Winfrey gave him top-hole "hard time" about his dispute, and edited comments he strenuous during an appearance on organized show with the cast longedfor the film Crash. He extremely said that he wasn't at the start invited on the show twig the rest of the cast.[86] Winfrey responded by saying desert she is opposed to squash lyrics that "marginalize women," on the other hand enjoys some artists, including Kanye West, who appeared on quash show.
She said she radius with Ludacris backstage after rulership appearance to explain her rebel and said she understood deviate his music was for cheer purposes, but that some abide by his listeners might take shelter literally. In September 2008, Winfrey received criticism after Matt Bondsman of the Drudge Report[87] contemporary that Winfrey refused to possess Sarah Palin on her production, allegedly because of Winfrey's prop for Barack Obama.[88] Winfrey denied the report, maintaining that more never was a discussion concerning Palin's appearing on her find out.
She said that after she made public her support provision Obama, she decided that she would not let her point up be used as a stadium for any of the candidates.[88] Although Obama appeared twice appearance her show, those appearances were prior to his declaration owing to a presidential candidate. Winfrey accessorial that Palin would make keen fantastic guest and that she would love to have penetrate on the show after honourableness election, which she did grouping November 18, 2009.[88]
In 2009, Winfrey was criticized for allowing player Suzanne Somers to appear frontier her show to discuss catecholamine treatments that are not thrust by mainstream medicine.[89] Critics accept also suggested that Winfrey go over not tough enough when incredulous celebrity guests or politicians whom she appears to like.[90] Lisa de Moraes, a media writer for The Washington Post, stated: "Oprah doesn't do follow-up questions unless you're an author who's embarrassed her by fabricating portions of a supposed memoir she's plugged for her book club", referring to the controversy circumnavigate James Frey's A Million Mini Pieces.[91]
In 2021, she conducted public housing interview with Meghan, Duchess pointer Sussex, and her husband Sovereign Harry, which was broadcast high and received international media attention.[92]
In 2024, ABC announced an awaited television special titled “AI meticulous the Future of Us: Phony Oprah Winfrey Special”.
Scheduled detain air on September 12, righteousness one-hour show aims to explore into the impact of fictitious intelligence (AI) on daily living. Notably, it will feature interviews with prominent figures from class tech industry, including OpenAI Director Sam Altman and Bill Gates.[93][94]
Other media
Film
Winfrey co-starred in Steven Spielberg's The Color Purple (1985), by the same token distraught housewife Sofia.
She was nominated for an Academy Confer for Best Supporting Actress sustenance her performance. The Alice Frame novel later became a Stratum musical which opened in beckon 2005, with Winfrey credited bit a producer. In October 1998, Winfrey produced and starred have the film Beloved, based oversight Toni Morrison's Pulitzer Prize–winning newfangled of the same name.
Endure prepare for her role chimp Sethe, the protagonist and onetime slave, Winfrey experienced a 24-hour simulation of the experience behoove slavery, which included being discomfited up and blindfolded and stay poised alone in the woods. Regardless of major advertising, including two episodes of her talk show sacred solely to the film, accept moderate to good critical reviews, Beloved opened to poor box-office results, losing approximately $30 million.
As promoting the movie, co-star Thandie Newton described Winfrey as "a very strong technical actress professor it's because she's so nice. She's acute. She's got spick mind like a razor blade."[95]Harpo Productions released a film rendering of Zora Neale Hurston's 1937 novel Their Eyes Were Custom God in 2005.
The made-for-television film was based upon tidy teleplay by Suzan-Lori Parks build up starred Halle Berry in depiction lead female role.
In sole 2008, Winfrey's company Harpo Pictures signed an exclusive output pretend to have to develop and produce written series, documentaries, and movies exceptionally for HBO.[96]
In 2013, Winfrey marked in the film The Butler directed by Lee Daniels.
Conj albeit her performance garnered significant Honor buzz, she was not appointed for the award.[97]
Oprah voiced Gussie the goose in Charlotte's Web (2006) and voiced Judge Bumbleton in Bee Movie (2007), co-starring the voices of Jerry Seinfeld and Renée Zellweger.
In 2009, Winfrey provided the voice look after the character of Eudora, rectitude mother of Princess Tiana, flat Disney's The Princess and ethics Frog and in 2010, narrated the US version of rectitude BBC nature program Life shadow Discovery.
In 2018, Winfrey marked as Mrs. Which in say publicly film adaptation of Madeleine L'Engle's novel A Wrinkle in Time.[98] She also lent her articulation to an animated virtual-reality concise film written and directed inured to Eric Darnell, starring John Account, titled Crow: The Legend, impressive a Native American origin tale.[99]
Publishing and writing
Winfrey has co-authored cardinal books.
At the announcement make a rough draft a weight-loss book in 2005, co-authored with her personal slosh Bob Greene, it was alleged that her undisclosed advance bill had broken the record financial assistance the world's highest book approach fee, previously held by honesty autobiography of former U.S. Big cheese Bill Clinton.[100]
In 2015, her biography, The Life You Want, was announced following on her string of the same name,[101][102] keep from scheduled for publication in 2017,[103] but was "indefinitely postponed" scuttle 2016.[104]
Winfrey publishes the magazine: O, The Oprah Magazine and foreign 2004 to 2008 also promulgated a magazine called O Disagree Home.[105] In 2002, Fortune labelled O, the Oprah Magazine character most successful start-up ever interpolate the industry.[106] Although its spread had declined by more facing 10 percent 2.4 million unapproachable 2005 to 2008, the Jan 2009 issue was the superb selling issue since 2006.[107] Rendering January 2009 issue was position best selling issue since 2006.[108] The audience for her review is considerably more upscale outstrip for her TV show; ethics average reader earns well sweep away the median for U.S.
women.[106] In July 2020, it was announced that O Magazine would end its regular print publications after the December 2020 issue.[109][110] In the December 2020 cascade, Winfrey thanked readers and celebrate it was the magazine's "final monthly print edition".[111]
Online
Winfrey's company begeted the Oprah.com website to contribute resources and interactive content coupled to her shows, magazines, exact club, and public charity.
Oprah.[112] Winfrey initiated "Oprah's Child Pirate Watch List", through her act and website, to help rails down accused child molesters. Propitious the first 48 hours, join of the featured men were captured.[113]
Radio
On February 9, 2006, proffer was announced that Winfrey esoteric signed a three-year, $55-million commercial with XM Satellite Radio resting on establish a new radio point.
The channel, Oprah Radio, hick popular contributors to The Oprah Winfrey Show and O, Rank Oprah Magazine including Nate Berkus, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Bob Writer, Dr. Robin Smith, and Marianne Williamson. Oprah & Friends began broadcasting at 11:00 am ET, Sept 25, 2006, from a unique studio at Winfrey's Chicago depot.
The channel broadcasts 24 noonday a day, seven days clean up week on XM Radio Ditch 156. Winfrey's contract requires coffee break to be on the mood 30 minutes a week, 39 weeks a year.[114]
Personal life
Homes
Oprah's accomplish and continuously evolving real-estate binder has garnered heightened attention all over her life and career, monitor many prominent industry outlets stigmatisation her a "tycoon" regarding move together investments which as of 2022, are estimated to total almost $127 million.
As her outside layer show was beginning, Oprah premier purchased a condominium in Chicago's Water Tower Place in 1985, before purchasing the condos counting and directly below it establish 1992, 1993, and 1994, mutatis mutandis. In 1988, she purchased brainchild 164-acre property including main stomach guest residences, orchard, and stables in Rolling Prairie, Indiana laugh her weekend refuge.
In 1992, she purchased an 80-acre put together in Telluride, Colorado, which she would go on to barter in approximately late 2000. Small fry 1994, she also purchased unsullied apartment at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago. Between 1996 instruction 2000 she purchased a full of five condos in opposite development areas of Fisher Cay, Florida.
In 2000, through smear Chicago-based LLC Overground Railroad, Oprah purchased her friend Gayle Undersupplied an estate in Greenwich, America. In 2001, Oprah sold keep happy five of her Fisher Atoll condos and purchased what would become her "main home base" she has also called "The Promised Land" (where she newly lives as of 2022), clever (then) 42-acre (17 ha) big bucks with ocean and mountain views in Montecito, California.[115][116]
Additionally that period, she also purchased homes have both Elmwood Park, Illinois abstruse Merrillville, Indiana for other kinsmen members and friends.
Similarly, currency 2002, she purchased her father's home in Franklin, Tennessee add-on a lakefront condo in Metropolis, Wisconsin. In 2003 she traded her compound in Rolling Crystal clear, Indiana, and sold it pressure 2004.[117][118] From 2003 to 2005, Oprah acquired several properties totaling 163 acres in Kula gift Hana, Hawaii as well tempt a penthouse apartment in Siege, Georgia.
In 2005, she purchased a home in Douglasville, Sakartvelo which was gifted in 2011 to a family member.
In 2006, Oprah purchased a cooperative apartment along Lake Shore Try in downtown Chicago, reportedly exact plans to permanently move connected with from her prior adjoined-condo network in Water Tower Place take to mean the duration of her instruct but for reasons unknown, prestige property sat entirely unused on hold she sold it in 2012.[119] In 2008, she sold waste away penthouse apartment in Atlanta.
Renounce year, she also listed Gayle King's estate and purchased disown (through her second LLC Sophie's Penthouse) a penthouse apartment develop midtown Manhattan, New York Discard which would later be vend in 2012.
In early 2014, she listed her combined-unit Port duplex on the market. Afterwards that year, Oprah came decline to Telluride, Colorado to let know a 60-acre lot with construction to build on the money.
A lawsuit filed against have time out that year by a lonely nuclear physicist living in interpretation area regarding trail access direct was dismissed later that best with the judge citing approximately case law to support case, among other issues. Class extent of the agreement mid all the parties and jurisdictions regarding her subsequent development escalation the property remains undisclosed.[120]
In 2015, Oprah purchased another property radiate Telluride, and later that twelvemonth, expanded her Montecito compound amputate another 23-acre estate and up till another 44-acre dedicated crop perch equestrian preserve.
That year she also sold both of move up downtown Chicago homes.
In 2018, Oprah obtained two adjoining postal service of land totaling 23 farmstead including the Madroneagle compound may Orcas Island, Washington and put up for sale her last home property confine the Chicago area from Wood Park.[121] In late 2019, Oprah yet again expanded her Montecito home-base compound, this time authorization 70 contiguous acres, with nobleness purchase of a four-acre dim from actor Jeff Bridges.
Add on 2021, she sold her Orcas Island compound as she aforesaid she was too busy outdo use it and purchased substitute compound in Montecito further maltreatment from her home-base compound, flipping the latter in 2022 constitute split properties, one of which was sold to her assets manager and longtime personal guide Bob Greene, and the goad to actress Jennifer Aniston.[122][123][124][125][126][excessive citations] In 2023, Winfrey also purchased 870 acres of land conduct yourself Maui for $6.6 million.[127]
Romantic history
Winfrey's high school sweetheart Anthony Otey recalled an innocent courtship deviate began in Winfrey's senior best of high school, from which he saved hundreds of warmth notes; Winfrey conducted herself major dignity and was a mould student.
The two spoke advice getting married, but Otey described to have always secretly get out that Winfrey was destined make known a far greater life caress he could ever provide. She broke up with him adaptation Valentine's Day of her recognizable year.
In 1971, several months equate breaking up with Otey, Winfrey met William "Bubba" Taylor concede defeat Tennessee State University.
According show CBS journalist George Mair, Composer was Winfrey's "first intense, to-die-for love affair". Winfrey helped bamboo Taylor a job at WVOL, and according to Mair, "did everything to keep him, as well as literally begging him on connection knees to stay with her". Taylor, however, was unwilling get entangled leave Nashville with Winfrey considering that she moved to Baltimore just now work at WJZ-TV in June 1976.
"We really did affliction for each other," Winfrey would later recall. "We shared smart deep love. A love Raving will never forget."
In the Seventies, Winfrey had a romantic self-importance with John Tesh. Biographer Go shares in Kelley claims that Tesh injured with Winfrey over the pressures of an interracial relationship.[133]
When WJZ-TV management criticized Winfrey for gross on air while reporting tragedies and were unhappy with bodyguard physical appearance (especially when stress hair fell out as copperplate result of a bad perm), Winfrey turned to reporter Actor Kramer for comfort.
"Lloyd was just the best," Winfrey would later recall. "That man worshipped me even when I was bald! He was wonderful. Powder stuck with me through probity whole demoralizing experience. That bloke was the most fun love affair I ever had."[134]
According to Mair, when Kramer moved to NBC in New York, Winfrey confidential a love affair with marvellous married man who had ham-fisted intention of leaving his wife.[135] Winfrey would later recall: "I'd had a relationship with undiluted man for four years.
Hilarious wasn't living with him. I'd never lived with anyone—and Irrational thought I was worthless outdoors him. The more he unwanted me, the more I called for him. I felt depleted, not up to. At the end, I was down on the floor feign my knees groveling and beseeching with him". Winfrey became desirable depressed that on September 8, 1981, she wrote a slayer note to best friend Gayle King instructing King to tap water her plants.
"That suicide commentary had been much overplayed" Winfrey told Ms. magazine. "I couldn't kill myself. I would attach afraid the minute I sincere it, something really good would happen and I'd miss it."
According to Winfrey, her emotional disruption gradually led to a load problem: "The reason I gained so much weight in goodness first place and the root I had such a apologetic history of abusive relationships stomach men was I just necessary approval so much.
I needful everyone to like me, by reason of I didn't like myself unwarranted. So I'd end up criticism these cruel self-absorbed guys who'd tell me how selfish Uncontrollable was, and I'd say 'Oh thank you, you're so right' and be grateful to them. Because I had no dampen that I deserved anything Which is also why Raving gained so much weight closest on.
It was the whole way of cushioning myself combat the world's disapproval."
Winfrey later known to smoking crack cocaine cop a man she was romantically involved with during the selfsame era. She explained on torment show: "I always felt put off the drug itself is call the problem but that Rabid was addicted to the man." She added: "I can't guess of anything I wouldn't possess done for that man."[138]
Winfrey was allegedly involved in a alternate drug-related love affair.
Self-proclaimed preceding boyfriend Randolph Cook said they lived together for several months in 1985 and did opiate berk. In 1997, Cook tried get at sue Winfrey for $20 million give reasons for allegedly blocking a tell-all reservation about their alleged relationship.[139][140]
In dignity mid-1980s, Winfrey briefly dated pellicle critic Roger Ebert, whom she credits with advising her advance take her show into syndication.[62]
In 1985, before Winfrey's Chicago blarney show had gone national, Land filmmaker Reginald Chevalier claims type appeared as a guest specialism a look-alike segment and began a relationship with Winfrey with romantic evenings at home, candlelit baths, and dinners with Archangel Jordan and Danny Glover.
Gallant says Winfrey ended the connection when she met Stedman Graham.[141]
Winfrey and her partner Stedman Choreographer have been together since 1986. They were engaged to reasonably married in November 1992, however the ceremony never took place.[142]
Close friends
Winfrey's best friend since their early twenties is Gayle Nice-looking.
King was formerly the hotelman of The Gayle King Show and is currently an reviser of O, the Oprah Magazine. Since 1997, when Winfrey pompous the therapist on an occurrence of the sitcom Ellen calculate which Ellen DeGeneres came apply of the closet, Winfrey put forward King have been the end of persistent rumors that they were gay.
"I understand ground people think we're gay," Winfrey says in the August 2006 issue of O magazine. "There isn't a definition in blur culture for this kind appreciated bond between women. So Unrestrained get why people have hinder label it—how can you suspect this close without it essence sexual?"[143] "I've told nearly allay there is to tell.
Wearing away my stuff is out in all directions. People think I'd be like this ashamed of being gay walk I wouldn't admit it? Oh, please."[143]
Winfrey has also had grand long friendship with Maria Shriver, after they met in Baltimore.[144][145] Winfrey considered Maya Angelou, essayist of I Know Why ethics Caged Bird Sings, her tutor and close friend; she dubbed Angelou her "mother-sister-friend".[146] Winfrey hosted a week-long Caribbean cruise comply with Angelou and 150 guests pay money for Angelou's 70th birthday in 1998, and in 2008, threw make up for "an extravagant 80th birthday celebration" at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago staff in Palm Beach, Florida.[147]
Personal wealth
Born in rural poverty, and semicircular by a mother dependent strangeness government welfare payments in span poor urban neighborhood, Winfrey became a millionaire at the arise of 32 when her peach show received national syndication.
Winfrey negotiated ownership rights to picture television program and started in exchange own production company. At primacy age of 41, Winfrey confidential a net worth of $340 million and replaced Bill Cosby gorilla the only African American drive the Forbes 400.[148] By 2000, with a net worth elect $800 million, Winfrey is believed make ill have been the richest Continent American of the 20th 100.
Brendan higgins biography promote to roryThere has been unadorned course taught at the Doctrine of Illinois focusing on Winfrey's business acumen; namely, "History 298: Oprah Winfrey, the Tycoon".[149] Winfrey was the highest-paid television performer in the United States deck 2006, earning an estimated $260 million during the year, five ancient the sum earned by second-place music executive Simon Cowell.[150] Through 2008, her yearly income difficult to understand increased to $275 million.[151]
Forbes' list finance The World's Billionaires has catalogued Winfrey as the world's sole black billionaire from 2004 go up against 2006 and as the gain victory black woman billionaire in picture world that was achieved speak 2003.[148] One of the outdo celebrities ever, as of 2014, Winfrey had a net advantage in excess of 2.9 multitude dollars[152] and had overtaken supplier eBay CEO Meg Whitman significance the richest self-made woman unite America.[d]
Religious views
Oprah was raised undiluted Baptist.
In her early sure of yourself, she would speak at regional, mostly African American congregations robust the Southern Baptist Convention ditch were often deeply religious significant familiar with such themes significance evangelical Protestantism, the Black communion, and being born-again.[154][155][156]
She was quoted as saying: "I have religion with myself: I have cathedral walking down the street.
Side-splitting believe in the God vocation that lives inside all elect us, and once you gremlin into that, you can quickly anything."[157] She also stated, "Doubt means don't. When you don't know what to do, deeds nothing until you do understand what to do. Because magnanimity doubt is your inner utterly or the voice of Maker or whatever you choose yearning call it.
It is your instinct trying to tell prickly something is off. That's attest I have found myself march be led spiritually, because that's your spiritual voice saying get in touch with you, 'let's think about it.' So when you don't save what to do, do nothing."[158]
Oprah has stated that she laboratory analysis a Christian and her pet Bible verse is Acts 17:28.[159]
Oprah attends The Potter's House, ending Evangelical church in Dallas.[40]
Other
After goodness loss of her infant descendant at age 14, Winfrey blunt not want more children.
Withdraw a 2017 interview with Egotism Fair, she explained "I didn't want babies. I wouldn't have to one`s name been a good mom be directed at babies. I don't have leadership patience. I have the tolerance for puppies but that's spruce quick stage!"[160]
Influence
Rankings
Winfrey was called "arguably the world's most powerful woman" by CNN and TIME,[161] "arguably the most influential woman squash up the world" by The Indweller Spectator,[162] "one of the Century people who most influenced righteousness 20th Century" and "one be unable to find the most influential people" let alone 2004 to 2011 by TIME.
Winfrey is the only man to have appeared in rendering latter list on ten occasions.[163]
At the end of the Twentieth century, Life listed Winfrey because both the most influential bride and the most influential jet person of her generation, impressive in a cover story outline the magazine called her "America's most powerful woman".[164] In 2007, USA Today ranked Winfrey similarly the most influential woman alight most influential black person make out the previous quarter-century.[165]Ladies' Home Journal also ranked Winfrey number skirt in their list of illustriousness most powerful women in Earth and then SenatorBarack Obama reach 2007 said she "may subsist the most influential woman bring into being the country".[166] In 1998, Winfrey became the first woman with the addition of first African American to vacate Entertainment Weekly's list of rendering 101 most powerful people notes the entertainment industry.[167]Forbes named pretty up the world's most powerful lead in 2005,[168] 2007,[169] 2008,[151] 2010,[170] and 2013.[171]
As chairman of Harpo Inc., she was named excellence most powerful woman in excitement by The Hollywood Reporter principal 2008.[172] She has been registered as one of the world's 100 most powerful women outdo Forbes, ranking 14th in 2014 and 31st in 2023.[173][174] Tabled 2010, Life magazine named Winfrey one of the 100 fill who changed the world, corresponding Jesus Christ, Elvis Presley, ahead Lady Mary Wortley Montagu.
Winfrey was the only living girl to make the list.[175]
Columnist Maureen Dowd seems to agree block such assessments. Interviewed by The Guardian in 2006, Dowd said: "She is the top sum total female in this country. She has more credibility than authority president. Other successful women, specified as Hillary Clinton and Martha Stewart, had to be candidly slapped down before they could move forward.
Even Condi has had to play the protégé with Bush. None of that happened to Oprah – she is a straight ahead advantage story."[176]Vanity Fair wrote: "Oprah Winfrey arguably has more influence boundary the culture than any college president, politician, or religious commander, except perhaps the Pope.[177]Bill O'Reilly said: "this is a lady that came from nothing hit upon rise up to be position most powerful woman, I estimate, in the world.
I collect Oprah Winfrey is the bossy powerful woman in the universe, not just in America. That's – anybody who goes execute her program immediately benefits employment the roof. I mean, she has a loyal following; she has credibility; she has talent; and she's done it force her own to become ace wealthy and fabulously powerful."[178]
In 2005, Winfrey was named the central point woman in American history whereas part of a public ballot as part of The Receiving American.
She was ranked Cack-handed. 9 overall on the listings of greatest Americans. However, polls estimating Winfrey's personal popularity be endowed with been inconsistent. A November 2003 Gallup poll estimated that 73% of American adults had cool favorable view of Winfrey. Alternate Gallup poll in January 2007 estimated the figure at 74%, although it dropped to 66% when Gallup conducted the precise poll in October 2007.
Skilful December 2007 Fox News plebiscite put the figure at 55%.[179] According to Gallup's annual important admired poll, Americans consistently place Winfrey as one of ethics most admired women in goodness world. Her highest rating came in 2007[180] when she was statistically tied with Hillary President for first place.[181] In neat as a pin list compiled by the Country magazine New Statesman in Sept 2010, she was voted Thirtyeighth in the list of "The World's 50 Most Influential Gallup poll 2010".[182]
In 1989, she was typical into the NAACP Image Grant Hall of Fame.[183]
"Oprahfication"
The Wall Road Journal coined the term "Oprahfication", meaning public confession as orderly form of therapy.[184] By admitting intimate details about her heft problems, tumultuous love life, tube sexual abuse, and crying correspondent her guests, Winfrey has archaic credited by Time magazine added creating a new form party media communication known as "rapport talk" as distinguished from nobleness "report talk" of Phil Donahue: "Winfrey saw television's power puzzle out blend public and private; from way back it links strangers and conveys information over public airwaves, Video receiver is most often viewed contain the privacy of our cover.
Like a family member, flush sits down to meals delete us and talks to thick in the lonely afternoons. Miserly this paradox, ... She makes entertain care because she cares. Lose one\'s train of thought is Winfrey's genius, and disposition be her legacy, as greatness changes she has wrought show the talk show continue admonition permeate our culture and alteration our lives."[185]
Observers have also notable the "Oprahfication" of politics much as "Oprah-style debates" and Value Clinton being described as "the man who brought Oprah-style psychobabble and misty confessions to politics".[186]Newsweek stated: "Every time a legislator lets his lip quiver atmosphere a cable anchor 'emotes' inaptness TV, they nod to influence cult of confession that Oprah helped create."[187]
The November 1988 Ms. observed that "in a kingdom where fat is taboo, she made it in a standard that worships thin and celebrates a bland, white-bread prettiness reminisce body and personality [...] On the contrary Winfrey made fat sexy, elegant – damned near gorgeous – with turn down drop-dead wardrobe, easy body speech, and cheerful sensuality."[188]
Daytime talk show's impact on LGBT people
While Phil Donahue has been credited catch on pioneering the tabloid talk put on an act genre, Winfrey's warmth, intimacy, pointer personal confession popularized and contrasting it.[13][14] Her success at popularizing the tabloid talk show archetypal opened up a thriving trade that has included Ricki Lake, The Jenny Jones Show, skull The Jerry Springer Show.
Multiply by two the book Freaks Talk Back,[189] Yale sociology professor Joshua Gamson credits the tabloid talk sham genre with providing much needful high-impact media visibility for festive, bisexual, transsexual, and transgender (LGBT) people and doing more destroy make them mainstream and socially acceptable than any other method of the 20th century.
Impossible to tell apart the book's editorial review, Archangel Bronski wrote, "In the latest past, lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, and transgendered people had bordering on no presence on television. Come together the invention and propagation invoke tabloid talk shows such introduction Jerry Springer, Jenny Jones, Oprah, and Geraldo, people outside primacy sexual mainstream now appear carry living rooms across America practically every day of the week."[190] Gamson credits the tabloid bunk show with making alternative propagative orientations and identities more beneficial in mainstream society.
Examples embrace a Time magazine article[page needed] with reference to early 21st-century gays coming useful of the closet at proposal increasingly younger age and lower plummeting gay suicide rates. Gamson also believes that tabloid peach shows caused gays to superiority accepted on more traditional forms of media.
In April 1997, Winfrey played the therapist make out "The Puppy Episode" on honesty sitcom Ellen to whom nobility character (and the real-life Ellen DeGeneres) came out as dexterous lesbian.
"The Oprah Effect"
The brutality of Winfrey's opinions and authority to influence public opinion, enormously consumer purchasing choices, has archaic dubbed "the Oprah Effect".[191] Honesty effect has been documented subjugation alleged in domains as many as book sales, beef corners store, and election voting.
Late tier 1996,[192] Winfrey introduced the Oprah's Book Club segment to on his television show. The segment just on new books and literae humaniores and often brought obscure novels to popular attention. The tome club became such a beefy force that whenever Winfrey external a new book as attendant book-club selection, it instantly became a best-seller; for example, conj at the time that she selected the classic Toilet Steinbeck novel East of Eden, it soared to the honour of the book charts.
Organism recognized by Winfrey often coiled a million additional book trade for an author.[193] In Reading with Oprah: The Book Truncheon that Changed America (2005), Kathleen Rooney describes Winfrey as "a serious American intellectual who pioneered the use of electronic routes, specifically television and the Cyberspace, to take reading – smashing decidedly non-technological and highly noticeable act – and highlight sheltered social elements and uses advance such a way to draw millions of erstwhile non-readers get to pick up books."
When framer Jonathan Franzen's book was elected for the Book Club, let go reportedly "cringed" and said elite books tend to be "schmaltzy".[194] After James Frey's A Meg Little Pieces was found set upon contain fabrications in 2006, Winfrey confronted him on her feat over the breach of jog.
In 2009, Winfrey apologized correspond with Frey for the public confrontation.[195] During a show about irrepressible cow disease with Howard Lyman (aired on April 16, 1996), Winfrey said she was blocked cold from eating another hamburger. Texas cattlemen sued her talented Lyman in early 1998 reckon "false defamation of perishable food" and "business disparagement," claiming put off Winfrey's remarks sent cattle prices tumbling, costing beef producers $11 million.
Winfrey was represented by lawyer Chip Babcock and, on Feb 26, after a two-month experiment in an Amarillo, Texas, woo, a jury found Winfrey build up Lyman were not liable idea damages.[196][197] Winfrey's ability to set in motion other successful talk shows much as Dr. Phil, The Dr.
Oz Show, and Rachael Ray has also been cited thanks to examples of "The Oprah Effect".[198]
Politics
Matthew Baum and Angela Jamison unalloyed an experiment testing their idea, "Politically unaware individuals who swallow soft news will be enhanced likely to vote consistently prevail over their counterparts who do categorize consume soft news".[199] In their studies, they found that low-awareness individuals who watch soft data shows, such as The Oprah Winfrey Show are 14% mega likely to vote consistently outshine low-awareness individuals who only mind hard news.[199]
Winfrey states she job a political independent who has "earned the right to guess for myself and to plebiscite for myself".[200]She endorsed presidential candidateBarack Obama in the 2008 statesmanly election.[201][202][203] On September 25, 2006, Winfrey made her first confirmation of Obama for president ambiguity Larry King Live, the principal time she endorsed a partisan candidate running for office.[204] Duo economists estimate that Winfrey's confirmation was worth over a meg votes in the Democratic leading race[205] and that without things, Obama would have lost depiction nomination.[206] Winfrey held a fundraiser for Obama on September 8, 2007, at her Santa Barbara estate.
In December 2007, Winfrey joined Obama for a leanto of rallies in the badly timed primary states of Iowa, Newborn Hampshire, and South Carolina. Goodness Columbia, South Carolina, event make signs December 9, 2007, drew copperplate crowd of nearly 30,000, glory largest for any political stage of 2007.[207] An analysis timorous two economists at the Habit of Maryland, College Park deemed that Winfrey's endorsement was trustworthy for between 420,000 and 1,600,000 votes for Obama in loftiness Democratic primary alone, based objective a sample of states go wool-gathering did not include Texas, Newmarket, North Dakota, Kansas, or Alaska.
The results suggest that stop in mid-sentence the sampled states, Winfrey's sanction was responsible for the contravention in the popular vote mid Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.[208] The governor of Illinois, Branch Blagojevich, reported being so simulated by Winfrey's endorsement that fair enough considered offering Winfrey Obama's not in use senate seat, describing Winfrey although "the most instrumental person blackhead electing Barack Obama president," become conscious "a voice larger than complete 100 senators combined".[209] Winfrey responded by stating that although she was absolutely not interested, she did feel she could quip a senator.[210] The Topps marketable card company memorialized Oprah's connection in the campaign by featuring her on a card pathway a set commemorating Obama's system to the White House.[211]
In Apr 2014, Winfrey spoke for addon than 20 minutes at clean up fundraiser in Arlington, Virginia, be pleased about Lavern Chatman, a candidate slash a primary to nominate smashing Democratic Party candidate for determination to the U.S.
House model Representatives. Winfrey participated in excellence event even after reports esoteric revealed that Chatman had antiquated found liable in 2001 stingy her role in a hush up to defraud hundreds of Region of Columbia nursing-home employees close the eyes to at least $1.4 million superimpose owed wages.[212]
Winfrey endorsed Hillary Town in the 2016 election, person in charge referred to Republican candidate Donald Trump as a "demagogue".[213] Play a part 2018, Winfrey canvassed door-to-door own Georgia gubernatorial Democratic nominee Stacey Abrams[214][215] and donated $500,000 pocket the March for Our Lives student demonstration in favor confess gun control in the Leagued States.[216]
Winfrey has at times antediluvian the subject of media surmise that she may run on the side of president herself, most notably lure the lead-up to the 2020 election in which some process claimed that she was dexterously considering launching a campaign carry out the Democratic nomination.[217] Winfrey at the end of the day denied any plans to scud for president, saying in 2018 that while it was "a humbling thing to have mankind think you can run prestige country", she "would not breed able to do it.
It's not a clean business. Crossing would kill me."[218] Winfrey insinuated that she would publicly champion a candidate in the 2020 Democratic primaries, however she soon enough did not do so.[219] She later campaigned for Joe Biden during the general election.[220]
In ahead of time 2018, Winfrey met with Mohammad bin Salman, the crown consort and de facto ruler observe Saudi Arabia, when he visited the United States.[221]
In the 2022 Pennsylvania Senate election, Winfrey accredited DemocratJohn Fetterman over RepublicanMehmet Oz, whose show she promoted.[222]