I found today's rerun with Maria Shriver a little sad, did anyone else? I think she was very brave in admitting that she was unhappy with her public life, but I still can't quite get over that she had to give up a career she was passionate about so that Arnold could be Governator. She did relay to the audience how hard that choice was to make, but I wish Oprah had asked if she thought she made a mistake and would have taken a different path, if she could do it all over again. Still, I suppose hindsight is 20-20 and you can't go back in time, so why harp on it.
I think it is important that famous folks are shown as multi-faceted human beings with ups and downs, so women and girls aren't fooled into thinking that the grass is greener on their side of the fence. I wish there was more of that in the media. We all know by now that celebs' bodies are photoshopped on the cover of magazines, but I think their lives tend to be "airbrushed" as well. I think this is so dangerous for women who might judge themselves against the impossible characters crafted by a PR machine.
I heard a great point by Shriver that was followed by a piece of Oprah-advice. It was about ceasing all use of the word "just" when women speak about themselves. It really is self-depricating. I am pretty certain I've used the phrase, "I'm just a yoga teacher," when defining myself to others. Oprah says unequivocally, "Stop saying that." She's right on.
That's empowering guidance we can all follow that doesn't cost a dime.
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I thought the show today was pretty good. Maria Shriver was an interesting guest. I thought it was fascinating the way she spoke of losing her identity when she became first lady.
That episode made me really like Maria Shriver when before she was just a woman with a very prominent bone structure and gigantic, white teeth, but now she's human which is far more endearing than a 8x10 glossy re-imagining of what makes a perfect human being. I loved she and Oprah werre such good friends. Who knew? And that the Kennedys try to kill people that come to visit! Love that.
We owe it to our sex to correct each other whenever we say we're "just" anything...unless we're saying I'm just a fabulous, ass-kicking, goddess....then it's o.k. because we don't want to sound arrogant.
Eliminating "self-limiting" words/beliefs is basic NLP.
Good stuff despite that.
pinktissue, thanks for sharing. glad you enjoyed.
jurl, i also enjoyed seeing their friendship and how maria's love for oprah really seemed to deeply touch winfrey. and touche - that i a good use of the word "just!"
dave, yes - very Orwellian!
best,
LO
Thanks to Entertainment Weekly (my free magazine subscription -- this isn't some sort of endorsement but a fact of my connection to you) they referenced your blog site. I too am quite fascinated with Oprah's draw, her audience. I occasionally watch an episode and heed her advice. Not because I give up my ability to make my own decisions but seek advice where I have none. I find your radio interviews interesting in that you refer to her audience as followers of the Oprah way. It's actually fantastic but far from my experiences. I too find it difficult to understand women weep at her presence, I immediately think of the young girl crying at Sanjaya's performance on American Idol earlier this year. Or the time I wept when I watched an episode of 30 days (living on the Navajo Reservation) where the host and the Navajo grandmother shared a moment so intimate as a grandson and his grandmother converse in their native language. None of which compares to Oprah's obsessed, at least for me. I look forward to your evaluation and in the mean time I will continue to read your blog. (btw- you do not have to buy the favorite things --- it's completely irrational, especially when you do not wear makeup or use kitchen gadgets. --- live 'your' best life. ~emb)
embegaye, thanks for checking in and letting me know you found the project via EW. that's so surreal to me. as you know from the site, i'm a yoga teacher. we're not often mentioned in national publications. crazy. the Sanjaya reminder is a good one. i get so worried for "us" as a society when we create dieties from our celebs. please do check in again - i'd love to hear more of your comments. best, LO
I found you from a list on the EW site and have just read from the beginning of your experiment.... I hope you have already turned your book proposal in!
Thanks for the great read!
wow - thanks ramona! so glad you dropped a note and am thrilled to hear you enjoyed. it's an especially great honor as when i was a child, i wanted to be named ramona SO BADLY that i'd fantasize about having the name and how much better my life would be with it. i must have been obsessed with the ramona quimby books when i was a kid, but don't remember that part...i only knew my life would be perfect if my name was ramona. so tell me, your life is perfect, isn't it? i was right about that whole name thing, yes? xoLO
I love that her kids didn't know who she was "before". But isn't that just true of all kids. They just see their parents as just that their parents. So, really how can you have an ego around them? They see you as a checkbook, chauffer, cook, maid, nurse and teacher.
accidental housewife, so true! kids are so humbling. best, LO
How about the final few moments of the show when Maria was telling Oprah she loved her? that Oprah had nurtured her and mothered her? It seemed so genuine I kind of thought I shouldn't be watching...Oprah didn't seem to know how to respond but she did look so touched.
theparakeet, i LOVED that moment. it was so much more vulnerable than oprah usually allows herself to be on tv. i also thought maria was so lovely in the way she was honest and open about how much oprah meant to her. it was good to hear, also, that oprah is a good friend. thanks for bringing that up! best, LO
Cool site - I just stunbled on on.
I actually TiVo'd this episode when it was first run. I think it was great & showed both women as strong yet vulnerable - good for them!
HB
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