Comments on Living Oprah: TMI

actually i have books and also I did the diet so s...

2008-09-09T20:56:00.000-05:00

actually i have books and also I did the diet so some of that i did at the beginning until i became vegan.. but yeah they are only helpful suggestions you can just get what you want you know. I lost 95 pounds in 7 months on the diet
www.africa101project.org

I am actually incredibly curious about the rolfing...

2008-09-05T20:08:00.000-05:00

I am actually incredibly curious about the rolfing... There are certain massage therapies that are beneficial to my own condition (advanced crohn's) and some that could harm it... I wonder the effects of rolfing on an autoimmune disease like mine? I'll look into it and let you know :-)

I think this issue taps directly into my biggest c...

2008-09-05T13:12:00.000-05:00

I think this issue taps directly into my biggest complaint about Oprah. It's that "be your own person", but "buy what I buy, eat what I eat, read what I read, journal like I journal" diatribe that I find to be so hypocritical. How can we truly think for ourselves and "be your best you" if we're such active lemmings at the same time?

That being said, I think I find her picture a distraction. If she were actually a nutrition expert, I might feel there was some credibility to the food items. If she were a literary critic, maybe her book club choice would sway my opinion.

Her show started out as fun and engaging, and has, in my opinion, turned into piety. I mean, really, there's NOBODY else worthy of the cover of that magazine?

My two cents worth about the poop thing, I once re...

2008-09-04T22:23:00.000-05:00

My two cents worth about the poop thing, I once read somewhere that as long as the poop sinks, then you're ok. When it floats, then it means your diet is all wrong, may contain too much processed, fatty foods which aint good for you. So next time you 'go', dont stress whether its an S or C, if its sunk, then you're good.

p.s. how is that for TMI, hahahahahaha
T

I'm guilty of being one of those people who like t...

2008-09-04T22:15:00.000-05:00

I'm guilty of being one of those people who like the O on their books. I waited for 'New Earth' with the O to come to Australia, before I bought it. I really could not care less what people thought about what I read.

I think its everyone's prerogative to decide for themselves how they want to spend their cash, besides, I dont think Oprah comes to someone's house and forces them with a gun to their head to buy whatever she recommends, so give the girl a break and dont judge other people!
T

@Melissa - I totally agree with you! I try not to ...

2008-09-04T17:32:00.000-05:00

@Melissa - I totally agree with you! I try not to buy the books with the movie pictures on the front either! I think there's something so commercial about it, putting a big fat label on a book. I'm not usually one to get caught up in what people think of me, but reading is such a personal and lovely pleasure, I don't want Nicole Kidman's face staring at me every time I pick up a book, reminding me that this treasure I'm so deeply involved in has been warped into a movie. "Every one else likes it, too!" It seems to scream. Hard to explain... There's certainly nothing wrong with liking something that lots of other people like, it's looking like you like something because other people like it that's the problem. Yeah, that's it, I think...

And as a side note I think that Oprah's book club is a fantastic thing. Many fabulous books that would have gone overlooked have come to the masses and that's great. I read and LOVED Anna Karenina in college and I love that people who wouldn't have given it a second glance are now trying it out. And anything that gets people reading is a good thing.

I live in Chicago and the mayor had his own book c...

2008-09-04T17:02:00.000-05:00

I live in Chicago and the mayor had his own book club to get the city reading. I don't know if it's still going or not. When I rode the el more often I remember seeing the book in a lot of people's hands as they made their commute. Once in awhile I overheard conversations start up between strangers because of the book. Personally, it seemed like a great program. If it didn't take me months to get through a book I probably would have joined them. People were bonding over the classics that all of us should be reading. And then there were the rest of us on the train, taking in this really nice spontaneous conversation. I can understand peoples' hesitation about a sticker on their book but I wonder why it couldn't be the same life sharing experience as Chicago's book club. Just wondering.

The Oprah/Bob Green seal turns me off too. And thi...

2008-09-04T16:42:00.000-05:00

The Oprah/Bob Green seal turns me off too. And this extends to Barak Obama. When Ms. O became so public of her support, I became skeptical about Mr. O (Obama).

I like Oprah but a lot people she goes ga-ga over, I just don't get: Rachel Ray (ANNOYING, braying), Dr. Phil (Full if it), John Travolta (Just plain weird), that woman who wrote Eat Pray Love (Self-absorbed), Julia Roberts (VERY annoying and self-absorbed), Dr. Oz (Who lately has become quite self-satisfied. You can almost hear the voice in his head going, "Yeah. I'm a hottie. They love me in these scrubs."), etc., etc.

I must say that I announce to my friends when I ha...

2008-09-04T14:17:00.000-05:00

I must say that I announce to my friends when I have "an Oprah Approved POO" its funny, I don't watch that show that often, but that one Poop show resonated. Now, everytime I poo, I think of Oprah and wonder what she would think of my bowel movements.... I am not kidding.
thanks for reminding me that I am not alone in my weirdness!

You know, LO, the embarrassment over the giant O o...

2008-09-04T13:57:00.000-05:00

You know, LO, the embarrassment over the giant O on the front cover of the book was something I had thought about but hadn't ever really expressed openly (because it didn't seem like such a big or important thing but was another thing that someone like Seinfeld would explore on his show-haha).

I guess I feel that a book selection is a little more personal (not that a bra fitting isn't! haha)--sort of that I want to go on the journey that I want to go on--not the same journey a lot of others are going on...or that I don't want to be teased about being a lemming and reading whatever just b/c someone else said to...

Although, honestly, that doesn't make much sense. I mean, a good book IS a good book--giant O on the cover or not--and it's not like Oprah's choosing junk for people to read--She chooses good, thought-provoking novels. I'm not sure why...Maybe it's not so much that she recommends the book, it's the giant O ON the book. I will go see a movie she recommends or take other recommendations, but somehow I think it comes down to a public endorsement of a book in a giant label (I mean, she doesn't add the giant O to movies she likes or endorses...27 Dresses does not have a giant "Oprah Approved" label, right?)...Maybe with books, it's more emotional. People like to take recommendations from others-but your friends don't write "Jamie-Approved-Book" on the front of books they lend you.

And I guess there is a part of all of that where people just want to feel as if they've discovered something on their own. Sort of like discovering a music group/artist right before they get really big and are played on the radio all the time. You kind of feel like you have discovered your own little happy secret, and there can be a silly sort of sense of loss when everyone else finds out about it. (Again, it's nonsensical, but I've heard people who like various musicians say stupid things like, "I liked "so and so" back BEFORE they were on the radio...I'm over them now (and the group had achieved a SMALL amount of success like 2 weeks before). It makes no sense, and it is purely emotional.

None of my reasonings make much sense...I know it somehow comes down to the writing on the front of the book--At the same time, I also avoid books with covers that reflect that the book is now a movie and has the actor/actress gracing the front cover...I guess it's purely an emotional, nonsensical reaction. It's silly, I know, but people do silly things.

This is interesting to think about though.

Yes, I remember seeing that show about poop the fi...

2008-09-04T13:19:00.000-05:00

Yes, I remember seeing that show about poop the first time it ran. My thought was, "Geesh! Now I have the worry about the correct shape of my No. 2?!" Leave it to Oprah to tell us there's a self-actualized way to S@#t.

I never really gave it much thought. I do like Bo...

2008-09-04T13:09:00.000-05:00

I never really gave it much thought. I do like Bob Greene and have purchased some of his books, but he's the author.

As far as O's bookclub or other items she endorses, I don't look at her stamp of approval, but purchase an item if I want it.

Put me in the embarrassed group while holding an O...

2008-09-04T12:07:00.000-05:00

Put me in the embarrassed group while holding an Oprah book club book! I'd rather not be lumped in with the "sheeple" I guess....and furthermore, if I did write a book...I'd like it to be a best seller based on my writing; not that Oprah picked it for her book club. Aren't you pretty much guaranteed a best seller if chosen?

On the other hand, best book I've recently read WAS a book club pick so go figure! EVERYBODY I saw was reading it...so I picked it up.

And LO--thanks so very much for the lack of documentation! *giggle*

From a book collector...There's a desire to have a...

2008-09-04T09:56:00.000-05:00

From a book collector...There's a desire to have a copy that is either first edition or at least an early printing - it makes the book more valuable. When an Oprah seal is on it - that means massive printing, which means - "not special." I'm not saying this is logical but for those of us who have our weird, "we discovered this author first" thingy - it means something to us. Maybe we're snobs - it's possible. I will say that Oprah has had some outstanding picks. And yes, I do get a smug sense of satisfaction if Oprah selects a book that I have already read and loved. It's like the Tipping Point, some of us simply want to be ahead of the curve. Maybe we're insecure or maybe we're trend setters - who cares, as long as we're all reading!

When she started the book club, I thought it would...

2008-09-04T07:57:00.000-05:00

When she started the book club, I thought it would be fun to read along. I liked some of the books but I began to feel that most were on the topic of rape and very depressing so I stopped. (This was a while a go so maybe things have changed.)

Note for Tolstoy fans: Don't hesitate to get the translation of Anna Karenina with Oprah's logo on it because you don't want to be lumped in with her book club. It is the most modern translation and from a Russian speaker's point of view (mine) the best and one most worth reading.....

I wanted to re-read Anna Karenina and the only ver...

2008-09-04T06:05:00.000-05:00

I wanted to re-read Anna Karenina and the only version I could find (truly) was the one with the Oprah Seal of Approval. I have to admit, it embarrassed me and there are many times when I'll shy away from a product because it has Oprah's endorsement.

She's turning into the arbiter of American life. I don't think this is healthy for anyone.

i won't buy books that are part of her club. i rea...

2008-09-03T23:06:00.000-05:00

i won't buy books that are part of her club. i read waht i like, not what she likes!she's become almost a religion for people, like a cult, and it's scary. i remember what she was like 15-20 years ago, and boy has the show changed! can't she get anything else on the cover of O magazine but herself? i don't watch her but maybe a few minutes once every few months, but i've noticed her audience really gets dressed up for the shows. it's just sad.

i love reading your blog!!

Personally, I think it's ridiculous to deprive mys...

2008-09-03T23:01:00.000-05:00

Personally, I think it's ridiculous to deprive myself of a potentially great read just because it's been made commercially popular. That's like some sort of bizarre snobbery in reverse.

What's more important: to broaden your mental horizons by reading a great work of literature like Anna Karenina (and yes, I know not all Oprah's picks are great works of literature), or to stubbornly refuse to buy a book because of (gasp) what someone else might THINK of you?

And I'm all for Oprah's book club. Anything that gets people reading is fine with me.

Ah, the ubiquitous alphabet turd. Now God is sure...

2008-09-03T20:53:00.000-05:00

Ah, the ubiquitous alphabet turd. Now God is surely smiling down on you....and your poop.

to those of you who feel a bit embarrassed by carr...

2008-09-03T19:28:00.000-05:00

to those of you who feel a bit embarrassed by carrying an Oprah's Book Club selection...why do you think that is? i can relate, by the way, i'm not judging. but, i'll gladly tell a friend that i got fitted for a new bra because i heard about it on oprah, but i don't want to carry a book with a giant O upon it.

i also think reading is terrific - and if oprah's recommendations get more people reading, i'm really grateful. i mean, sheesh, i'm a writer...i'd love people to be reading books instead of watching endless hours of tv (i type as America's Next Top Model plays in the background).

and yet...as a READER, i'd prefer to allow the writer/novel to be the draw to a certain work, rather than a celebrity.

xo
LO

Anon: Hey - completely UNNECESSARY.

2008-09-03T18:57:00.000-05:00

Anon: Hey - completely UNNECESSARY.

I also wanted to applaud the poster "pinktissue"--...

2008-09-03T18:46:00.000-05:00

I also wanted to applaud the poster "pinktissue"--I liked your post too. :)

You know, I've stayed away from Oprah Book Club bo...

2008-09-03T18:42:00.000-05:00

You know, I've stayed away from Oprah Book Club books with the stamp simply because I didn't want to seem to be one of those people who was reading the book merely because Oprah had it as a part of her book club. I've even steered clear when it was a book I was genuinely interested in. I guess I didn't want to get razzed for trying to be "hip" in my reading selections based on what Oprah and her legion of book club members were reading that month. I don't begrudge them--I like Oprah's book club, but I have been deterred from purchasing books based on the label. I just didn't want to seem like I was reading a particular book because it was the "in" book at the moment.

I have, however, bought food products with the "Best Life" label-In some cases because I already just wanted that product, but in some cases I sort of felt that Bob Greene wouldn't steer us wrong--A girl's gotta eat, so I may as well eat what's good for me.

I enjoy buying Oprah book club picks mostly becaus...

2008-09-03T18:28:00.000-05:00

I enjoy buying Oprah book club picks mostly because I know it annoys the hoity-toity book store people who can't stand the fact that an overweight black woman who entertains soccer moms is the most influential literary figure of our time. It especially annoys them when Oprah picks a difficult book like Tolstoy because Oprah is sending the message that the soccer moms of the world are just as literate as they are and enjoy the same books they do. They resent Oprah for this because they no longer have anyone to look down on.

I also think there's a bit of sexism when people call Oprah's followers sheep. When a man buys a book because it gets a good review in the NY Times no one calls him a sheep, but if a woman finds she can relate to the book suggestions of a woman's stalk show she's somehow an object of derision? No I hold my head up high when reading my Oprah picks. I'm a secure person and I have nothing to be embarrassed about. The books are generally of good quality so why shouldn't I read them.

Well...I have read several of her original book cl...

2008-09-03T16:47:00.000-05:00

Well...I have read several of her original book club picks, come to think of it. But that's about it.