she is often called the most powerful and influential woman in the world
and influential woman in the world
and influential woman in the world welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’ll
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’ll
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’ll be exploring the life and career of
be exploring the life and career of
be exploring the life and career of Oprah Oprah Gayle Winfrey was born
Oprah Oprah Gayle Winfrey was born
Oprah Oprah Gayle Winfrey was born January 29th 1954 in rural Mississippi
January 29th 1954 in rural Mississippi
January 29th 1954 in rural Mississippi much of her turbulent youth was spent in
much of her turbulent youth was spent in
much of her turbulent youth was spent in poverty and she was constantly moved
poverty and she was constantly moved
poverty and she was constantly moved around the country to live with various
around the country to live with various
around the country to live with various family members before she had even
family members before she had even
family members before she had even reached her teens
reached her teens
reached her teens Oprah displayed great intelligence and
Oprah displayed great intelligence and
Oprah displayed great intelligence and speaking abilities early on and these
speaking abilities early on and these
speaking abilities early on and these were encouraged by her grandmother and
were encouraged by her grandmother and
were encouraged by her grandmother and father she went on to win a full
father she went on to win a full
father she went on to win a full scholarship to Tennessee State
scholarship to Tennessee State
scholarship to Tennessee State University where she studied
University where she studied
University where she studied communications when free worked at a
communications when free worked at a
communications when free worked at a local radio station and moved to a local
local radio station and moved to a local
local radio station and moved to a local Nashville television station where she
Nashville television station where she
Nashville television station where she became the youngest news anchor and the
became the youngest news anchor and the
became the youngest news anchor and the first black female news anchor
first black female news anchor
first black female news anchor she finally relocated to Illinois and
she finally relocated to Illinois and
she finally relocated to Illinois and took over hosting duties of AM Chicago
took over hosting duties of AM Chicago
took over hosting duties of AM Chicago good morning everybody
good morning everybody
good morning everybody I’m Oprah Winfrey new host of AM Chicago
I’m Oprah Winfrey new host of AM Chicago
I’m Oprah Winfrey new host of AM Chicago real to be here just months later the
real to be here just months later the
real to be here just months later the show had overtaken Phil Donahue’s
show had overtaken Phil Donahue’s
show had overtaken Phil Donahue’s talk-show in the ratings she quickly
talk-show in the ratings she quickly
talk-show in the ratings she quickly signed a syndication deal and on
signed a syndication deal and on
signed a syndication deal and on September 8th 1986 the first countrywide
September 8th 1986 the first countrywide
September 8th 1986 the first countrywide hour-long Oprah Winfrey Show debuted it
hour-long Oprah Winfrey Show debuted it
hour-long Oprah Winfrey Show debuted it was also around this time that Harpo
was also around this time that Harpo
was also around this time that Harpo Productions was founded with Winfrey as
Productions was founded with Winfrey as
Productions was founded with Winfrey as president as a host Winfrey was credited
president as a host Winfrey was credited
president as a host Winfrey was credited with being better attuned to her
with being better attuned to her
with being better attuned to her audience than other talk-show
audience than other talk-show
audience than other talk-show personalities of the day and with
personalities of the day and with
personalities of the day and with changing the tabloid format she was able
changing the tabloid format she was able
changing the tabloid format she was able to connect with her audience and
to connect with her audience and
to connect with her audience and interviewees by revealing stories about
interviewees by revealing stories about
interviewees by revealing stories about her past for example in 1986 she
her past for example in 1986 she
her past for example in 1986 she disclosed that she had been molested in
disclosed that she had been molested in
disclosed that she had been molested in her youth she was also vocal about her
her youth she was also vocal about her
her youth she was also vocal about her weight and relationship problems in fact
weight and relationship problems in fact
weight and relationship problems in fact this type of public confessional therapy
this type of public confessional therapy
this type of public confessional therapy was dubbed the Oprah fication
was dubbed the Oprah fication
was dubbed the Oprah fication of television Oprah also helped raise
of television Oprah also helped raise
of television Oprah also helped raise the profile of gay bisexual transsexual
the profile of gay bisexual transsexual
the profile of gay bisexual transsexual and transgender people and this helped
and transgender people and this helped
and transgender people and this helped those groups gain mainstream acceptance
those groups gain mainstream acceptance
those groups gain mainstream acceptance aside from addressing the issues on her
aside from addressing the issues on her
aside from addressing the issues on her talk show Winfrey also guest-starred as
talk show Winfrey also guest-starred as
talk show Winfrey also guest-starred as a therapist who helped Ellen DeGeneres
a therapist who helped Ellen DeGeneres
a therapist who helped Ellen DeGeneres come out of the closet on her sitcom in
come out of the closet on her sitcom in
come out of the closet on her sitcom in 1997 your
1997 your
1997 your so what are you gonna do now I’m going
so what are you gonna do now I’m going
so what are you gonna do now I’m going to Disneyland
by the 1990s her show had broaden its
by the 1990s her show had broaden its format
format
format she discussed health spirituality
she discussed health spirituality
she discussed health spirituality literature and social issues in addition
literature and social issues in addition
literature and social issues in addition to the celebrity interviews for which
to the celebrity interviews for which
to the celebrity interviews for which she had become famous part of happiness
she had become famous part of happiness
she had become famous part of happiness comes from having great vision and
comes from having great vision and
comes from having great vision and having a passion and great sex in 1993
having a passion and great sex in 1993
having a passion and great sex in 1993 Oprah made television history once again
Oprah made television history once again
Oprah made television history once again her primetime interview with Michael
her primetime interview with Michael
her primetime interview with Michael Jackson became the most-watched
Jackson became the most-watched
Jackson became the most-watched interview ever and boasted a worldwide
interview ever and boasted a worldwide
interview ever and boasted a worldwide audience of over 100 million Oprah also
audience of over 100 million Oprah also
audience of over 100 million Oprah also made memories when she wheeled a wagon
made memories when she wheeled a wagon
made memories when she wheeled a wagon full of fat onto her set in 1988 and
full of fat onto her set in 1988 and
full of fat onto her set in 1988 and when Tom Cruise infamously jumped on her
when Tom Cruise infamously jumped on her
when Tom Cruise infamously jumped on her couch in 2005 Winfrey’s talk show also
couch in 2005 Winfrey’s talk show also
couch in 2005 Winfrey’s talk show also resulted in something called The Oprah
resulted in something called The Oprah
resulted in something called The Oprah effect this was the suggestion that
effect this was the suggestion that
effect this was the suggestion that Oprah Winfrey and her show were powerful
Oprah Winfrey and her show were powerful
Oprah Winfrey and her show were powerful enough to influence the American public
enough to influence the American public
enough to influence the American public in terms of book sales religion
in terms of book sales religion
in terms of book sales religion spirituality and even political opinions
spirituality and even political opinions
spirituality and even political opinions in 2000 Winfrey helped found the oxygen
in 2000 Winfrey helped found the oxygen
in 2000 Winfrey helped found the oxygen television network and in January 2008
television network and in January 2008
television network and in January 2008 Oprah announced she would be starting
Oprah announced she would be starting
Oprah announced she would be starting her own specialty television channel
her own specialty television channel
her own specialty television channel called own Oprah Winfrey Network and it
called own Oprah Winfrey Network and it
called own Oprah Winfrey Network and it launched in 2011 that same year after 25
launched in 2011 that same year after 25
launched in 2011 that same year after 25 years on the air the Oprah Winfrey Show
years on the air the Oprah Winfrey Show
years on the air the Oprah Winfrey Show aired its last new episode on may 25th
aired its last new episode on may 25th
aired its last new episode on may 25th 2011 despite a fallen ratings the show
2011 despite a fallen ratings the show
2011 despite a fallen ratings the show had remained the number one talk show
had remained the number one talk show
had remained the number one talk show since it first aired in 1986
since it first aired in 1986
since it first aired in 1986 Oprah spent much of her career in front
Oprah spent much of her career in front
Oprah spent much of her career in front of the camera but not all as hosts of
of the camera but not all as hosts of
of the camera but not all as hosts of her talk show in 1985 she starred in the
her talk show in 1985 she starred in the
her talk show in 1985 she starred in the Steven Spielberg film the color purple
Steven Spielberg film the color purple
Steven Spielberg film the color purple and this role garnered her an Academy
and this role garnered her an Academy
and this role garnered her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting
Award nomination for Best Supporting
Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress
Actress
Actress I love habul God knows I do but I can’t
I love habul God knows I do but I can’t
I love habul God knows I do but I can’t afford that you in 1998 she produced and
afford that you in 1998 she produced and
afford that you in 1998 she produced and starred in the film adaptation of the
starred in the film adaptation of the
starred in the film adaptation of the novel beloved she went on to produce
novel beloved she went on to produce
novel beloved she went on to produce films and lend her voice to a number of
films and lend her voice to a number of
films and lend her voice to a number of children’s features Winfrey has also
children’s features Winfrey has also
children’s features Winfrey has also found success in the magazine industry
found success in the magazine industry
found success in the magazine industry with her booming Oh magazine which
with her booming Oh magazine which
with her booming Oh magazine which debuted in 2000 she further proved her
debuted in 2000 she further proved her
debuted in 2000 she further proved her influence by transforming a number of
influence by transforming a number of
influence by transforming a number of television personalities into household
television personalities into household
television personalities into household names including dr. Phil dr. oz Rachael
names including dr. Phil dr. oz Rachael
names including dr. Phil dr. oz Rachael Ray Nate Berkus and her longtime best
Ray Nate Berkus and her longtime best
Ray Nate Berkus and her longtime best friend Gayle King with a net worth that
friend Gayle King with a net worth that
friend Gayle King with a net worth that approaches three billion dollars Oprah
approaches three billion dollars Oprah
approaches three billion dollars Oprah can count herself as the world’s first
can count herself as the world’s first
can count herself as the world’s first black female billionaire as well as the
black female billionaire as well as the
black female billionaire as well as the United States richest self-made woman
United States richest self-made woman
United States richest self-made woman she is considered the most influential
she is considered the most influential
she is considered the most influential African American of her generation and
African American of her generation and
African American of her generation and the most influential American woman in
the most influential American woman in
the most influential American woman in history she also donates more of her
history she also donates more of her
history she also donates more of her money to charity than anyone else in
money to charity than anyone else in
money to charity than anyone else in show business as an extremely active
show business as an extremely active
show business as an extremely active philanthropist while Oprah has not been
philanthropist while Oprah has not been
philanthropist while Oprah has not been immune to controversy she has always
immune to controversy she has always
immune to controversy she has always faced her detractors head-on after
faced her detractors head-on after
faced her detractors head-on after building an empire from nothing Oprah
building an empire from nothing Oprah
building an empire from nothing Oprah Winfrey has indelibly influenced and
Winfrey has indelibly influenced and
Winfrey has indelibly influenced and will long be remembered for
will long be remembered for
will long be remembered for contributions to popular culture
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