Sooooo as I watch this whole 'Orpah does Australia' series (and yes, I am slighly ashamed to say that it is 1:49am on a Friday night and I'm watching Oprah), it has given me some serious mixed feelings. And I'd like to explain why...
A.) As a person who has recently traveled and studied in Australia, this whole series has given me some serious nostalgia. All it takes is for them to show an aerial view of the Sydney harbour as they're cutting to commercial and I immediately feel like I need to be back there...Now. Every time Oprah raves about how great of an experience she had there, I think about how great of an experience I had there. (Maybe I didn't have quite the SAME experience she did, but you know what I mean...) And she's right, God do I miss that place. It really is one of the most beautiful countries in the world and more people should get out there at least once in their life. Now that that's said...
B.) Does anyone else feel like Oprah is almost making a mockery of the great land down unda'? I know it's almost heresy to say anything negative about the Almighty "O", but I just got this really awkwardly 'fake' feeling while watching this (and let me reiterate, I wouldn't be watching this if she wasn't in a country where I pretty much spent 5+ best months of my life in). But really, the whole time I was watching this I got the feeling like she felt SHE discovered the country and needed to tell the world about her discovery, as if no one knew Australia was a real country already. With REAL people. Honestly, the whole time they made it seem like Oprah was a 'normal' human who had landed in a world of 'unnormal aliens'. Take, for instance, her guests. In a span of 4 shows, she interviewed stars such as Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Nicole Kidman, Keith Urban and Olivia Newton-John (all Aussies)..and for some reason Bono(has anyone told the Big O that Bono is Irish yet? No? We're gonna let that one slide? Ok...). Ok, makes sense - you're in Australia, interview Australians - I get that. But is was what she asked the interviewees that boggled my mind. Her interviews only lasted about 4 or 5 minutes each and would consist of vague and cliche questions such as "So what's the difference between Australians and Americans?" or "Do you know other Australian actors?" or "What's it like being an Australian?" Really? Have you ever asked a twin what it's like being a twin? The usual response is most likely "what's it like NOT being a twin?" I seriously felt awkward listening to someone like Nicole Kidman have to answer that question while she simultaneously thought The difference between us and Americans is we don't ask stupid questions like that. And to make things ever more awkwarder, they had to answer these questions in front of 6,000+ fellow Aussies who have jampacked themselves onto the steps on the Sydney Opera House - which should now be referred to as the Syndey Oprah House. If I were an Aussie in that crowd, I'd be asking myself, who does this woman think she is?...and then I'd quickly think...oh yeah, this is the woman who is about to give me a $6,000 diamond necklace for free. Which brings me to my next point.
C.) Are all of these 'surprise' Oprah giveaways really a good thing for society? That sounds like a college essay topic so let me clarify...Everyone always raves about how charitable Oprah is and how she always gives her audience members cars and trips and diamonds and blah blah blah. Yeah, that's all cool but after a while the element of surprise is thrown out the window. I mean Pavlov must be rolling in his grave. If I go on that show, you best believe I'm going home with a 2011 Volkswagon Buggy or a brand new HP laptop (irony to be discussed later). Imagine going on that show and NOT getting something? Heads. would. roll. That's all I'm saying. You put me on that show, from the moment I walk into the studio and sit in that seat I won't be able to focus on anything else going on with the actual production of the show. Little Jimmy's cancer is in remission and he was reunited with his long-lost father? Who cares, where's my car? It's sad to say, but I mean c'mon, you KNOW people in the audience are expecting these things. Which is why I'm so surprised when I see them surprised. Diamond necklace? Yeah, I saw that coming, let's go honey... (although the way she revealed the aussie trip was a gem)
D.) So this whole Australia trip was just a big marketing scheme right? I mean, if anyone's gonna appreciate a spontaneous voyage to Australia, it's this guy. But to make that trip into a 4-episode long commercial for Australia Tourism - that's almost worse than Queen LeBron's "Decision" (but not really, I still hate LeBron much much more). Not to mention the countless promotions for Qantas, Telstra, hp, etc. Ok ok, I get the sponsor part. I'm in the advertising business. But at points I just felt like the promotions and sponsors were just taking away from the whole thing. (Which reminds me, Oprah is "friends" with a lot of big companies huh? Every time she goes to give something away it's always "And our friends over at [company] have been kind enough to donate [millions of products]..." Actually, that company gave stuff away to boost it's branding, not necessarily to be nice, but good on ya....)(Btw, when did I get this narcisistic? Damn you Oprah.)
E.) Did anyone catch episode 3 when Oprah cured that guys cancer with $25,000? Funny, the cure for AIDS is $180,000...
A.) As a person who has recently traveled and studied in Australia, this whole series has given me some serious nostalgia. All it takes is for them to show an aerial view of the Sydney harbour as they're cutting to commercial and I immediately feel like I need to be back there...Now. Every time Oprah raves about how great of an experience she had there, I think about how great of an experience I had there. (Maybe I didn't have quite the SAME experience she did, but you know what I mean...) And she's right, God do I miss that place. It really is one of the most beautiful countries in the world and more people should get out there at least once in their life. Now that that's said...
B.) Does anyone else feel like Oprah is almost making a mockery of the great land down unda'? I know it's almost heresy to say anything negative about the Almighty "O", but I just got this really awkwardly 'fake' feeling while watching this (and let me reiterate, I wouldn't be watching this if she wasn't in a country where I pretty much spent 5+ best months of my life in). But really, the whole time I was watching this I got the feeling like she felt SHE discovered the country and needed to tell the world about her discovery, as if no one knew Australia was a real country already. With REAL people. Honestly, the whole time they made it seem like Oprah was a 'normal' human who had landed in a world of 'unnormal aliens'. Take, for instance, her guests. In a span of 4 shows, she interviewed stars such as Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Nicole Kidman, Keith Urban and Olivia Newton-John (all Aussies)..and for some reason Bono(has anyone told the Big O that Bono is Irish yet? No? We're gonna let that one slide? Ok...). Ok, makes sense - you're in Australia, interview Australians - I get that. But is was what she asked the interviewees that boggled my mind. Her interviews only lasted about 4 or 5 minutes each and would consist of vague and cliche questions such as "So what's the difference between Australians and Americans?" or "Do you know other Australian actors?" or "What's it like being an Australian?" Really? Have you ever asked a twin what it's like being a twin? The usual response is most likely "what's it like NOT being a twin?" I seriously felt awkward listening to someone like Nicole Kidman have to answer that question while she simultaneously thought The difference between us and Americans is we don't ask stupid questions like that. And to make things ever more awkwarder, they had to answer these questions in front of 6,000+ fellow Aussies who have jampacked themselves onto the steps on the Sydney Opera House - which should now be referred to as the Syndey Oprah House. If I were an Aussie in that crowd, I'd be asking myself, who does this woman think she is?...and then I'd quickly think...oh yeah, this is the woman who is about to give me a $6,000 diamond necklace for free. Which brings me to my next point.
C.) Are all of these 'surprise' Oprah giveaways really a good thing for society? That sounds like a college essay topic so let me clarify...Everyone always raves about how charitable Oprah is and how she always gives her audience members cars and trips and diamonds and blah blah blah. Yeah, that's all cool but after a while the element of surprise is thrown out the window. I mean Pavlov must be rolling in his grave. If I go on that show, you best believe I'm going home with a 2011 Volkswagon Buggy or a brand new HP laptop (irony to be discussed later). Imagine going on that show and NOT getting something? Heads. would. roll. That's all I'm saying. You put me on that show, from the moment I walk into the studio and sit in that seat I won't be able to focus on anything else going on with the actual production of the show. Little Jimmy's cancer is in remission and he was reunited with his long-lost father? Who cares, where's my car? It's sad to say, but I mean c'mon, you KNOW people in the audience are expecting these things. Which is why I'm so surprised when I see them surprised. Diamond necklace? Yeah, I saw that coming, let's go honey... (although the way she revealed the aussie trip was a gem)
D.) So this whole Australia trip was just a big marketing scheme right? I mean, if anyone's gonna appreciate a spontaneous voyage to Australia, it's this guy. But to make that trip into a 4-episode long commercial for Australia Tourism - that's almost worse than Queen LeBron's "Decision" (but not really, I still hate LeBron much much more). Not to mention the countless promotions for Qantas, Telstra, hp, etc. Ok ok, I get the sponsor part. I'm in the advertising business. But at points I just felt like the promotions and sponsors were just taking away from the whole thing. (Which reminds me, Oprah is "friends" with a lot of big companies huh? Every time she goes to give something away it's always "And our friends over at [company] have been kind enough to donate [millions of products]..." Actually, that company gave stuff away to boost it's branding, not necessarily to be nice, but good on ya....)(Btw, when did I get this narcisistic? Damn you Oprah.)
E.) Did anyone catch episode 3 when Oprah cured that guys cancer with $25,000? Funny, the cure for AIDS is $180,000...
F.) Fact: Oprah tried to kill Hugh Jackman.
G.) The way Oprah took over Australia is almost sickening. It's almost like she landed in the country, marked her territory, called herself the Queen and ordered millions of habitants to follow her to the steps of the Oprah House to drink the koolaid. And when I say marked her territory, I mean literally...
When all is said and done, I guess Oprah really is the Queen of everything. And there's really no fighting that. She'll be the most beloved person in the world until the day she dies. And then maybe after that too.
Where's my car?
Well you weren't kidding about your disdain for Oprah. I didn't exactly know what you were doing there for a minute, but now it all makes sense. Eloquent and thoughtful piece and I look forward to many more to come. I will leave you with this...we went to IHOP last night! It was magical! 114
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