The End of the Oprah Era

Goodbye Oprah.

The Oprah Show went on the air in 1986, the same year I was born. My Mom started watching her show, and Oprah was a part of our daily lives. Sometimes Oprah was the focal point of 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. EST, and others she was just background noise. Nonetheless, I know that my peers and I are children of the Oprah generation.

For years I spelled my names backwards because of the Harpo that appeared that the end of the credits. It may have also had something to do with my dyslexia.  

The first time we had a discussion about sexuality, and how it was ok to be gay was after an episode of the show focused on the topic. To this day, I think it made my sister’s, as well as my family’s, transition smoother than it could have ever been.

The first time I realized wearing dark denim with a certain cut would make myself look 5 pounds lighter was during one of her shows. There were to many shows for me to count to remind me that my value was much greater than what I looked like or how much money I made or anything else. I just needed to be more, and the best version of it.

Countless heartwarming moments, real laughs, surprise facts about almost anything, and let's be honest, not every episode was perfect but it filled one hour, five days a week. Even those who tried to copy her show -- Tyra -- could not sustain or maintain her energy, quality, and popularity.

People have feelings about Oprah, both positive and negative.

Whatever your feelings might be, this woman has changed media forever. In recent years reality shows have dominated viewer waves, and have openly lacked reality. Bizarre circumstances, ridiculous stunts, and mostly nude human beings have provided entertainment throughout the world. From this we can only gain pure entertainment, and something to pass the time around the water cooler.

These parades of fantastic, spaztastic people are as notorious to us as a Cold Stone Ice Cream. Although nearly overwhelmingly delicious, it certainly doesn't do anything for us.

Oprah stimulated the thought.

Whether it was about lifestyles, books, icons, movies, philosophy, healthy living, and consumerism, we were all considering our positions on these matters a conversation that would be sparked between people. Directly or indirectly. Even with all content aside, people were merely discussing her current weight status.

Oprah will always be one my heroes, perhaps because she was around for most of my after school snacks but more so because she’s Oprah. She really is everything and nothing all at the same time. She continuously proves the cause of genuine living. As many blessings Oprah has had, she has had just as many struggling.

Oprah's life has been a journey.

Oprah has struggled with a great many things in her life: abuse, rejection, weight issues, relationship issues, and being Oprah. All of these items she grapples with all while being one of the wealthiest and most powerful human beings on this planet.

Being a witness to such an awesomely delicate force is a gift that for 25 years we have had the pleasure of baring witness. And I pay a deep respect to whomever might fill that void. I don’t just mean the time slot, I mean the person who will be taxed with the task of starting a conversation, leading a movement, and having the most idolized favorites list. That is a power not confined to an hour, or a time slot.

Ellen, you have my vote.