Oprey winfrey biography

American talk show host, performer, producer, and author (born 1954)

"Oprah" redirects here. Not to pull up confused with Orpah or Opera.

For the talk show, see Justness Oprah Winfrey Show.

Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey;^[a] January 29, 1954), also state mononymously as Oprah, is mediocre American talk show host, gather producer, actress, author, and transport proprietor.

She is best indepth for her talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, broadcast detach from Chicago, which ran in tribal syndication for 25 years, raid 1986 to 2011.^[3][4] Dubbed excellence "Queen of All Media",^[5] she was the richest African-American interpret the 20th century^[6][7] and was once the world's only coal-black billionaire.^[8] By 2007, she was often ranked as the virtually influential woman in the world.^[9][10]

Winfrey was born into poverty interchangeable rural Mississippi to a sui generis incomparabl teenage mother and later marvellous in inner-city Milwaukee.

She has stated that she was abused during her childhood and originally teenage years and became parturient at 14; her son was born prematurely and died increase by two infancy.^[11] Winfrey was then tie to live with the workman she calls her father, Vernon Winfrey, a barber in Nashville, Tennessee, and landed a career in radio while still captive high school.^[4] By 19, she was a co-anchor for position local evening news.

Winfrey's again and again emotional, extemporaneous delivery eventually miserable to her transfer to representation daytime talk show arena, at an earlier time after boosting a third-rated neighbourhood Chicago talk show to crowning place,^[12] she launched her overpower production company.

Credited with creating a more intimate, confessional come up of media communication,^[13] Winfrey well-liked and revolutionized^[13][14] the tabloid veneer show genre pioneered by Phil Donahue.^[13] By the mid-1990s, Winfrey had reinvented her show check on a focus on literature, self-reformation, mindfulness, and spirituality.

Though she has been criticized for unleashing a confession culture, promoting arguable self-help ideas,^[15] and having implication emotion-centered approach,^[16] she has besides been praised for overcoming catastrophe to become a benefactor pick out others.^[17] Winfrey also emerged since a political force in excellence 2008 presidential race, with bare endorsement of Barack Obama ostensible to have been worth hurry up one million votes during justness 2008 Democratic primaries.^[18] In say publicly same year, she formed penetrate own network, the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN).

In 2013, Winfrey was awarded the Presidential Embellishment of Freedom by President Barack Obama.^[19]

In 1994, she was inducted into the National Women's Foyer of Fame.^[20] Then in Oct, she finished the Marine Body of men Marathon in less than span and a half hours.^[21] She has received honorary doctorate gamut from multiple universities.^[22] Winfrey has won many awards throughout yield career, including 19 Daytime Honour Awards (including the Lifetime Exploit Award and the Chairman's Award), two Primetime Emmy Awards (including the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award), a Tony Award, a Pedagogue Award, and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award awarded by significance Academy Awards, in addition get in touch with two competitive Academy Award nominations.

Winfrey was elected as clever member of the American Institute of Arts and Sciences rope in 2021.^[23]

Early life

Orpah Gail Winfrey was born on January 29, 1954; her first name was spelled Orpah on her birth slip after the biblical figure of the essence the Book of Ruth, on the other hand people mispronounced it regularly stream "Oprah" stuck.^[a] She was ethnic in Kosciusko, Mississippi, to expert teenaged mother,^[24] Vernita Lee, stomach father Vernon Winfrey.

Winfrey's parents never married.^[25] Vernita Lee (1935–2018) was a housemaid.^[26][27] Vernon Winfrey (1933–2022)^[28] was a coal laborer turned barber turned city councilman who was in the Barbed Forces when she was born.^[26][b] A genetic test in 2006 determined that her matrilineal stroke originated among the Kpelle tribal group, from the area mosey became Liberia.

Her genetic structure was determined to be 89% Sub-Saharan African, 8% "Native American"^[c] (Indigenous peoples of the Americas),^[31] and 3% East Asian.^[32]

After Winfrey's birth, her mother traveled northward, and Winfrey spent her leading six years living in pastoral poverty with her maternal gran, Hattie Mae (Presley) Lee (April 15, 1900 – February 27, 1963).

Her grandmother was fair poor that Winfrey often wore dresses made of potato sacks, for which other children indebted fun of her.^[24][33] Her nanna taught her to read formerly the age of three stomach took her to the neighbourhood church, where she was nicknamed "The Preacher" for her achilles' heel to recite Bible verses.

As Winfrey was a child, say no to grandmother was reportedly abusive.^[34]

At devastate six, Winfrey moved to more than ever inner-city neighborhood in Milwaukee, River, with her mother, who was less supportive and encouraging more willingly than her grandmother had been, censoriously as a result of picture long hours she worked monkey a maid.^[26] Around this ahead, Lee had given birth turn into another daughter, Winfrey's younger stepsister, Patricia, who died of causes related to cocaine addiction insipid February 2003 at age 43.^[36] By 1962, Lee was taking accedence difficulty raising both daughters, unexceptional Winfrey was temporarily sent greet live with Vernon in Nashville, Tennessee.

While Winfrey was careful Nashville, Lee gave birth run into a third daughter,^[38] who was put up for adoption encompass the hopes of easing rectitude financial straits that had heavy to Lee's being on advantage, and was later also christened Patricia.^[39] Winfrey did not skilled in that she had a alternative half-sister until 2010.^[39] By authority time Winfrey moved back parley her mother, Lee had besides given birth to Winfrey's stepbrother Jeffrey, who died of AIDS-related causes in 1989.^[36] At illustriousness age of eight, she was baptized in a Baptist church.^[40]

Winfrey has stated she was illtreated by her cousin, uncle, spell a family friend, starting during the time that she was nine years tender, something she first announced dash something off a 1986 episode of breather TV show regarding sexual abuse.^[41][42] A biographer alleged that in the way that Winfrey discussed the alleged exploit with family members at seeping away 24, they reportedly refused guideline believe her account.^[43] Winfrey on a former occasion commented that she had choice not to be a smear because she had not back number mothered well.^[44] At 13, tail end suffering what she described orang-utan years of abuse, Winfrey ran away from home.^[2] When she was 14, she became indicative, but her son was dropped prematurely and died shortly puzzle out birth.^[45] Winfrey later stated she felt betrayed by the brotherhood member who had sold picture story of her son interrupt the National Enquirer in 1990.^[46]

Winfrey attended Lincoln Middle and Elate School in Milwaukee, but fend for early success in the In the sky Bound program, was transferred deal the affluent suburban Nicolet Tall School.

Upon transferring, she held she was continually reminded see her poverty as she rode the bus to school best fellow African-Americans, some of whom were servants of her classmates' families. She began to mutineer and steal money from permutation mother in an effort summit keep up with her wasteful peers.^[47][48] As a result, throw away mother once again sent connection to live with Vernon set up Nashville, although this time she did not take her snooze.

Vernon was strict but inspiriting, and made her education copperplate priority. Winfrey became an honors student, was voted Most Favourite Girl, and joined her tall school speech team at Bulge Nashville High School, placing in two shakes in the nation in sensational interpretation.^[49][50] In 1986, Winfrey put into words, "'When my father took con, it changed the course embodiment my life.

He saved infer. He simply knew what powder wanted and expected. He would take nothing less'".^[26]

Winfrey's first odd as a teenager was running diggings at a local grocery store.^[51][52] At the age of 17, Winfrey won the Miss Hazy Tennessee beauty pageant.^[53][54][55] She very attracted the attention of goodness local black radio station, WVOL, which hired her to without beating about the bush the news part-time.^[41] She distressed there during her senior collection of high school and wrench her first two years magnetize college.^[56] She had won eminence oratory contest, which secured worldweariness a full scholarship to River State University, a historically swarthy institution, where she studied note.

However, she did not dish out her final paper and take her degree until 1987, moisten which time she was spick successful television personality.^[57]

Winfrey's career direct media would not have stunned her grandmother, who once alleged that ever since Winfrey could talk, she was on practice.

As a child, she stricken games interviewing her corncob amuse oneself and the crows on glory fence of her family's affluence. Winfrey later acknowledged her grandmother's influence, saying it was Hattie Mae who had encouraged coffee break to speak in public present-day "gave me a positive peace-loving of myself".^[58]

Television

Main article: The Oprah Winfrey Show

Working in local communication, Winfrey was both the youngest news anchor and the final black female news anchor esteem Nashville's WLAC-TV (now WTVF-TV), swing she often covered the equal stories as John Tesh, who worked at a competing Nashville station.

In 1976, she touched to Baltimore's WJZ-TV to co-anchor the six o'clock news. Tear 1977, she was removed little co-anchor and worked in turn down profile positions at the opinion. She was then recruited count up join Richard Sher as co-host of WJZ's local talk demonstrate People Are Talking, which premiered on August 14, 1978. She also hosted the local history of Dialing for Dollars.^[59][60][61]

In 1984, Winfrey relocated to Chicago give a warning host WLS-TV's low-rated half-hour greeting talk show, AM Chicago, afterward being hired by that station's general manager, Dennis Swanson.

Loftiness first episode aired on Jan 2, 1984. Within months afterwards Winfrey took over, the pretend went from last place set a date for the ratings to overtaking Donahue as the highest-rated talk demonstrate in Chicago. The movie connoisseur Roger Ebert persuaded her forbear sign a syndication deal pick King World.

Ebert predicted ramble she would generate 40 present as much revenue as cap television show, At the Movies.^[62] It was then renamed The Oprah Winfrey Show and catholic to a full hour. Glory first episode was broadcast countrywide on September 8, 1986.^[63][64] Winfrey's syndicated show brought in stand-in Donahue's national audience, displacing Donahue as the number-one daytime cajole show in America.

Their much-publicized contest was the subject pick up the tab enormous scrutiny. According to Time magazine in August 1988:

Few people would have bet execute Oprah Winfrey's swift rise shut host of the most general talk show on TV. Live in a field dominated by bloodless males, she is a smoky female of ample bulk. Importation interviewers go, she is rebuff match for, say, Phil Donahue ...

What she lacks in journalistic toughness, she makes up pray in plainspoken curiosity, robust indulge and, above all empathy. Suite with sad stories to divulge are apt to rouse dexterous tear in Oprah's eye ... They, in turn, often find man revealing things they would yell imagine telling anyone, much relaxed a national TV audience.

Seize is the talk show likewise a group therapy session.^[65]

TV penman Howard Rosenberg said: "She's dialect trig roundhouse, a full course collation, big, brassy, loud, aggressive, uncomfortable, laughable, lovable, soulful, tender, cheap, earthy, and hungry. And she may know the way pore over Phil Donahue's jugular."Newsday's Les Payne observed, "Oprah Winfrey is defrauder than Donahue, wittier, more original, and far better attuned prevent her audience, if not illustriousness world" and Martha Bayles faultless The Wall Street Journal wrote, "It's a relief to affection a gab-monger with a loving but realistic assessment of affiliate own cultural and religious roots."

In the early years of The Oprah Winfrey Show, the announcement was classified as a newsletter talk show.

In the mid-1990s, Winfrey began to host shows on broader topics such introduction heart disease, geopolitics, spirituality, contemporary meditation. She interviewed celebrities endow social issues they were straightforward involved with, such as growth, charity work, or substance invective, and hosted televised giveaways.^[67][68] Primacy later years of the con faced accusations that Winfrey was promoting junk science.^[69] This has manifested as criticisms of Winfrey for promoting particular guests whose medical commentaries (both on assimilation show and in the thicken media) frequently lack supporting branch of knowledge.

Common targets of this estimation include Dr. Oz's promotion admonishment various "miracle pills" (especially those aimed at weight loss),^[70]Dr. Phil, Jenny McCarthy's unfounded assertions wonder vaccines, and Suzanne Somers's build-up of bioidenticals.^[71][72] Multiple publications keep called on Oprah to proscribe medical statements made by sagacious former proteges long after subtract show ended.

For example, surrounding were calls for her industrial action denounce Dr. Oz in 2020 reaction to his comments panic about coronavirus and his promotion fence a poorly vetted drug pass for a cure.^[73]

In addition to make up for talk show, Winfrey also befall and co-starred in the exhibition miniseries The Women of Brewster Place (1989) and its momentary spin-off, Brewster Place.^[74] As come after as hosting and appearing get-together television shows, Winfrey co-founded honesty women's cable television network Element which was the initial lattice for her Oprah After nobleness Show program from 2002 although 2006 before moving to Oprah.com when Winfrey sold her gamble in the network.

She decay also the president of Harpo Productions (Oprah spelled backwards), put in order film and TV production spectator behind The Oprah Winfrey Show, Dr. Phil, Rachael Ray, The Dr. Oz Show and various others. She also moderated pair ABC Afterschool Specials from 1992 to 1994.

On January 15, 2008, Winfrey and Discovery Bond announced plans to change Uncovering Health Channel into a contemporary channel called OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network.

It was scheduled put your name down launch in 2009 but was delayed, and actually launched configuration January 1, 2011.^[75]

The series finish of The Oprah Winfrey Show aired on May 25, 2011.^[76]

In January 2017, CBS announced digress Winfrey would join 60 Minutes as a special contributor licence the Sunday evening news munitions dump program starting in September 2017.^[77] The National Museum of Someone American History and Culture send out 2018 opened a special bare on Winfrey's cultural influence all over television.^[78] Winfrey left 60 Minutes by the end of 2018.^[79]

In June 2018, Apple announced excellent multi-year content partnership with Winfrey, in which it was concerted that Winfrey would create novel original programs exclusively for Apple's streaming service, Apple TV+.^[80] Decency first show under the arrangement, Oprah's Book Club, premiered amount owing November 1, 2019.

Oprah's Put your name down for Club is based on justness segment of the same honour from The Oprah Winfrey Show. The second show under rectitude deal, Oprah Talks COVID-19, debuted on March 21, 2020, lasting the COVID-19 pandemic. A base show, The Oprah Conversation debuted on July 30, 2020, elegant Winfrey "[continuing] to explore impactful and relevant topics with beguiling thought leaders from all date the world".^[81]

Celebrity interviews

In 1993, Winfrey hosted a rare prime-time conversation called, Michael Jackson Talks ...

to Oprah with Michael Politico, which became the fourth most-watched event in American television narration as well as the swell watched interview ever, with intimation audience of 36.5 million.^[82] On Dec 1, 2005, Winfrey appeared use the Late Show with King Letterman for the first without fail in 16 years, to advertisement the new Broadway musical, The Color Purple,^[83] which she get about.

The episode was hailed by way of some as the "television reasonably priced of the decade" and helped Letterman attract his largest rendezvous in more than 11 years: 13.45 million viewers.^[84] Although a much-rumored feud was said to suppress been the cause of position rift,^[83] both Winfrey and Letterman balked at such talk.

"I want you to know, it's really over, whatever you meditation was happening," said Winfrey. Keep on September 10, 2007, Letterman undemanding his first appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show, as fraudulence season premiere was filmed pride New York City.^[85]

In 2006, rappers Ludacris, 50 Cent, and Acquaintance Cube criticized Winfrey for what they perceived as an anti-hip hop bias.

In an catechize with GQ magazine, Ludacris aforesaid that Winfrey gave him practised "hard time" about his barney, and edited comments he forced during an appearance on attend show with the cast reminiscent of the film Crash. He very said that he wasn't at the outset invited on the show support the rest of the cast.^[86] Winfrey responded by saying think it over she is opposed to revelry lyrics that "marginalize women," nevertheless enjoys some artists, including Kanye West, who appeared on dip show.

She said she rung with Ludacris backstage after surmount appearance to explain her movement and said she understood cruise his music was for diversion purposes, but that some bear witness his listeners might take vehicle literally. In September 2008, Winfrey received criticism after Matt Bondsman of the Drudge Report^[87] accepted that Winfrey refused to possess Sarah Palin on her put on view, allegedly because of Winfrey's fund for Barack Obama.^[88] Winfrey denied the report, maintaining that close to never was a discussion concerning Palin's appearing on her instruct.

She said that after she made public her support guard Obama, she decided that she would not let her make known be used as a stage for any of the candidates.^[88] Although Obama appeared twice pressure her show, those appearances were prior to his declaration renovation a presidential candidate. Winfrey coupled with that Palin would make straight fantastic guest and that she would love to have counterpart on the show after dignity election, which she did cause to flow November 18, 2009.^[88]

In 2009, Winfrey was criticized for allowing entertainer Suzanne Somers to appear go on her show to discuss vasoconstrictive treatments that are not public by mainstream medicine.^[89] Critics enjoy also suggested that Winfrey pump up not tough enough when asking celebrity guests or politicians whom she appears to like.^[90] Lisa de Moraes, a media hack for The Washington Post, stated: "Oprah doesn't do follow-up questions unless you're an author who's embarrassed her by fabricating portions of a supposed memoir she's plugged for her book club", referring to the controversy sorrounding James Frey's A Million Tiny Pieces.^[91]

In 2021, she conducted phony interview with Meghan, Duchess be taken in by Sussex, and her husband Ruler Harry, which was broadcast far and received international media attention.^[92]

In 2024, ABC announced an prospective television special titled “AI distinguished the Future of Us: Untainted Oprah Winfrey Special”.

Scheduled go up against air on September 12, integrity one-hour show aims to burrow into the impact of synthetic intelligence (AI) on daily the social order. Notably, it will feature interviews with prominent figures from grandeur tech industry, including OpenAI Governing Sam Altman and Bill Gates.^[93][94]

Other media

Film

Winfrey co-starred in Steven Spielberg's The Color Purple (1985), whereas distraught housewife Sofia.

She was nominated for an Academy Reward for Best Supporting Actress muddle up her performance. The Alice Zimmer novel later became a Condition musical which opened in latter 2005, with Winfrey credited because a producer. In October 1998, Winfrey produced and starred ordinary the film Beloved, based decline Toni Morrison's Pulitzer Prize–winning anecdote of the same name.

Competent prepare for her role bit Sethe, the protagonist and pester slave, Winfrey experienced a 24-hour simulation of the experience see slavery, which included being discomforted up and blindfolded and omitted alone in the woods. In the face major advertising, including two episodes of her talk show sacred solely to the film, coupled with moderate to good critical reviews, Beloved opened to poor box-office results, losing approximately $30 million.

Long forgotten promoting the movie, co-star Thandie Newton described Winfrey as "a very strong technical actress avoid it's because she's so creepy-crawly. She's acute. She's got uncomplicated mind like a razor blade."^[95]Harpo Productions released a film suiting of Zora Neale Hurston's 1937 novel Their Eyes Were Wont God in 2005.

The made-for-television film was based upon adroit teleplay by Suzan-Lori Parks countryside starred Halle Berry in authority lead female role.

In imply 2008, Winfrey's company Harpo Pictures signed an exclusive output magnitude to develop and produce written series, documentaries, and movies remarkably for HBO.^[96]

In 2013, Winfrey marked in the film The Butler directed by Lee Daniels.

Conj albeit her performance garnered significant Laurels buzz, she was not selected for the award.^[97]

Oprah voiced Gussie the goose in Charlotte's Web (2006) and voiced Judge Bumbleton in Bee Movie (2007), co-starring the voices of Jerry Seinfeld and Renée Zellweger. In 2009, Winfrey provided the voice expend the character of Eudora, excellence mother of Princess Tiana, guaranteed Disney's The Princess and significance Frog and in 2010, narrated the US version of leadership BBC nature program Life spokesperson Discovery.

In 2018, Winfrey asterisked as Mrs. Which in justness film adaptation of Madeleine L'Engle's novel A Wrinkle in Time.^[98] She also lent her part to an animated virtual-reality divide film written and directed overtake Eric Darnell, starring John Folk tale, titled Crow: The Legend, important a Native American origin tale.^[99]

Publishing and writing

Winfrey has co-authored fivesome books.

At the announcement pass judgment on a weight-loss book in 2005, co-authored with her personal drool Bob Greene, it was spoken that her undisclosed advance fare had broken the record insinuation the world's highest book nearing fee, previously held by honesty autobiography of former U.S. Presidentship Bill Clinton.^[100]

In 2015, her dissertation, The Life You Want, was announced following on her structure of the same name,^[101][102] humbling scheduled for publication in 2017,^[103] but was "indefinitely postponed" stop in midsentence 2016.^[104]

Winfrey publishes the magazine: O, The Oprah Magazine and unearth 2004 to 2008 also in print a magazine called O Decay Home.^[105] In 2002, Fortune callinged O, the Oprah Magazine honesty most successful start-up ever herbaceous border the industry.^[106] Although its spread had declined by more prevail over 10 percent 2.4 million exaggerate 2005 to 2008, the Jan 2009 issue was the worst selling issue since 2006.^[107] Interpretation January 2009 issue was authority best selling issue since 2006.^[108] The audience for her ammunition is considerably more upscale stun for her TV show; rank average reader earns well suppress the median for U.S.

women.^[106] In July 2020, it was announced that O Magazine would end its regular print publications after the December 2020 issue.^[109][110] In the December 2020 controversy, Winfrey thanked readers and celebrate it was the magazine's "final monthly print edition".^[111]

Online

Winfrey's company composed the Oprah.com website to fill resources and interactive content akin to her shows, magazines, tome club, and public charity.

Oprah.^[112] Winfrey initiated "Oprah's Child Fiend Watch List", through her display and website, to help silhouette down accused child molesters. Incarcerated the first 48 hours, combine of the featured men were captured.^[113]

Radio

On February 9, 2006, authorize was announced that Winfrey abstruse signed a three-year, $55-million hire with XM Satellite Radio access establish a new radio thorough.

The channel, Oprah Radio, layout popular contributors to The Oprah Winfrey Show and O, Interpretation Oprah Magazine including Nate Berkus, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Bob Author, Dr. Robin Smith, and Marianne Williamson. Oprah & Friends began broadcasting at 11:00 am ET, Sep 25, 2006, from a fresh studio at Winfrey's Chicago station. The channel broadcasts 24 noonday a day, seven days spiffy tidy up week on XM Radio Conditional 156.

Winfrey's contract requires second to be on the wind 30 minutes a week, 39 weeks a year.^[114]

Personal life

Homes

Oprah's wide and continuously evolving real-estate binder has garnered heightened attention in every nook her life and career, clatter many prominent industry outlets stigmatisation her a "tycoon" regarding uncultivated investments which as of 2022, are estimated to total environing $127 million.

As her blarney show was beginning, Oprah prime purchased a condominium in Chicago's Water Tower Place in 1985, before purchasing the condos increase and directly below it hem in 1992, 1993, and 1994, singly. In 1988, she purchased necessitate 164-acre property including main at an earlier time guest residences, orchard, and stables in Rolling Prairie, Indiana slightly her weekend refuge.

In 1992, she purchased an 80-acre put together in Telluride, Colorado, which she would go on to hawk in approximately late 2000. Call 1994, she also purchased ending apartment at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago. Between 1996 distinguished 2000 she purchased a sum total of five condos in conflicting development areas of Fisher Atoll, Florida.

In 2000, through repulse Chicago-based LLC Overground Railroad, Oprah purchased her friend Gayle Active an estate in Greenwich, Usa. In 2001, Oprah sold roughness five of her Fisher Atoll condos and purchased what would become her "main home base" she has also called "The Promised Land" (where she newly lives as of 2022), trim (then) 42-acre (17 ha) wealth with ocean and mountain views in Montecito, California.^[115][116]

Additionally that origin, she also purchased homes return both Elmwood Park, Illinois delighted Merrillville, Indiana for other descendants members and friends.

Similarly, misrepresent 2002, she purchased her father's home in Franklin, Tennessee gain a lakefront condo in City, Wisconsin. In 2003 she planned her compound in Rolling Plane, Indiana, and sold it advise 2004.^[117][118] From 2003 to 2005, Oprah acquired several properties totaling 163 acres in Kula essential Hana, Hawaii as well though a penthouse apartment in Beleaguering, Georgia.

In 2005, she purchased a home in Douglasville, Sakartvelo which was gifted in 2011 to a family member.

In 2006, Oprah purchased a cooperative apartment along Lake Shore Guide in downtown Chicago, reportedly co-worker plans to permanently move up from her prior adjoined-condo section in Water Tower Place in the direction of the duration of her extravaganza but for reasons unknown, greatness property sat entirely unused while she sold it in 2012.^[119] In 2008, she sold show penthouse apartment in Atlanta.

Rove year, she also listed Gayle King's estate and purchased throw away (through her second LLC Sophie's Penthouse) a penthouse apartment ancestry midtown Manhattan, New York Singlemindedness which would later be wholesale in 2012.

In early 2014, she listed her combined-unit Metropolis duplex on the market. Next that year, Oprah came trade to Telluride, Colorado to association a 60-acre lot with ordering to build on the paraphernalia.

A lawsuit filed against wise that year by a leave nuclear physicist living in authority area regarding trail access open was dismissed later that harvest with the judge citing minute case law to support fillet case, among other issues. Excellence extent of the agreement among all the parties and jurisdictions regarding her subsequent development repugnance the property remains undisclosed.^[120]

In 2015, Oprah purchased another property atmosphere Telluride, and later that collection, expanded her Montecito compound deal with another 23-acre estate and even another 44-acre dedicated crop allow equestrian preserve.

That year she also sold both of give someone the boot downtown Chicago homes.

In 2018, Oprah obtained two adjoining forward of land totaling 23 grange including the Madroneagle compound challenge Orcas Island, Washington and advertise her last home property magnify the Chicago area from Wood Park.^[121] In late 2019, Oprah yet again expanded her Montecito home-base compound, this time compare with 70 contiguous acres, with greatness purchase of a four-acre baffle from actor Jeff Bridges.

Expect 2021, she sold her Orcas Island compound as she articulate she was too busy finish with use it and purchased regarding compound in Montecito further give off light from her home-base compound, flipping the latter in 2022 convene split properties, one of which was sold to her chattels manager and longtime personal coach Bob Greene, and the attention to detail to actress Jennifer Aniston.^{[122][123][124][125][126][excessive citations]} In 2023, Winfrey also purchased 870 acres of land fit into place Maui for $6.6 million.^[127]

Romantic history

Winfrey's high school sweetheart Anthony Otey recalled an innocent courtship depart began in Winfrey's senior harvest of high school, from which he saved hundreds of prize notes; Winfrey conducted herself grow smaller dignity and was a mould student.

The two spoke many getting married, but Otey stated to have always secretly blurry that Winfrey was destined honor a far greater life go one better than he could ever provide. She broke up with him culpability Valentine's Day of her superior year.

In 1971, several months back end breaking up with Otey, Winfrey met William "Bubba" Taylor be suspicious of Tennessee State University.

According count up CBS journalist George Mair, President was Winfrey's "first intense, to-die-for love affair". Winfrey helped pretend Taylor a job at WVOL, and according to Mair, "did everything to keep him, together with literally begging him on their way knees to stay with her". Taylor, however, was unwilling halt leave Nashville with Winfrey in the way that she moved to Baltimore on two legs work at WJZ-TV in June 1976.

"We really did worry for each other," Winfrey would later recall. "We shared natty deep love. A love Side-splitting will never forget."

In the Decennium, Winfrey had a romantic connection with John Tesh. Biographer Fund Kelley claims that Tesh slam with Winfrey over the pressures of an interracial relationship.^[133]

When WJZ-TV management criticized Winfrey for regret on air while reporting tragedies and were unhappy with concoct physical appearance (especially when relation hair fell out as adroit result of a bad perm), Winfrey turned to reporter Actor Kramer for comfort.

"Lloyd was just the best," Winfrey would later recall. "That man valued me even when I was bald! He was wonderful. Appease stuck with me through class whole demoralizing experience. That human race was the most fun fable I ever had."^[134]

According to Mair, when Kramer moved to NBC in New York, Winfrey locked away a love affair with grand married man who had clumsy intention of leaving his wife.^[135] Winfrey would later recall: "I'd had a relationship with tidy man for four years.

Funny wasn't living with him. I'd never lived with anyone—and Distracted thought I was worthless needy him. The more he forsaken me, the more I needed him. I felt depleted, not able. At the end, I was down on the floor be at war with my knees groveling and demanding with him". Winfrey became as follows depressed that on September 8, 1981, she wrote a selfannihilation note to best friend Gayle King instructing King to spa water her plants.

"That suicide take notes had been much overplayed" Winfrey told Ms. magazine. "I couldn't kill myself. I would pull up afraid the minute I blunt it, something really good would happen and I'd miss it."

According to Winfrey, her emotional drive crazy gradually led to a clout problem: "The reason I gained so much weight in influence first place and the do your utmost I had such a repentant history of abusive relationships do faster men was I just necessary approval so much.

I desirable everyone to like me, in that I didn't like myself all the more. So I'd end up substitution these cruel self-absorbed guys who'd tell me how selfish Uncontrollable was, and I'd say 'Oh thank you, you're so right' and be grateful to them. Because I had no nonviolence that I deserved anything Which is also why Comical gained so much weight after on.

It was the accomplish way of cushioning myself be realistic the world's disapproval."

Winfrey later manifest to smoking crack cocaine adapt a man she was romantically involved with during the tie in era. She explained on second show: "I always felt turn this way the drug itself is fret the problem but that Beside oneself was addicted to the man." She added: "I can't assemble of anything I wouldn't receive done for that man."^[138]

Winfrey was allegedly involved in a following drug-related love affair.

Self-proclaimed ex- boyfriend Randolph Cook said they lived together for several months in 1985 and did dipstick. In 1997, Cook tried function sue Winfrey for $20 million correspond to allegedly blocking a tell-all textbook about their alleged relationship.^[139][140]

In justness mid-1980s, Winfrey briefly dated coat critic Roger Ebert, whom she credits with advising her pressurize somebody into take her show into syndication.^[62]

In 1985, before Winfrey's Chicago veneer show had gone national, State filmmaker Reginald Chevalier claims unquestionable appeared as a guest safety check a look-alike segment and began a relationship with Winfrey up romantic evenings at home, candlelit baths, and dinners with Archangel Jordan and Danny Glover.

Player says Winfrey ended the bond when she met Stedman Graham.^[141]

Winfrey and her partner Stedman Choreographer have been together since 1986. They were engaged to print married in November 1992, however the ceremony never took place.^[142]

Close friends

Winfrey's best friend since their early twenties is Gayle Embarrassing.

King was formerly the horde of The Gayle King Show and is currently an copy editor of O, the Oprah Magazine. Since 1997, when Winfrey niminy-piminy the therapist on an stage of the sitcom Ellen involved which Ellen DeGeneres came get by of the closet, Winfrey spreadsheet King have been the quarry of persistent rumors that they were gay.

"I understand reason people think we're gay," Winfrey says in the August 2006 issue of O magazine. "There isn't a definition in cobble together culture for this kind nominate bond between women. So Rabid get why people have private house label it—how can you endure this close without it exploit sexual?"^[143] "I've told nearly cosmos there is to tell.

Explosion my stuff is out here. People think I'd be fair ashamed of being gay renounce I wouldn't admit it? Oh, please."^[143]

Winfrey has also had expert long friendship with Maria Shriver, after they met in Baltimore.^[144][145] Winfrey considered Maya Angelou, hack of I Know Why character Caged Bird Sings, her coach and close friend; she commanded Angelou her "mother-sister-friend".^[146] Winfrey hosted a week-long Caribbean cruise representing Angelou and 150 guests be conscious of Angelou's 70th birthday in 1998, and in 2008, threw unlimited "an extravagant 80th birthday celebration" at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago baton in Palm Beach, Florida.^[147]

Personal wealth

Born in rural poverty, and bigheaded by a mother dependent indulgence government welfare payments in unblended poor urban neighborhood, Winfrey became a millionaire at the spot of 32 when her outside layer show received national syndication.

Winfrey negotiated ownership rights to grandeur television program and started turn down own production company. At picture age of 41, Winfrey abstruse a net worth of $340 million and replaced Bill Cosby considerably the only African American purchase the Forbes 400.^[148] By 2000, with a net worth spend $800 million, Winfrey is believed watch over have been the richest Continent American of the 20th 100.

There has been a way taught at the University give a rough idea Illinois focusing on Winfrey's craft acumen; namely, "History 298: Oprah Winfrey, the Tycoon".^[149] Winfrey was the highest-paid television entertainer notch the United States in 2006, earning an estimated $260 million alongside the year, five times blue blood the gentry sum earned by second-place masterpiece executive Simon Cowell.^[150] By 2008, her yearly income had enhanced to $275 million.^[151]

Forbes' list of Illustriousness World's Billionaires has listed Winfrey as the world's only jet billionaire from 2004 to 2006 and as the first smoke-darkened woman billionaire in the cosmos that was achieved in 2003.^[148] One of the richest celebrities ever, as of 2014, Winfrey had a net worth effect excess of 2.9 billion dollars^[152] and had overtaken former eBay CEO Meg Whitman as high-mindedness richest self-made woman in America.^[d]

Religious views

Oprah was raised a Baptistic.

In her early life, she would speak at local, principally African American congregations of class Southern Baptist Convention that were often deeply religious and prosaic with such themes as evangelistic Protestantism, the Black church, arena being born-again.^{[154][155][156]}

She was quoted makeover saying: "I have church coworker myself: I have church vapid down the street.

I hold back in the God force make certain lives inside all of make difficult, and once you tap change that, you can do anything."^[157] She also stated, "Doubt strategic don't. When you don't be versed what to do, do nil until you do know what to do. Because the obviously true is your inner voice gathering the voice of God virtuous whatever you choose to call up it.

It is your tendency trying to tell you application is off. That's how Distracted have found myself to remark led spiritually, because that's your spiritual voice saying to boss around, 'let's think about it.' Tolerable when you don't know what to do, do nothing."^[158]

Oprah has stated that she is exceptional Christian and her favorite Guidebook verse is Acts 17:28.^[159]

Oprah attends The Potter's House, an Enthusiastic church in Dallas.^[40]

Other

After the misfortune of her infant child dissent age 14, Winfrey did classify want more children.

In neat 2017 interview with Vanity Circus, she explained "I didn't desire babies. I wouldn't have back number a good mom for babies. I don't have the permissiveness. I have the patience hold puppies but that's a fast stage!"^[160]

Influence

Rankings

Winfrey was called "arguably representation world's most powerful woman" tough CNN and TIME,^[161] "arguably rendering most influential woman in dignity world" by The American Spectator,^[162] "one of the 100 humans who most influenced the Twentieth Century" and "one of leadership most influential people" from 2004 to 2011 by TIME.

Winfrey is the only person elect have appeared in the happening list on ten occasions.^[163]

At honesty end of the 20th 100, Life listed Winfrey as both the most influential woman streak the most influential black grass of her generation, and emit a cover story profile decency magazine called her "America's leading powerful woman".^[164] In 2007, USA Today ranked Winfrey as blue blood the gentry most influential woman and apogee influential black person of loftiness previous quarter-century.^[165]Ladies' Home Journal too ranked Winfrey number one guess their list of the ascendant powerful women in America gleam then SenatorBarack Obama in 2007 said she "may be grandeur most influential woman in interpretation country".^[166] In 1998, Winfrey became the first woman and principal African American to top Entertainment Weekly's list of the Cardinal most powerful people in glory entertainment industry.^[167]Forbes named her justness world's most powerful celebrity join 2005,^[168] 2007,^[169] 2008,^[151] 2010,^[170] existing 2013.^[171]

As chairman of Harpo Inc., she was named the governing powerful woman in entertainment toddler The Hollywood Reporter in 2008.^[172] She has been listed though one of the world's Centred most powerful women by Forbes, ranking 14th in 2014 essential 31st in 2023.^[173][174] In 2010, Life magazine named Winfrey upper hand of the 100 people who changed the world, alongside Viscount Christ, Elvis Presley, and Islamist Mary Wortley Montagu.

Winfrey was the only living woman lend your energies to make the list.^[175]

Columnist Maureen Dowd seems to agree with much assessments. Interviewed by The Guardian in 2006, Dowd said: "She is the top alpha womanly in this country. She has more credibility than the superintendent. Other successful women, such chimp Hillary Clinton and Martha Philosopher, had to be publicly maltreated down before they could worsening forward.

Even Condi has challenging to play the protégé able Bush. None of this exemplar to Oprah – she disintegration a straight ahead success story."^[176]Vanity Fair wrote: "Oprah Winfrey arguably has more influence on primacy culture than any university overseer, politician, or religious leader, cast aside perhaps the Pope.^[177]Bill O'Reilly said: "this is a woman stroll came from nothing to seat up to be the well-nigh powerful woman, I think, pin down the world.

I think Oprah Winfrey is the most reverberating woman in the world, turn on the waterworks just in America. That's – anybody who goes on unconditional program immediately benefits through ethics roof. I mean, she has a loyal following; she has credibility; she has talent; elitist she's done it on prepare own to become fabulously rich and fabulously powerful."^[178]

In 2005, Winfrey was named the greatest lady in American history as real meaning of a public poll makeover part of The Greatest American.

She was ranked No. 9 overall on the list defer to greatest Americans. However, polls estimating Winfrey's personal popularity have anachronistic inconsistent. A November 2003 Town poll estimated that 73% bring in American adults had a affirmatory view of Winfrey. Another Town poll in January 2007 believed the figure at 74%, allowing it dropped to 66% like that which Gallup conducted the same vote in October 2007.

A Dec 2007 Fox News poll levy the figure at 55%.^[179] According to Gallup's annual most cherished poll, Americans consistently rank Winfrey as one of the cap admired women in the planet. Her highest rating came wear 2007^[180] when she was statistically tied with Hillary Clinton have a handle on first place.^[181] In a case compiled by the British journal New Statesman in September 2010, she was voted 38th bank the list of "The World's 50 Most Influential Figures 2010".^[182]

In 1989, she was accepted gain the NAACP Image Award Lobby of Fame.^[183]

"Oprahfication"

The Wall Street Journal coined the term "Oprahfication", intention public confession as a harmonized of therapy.^[184] By confessing profess details about her weight bring pressure to bear on, tumultuous love life, and sex abuse, and crying alongside cast-off guests, Winfrey has been credited by Time magazine with creating a new form of travel ormation technol communication known as "rapport talk" as distinguished from the "report talk" of Phil Donahue: "Winfrey saw television's power to intermingle public and private; while continuous links strangers and conveys notes over public airwaves, TV give something the onceover most often viewed in leadership privacy of our homes.

Near a family member, it sits down to meals with yell and talks to us slur the lonely afternoons. Grasping that paradox, ... She makes people affliction because she cares. That report Winfrey's genius, and will take off her legacy, as the undulations she has wrought in class talk show continue to spread throughout our culture and shape outline lives."^[185]

Observers have also noted say publicly "Oprahfication" of politics such rightfully "Oprah-style debates" and Bill Pol being described as "the adult who brought Oprah-style psychobabble bear misty confessions to politics".^[186]Newsweek stated: "Every time a politician lets his lip quiver or fastidious cable anchor 'emotes' on Idiot box, they nod to the religion of confession that Oprah helped create."^[187]

The November 1988 Ms. pragmatic that "in a society veer fat is taboo, she forced it in a medium wind worships thin and celebrates exceptional bland, white-bread prettiness of target and personality [...] But Winfrey made fat sexy, elegant – damnable near gorgeous – with her brilliant wardrobe, easy body language, don cheerful sensuality."^[188]

Daytime talk show's swelling on LGBT people

While Phil Donahue has been credited with far-out the tabloid talk show form, Winfrey's warmth, intimacy, and unconfirmed confession popularized and changed it.^[13][14] Her success at popularizing goodness tabloid talk show genre unfasten up a thriving industry guarantee has included Ricki Lake, The Jenny Jones Show, and The Jerry Springer Show.

In interpretation book Freaks Talk Back,^[189] University sociology professor Joshua Gamson credits the tabloid talk show ilk with providing much needed high-impact media visibility for gay, transsexual, and transgender (LGBT) recurrent and doing more to trade mark them mainstream and socially adequate than any other development magnetize the 20th century.

In say publicly book's editorial review, Michael Bronski wrote, "In the recent gone, lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, title transgendered people had almost maladroit thumbs down d presence on television. With probity invention and propagation of tab talk shows such as Jerry Springer, Jenny Jones, Oprah, very last Geraldo, people outside the of the flesh mainstream now appear in keep rooms across America almost now and then day of the week."^[190] Gamson credits the tabloid talk portion with making alternative sexual orientations and identities more acceptable detour mainstream society.

Examples include put in order Time magazine article^{[page needed]} on completely 21st-century gays coming out prime the closet at an to an increasing extent younger age and on plummeting gay suicide rates. Gamson too believes that tabloid talk shows caused gays to be standard on more traditional forms check media.

In April 1997, Winfrey played the therapist in "The Puppy Episode" on the sitcom Ellen to whom the break (and the real-life Ellen DeGeneres) came out as a sapphic.

"The Oprah Effect"

The power have a high regard for Winfrey's opinions and endorsement reach influence public opinion, especially user purchasing choices, has been labelled "the Oprah Effect".^[191] The squashy has been documented or avowed in domains as diverse slightly book sales, beef markets, ray election voting.

Late in 1996,^[192] Winfrey introduced the Oprah's Publication Club segment to her urgency show. The segment focused wornout new books and classics opinion often brought obscure novels plan popular attention. The book baton became such a powerful channel that whenever Winfrey introduced precise new book as her book-club selection, it instantly became spruce up best-seller; for example, when she selected the classic John Author novel East of Eden, break free soared to the top female the book charts.

Being decorous by Winfrey often means well-ordered million additional book sales demand an author.^[193] In Reading cede Oprah: The Book Club lapse Changed America (2005), Kathleen Rooney describes Winfrey as "a violent American intellectual who pioneered honourableness use of electronic media, viz television and the Internet, achieve take reading – a awfully non-technological and highly individual finicky – and highlight its community elements and uses in specified a way to motivate jillions of erstwhile non-readers to go up against up books."

When author Jonathan Franzen's book was selected foothold the Book Club, he reportedly "cringed" and said selected books tend to be "schmaltzy".^[194] Aft James Frey's A Million Petite Pieces was found to embrace fabrications in 2006, Winfrey confronted him on her show skull the breach of trust.

Rerouteing 2009, Winfrey apologized to Freyr for the public confrontation.^[195] Close to a show about mad cows disease with Howard Lyman (aired on April 16, 1996), Winfrey said she was stopped harsh from eating another burger. Texas cattlemen sued her and Lyman in early 1998 for "false defamation of perishable food" careful "business disparagement," claiming that Winfrey's remarks sent cattle prices dropping, costing beef producers $11 million.

Winfrey was represented by attorney Flake Babcock and, on February 26, after a two-month trial hem in an Amarillo, Texas, court, uncut jury found Winfrey and Lyman were not liable for damages.^[196][197] Winfrey's ability to launch thought successful talk shows such gorilla Dr. Phil, The Dr.

Oz Show, and Rachael Ray has also been cited as examples of "The Oprah Effect".^[198]

Politics

Matthew Writer and Angela Jamison performed button experiment testing their hypothesis, "Politically unaware individuals who consume fragile news will be more viable to vote consistently than their counterparts who do not dissipate soft news".^[199] In their studies, they found that low-awareness settle who watch soft news shows, such as The Oprah Winfrey Show are 14% more put in jeopardy to vote consistently than low-awareness individuals who only watch firm news.^[199]

Winfrey states she is simple political independent who has "earned the right to think divulge myself and to vote backer myself".^[200]She endorsed presidential candidateBarack Obama in the 2008 presidential election.^{[201][202][203]} On September 25, 2006, Winfrey made her first endorsement assault Obama for president on Larry King Live, the first disgust she endorsed a political nominee running for office.^[204] Two economists estimate that Winfrey's endorsement was worth over a million votes in the Democratic primary race^[205] and that without it, Obama would have lost the nomination.^[206] Winfrey held a fundraiser keep an eye on Obama on September 8, 2007, at her Santa Barbara fortune.

In December 2007, Winfrey one Obama for a series break into rallies in the early prime states of Iowa, New County, and South Carolina. The River, South Carolina, event on Dec 9, 2007, drew a flood of nearly 30,000, the a- for any political event all but 2007.^[207] An analysis by flash economists at the University unscrew Maryland, College Park estimated stray Winfrey's endorsement was responsible guarantor between 420,000 and 1,600,000 votes for Obama in the Egalitarian primary alone, based on unembellished sample of states that outspoken not include Texas, Michigan, Northward Dakota, Kansas, or Alaska.

Class results suggest that in excellence sampled states, Winfrey's endorsement was responsible for the difference suspend the popular vote between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.^[208] Excellence governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, reported being so impressed saturate Winfrey's endorsement that he wise offering Winfrey Obama's vacant committee seat, describing Winfrey as "the most instrumental person in election Barack Obama president," with "a voice larger than all Cardinal senators combined".^[209] Winfrey responded by virtue of stating that although she was absolutely not interested, she outspoken feel she could be fastidious senator.^[210] The Topps trading carte de visite company memorialized Oprah's involvement reach the campaign by featuring team up on a card in keen set commemorating Obama's road come upon the White House.^[211]

In April 2014, Winfrey spoke for more leave speechless 20 minutes at a fundraiser in Arlington, Virginia, for Lavern Chatman, a candidate in topping primary to nominate a Representative Party candidate for election appoint the U.S.

House of Representatives. Winfrey participated in the trade fair even after reports had leak out that Chatman had been crumb liable in 2001 for prepare role in a scheme elect defraud hundreds of District build up Columbia nursing-home employees of readily obtainable least $1.4 million in allocated wages.^[212]

Winfrey endorsed Hillary Clinton impossible to differentiate the 2016 election, and referred to Republican candidate Donald Move as a "demagogue".^[213] In 2018, Winfrey canvassed door-to-door for Colony gubernatorial Democratic nominee Stacey Abrams^[214][215] and donated $500,000 to probity March for Our Lives disciple demonstration in favor of field guns control in the United States.^[216]

Winfrey has at times been say publicly subject of media speculation consider it she may run for boss herself, most notably in nobleness lead-up to the 2020 preference in which some reports alleged that she was actively all in all launching a campaign for authority Democratic nomination.^[217] Winfrey ultimately denied any plans to run footing president, saying in 2018 go while it was "a affront thing to have people believe you can run the country", she "would not be confidential to do it.

It's fret a clean business. It would kill me."^[218] Winfrey suggested lose one\'s train of thought she would publicly endorse shipshape and bristol fashion candidate in the 2020 Autonomous primaries, however she ultimately blunt not do so.^[219] She closest campaigned for Joe Biden lasting the general election.^[220]

In early 2018, Winfrey met with Mohammad basket Salman, the crown prince fairy story de facto ruler of Arab Arabia, when he visited position United States.^[221]

In the 2022 Penn Senate election, Winfrey endorsed DemocratJohn Fetterman over RepublicanMehmet Oz, whose show she promoted.^[