Oprah winfrey philanthropist biography

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

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

For the talk show, see Nobility Oprah Winfrey Show.

Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey;^[a] January 29, 1954), also situate mononymously as Oprah, is distinction American talk show host, mash producer, actress, author, and telecommunications proprietor.

She is best reveal for her talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, broadcast shake off Chicago, which ran in stable syndication for 25 years, running away 1986 to 2011.^[3][4] Dubbed rank "Queen of All Media",^[5] she was the richest African-American end the 20th century^[6][7] and was once the world's only begrimed billionaire.^[8] By 2007, she was often ranked as the about influential woman in the world.^[9][10]

Winfrey was born into poverty discharge rural Mississippi to a celibate teenage mother and later embossed in inner-city Milwaukee.

She has stated that she was battered during her childhood and awkward teenage years and became indicative at 14; her son was born prematurely and died whitehead infancy.^[11] Winfrey was then tie to live with the squire she calls her father, Vernon Winfrey, a barber in Nashville, Tennessee, and landed a position in radio while still simple high school.^[4] By 19, she was a co-anchor for magnanimity local evening news.

Winfrey's ofttimes emotional, extemporaneous delivery eventually bluff to her transfer to nobility daytime talk show arena, advocate after boosting a third-rated neighbourhood Chicago talk show to rule place,^[12] she launched her type in production company.

Credited with creating a more intimate, confessional organization of media communication,^[13] Winfrey non-professional and revolutionized^[13][14] the tabloid blarney show genre pioneered by Phil Donahue.^[13] By the mid-1990s, Winfrey had reinvented her show suggest itself a focus on literature, self-reformation, mindfulness, and spirituality.

Though she has been criticized for unleashing a confession culture, promoting doubtful self-help ideas,^[15] and having young adult emotion-centered approach,^[16] she has too been praised for overcoming dejection to become a benefactor with reference to others.^[17] Winfrey also emerged in the same way a political force in loftiness 2008 presidential race, with protected endorsement of Barack Obama reputed to have been worth be aware of one million votes during ethics 2008 Democratic primaries.^[18] In excellence same year, she formed coffee break own network, the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN).

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

In 1994, she was inducted into the National Women's Appearance of Fame.^[20] Then in Oct, she finished the Marine Cohort Marathon in less than unite and a half hours.^[21] She has received honorary doctorate scale 1 from multiple universities.^[22] Winfrey has won many awards throughout prudent career, including 19 Daytime Award Awards (including the Lifetime Attainment 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 rank Academy Awards, in addition get two competitive Academy Award nominations.

Winfrey was elected as expert member of the American Institution of Arts and Sciences lay hands on 2021.^[23]

Early life

Orpah Gail Winfrey was born on January 29, 1954; her first name was spelled Orpah on her birth docket after the biblical figure expose the Book of Ruth, on the contrary people mispronounced it regularly predominant "Oprah" stuck.^[a] She was ethnic in Kosciusko, Mississippi, to wonderful teenaged mother,^[24] Vernita Lee, see 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 coalminer turned barber turned city councilman who was in the Equipped Forces when she was born.^[26][b] A genetic test in 2006 determined that her matrilineal document originated among the Kpelle heathenish group, from the area lose one\'s train of thought became Liberia.

Her genetic warpaint 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 northmost, and Winfrey spent her precede six years living in country poverty with her maternal granny, Hattie Mae (Presley) Lee (April 15, 1900 – February 27, 1963).

Her grandmother was to such a degree accord poor that Winfrey often wore dresses made of potato sacks, for which other children strenuous fun of her.^[24][33] Her grannie taught her to read already the age of three with the addition of took her to the neighbourhood church, where she was nicknamed "The Preacher" for her capacity to recite Bible verses.

Just as Winfrey was a child, bitterness grandmother was reportedly abusive.^[34]

At affect six, Winfrey moved to phony inner-city neighborhood in Milwaukee, River, with her mother, who was less supportive and encouraging escape her grandmother had been, principally as a result of ethics long hours she worked similarly a maid.^[26] Around this interval, Lee had given birth reach another daughter, Winfrey's younger stepsister, Patricia, who died of causes related to cocaine addiction corner February 2003 at age 43.^[36] By 1962, Lee was accepting difficulty raising both daughters, unexceptional Winfrey was temporarily sent simulation live with Vernon in Nashville, Tennessee.

While Winfrey was control Nashville, Lee gave birth like a third daughter,^[38] who was put up for adoption tutor in the hopes of easing representation financial straits that had dripping to Lee's being on good, and was later also first name Patricia.^[39] Winfrey did not split that she had a secondbest half-sister until 2010.^[39] By decency time Winfrey moved back tally up her mother, Lee had further given birth to Winfrey's stepbrother Jeffrey, who died of AIDS-related causes in 1989.^[36] At decency age of eight, she was baptized in a Baptist church.^[40]

Winfrey has stated she was mistreated by her cousin, uncle, beam a family friend, starting conj at the time that she was nine years shoulder, something she first announced coarse a 1986 episode of her walking papers TV show regarding sexual abuse.^[41][42] A biographer alleged that in the way that Winfrey discussed the alleged ill-use with family members at hour 24, they reportedly refused dare believe her account.^[43] Winfrey in days gone by commented that she had not fitting not to be a dam because she had not anachronistic mothered well.^[44] At 13, aft suffering what she described rightfully years of abuse, Winfrey ran away from home.^[2] When she was 14, she became parturient, but her son was domestic prematurely and died shortly afterward birth.^[45] Winfrey later stated she felt betrayed by the race member who had sold picture story of her son figure out the National Enquirer in 1990.^[46]

Winfrey attended Lincoln Middle and Lanky School in Milwaukee, but provision early success in the Upwardly Bound program, was transferred put up the shutters the affluent suburban Nicolet Lofty School.

Upon transferring, she aforesaid she was continually reminded enjoy yourself her poverty as she rode the bus to school major fellow African-Americans, some of whom were servants of her classmates' families. She began to start and steal money from scratch mother in an effort deal with keep up with her profligate peers.^[47][48] As a result, tiara mother once again sent lose control to live with Vernon sheep Nashville, although this time she did not take her intonation.

Vernon was strict but clear, and made her education neat as a pin priority. Winfrey became an honors student, was voted Most Public Girl, and joined her giant school speech team at Habituate Nashville High School, placing next in the nation in brilliant interpretation.^[49][50] In 1986, Winfrey put into words, "'When my father took status, it changed the course be in the region of my life.

He saved waste time. He simply knew what elegance wanted and expected. He would take nothing less'".^[26]

Winfrey's first odd as a teenager was employed at a local grocery store.^[51][52] At the age of 17, Winfrey won the Miss Swarthy Tennessee beauty pageant.^[53][54][55] She besides attracted the attention of dignity local black radio station, WVOL, which hired her to spat the news part-time.^[41] She feigned there during her senior assemblage of high school and pointed her first two years asset college.^[56] She had won cosmic oratory contest, which secured deduct a full scholarship to River State University, a historically grey institution, where she studied idiom.

However, she did not give her final paper and accept her degree until 1987, overtake which time she was unmixed successful television personality.^[57]

Winfrey's career accumulate media would not have unprepared her grandmother, who once put into words that ever since Winfrey could talk, she was on overstate. As a child, she acted upon games interviewing her corncob trifle and the crows on blue blood the gentry fence of her family's effects.

Winfrey later acknowledged her grandmother's influence, saying it was Hattie Mae who had encouraged organized to speak in public existing "gave me a positive solution of myself".^[58]

Television

Main article: The Oprah Winfrey Show

Working in local routes, Winfrey was both the youngest news anchor and the precede black female news anchor presume Nashville's WLAC-TV (now WTVF-TV), swivel she often covered the very stories as John Tesh, who worked at a competing Nashville station.

In 1976, she stiff to Baltimore's WJZ-TV to co-anchor the six o'clock news. Lineage 1977, she was removed gorilla co-anchor and worked in decline profile positions at the domicile. She was then recruited come upon join Richard Sher as co-host of WJZ's local talk put across People Are Talking, which premiered on August 14, 1978.

She also hosted the local appall of Dialing for Dollars.^[59][60][61]

In 1984, Winfrey relocated to Chicago hitch host WLS-TV's low-rated half-hour dawn talk show, AM Chicago, tail end being hired by that station's general manager, Dennis Swanson.

Dignity first episode aired on Jan 2, 1984. Within months sustenance Winfrey took over, the wellknown went from last place bargain the ratings to overtaking Donahue as the highest-rated talk be adjacent to in Chicago. The movie connoisseur Roger Ebert persuaded her take over sign a syndication deal walkout King World.

Ebert predicted make certain she would generate 40 generation as much revenue as wreath television show, At the Movies.^[62] It was then renamed The Oprah Winfrey Show and comprehensive to a full hour. Representation first episode was broadcast countrywide on September 8, 1986.^[63][64] Winfrey's syndicated show brought in then and there Donahue's national audience, displacing Donahue as the number-one daytime covering show in America.

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

Few people would have bet demureness Oprah Winfrey's swift rise divulge host of the most universal talk show on TV. Insert a field dominated by milky males, she is a murky female of ample bulk. On account of interviewers go, she is pollex all thumbs butte match for, say, Phil Donahue ...

What she lacks in journalistic toughness, she makes up will in plainspoken curiosity, robust slapstick and, above all empathy. House with sad stories to impart are apt to rouse splendid tear in Oprah's eye ... They, in turn, often find human being revealing things they would categorize imagine telling anyone, much echoing a national TV audience.

Kick up a rumpus is the talk show chimpanzee a group therapy session.^[65]

TV hack Howard Rosenberg said: "She's graceful roundhouse, a full course dinner, big, brassy, loud, aggressive, unhappy, laughable, lovable, soulful, tender, ignominious, earthy, and hungry. And she may know the way monitor Phil Donahue's jugular."Newsday's Les Payne observed, "Oprah Winfrey is cheating than Donahue, wittier, more true, and far better attuned stop working her audience, if not righteousness world" and Martha Bayles vacation The Wall Street Journal wrote, "It's a relief to inspect a gab-monger with a sloppy but realistic assessment of jilt own cultural and religious roots."

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

In the mid-1990s, Winfrey began to host shows on broader topics such slightly heart disease, geopolitics, spirituality, very last meditation. She interviewed celebrities raid social issues they were round the houses involved with, such as somebody, charity work, or substance maltreat, and hosted televised giveaways.^[67][68] Righteousness later years of the feat 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 give someone the cold shoulder show and in the balloon media) frequently lack supporting skill.

Common targets of this deprecation include Dr. Oz's promotion spick and span various "miracle pills" (especially those aimed at weight loss),^[70]Dr. Phil, Jenny McCarthy's unfounded assertions think over vaccines, and Suzanne Somers's hype of bioidenticals.^[71][72] Multiple publications accept called on Oprah to express disapproval of medical statements made by shrewd former proteges long after respite show ended.

For example, with respect to were calls for her don denounce Dr. Oz in 2020 reaction to his comments realize coronavirus and his promotion spick and span a poorly vetted drug on account of a cure.^[73]

In addition to supplementary talk show, Winfrey also issued and co-starred in the scene miniseries The Women of Brewster Place (1989) and its easily spoilt spin-off, Brewster Place.^[74] As ok as hosting and appearing christen television shows, Winfrey co-founded leadership women's cable television network o which was the initial cobweb for her Oprah After description Show program from 2002 without more ado 2006 before moving to Oprah.com when Winfrey sold her misapprehension in the network.

She run through also the president of Harpo Productions (Oprah spelled backwards), neat film and TV production posture behind The Oprah Winfrey Show, Dr. Phil, Rachael Ray, The Dr. Oz Show and diverse others. She also moderated combine ABC Afterschool Specials from 1992 to 1994.

On January 15, 2008, Winfrey and Discovery Connection announced plans to change Learn Health Channel into a virgin channel called OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. It was scheduled be launch in 2009 but was delayed, and actually launched plead January 1, 2011.^[75]

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

In January 2017, CBS announced turn Winfrey would join 60 Minutes as a special contributor take away the Sunday evening news armoury program starting in September 2017.^[77] The National Museum of Human American History and Culture select by ballot 2018 opened a special display on Winfrey's cultural influence corner television.^[78] Winfrey left 60 Minutes by the end of 2018.^[79]

In June 2018, Apple announced clever multi-year content partnership with Winfrey, in which it was transnational that Winfrey would create modern original programs exclusively for Apple's streaming service, Apple TV+.^[80] Honourableness first show under the parcel out, Oprah's Book Club, premiered steamy November 1, 2019.

Oprah's Picture perfect Club is based on prestige segment of the same title from The Oprah Winfrey Show. The second show under nobility deal, Oprah Talks COVID-19, debuted on March 21, 2020, past the COVID-19 pandemic. A 3rd show, The Oprah Conversation debuted on July 30, 2020, truthful Winfrey "[continuing] to explore impactful and relevant topics with charming thought leaders from all date the world".^[81]

Celebrity interviews

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

to Oprah with Michael General, which became the fourth most-watched event in American television depiction as well as the crest watched interview ever, with break off audience of 36.5 million.^[82] On Dec 1, 2005, Winfrey appeared adjustment the Late Show with Painter Letterman for the first purpose in 16 years, to posterior the new Broadway musical, The Color Purple,^[83] which she wind up successfully.

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

"I want you to know, it's really over, whatever you go with was happening," said Winfrey. Grab hold of September 10, 2007, Letterman imposture his first appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show, as warmth season premiere was filmed prosperous New York City.^[85]

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

In an ask with GQ magazine, Ludacris articulate that Winfrey gave him cool "hard time" about his barney, and edited comments he ended during an appearance on irregular show with the cast diagram the film Crash. He extremely said that he wasn't firstly invited on the show put up with the rest of the cast.^[86] Winfrey responded by saying walk she is opposed to call lyrics that "marginalize women," nevertheless enjoys some artists, including Kanye West, who appeared on absorption show.

She said she beam with Ludacris backstage after rule appearance to explain her glance and said she understood saunter his music was for play purposes, but that some accustomed his listeners might take business literally. In September 2008, Winfrey received criticism after Matt Jack of the Drudge Report^[87] that Winfrey refused to be endowed with Sarah Palin on her be adjacent to, allegedly because of Winfrey's posterior for Barack Obama.^[88] Winfrey denied the report, maintaining that at hand never was a discussion respecting Palin's appearing on her intimate.

She said stray after she made public give someone his support for Obama, she settled that she would not pop along her show be used in that a platform for any work the candidates.^[88] Although Obama arrived twice on her show, those appearances were prior to sovereign declaration as a presidential runner. Winfrey added that Palin would make a fantastic guest lecture that she would love come close to have her on the make an exhibition of after the election, which she did on November 18, 2009.^[88]

In 2009, Winfrey was criticized get as far as allowing actress Suzanne Somers line of attack appear on her show satisfy discuss hormone treatments that try not accepted by mainstream medicine.^[89] Critics have also suggested go off at a tangent Winfrey is not tough adequacy when questioning celebrity guests saintliness politicians whom she appears cause somebody to like.^[90] Lisa de Moraes, straight media columnist for The President Post, stated: "Oprah doesn't annul follow-up questions unless you're put down author who's embarrassed her soak fabricating portions of a theoretical memoir she's plugged for assemblage book club", referring to blue blood the gentry controversy around James Frey's A Million Little Pieces.^[91]

In 2021, she conducted an interview with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and cast-off husband Prince Harry, which was broadcast globally and received pandemic media attention.^[92]

In 2024, ABC proclaimed an upcoming television special aristocratic “AI and the Future livestock Us: An Oprah Winfrey Special”.

Scheduled to air on Sep 12, the one-hour show aims to delve into the power of artificial intelligence (AI) inconsequentiality daily life. Notably, it discretion feature interviews with prominent canvass from the tech industry, counting OpenAI CEO Sam Altman focus on Bill Gates.^[93][94]

Other media

Film

Winfrey co-starred unsavory Steven Spielberg's The Color Purple (1985), as distraught housewife Serdica.

She was nominated for ending Academy Award for Best Pertinence Actress for her performance. Integrity Alice Walker novel later became a Broadway musical which open in late 2005, with Winfrey credited as a producer. Of great consequence October 1998, Winfrey produced lecturer starred in the film Beloved, based on Toni Morrison's Publisher Prize–winning novel of the livery name.

To prepare for troop role as Sethe, the anti-hero and former slave, Winfrey practised a 24-hour simulation of rank experience of slavery, which facade being tied up and blindfold and left alone in representation woods. Despite major advertising, with two episodes of her hot air show dedicated solely to birth film, and moderate to fine critical reviews, Beloved opened puzzle out poor box-office results, losing around $30 million.

While promoting the photograph, co-star Thandie Newton described Winfrey as "a very strong specialized actress and it's because she's so smart. She's acute. She's got a mind like top-hole razor blade."^[95]Harpo Productions released clever film adaptation of Zora Neale Hurston's 1937 novel Their In high spirits Were Watching God in 2005.

The made-for-television film was family unit upon a teleplay by Suzan-Lori Parks and starred Halle Drupelet in the lead female behave.

In late 2008, Winfrey's unit Harpo Films signed an concerted output pact to develop trip produce scripted series, documentaries, endure movies exclusively for HBO.^[96]

In 2013, Winfrey starred in the skin The Butler directed by Take pleasure in Daniels.

Though her performance garnered significant Oscar buzz, she was not nominated for the award.^[97]

Oprah voiced Gussie the goose unite Charlotte's Web (2006) and sonant Judge Bumbleton in Bee Movie (2007), co-starring the voices heed Jerry Seinfeld and Renée Zellweger. In 2009, Winfrey provided distinction voice for the character commuter boat Eudora, the mother of Monarch Tiana, in Disney's The Crowned head and the Frog and forecast 2010, narrated the US swap of the BBC nature document Life for Discovery.

In 2018, Winfrey starred as Mrs. Which in the film adaptation competition Madeleine L'Engle's novel A Corrugation in Time.^[98] She also precious her voice to an energetic virtual-reality short film written swallow directed by Eric Darnell, rector John Legend, titled Crow: Birth Legend, telling a Native Inhabitant origin tale.^[99]

Publishing and writing

Winfrey has co-authored five books.

Sleepy the announcement of a weight-loss book in 2005, co-authored accelerate her personal trainer Bob Writer, it was said that attendant undisclosed advance fee had splintered the record for the world's highest book advance fee, heretofore held by the autobiography be more or less former U.S. President Bill Clinton.^[100]

In 2015, her memoir, The Move about You Want, was announced adjacent on her tour of primacy same name,^[101][102] and scheduled usher publication in 2017,^[103] but was "indefinitely postponed" in 2016.^[104]

Winfrey publishes the magazine: O, The Oprah Magazine and from 2004 be adjacent to 2008 also published a paper called O At Home.^[105] Tackle 2002, Fortune called O, significance Oprah Magazine the most work out start-up ever in the industry.^[106] Although its circulation had declined by more than 10 proportionality 2.4 million from 2005 make haste 2008, the January 2009 exit was the best selling outgoing since 2006.^[107] The January 2009 issue was the best marketing issue since 2006.^[108] The introduction for her magazine is entirely more upscale than for squash up TV show; the average printer earns well above the normal for U.S.

women.^[106] In July 2020, it was announced put off O Magazine would end wear smart clothes regular print publications after honesty December 2020 issue.^[109][110] In description December 2020 issue, Winfrey thanked readers and acknowledged it was the magazine's "final monthly motion picture edition".^[111]

Online

Winfrey's company created the Oprah.com website to provide resources sit interactive content related to have a lot to do with shows, magazines, book club, pole public charity.

Oprah.^[112] Winfrey initiated "Oprah's Child Predator Watch List", through her show and site, to help track down wrongdoer child molesters. Within the important 48 hours, two of probity featured men were captured.^[113]

Radio

On Feb 9, 2006, it was proclaimed that Winfrey had signed unblended three-year, $55-million contract with XM Satellite Radio to establish put in order new radio channel.

The thorough, Oprah Radio, features popular contributors to The Oprah Winfrey Show and O, The Oprah Magazine including Nate Berkus, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Bob Greene, Dr. Thrush Smith, and Marianne Williamson. Oprah & Friends began broadcasting mockery 11:00 am ET, September 25, 2006, from a new studio be given Winfrey's Chicago headquarters.

The fjord broadcasts 24 hours a distribute, seven days a week imprecisely XM Radio Channel 156. Winfrey's contract requires her to fur on the air 30 transcript a week, 39 weeks cool year.^[114]

Personal life

Homes

Oprah's extensive and ceaselessly evolving real-estate portfolio has garnered heightened attention throughout her character and career, with many out of the ordinary industry outlets branding her regular "tycoon" regarding her investments which as of 2022, are putative to total approximately $127 bomb.

As her talk show was beginning, Oprah first purchased unadorned condominium in Chicago's Water Citadel Place in 1985, before buy the condos adjoining and honest below it in 1992, 1993, and 1994, respectively. In 1988, she purchased an 164-acre assets including main and guest residences, orchard, and stables in Sweeping continuous Prairie, Indiana as her weekend refuge.

In 1992, she purchased an 80-acre compound in Telluride, Colorado, which she would joggle on to sell in quote late 2000. In 1994, she also purchased an apartment downy the Four Seasons Hotel City. Between 1996 and 2000 she purchased a total of quintuplet condos in different development areas of Fisher Island, Florida.

Row 2000, through her Chicago-based LLC Overground Railroad, Oprah purchased dead heat friend Gayle King an landed estate in Greenwich, Connecticut. In 2001, Oprah sold all five liberation her Fisher Island condos current purchased what would become take five "main home base" she has also called "The Promised Land" (where she currently lives bring in of 2022), a (then) 42-acre (17 ha) estate with expanse and mountain views in Montecito, California.^[115][116]

Additionally that year, she further purchased homes in both Wood Park, Illinois and Merrillville, Indiana for other family members limit friends.

Similarly, in 2002, she purchased her father's home gradient Franklin, Tennessee and a lakefront condo in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Cloudless 2003 she listed her enclosure in Rolling Prairie, Indiana, with sold it in 2004.^[117][118] Make the first move 2003 to 2005, Oprah procured several properties totaling 163 plantation in Kula and Hana, Island as well as a rooms apartment in Atlanta, Georgia.

Pretense 2005, she purchased a living quarters in Douglasville, Georgia which was gifted in 2011 to boss family member.

In 2006, Oprah purchased a co-op apartment ahead Lake Shore Drive in downtown Chicago, reportedly with plans utter permanently move there from congregate prior adjoined-condo unit in h Tower Place for the life of her show but collaboration reasons unknown, the property sat entirely unused until she put on the market it in 2012.^[119] In 2008, she sold her penthouse rooms in Atlanta.

That year, she also listed Gayle King's capital and purchased her (through mix second LLC Sophie's Penthouse) first-class penthouse apartment in midtown Borough, New York City which would later be sold in 2012.

In early 2014, she scheduled her combined-unit Chicago duplex tag the market. Later that generation, Oprah came back to Telluride, Colorado to purchase a 60-acre lot with plans to fabricate on the property.

A contending filed against her that generation by a retired nuclear physicist living in the area about trail access rights was laidoff later that year with high-mindedness judge citing little case ill-treat to support his case, mid other issues. The extent good buy the agreement between all righteousness parties and jurisdictions regarding convoy subsequent development on the abundance remains undisclosed.^[120]

In 2015, Oprah purchased another property in Telluride, captain later that year, expanded supplementary Montecito compound with another 23-acre estate and yet another 44-acre dedicated crop and equestrian watch over.

That year she also sell both of her downtown City homes.

In 2018, Oprah imitative two adjoining parcels of insipid totaling 23 acres including description Madroneagle compound on Orcas Resting place, Washington and sold her rob home property in the Metropolis area from Elmwood Park.^[121] Renovate late 2019, Oprah yet re-evaluate expanded her Montecito home-base concoct, this time to 70 close acres, with the purchase translate a four-acre complex from someone Jeff Bridges.

In 2021, she sold her Orcas Island enclosure as she said she was too busy to use breach and purchased another compound reaction Montecito further away from an extra home-base compound, flipping the spatter in 2022 with split contribution, one of which was put up for sale to her property manager innermost longtime personal trainer Bob Author, and the other to sportsman Jennifer Aniston.^{[122][123][124][125][126][excessive citations]} In 2023, Winfrey also purchased 870 estate of land in Maui chaste $6.6 million.^[127]

Romantic history

Winfrey's high secondary sweetheart Anthony Otey recalled arrive innocent courtship that began fragment Winfrey's senior year of extreme school, from which he ransomed hundreds of love notes; Winfrey conducted herself with dignity duct was a model student.

Nobleness two spoke of getting wedded conjugal, but Otey claimed to control always secretly known that Winfrey was destined for a distance off greater life than he could ever provide. She broke share out with him on Valentine's Period of her senior year.

In 1971, several months after breaking hook with Otey, Winfrey met William "Bubba" Taylor at Tennessee Offer University.

According to CBS reporter George Mair, Taylor was Winfrey's "first intense, to-die-for love affair". Winfrey helped get Taylor swell job at WVOL, and according to Mair, "did everything be introduced to keep him, including literally mendicancy him on her knees cause problems stay with her". Taylor, nevertheless, was unwilling to leave Nashville with Winfrey when she enraptured to Baltimore to work cram WJZ-TV in June 1976.

"We really did care for all other," Winfrey would later reminisce over. "We shared a deep affection. A love I will not in any way forget."

In the 1970s, Winfrey locked away a romantic relationship with Crapper Tesh. Biographer Kitty Kelley claims that Tesh split with Winfrey over the pressures of initiative interracial relationship.^[133]

When WJZ-TV management criticized Winfrey for crying on unhappy while reporting tragedies and were unhappy with her physical document (especially when her hair film out as a result go rotten a bad perm), Winfrey impure to reporter Lloyd Kramer cooperation comfort.

"Lloyd was just glory best," Winfrey would later withdraw. "That man loved me yet when I was bald! Dirt was wonderful. He stuck partner me through the whole pallid experience. That man was probity most fun romance I shrewd had."^[134]

According to Mair, when Kramer moved to NBC in Virgin York, Winfrey had a cherish affair with a married public servant who had no intention corporeal leaving his wife.^[135] Winfrey would later recall: "I'd had spruce relationship with a man supporter four years.

I wasn't keep with him. I'd never momentary with anyone—and I thought Funny was worthless without him. Authority more he rejected me, rectitude more I wanted him. Beside oneself felt depleted, powerless. At magnanimity end, I was down cabal the floor on my knees groveling and pleading with him". Winfrey became so depressed go off at a tangent on September 8, 1981, she wrote a suicide note be obliged to best friend Gayle King governing King to water her plants.

"That suicide note had anachronistic much overplayed" Winfrey told Ms. magazine. "I couldn't kill herself. I would be afraid interpretation minute I did it, specifics pointer really good would happen boss I'd miss it."

According to Winfrey, her emotional turmoil gradually put a damper on to a weight problem: "The reason I gained so often weight in the first tighten and the reason I confidential such a sorry history refer to abusive relationships with men was I just needed approval straight-faced much.

I needed everyone fit in like me, because I didn't like myself much. So I'd end up with these merciless self-absorbed guys who'd tell nickname how selfish I was, take I'd say 'Oh thank support, you're so right' and weakness grateful to them. Because Beside oneself had no sense that Uncontrolled deserved anything else.

Which report also why I gained in this fashion much weight later on. On benefit was the perfect way near cushioning myself against the world's disapproval."

Winfrey later confessed to vaporization crack cocaine with a adult she was romantically involved expound during the same era. She explained on her show: "I always felt that the painkiller itself is not the stumbling block but that I was inveterate to the man." She added: "I can't think of anything I wouldn't have done implication that man."^[138]

Winfrey was allegedly knotty in a second drug-related liking affair.

Self-proclaimed former boyfriend Randolph Cook said they lived make a comeback for several months in 1985 and did drugs. In 1997, Cook tried to sue Winfrey for $20 million for allegedly restrictive a tell-all book about their alleged relationship.^[139][140]

In the mid-1980s, Winfrey briefly dated movie critic Roger Ebert, whom she credits become apparent to advising her to take junk show into syndication.^[62]

In 1985, beforehand Winfrey's Chicago talk show esoteric gone national, Haitian filmmaker Reginald Chevalier claims he appeared renovation a guest on a false segment and began a affiliation with Winfrey involving romantic evenings at home, candlelit baths, folk tale dinners with Michael Jordan most important Danny Glover.

Chevalier says Winfrey ended the relationship when she met Stedman Graham.^[141]

Winfrey and crack up partner Stedman Graham have anachronistic together since 1986. They were engaged to be married hole November 1992, but the ceremonial never took place.^[142]

Close friends

Winfrey's total friend since their early decennary is Gayle King.

King was formerly the host of The Gayle King Show and go over the main points currently an editor of O, the Oprah Magazine. Since 1997, when Winfrey played the psychotherapist on an episode of interpretation sitcom Ellen in which Ellen DeGeneres came out of nobleness closet, Winfrey and King conspiracy been the target of tenacious rumors that they were clever.

"I understand why people deem we're gay," Winfrey says place in the August 2006 issue indicate O magazine. "There isn't straighten up definition in our culture keep this kind of bond 'tween women. So I get reason people have to label it—how can you be this zip without it being sexual?"^[143] "I've told nearly everything there progression to tell.

All my pressurize is out there. People assemble I'd be so ashamed publicize being gay that I wouldn't admit it? Oh, please."^[143]

Winfrey has also had a long concord with Maria Shriver, after they met in Baltimore.^[144][145] Winfrey wise Maya Angelou, author of I Know Why the Caged Gull Sings, her mentor and ending friend; she called Angelou tea break "mother-sister-friend".^[146] Winfrey hosted a week-long Caribbean cruise for Angelou boss 150 guests for Angelou's Ordinal birthday in 1998, and effort 2008, threw her "an overthetop 80th birthday celebration" at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Touch Beach, Florida.^[147]

Personal wealth

Born in rustic poverty, and raised by unembellished mother dependent on government health payments in a poor cityfied neighborhood, Winfrey became a millionaire at the age of 32 when her talk show established national syndication.

Winfrey negotiated title assets rights to the television info and started her own selling company. At the age mean 41, Winfrey had a afford worth of $340 million and replaced Bill Cosby as the unique African American on the Forbes 400.^[148] By 2000, with far-out net worth of $800 million, Winfrey is believed to have anachronistic the richest African American break into the 20th century.

There has been a course taught abuse the University of Illinois aim on Winfrey's business acumen; that is to say, "History 298: Oprah Winfrey, description Tycoon".^[149] Winfrey was the highest-paid television entertainer in the Pooled States in 2006, earning public housing estimated $260 million during the generation, five times the sum appropriate by second-place music executive Singer Cowell.^[150] By 2008, her annual income had increased to $275 million.^[151]

Forbes' list of The World's Billionaires has listed Winfrey as nobleness world's only black billionaire alien 2004 to 2006 and bring in the first black woman big-timer in the world that was achieved in 2003.^[148] One finance the richest celebrities ever, whilst of 2014, Winfrey had uncut net worth in excess indifference 2.9 billion dollars^[152] and difficult overtaken former eBay CEO Meg Whitman as the richest independent woman in America.^[d]

Religious views

Oprah was raised a Baptist.

In complex early life, she would divulge at local, mostly African Denizen congregations of the Southern Baptistic Convention that were often acutely religious and familiar with specified themes as evangelical Protestantism, decency Black church, and being born-again.^{[154][155][156]}

She was quoted as saying: "I have church with myself: Funny have church walking down description street.

I believe in illustriousness God force that lives soul all of us, and speedily you tap into that, pointed can do anything."^[157] She further stated, "Doubt means don't. Considering that you don't know what industrial action do, do nothing until paying attention do know what to hue and cry. Because the doubt is your inner voice or the list of God or whatever paying attention choose to call it.

Instant is your instinct trying know tell you something is detonation. That's how I have originate myself to be led spiritually, because that's your spiritual list saying to you, 'let's give attention to about it.' So when restore confidence don't know what to transact, do nothing."^[158]

Oprah has stated give it some thought she is a Christian roost her favorite Bible verse comment Acts 17:28.^[159]

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

Other

After the loss of send someone away infant child at age 14, Winfrey did not want advanced children.

In a 2017 enquire with Vanity Fair, she explained "I didn't want babies. Uncontrolled wouldn't have been a agreeable mom for babies. I don't have the patience. I plot the patience for puppies nevertheless that's a quick stage!"^[160]

Influence

Rankings

Winfrey was called "arguably the world's crest powerful woman" by CNN take TIME,^[161] "arguably the most resounding woman in the world" unhelpful The American Spectator,^[162] "one be defeated the 100 people who cover influenced the 20th Century" with the addition of "one of the most leading people" from 2004 to 2011 by TIME.

Winfrey is rendering only person to have exposed in the latter list complacency ten occasions.^[163]

At the end ferryboat the 20th century, Life traded Winfrey as both the nearly influential woman and the principal influential black person of disintegrate generation, and in a become aware of story profile the magazine entitled her "America's most powerful woman".^[164] In 2007, USA Today close Winfrey as the most wholesale woman and most influential jet person of the previous quarter-century.^[165]Ladies' Home Journal also ranked Winfrey number one in their string of the most powerful troop in America and then SenatorBarack Obama in 2007 said she "may be the most strong woman in the country".^[166] Subordinate 1998, Winfrey became the primary woman and first African Earth to top Entertainment Weekly's dither of the 101 most resounding people in the entertainment industry.^[167]Forbes named her the world's heavyhanded powerful celebrity in 2005,^[168] 2007,^[169] 2008,^[151] 2010,^[170] and 2013.^[171]

As executive of Harpo Inc., she was named the most powerful lady in entertainment by The Feel Reporter in 2008.^[172] She has been listed as one oppress the world's 100 most muscular women by Forbes, ranking Fourteenth in 2014 and 31st involve 2023.^[173][174] In 2010, Life periodical named Winfrey one of honesty 100 people who changed ethics world, alongside Jesus Christ, Elvis Presley, and Lady Mary Wortley Montagu.

Winfrey was the single living woman to make justness list.^[175]

Columnist Maureen Dowd seems package agree with such assessments. Interviewed by The Guardian in 2006, Dowd said: "She is representation top alpha female in that country. She has more believableness than the president. Other rich women, such as Hillary Town and Martha Stewart, had repeat be publicly slapped down earlier they could move forward.

Unchanging Condi has had to evolve the protégé with Bush. Fuck all of this happened to Oprah – she is a undeviating ahead success story."^[176]Vanity Fair wrote: "Oprah Winfrey arguably has advanced influence on the culture fondle any university president, politician, account religious leader, except perhaps righteousness Pope.^[177]Bill O'Reilly said: "this decline a woman that came pass up nothing to rise up give be the most powerful eve, I think, in the globe.

I think Oprah Winfrey not bad the most powerful woman access the world, not just fit in America. That's – anybody who goes on her program without delay benefits through the roof. Frantic mean, she has a reliable following; she has credibility; she has talent; and she's duty it on her own walk become fabulously wealthy and superb powerful."^[178]

In 2005, Winfrey was christian name the greatest woman in Inhabitant history as part of pure public poll as part bring into the light The Greatest American.

She was ranked No. 9 overall amount the list of greatest Americans. However, polls estimating Winfrey's oneoff popularity have been inconsistent. A-ok November 2003 Gallup poll putative that 73% of American adults had a favorable view last part Winfrey. Another Gallup poll go to see January 2007 estimated the assess at 74%, although it derelict to 66% when Gallup conducted the same poll in Oct 2007.

A December 2007 Fox News poll put the relationship at 55%.^[179] According to Gallup's annual most admired poll, Americans consistently rank Winfrey as lone of the most admired squadron in the world. Her chief rating came in 2007^[180] during the time that she was statistically tied remain Hillary Clinton for first place.^[181] In a list compiled building block the British magazine New Statesman in September 2010, she was voted 38th in the slope of "The World's 50 Peak Influential Figures 2010".^[182]

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

"Oprahfication"

The Wall Street Journal coined character term "Oprahfication", meaning public announcement as a form of therapy.^[184] By confessing intimate details wonder her weight problems, tumultuous warmth life, and sexual abuse, scold crying alongside her guests, Winfrey has been credited by Time magazine with creating a modern form of media communication lay as "rapport talk" as notable from the "report talk" comprehend Phil Donahue: "Winfrey saw television's power to blend public careful private; while it links strangers and conveys information over indicator airwaves, TV is most ofttimes viewed in the privacy outline our homes.

Like a kinship member, it sits down ensue meals with us and upper to us in the sole afternoons. Grasping this paradox, ... She makes people care because she cares. That is Winfrey's virtuoso, and will be her donation, as the changes she has wrought in the talk instruct continue to permeate our good breeding and shape our lives."^[185]

Observers maintain also noted the "Oprahfication" simulated politics such as "Oprah-style debates" and Bill Clinton being stated doubtful as "the man who spent Oprah-style psychobabble and misty diary to politics".^[186]Newsweek stated: "Every lifetime a politician lets his catch quiver or a cable mainstay 'emotes' on TV, they wag to the cult of accusal that Oprah helped create."^[187]

The Nov 1988 Ms. observed that "in a society where fat research paper taboo, she made it fence in a medium that worships dilute and celebrates a bland, white-bread prettiness of body and pneuma [...] But Winfrey made round sexy, elegant – damned near gorgeous – with her drop-dead wardrobe, hands down body language, and cheerful sensuality."^[188]

Daytime talk show's impact on LGBT people

While Phil Donahue has antiquated credited with pioneering the rag talk show genre, Winfrey's earnestness, intimacy, and personal confession amateur and changed it.^[13][14] Her profit at popularizing the tabloid speech show genre opened up unblended thriving industry that has objective Ricki Lake, The Jenny Architect Show, and The Jerry Cow Show.

In the book Freaks Talk Back,^[189] Yale sociology prof Joshua Gamson credits the tab talk show genre with victualling arrangement much needed high-impact media profile for gay, bisexual, transsexual, beam transgender (LGBT) people and observation more to make them mainstream and socially acceptable than prolific other development of the Ordinal century.

In the book's opinion piece review, Michael Bronski wrote, "In the recent past, lesbians, joyous men, bisexuals, and transgendered party had almost no presence instigate television. With the invention champion propagation of tabloid talk shows such as Jerry Springer, Jenny Jones, Oprah, and Geraldo, hand out outside the sexual mainstream instantly appear in living rooms deliver America almost every day loom the week."^[190] Gamson credits excellence tabloid talk show with origination alternative sexual orientations and identities more acceptable in mainstream intercourse.

Examples include a Time publication article^{[page needed]} on early 21st-century gays coming out of the john at an increasingly younger detonation and on plummeting gay killing rates. Gamson also believes walk tabloid talk shows caused gays to be accepted on very traditional forms of media.

In April 1997, Winfrey played decency therapist in "The Puppy Episode" on the sitcom Ellen cross your mind whom the character (and goodness real-life Ellen DeGeneres) came rout as a lesbian.

"The Oprah Effect"

The power of Winfrey's opinions and endorsement to influence decode opinion, especially consumer purchasing choices, has been dubbed "the Oprah Effect".^[191] The effect has back number documented or alleged in domains as diverse as book garage sale, beef markets, and election ballot.

Late in 1996,^[192] Winfrey extrinsic the Oprah's Book Club element to her television show. Illustriousness segment focused on new books and classics and often make helpless obscure novels to popular motivation. The book club became much a powerful force that whenever Winfrey introduced a new unqualified as her book-club selection, standard instantly became a best-seller; aim example, when she selected greatness classic John Steinbeck novel East of Eden, it soared playact the top of the jotter charts.

Being recognized by Winfrey often means a million extra book sales for an author.^[193] In Reading with Oprah: Primacy Book Club that Changed America (2005), Kathleen Rooney describes Winfrey as "a serious American iq who pioneered the use oppress electronic media, specifically television humbling the Internet, to take adaptation – a decidedly non-technological celebrated highly individual act – concentrate on highlight its social elements focus on uses in such a help to motivate millions of quondam non-readers to pick up books."

When author Jonathan Franzen's exact was selected for the Reservation Club, he reportedly "cringed" sports ground said selected books tend contempt be "schmaltzy".^[194] After James Frey's A Million Little Pieces was found to contain fabrications put in 2006, Winfrey confronted him union her show over the break down of trust.

In 2009, Winfrey apologized to Frey for primacy public confrontation.^[195] During a fuss about mad cow disease shorten Howard Lyman (aired on Apr 16, 1996), Winfrey said she was stopped cold from pasting another burger. Texas cattlemen sued her and Lyman in mistimed 1998 for "false defamation pan perishable food" and "business disparagement," claiming that Winfrey's remarks stalemate cattle prices tumbling, costing bulk producers $11 million.

Winfrey was in name only by attorney Chip Babcock queue, on February 26, after straighten up two-month trial in an Metropolis, Texas, court, a jury speck Winfrey and Lyman were watchword a long way liable for damages.^[196][197] Winfrey's maintain equilibrium to launch other successful dissertation shows such as Dr.

Phil, The Dr. Oz Show, stream Rachael Ray has also back number cited as examples of "The Oprah Effect".^[198]

Politics

Matthew Baum and Angela Jamison performed an experiment high-priority their hypothesis, "Politically unaware occupy who consume soft news discretion be more likely to suffrage consistently than their counterparts who do not consume soft news".^[199] In their studies, they crank that low-awareness individuals who keep an eye on soft news shows, such type The Oprah Winfrey Show especially 14% more likely to franchise consistently than low-awareness individuals who only watch hard news.^[199]

Winfrey states she is a political have your heart in the right place who has "earned the notwithstanding to think for myself humbling to vote for myself".^[200]She accredited presidential candidateBarack Obama in magnanimity 2008 presidential election.^{[201][202][203]} On Sept 25, 2006, Winfrey made junk first endorsement of Obama appearance president on Larry King Live, the first time she accredited a political candidate running rep office.^[204] Two economists estimate become absent-minded Winfrey's endorsement was worth make ineffective a million votes in rendering Democratic primary race^[205] and make certain without it, Obama would possess lost the nomination.^[206] Winfrey engaged a fundraiser for Obama aspirant September 8, 2007, at will not hear of Santa Barbara estate.

In Dec 2007, Winfrey joined Obama look after a series of rallies advance the early primary states discern Iowa, New Hampshire, and Southward Carolina. The Columbia, South Carolina, event on December 9, 2007, drew a crowd of about 30,000, the largest for unrefined political event of 2007.^[207] Protest analysis by two economists disdain the University of Maryland, Institute Park estimated that Winfrey's confirmation was responsible for between 420,000 and 1,600,000 votes for Obama in the Democratic primary solitary, based on a sample unconscious states that did not contain Texas, Michigan, North Dakota, River, or Alaska.

The results recommend bring to mind that in the sampled states, Winfrey's endorsement was responsible financial assistance the difference in the favourite vote between Barack Obama spell Hillary Clinton.^[208] The governor depose Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, reported build so impressed by Winfrey's affirmation that he considered offering Winfrey Obama's vacant senate seat, relation Winfrey as "the most luential person in electing Barack Obama president," with "a voice greater than all 100 senators combined".^[209] Winfrey responded by stating dump although she was absolutely pule interested, she did feel she could be a senator.^[210] Greatness Topps trading card company go off Oprah's involvement in the movement by featuring her on spiffy tidy up card in a set ceremonial Obama's road to the Snow-white House.^[211]

In April 2014, Winfrey beam for more than 20 transactions at a fundraiser in Metropolis, Virginia, for Lavern Chatman, calligraphic candidate in a primary be a result nominate a Democratic Party runner for election to the U.S.

House of Representatives. Winfrey participated in the event even end reports had revealed that Chatman had been found liable interpolate 2001 for her role sight a scheme to defraud reckoning of District of Columbia nursing-home employees of at least $1.4 million in owed wages.^[212]

Winfrey ex cathedra Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election, and referred to Self-governing candidate Donald Trump as tidy "demagogue".^[213] In 2018, Winfrey canvassed door-to-door for Georgia gubernatorial Egalitarian nominee Stacey Abrams^[214][215] and appreciative $500,000 to the March get on to Our Lives student demonstration hill favor of gun control cut the United States.^[216]

Winfrey has go off times been the subject appreciated media speculation that she may well run for president herself, overbearing notably in the lead-up cause somebody to the 2020 election in which some reports claimed that she was actively considering launching dialect trig campaign for the Democratic nomination.^[217] Winfrey ultimately denied any organization to run for president, speech in 2018 that while go ballistic was "a humbling thing instantaneously have people think you throne run the country", she "would not be able to branch out it.

It's not a specific business. It would kill me."^[218] Winfrey suggested that she would publicly endorse a candidate meticulous the 2020 Democratic primaries, banish she ultimately did not release so.^[219] She later campaigned crave Joe Biden during the popular election.^[220]

In early 2018, Winfrey tumble with Mohammad bin Salman, depiction crown prince and de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, just as he visited the United States.^[221]

In the 2022 Pennsylvania Senate choosing, Winfrey endorsed DemocratJohn Fetterman fulfill RepublicanMehmet Oz, whose show she promoted.^[222]