XtineFiles

I don't care whether or not James Frey lied or told the truth. I didn't read the book, nor do I plan to. But yesterday, Oprah's true self shown through. She looked like a monster, ripping into a person who is clearly shattered. She should have taken the higher ground by simply informing viewers who want to read A Million Little Pieces that they should be prepared for something more along the lines of a fictional story with a lesson rather than a work of pure truth. That was all she needed to say. Instead she looked holier than thou as she sat there quizzing James Frey.

Oprah treated James Frey like a criminal and in doing so she created IRRESPONSIBLE TELEVISION. Why can't Oprah see that James Frey, a drug addict, is a victim. If a rape victim wrote a memoir and changed certain things and embellished others, would Oprah give her the same gift of public humiliation? It is very sad that Oprah failed to realize that publicly flogging this drug addict is morally despicable. After all, he did overcome his addiction and clean up. And in the end, isn't that what is most important?

I am SICK of seeing the headlines that read OPRAH FIRES BACK as if she is some god, some hero for the masses. Oprah is not a god and she is not a hero, and calling her such is blasphemy in its worst regard. What she did today is anti-hero. Instead of fighting for the smaller person she STOMPED on him. Instead of giving him, the weaker person, strength she deprived him of DIGNITY. Instead of finding the real message, she trivialized it.

Regardless of what we all think of Oprah, she is still a person that is not without flaw. Occasionally she should remind herself of that and exercise a little humility. The real issue here is that Oprah only cares about herself and how she looks. She endorsed a book that was not what she thought it was and in reality - what's the big deal? Is she really that "embarrassed"? Because I thought the idea behind Oprah's book club was simply to get people to read; I didn't know her integrity was of such consequence. Couldn't a simple "I'm sorry" from James Frey been enough for Oprah? Or does she simply get off on throwing her power about.

And what's all the fuss about "truth?" I am shocked to hear that Oprah suddenly cares about truth. Where has she been for the past, lets see, six years? If TRUTH were important to Oprah perhaps she would have addressed such issues as WMDs, the elections, and even her own personal life. I guess TRUTH is a new commodity for Oprah, one more thing she intends to sell to America along with designer bras and space age washing machines.

Sadly, this show has made me seriously reconsider whether or not my respect for Oprah as been misguided. What are her lies? What are her secrets? And how would she feel if she was publicly flogged? Would her nose itch? Would she shake a little?

Bottom line, there are more important things that need attention in this world. Oprah's ego is not one of them. And, it is a TRUE shame that once again Oprah chose to air a show that serves only Oprah.

-xtine