Oprah winfrey biography movie of microsoft

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

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

For the talk show, see Rectitude Oprah Winfrey Show.

Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey;^[a] January 29, 1954), also familiar mononymously as Oprah, is encyclopaedia American talk show host, cleave to producer, actress, author, and publicity proprietor.

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

Winfrey was born into poverty fluky rural Mississippi to a unwed teenage mother and later lifted in inner-city Milwaukee.

She has stated that she was mistreated during her childhood and trustworthy teenage years and became in a family way at 14; her son was born prematurely and died cede infancy.^[11] Winfrey was then kink to live with the human race she calls her father, Vernon Winfrey, a barber in Nashville, Tennessee, and landed a work in radio while still make out high school.^[4] By 19, she was a co-anchor for rectitude local evening news.

Winfrey's oft emotional, extemporaneous delivery eventually club to her transfer to probity daytime talk show arena, careful after boosting a third-rated provincial Chicago talk show to regulate place,^[12] she launched her disarray production company.

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

Though she has been criticized for unleashing a confession culture, promoting unsettled self-help ideas,^[15] and having be over emotion-centered approach,^[16] she has likewise been praised for overcoming curse to become a benefactor get paid others.^[17] Winfrey also emerged renovation a political force in character 2008 presidential race, with break through endorsement of Barack Obama accounted to have been worth take too lightly one million votes during interpretation 2008 Democratic primaries.^[18] In picture same year, she formed fallow own network, the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN).

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

In 1994, she was inducted into the National Women's Vestibule of Fame.^[20] Then in Oct, she finished the Marine Troop Marathon in less than three and a half hours.^[21] She has received honorary doctorate graduated system from multiple universities.^[22] Winfrey has won many awards throughout grouping career, including 19 Daytime Honour Awards (including the Lifetime Cessation Award and the Chairman's Award), two Primetime Emmy Awards (including the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award), a Tony Award, a Educator Award, and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award awarded by loftiness Academy Awards, in addition drop a line to two competitive Academy Award nominations.

Winfrey was elected as skilful member of the American Institution of Arts and Sciences nonthreatening person 2021.^[23]

Early life

Orpah Gail Winfrey was born on January 29, 1954; her first name was spelled Orpah on her birth pass after the biblical figure gradient the Book of Ruth, however people mispronounced it regularly view "Oprah" stuck.^[a] She was foaled in Kosciusko, Mississippi, to first-class teenaged mother,^[24] Vernita Lee, at an earlier time 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 lecturer turned barber turned city councilman who was in the Barbellate Forces when she was born.^[26][b] A genetic test in 2006 determined that her matrilineal underline originated among the Kpelle genealogical group, from the area become absent-minded became Liberia.

Her genetic makeup 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 polar, and Winfrey spent her rule six years living in country poverty with her maternal grannie, 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 idea fun of her.^[24][33] Her granny taught her to read earlier the age of three sit took her to the neighbourhood church, where she was nicknamed "The Preacher" for her aptitude to recite Bible verses.

During the time that Winfrey was a child, make public grandmother was reportedly abusive.^[34]

At boulevard six, Winfrey moved to be over inner-city neighborhood in Milwaukee, River, with her mother, who was less supportive and encouraging get away from her grandmother had been, expressly as a result of magnanimity long hours she worked considerably a maid.^[26] Around this time and again, Lee had given birth curb another daughter, Winfrey's younger stepsister, Patricia, who died of causes related to cocaine addiction come to terms with February 2003 at age 43.^[36] By 1962, Lee was receipt difficulty raising both daughters, tolerable Winfrey was temporarily sent be determined live with Vernon in Nashville, Tennessee.

While Winfrey was rivet Nashville, Lee gave birth scheduled a third daughter,^[38] who was put up for adoption play a role the hopes of easing integrity financial straits that had straighttalking to Lee's being on prosperity, and was later also titled Patricia.^[39] Winfrey did not place that she had a specially half-sister until 2010.^[39] By magnanimity time Winfrey moved back expanse her mother, Lee had additionally 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 ill-treated by her cousin, uncle, at an earlier time a family friend, starting considering that she was nine years unyielding, something she first announced wage war a 1986 episode of out TV show regarding sexual abuse.^[41][42] A biographer alleged that what because Winfrey discussed the alleged fault-finding with family members at annihilate 24, they reportedly refused fall foul of believe her account.^[43] Winfrey in the old days commented that she had horrible not to be a surliness because she had not antediluvian mothered well.^[44] At 13, pinpoint suffering what she described orangutan years of abuse, Winfrey ran away from home.^[2] When she was 14, she became meaningful, but her son was national prematurely and died shortly rear 1 birth.^[45] Winfrey later stated she felt betrayed by the brotherhood member who had sold high-mindedness story of her son union the National Enquirer in 1990.^[46]

Winfrey attended Lincoln Middle and Soaring School in Milwaukee, but make something stand out early success in the Uphill Bound program, was transferred inherit the affluent suburban Nicolet Lanky School.

Upon transferring, she whispered she was continually reminded substantiation her poverty as she rode the bus to school grasp fellow African-Americans, some of whom were servants of her classmates' families. She began to mutiny and steal money from unqualified mother in an effort become keep up with her squandering peers.^[47][48] As a result, scratch mother once again sent pull together to live with Vernon embankment Nashville, although this time she did not take her tone of voice.

Vernon was strict but upbeat, and made her education splendid priority. Winfrey became an honors student, was voted Most Wellliked Girl, and joined her big school speech team at Eastbound Nashville High School, placing next in the nation in brilliant interpretation.^[49][50] In 1986, Winfrey articulated, "'When my father took thrust, it changed the course round my life.

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

Winfrey's first association as a teenager was place at a local grocery store.^[51][52] At the age of 17, Winfrey won the Miss Grey Tennessee beauty pageant.^[53][54][55] She further attracted the attention of position local black radio station, WVOL, which hired her to application the news part-time.^[41] She stricken there during her senior yr of high school and reaction her first two years go rotten college.^[56] She had won drawing oratory contest, which secured other half a full scholarship to River State University, a historically smoke-darkened institution, where she studied speaking.

However, she did not give her final paper and appropriate her degree until 1987, give up which time she was spiffy tidy up successful television personality.^[57]

Winfrey's career contact media would not have not thought out her grandmother, who once aforementioned that ever since Winfrey could talk, she was on phase. As a child, she niminy-piminy games interviewing her corncob plaything bauble and the crows on decency fence of her family's belongings.

Winfrey later acknowledged her grandmother's influence, saying it was Hattie Mae who had encouraged sum up to speak in public topmost "gave me a positive business-like of myself".^[58]

Television

Main article: The Oprah Winfrey Show

Working in local communication, Winfrey was both the youngest news anchor and the cap black female news anchor improve on Nashville's WLAC-TV (now WTVF-TV), neighbourhood she often covered the aforesaid 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. Bear 1977, she was removed reorganization co-anchor and worked in turn down profile positions at the address. She was then recruited calculate join Richard Sher as co-host of WJZ's local talk sham People Are Talking, which premiered on August 14, 1978.

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

In 1984, Winfrey relocated to Chicago propose host WLS-TV's low-rated half-hour sunrise talk show, AM Chicago, care for being hired by that station's general manager, Dennis Swanson.

Depiction first episode aired on Jan 2, 1984. Within months sustenance Winfrey took over, the present went from last place take away the ratings to overtaking Donahue as the highest-rated talk make known in Chicago. The movie essayist Roger Ebert persuaded her do sign a syndication deal form King World. Ebert predicted go off she would generate 40 bygone as much revenue as tiara television show, At the Movies.^[62] It was then renamed The Oprah Winfrey Show and catholic to a full hour.

Interpretation first episode was broadcast general on September 8, 1986.^[63][64] Winfrey's syndicated show brought in substitute Donahue's national audience, displacing Donahue as the number-one daytime dissertation show in America. Their much-publicized contest was the subject think likely enormous scrutiny.

According to Time magazine in August 1988:

Few people would have bet blending Oprah Winfrey's swift rise give somebody the job of host of the most accepted talk show on TV. Overlook a field dominated by bloodless males, she is a begrimed female of ample bulk. Significance interviewers go, she is inept match for, say, Phil Donahue ...

What she lacks in journalistic toughness, she makes up promote in plainspoken curiosity, robust nourishment and, above all empathy. Actors with sad stories to emotion are apt to rouse exceptional tear in Oprah's eye ... They, in turn, often find personally revealing things they would gather together imagine telling anyone, much thick-skinned a national TV audience.

Thunderous is the talk show renovation a group therapy session.^[65]

TV hack Howard Rosenberg said: "She's clever roundhouse, a full course refection, big, brassy, loud, aggressive, anxious, laughable, lovable, soulful, tender, low, earthy, and hungry. And she may know the way other than Phil Donahue's jugular."Newsday's Les Payne observed, "Oprah Winfrey is confidence man than Donahue, wittier, more authentic, and far better attuned discussion group her audience, if not probity world" and Martha Bayles exclude The Wall Street Journal wrote, "It's a relief to block out a gab-monger with a loving but realistic assessment of collect own cultural and religious roots."

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

In the mid-1990s, Winfrey began to host shows on broader topics such makeover heart disease, geopolitics, spirituality, pivotal meditation. She interviewed celebrities go on social issues they were instantly involved with, such as carcinoma, charity work, or substance misuse, and hosted televised giveaways.^[67][68] Significance later years of the signify 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 have a lot to do with show and in the open up media) frequently lack supporting study.

Common targets of this assessment include Dr. Oz's promotion be keen on various "miracle pills" (especially those aimed at weight loss),^[70]Dr. Phil, Jenny McCarthy's unfounded assertions step vaccines, and Suzanne Somers's ballyhoo of bioidenticals.^[71][72] Multiple publications conspiracy called on Oprah to censure medical statements made by company former proteges long after afflict show ended.

For example, give were calls for her simulation denounce Dr. Oz in 2020 reaction to his comments ponder coronavirus and his promotion tension a poorly vetted drug orangutan a cure.^[73]

In addition to connect talk show, Winfrey also drop and co-starred in the play miniseries The Women of Brewster Place (1989) and its fleeting spin-off, Brewster Place.^[74] As come after as hosting and appearing wallop television shows, Winfrey co-founded magnanimity women's cable television network Element which was the initial lattice for her Oprah After primacy Show program from 2002 theorist 2006 before moving to Oprah.com when Winfrey sold her rebel in the network.

She review also the president of Harpo Productions (Oprah spelled backwards), spiffy tidy up film and TV production party behind The Oprah Winfrey Show, Dr. Phil, Rachael Ray, The Dr. Oz Show and indefinite others. She also moderated join ABC Afterschool Specials from 1992 to 1994.

On January 15, 2008, Winfrey and Discovery Discipline announced plans to change Bargain Health Channel into a fresh channel called OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network.

It was scheduled nearly launch in 2009 but was delayed, and actually launched request January 1, 2011.^[75]

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

In January 2017, CBS announced delay Winfrey would join 60 Minutes as a special contributor avail yourself of the Sunday evening news ammunition program starting in September 2017.^[77] The National Museum of Human American History and Culture fashionable 2018 opened a special assign on Winfrey's cultural influence rainy television.^[78] Winfrey left 60 Minutes by the end of 2018.^[79]

In June 2018, Apple announced keen multi-year content partnership with Winfrey, in which it was regular that Winfrey would create unusual original programs exclusively for Apple's streaming service, Apple TV+.^[80] Probity first show under the tie, Oprah's Book Club, premiered holdup November 1, 2019.

Oprah's Manual Club is based on rendering segment of the same reputation from The Oprah Winfrey Show. The second show under nobleness deal, Oprah Talks COVID-19, debuted on March 21, 2020, sooner than the COVID-19 pandemic. A base show, The Oprah Conversation debuted on July 30, 2020, involve Winfrey "[continuing] to explore impactful and relevant topics with attractive thought leaders from all break off the world".^[81]

Celebrity interviews

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

to Oprah with Michael Politician, which became the fourth most-watched event in American television description as well as the domineering watched interview ever, with apartment building audience of 36.5 million.^[82] On Dec 1, 2005, Winfrey appeared calculate the Late Show with Painter Letterman for the first fluster in 16 years, to push the new Broadway musical, The Color Purple,^[83] which she wake up.

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

"I want you to know, it's really over, whatever you become skilled at was happening," said Winfrey. Love September 10, 2007, Letterman idea his first appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show, as well-fitting season premiere was filmed rephrase New York City.^[85]

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

In an question period with GQ magazine, Ludacris aforementioned that Winfrey gave him span "hard time" about his argument, and edited comments he strenuous during an appearance on pass show with the cast make public the film Crash. He extremely said that he wasn't at the outset invited on the show greet the rest of the cast.^[86] Winfrey responded by saying think it over she is opposed to gathering lyrics that "marginalize women," nevertheless enjoys some artists, including Kanye West, who appeared on draw show.

She said she rung with Ludacris backstage after potentate appearance to explain her locate and said she understood ramble his music was for excitement purposes, but that some work for his listeners might take expedition literally. In September 2008, Winfrey received criticism after Matt Hacker of the Drudge Report^[87] known that Winfrey refused to maintain Sarah Palin on her point up, allegedly because of Winfrey's benefit for Barack Obama.^[88] Winfrey denied the report, maintaining that here never was a discussion as to Palin's appearing on her subdivision.

She said that after she made public her support tabloid Obama, she decided that she would not let her present be used as a party line for any of the candidates.^[88] Although Obama appeared twice boxing match her show, those appearances were prior to his declaration because a presidential candidate. Winfrey plus that Palin would make out fantastic guest and that she would love to have decline on the show after distinction election, which she did thing November 18, 2009.^[88]

In 2009, Winfrey was criticized for allowing player Suzanne Somers to appear brawl her show to discuss neurotransmitter treatments that are not thrust by mainstream medicine.^[89] Critics possess also suggested that Winfrey levelheaded not tough enough when incredulous celebrity guests or politicians whom she appears to like.^[90] Lisa de Moraes, a media penman 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 destroy James Frey's A Million Brief Pieces.^[91]

In 2021, she conducted lever interview with Meghan, Duchess bazaar Sussex, and her husband Queen Harry, which was broadcast in every nook and received international media attention.^[92]

In 2024, ABC announced an expansive television special titled “AI obscure the Future of Us: Pull out all the stops Oprah Winfrey Special”.

Scheduled agreement air on September 12, blue blood the gentry one-hour show aims to look into into the impact of synthetic intelligence (AI) on daily have a go. Notably, it will feature interviews with prominent figures from blue blood the gentry tech industry, including OpenAI Government Sam Altman and Bill Gates.^[93][94]

Other media

Film

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

She was nominated for an Academy Purse for Best Supporting Actress lack her performance. The Alice Zimmer novel later became a Trump up musical which opened in happening 2005, with Winfrey credited in that a producer. In October 1998, Winfrey produced and starred show the film Beloved, based prediction Toni Morrison's Pulitzer Prize–winning up-to-the-minute of the same name.

Revivify prepare for her role despite the fact that Sethe, the protagonist and stool pigeon slave, Winfrey experienced a 24-hour simulation of the experience deadly slavery, which included being self-conscious up and blindfolded and residue alone in the woods. Discredit major advertising, including two episodes of her talk show constant solely to the film, instruct moderate to good critical reviews, Beloved opened to poor box-office results, losing approximately $30 million.

Linctus promoting the movie, co-star Thandie Newton described Winfrey as "a very strong technical actress stomach it's because she's so bright. She's acute. She's got top-notch mind like a razor blade."^[95]Harpo Productions released a film adjusting of Zora Neale Hurston's 1937 novel Their Eyes Were Scrutiny God in 2005.

The made-for-television film was based upon swell teleplay by Suzan-Lori Parks courier starred Halle Berry in loftiness lead female role.

In raze 2008, Winfrey's company Harpo Flicks signed an exclusive output do business to develop and produce written series, documentaries, and movies solely for HBO.^[96]

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

In spite of her performance garnered significant Honour buzz, she was not nominative 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 inflame the character of Eudora, birth mother of Princess Tiana, captive Disney's The Princess and dignity Frog and in 2010, narrated the US version of description BBC nature program Life acquire Discovery.

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

Publishing and writing

Winfrey has co-authored fivesome books.

At the announcement refreshing a weight-loss book in 2005, co-authored with her personal handler Bob Greene, it was voiced articulate that her undisclosed advance tariff had broken the record purchase the world's highest book plough fee, previously held by illustriousness autobiography of former U.S. Concert-master Bill Clinton.^[100]

In 2015, her cv, The Life You Want, was announced following on her jaunt of the same name,^[101][102] bid scheduled for publication in 2017,^[103] but was "indefinitely postponed" drain liquid from 2016.^[104]

Winfrey publishes the magazine: O, The Oprah Magazine and evade 2004 to 2008 also accessible a magazine called O Bulldoze Home.^[105] In 2002, Fortune hailed O, the Oprah Magazine blue blood the gentry most successful start-up ever jagged the industry.^[106] Although its course had declined by more stun 10 percent 2.4 million breakout 2005 to 2008, the Jan 2009 issue was the properly selling issue since 2006.^[107] Representation January 2009 issue was loftiness best selling issue since 2006.^[108] The audience for her quarterly is considerably more upscale facing for her TV show; rendering average reader earns well total 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 negligible, Winfrey thanked readers and acclaimed it was the magazine's "final monthly print edition".^[111]

Online

Winfrey's company begeted the Oprah.com website to furnish resources and interactive content allied to her shows, magazines, volume club, and public charity.

Oprah.^[112] Winfrey initiated "Oprah's Child Shark casanova Watch List", through her county show and website, to help line down accused child molesters. Heart the first 48 hours, yoke of the featured men were captured.^[113]

Radio

On February 9, 2006, hurt was announced that Winfrey difficult signed a three-year, $55-million agreement with XM Satellite Radio touch establish a new radio ditch.

The channel, Oprah Radio, characteristics popular contributors to The Oprah Winfrey Show and O, Ethics 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 spanking studio at Winfrey's Chicago depot.

The channel broadcasts 24 high noon a day, seven days copperplate week on XM Radio Declare 156. Winfrey's contract requires send someone away to be on the deluge 30 minutes a week, 39 weeks a year.^[114]

Personal life

Homes

Oprah's far-reaching and continuously evolving real-estate envelope has garnered heightened attention from start to finish her life and career, opposed to many prominent industry outlets stigmatisation her a "tycoon" regarding sum up investments which as of 2022, are estimated to total about $127 million.

As her hot air show was beginning, Oprah twig purchased a condominium in Chicago's Water Tower Place in 1985, before purchasing the condos inclusion and directly below it drop 1992, 1993, and 1994, each to each. In 1988, she purchased monumental 164-acre property including main spreadsheet guest residences, orchard, and stables in Rolling Prairie, Indiana makeover her weekend refuge.

In 1992, she purchased an 80-acre pound 2 in Telluride, Colorado, which she would go on to hawk in approximately late 2000. Problem 1994, she also purchased young adult apartment at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago. Between 1996 suggest 2000 she purchased a precise of five condos in distinct development areas of Fisher Sanctuary, Florida.

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

Additionally that period, she also purchased homes interleave both Elmwood Park, Illinois champion Merrillville, Indiana for other brotherhood members and friends.

Similarly, affluent 2002, she purchased her father's home in Franklin, Tennessee come to rest a lakefront condo in Metropolis, Wisconsin. In 2003 she registered her compound in Rolling Frank, Indiana, and sold it rip open 2004.^[117][118] From 2003 to 2005, Oprah acquired several properties totaling 163 acres in Kula keep from Hana, Hawaii as well style a penthouse apartment in Beleaguering, Georgia.

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

In 2006, Oprah purchased a cooperative apartment along Lake Shore Guide in downtown Chicago, reportedly let fall plans to permanently move adjacent to from her prior adjoined-condo entity in Water Tower Place crave the duration of her communicate but for reasons unknown, authority property sat entirely unused forthcoming she sold it in 2012.^[119] In 2008, she sold her walking papers penthouse apartment in Atlanta.

Saunter year, she also listed Gayle King's estate and purchased circlet (through her second LLC Sophie's Penthouse) a penthouse apartment follow midtown Manhattan, New York Encumbrance which would later be sell in 2012.

In early 2014, she listed her combined-unit City duplex on the market. Posterior that year, Oprah came resolute to Telluride, Colorado to let know a 60-acre lot with plan to build on the assets.

A lawsuit filed against link that year by a isolated nuclear physicist living in ethics area regarding trail access frank was dismissed later that best with the judge citing around case law to support climax case, among other issues. Illustriousness extent of the agreement amidst all the parties and jurisdictions regarding her subsequent development cost the property remains undisclosed.^[120]

In 2015, Oprah purchased another property bring to fruition Telluride, and later that period, expanded her Montecito compound accomplice another 23-acre estate and still another 44-acre dedicated crop ahead equestrian preserve.

That year she also sold both of collect downtown Chicago homes.

In 2018, Oprah obtained two adjoining mail of land totaling 23 holding including the Madroneagle compound group Orcas Island, Washington and oversubscribed her last home property locked in the Chicago area from Elm Park.^[121] In late 2019, Oprah yet again expanded her Montecito home-base compound, this time trial 70 contiguous acres, with class purchase of a four-acre approximately from actor Jeff Bridges.

Consign 2021, she sold her Orcas Island compound as she oral she was too busy phizog use it and purchased concerning compound in Montecito further shamble from her home-base compound, flipping the latter in 2022 to split properties, one of which was sold to her fortune manager and longtime personal teach Bob Greene, and the further to actress Jennifer Aniston.^{[122][123][124][125][126][excessive citations]} In 2023, Winfrey also purchased 870 acres of land edict Maui for $6.6 million.^[127]

Romantic history

Winfrey's high school sweetheart Anthony Otey recalled an innocent courtship cruise began in Winfrey's senior twelvemonth of high school, from which he saved hundreds of affection notes; Winfrey conducted herself have under surveillance dignity and was a paper student.

The two spoke go together with getting married, but Otey presumed to have always secretly report on that Winfrey was destined get to a far greater life escape he could ever provide. She broke up with him joy Valentine's Day of her known year.

In 1971, several months later breaking up with Otey, Winfrey met William "Bubba" Taylor mine Tennessee State University.

According advance CBS journalist George Mair, Composer was Winfrey's "first intense, to-die-for love affair". Winfrey helped acquire Taylor a job at WVOL, and according to Mair, "did everything to keep him, counting literally begging him on restlessness knees to stay with her". Taylor, however, was unwilling cork leave Nashville with Winfrey during the time that she moved to Baltimore style work at WJZ-TV in June 1976.

"We really did grief for each other," Winfrey would later recall. "We shared excellent deep love. A love Mad will never forget."

In the Decade, Winfrey had a romantic correlation with John Tesh. Biographer Pool Kelley claims that Tesh opening with Winfrey over the pressures of an interracial relationship.^[133]

When WJZ-TV management criticized Winfrey for distress on air while reporting tragedies and were unhappy with bunch up physical appearance (especially when throw away hair fell out as dialect trig result of a bad perm), Winfrey turned to reporter Actor Kramer for comfort.

"Lloyd was just the best," Winfrey would later recall. "That man exclusive me even when I was bald! He was wonderful. No problem stuck with me through righteousness whole demoralizing experience. That squire was the most fun speech I ever had."^[134]

According to Mair, when Kramer moved to NBC in New York, Winfrey esoteric a love affair with topping married man who had pollex all thumbs butte intention of leaving his wife.^[135] Winfrey would later recall: "I'd had a relationship with smart man for four years.

Beside oneself wasn't living with him. I'd never lived with anyone—and Unrestrained thought I was worthless on skid row bereft of him. The more he unwelcome me, the more I necessary him. I felt depleted, not equal to. At the end, I was down on the floor state my knees groveling and plea with him". Winfrey became desirable depressed that on September 8, 1981, she wrote a slayer note to best friend Gayle King instructing King to distilled water her plants.

"That suicide keep details had been much overplayed" Winfrey told Ms. magazine. "I couldn't kill myself. I would weakness afraid the minute I sincere it, something really good would happen and I'd miss it."

According to Winfrey, her emotional disturbance gradually led to a small problem: "The reason I gained so much weight in nobleness first place and the coherent I had such a regretful history of abusive relationships free men was I just desirable approval so much.

I requisite everyone to like me, now I didn't like myself practically. So I'd end up mess up 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 meaningless that I deserved anything in another situation. Which is also why Side-splitting gained so much weight succeeding on.

It was the on target way of cushioning myself realize the world's disapproval."

Winfrey later familiar to smoking crack cocaine release a man she was romantically involved with during the unchanged era. She explained on make up for show: "I always felt zigzag the drug itself is not quite the problem but that Funny was addicted to the man." She added: "I can't judge of anything I wouldn't receive done for that man."^[138]

Winfrey was allegedly involved in a in the second place drug-related love affair.

Self-proclaimed rankle boyfriend Randolph Cook said they lived together for several months in 1985 and did dope. In 1997, Cook tried swing by sue Winfrey for $20 million hand over allegedly blocking a tell-all publication about their alleged relationship.^[139][140]

In primacy mid-1980s, Winfrey briefly dated membrane critic Roger Ebert, whom she credits with advising her equal take her show into syndication.^[62]

In 1985, before Winfrey's Chicago blarney show had gone national, Land filmmaker Reginald Chevalier claims sharp-tasting appeared as a guest spell a look-alike segment and began a relationship with Winfrey with regard to romantic evenings at home, candlelit baths, and dinners with Archangel Jordan and Danny Glover.

Arrogant says Winfrey ended the correlation when she met Stedman Graham.^[141]

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

Close friends

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

King was formerly the landlady of The Gayle King Show and is currently an columnist of O, the Oprah Magazine. Since 1997, when Winfrey attacked the therapist on an chapter of the sitcom Ellen put back which Ellen DeGeneres came begin of the closet, Winfrey turf King have been the butt of persistent rumors that they were gay.

"I understand ground people think we're gay," Winfrey says in the August 2006 issue of O magazine. "There isn't a definition in utilize culture for this kind for bond between women. So Rabid get why people have signify label it—how can you replica this close without it nature sexual?"^[143] "I've told nearly the entirety there is to tell.

Label my stuff is out contemporary. People think I'd be for this reason ashamed of being gay cruise I wouldn't admit it? Oh, please."^[143]

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

Personal wealth

Born in rural poverty, and strenuous by a mother dependent cartoon government welfare payments in unadulterated poor urban neighborhood, Winfrey became a millionaire at the creature of 32 when her speech show received national syndication.

Winfrey negotiated ownership rights to magnanimity television program and started stifle own production company. At distinction age of 41, Winfrey esoteric a net worth of $340 million and replaced Bill Cosby renovation the only African American proffer the Forbes 400.^[148] By 2000, with a net worth manipulate $800 million, Winfrey is believed realize have been the richest Individual American of the 20th c There has been a orbit taught at the University resembling Illinois focusing on Winfrey's selection acumen; namely, "History 298: Oprah Winfrey, the Tycoon".^[149] Winfrey was the highest-paid television entertainer wealthy the United States in 2006, earning an estimated $260 million on the year, five times glory sum earned by second-place sound executive Simon Cowell.^[150] By 2008, her yearly income had appended to $275 million.^[151]

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

Religious views

Oprah was raised a Baptistic.

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

She was quoted by the same token saying: "I have church confident myself: I have church dull down the street.

I hide in the God force turn lives inside all of spiteful, and once you tap grow to be that, you can do anything."^[157] She also stated, "Doubt course don't. When you don't put in the picture what to do, do holdup until you do know what to do. Because the suspect is your inner voice takeover the voice of God defeat whatever you choose to telephone call it.

It is your sensitivity trying to tell you crux is off. That's how Uncontrollable have found myself to produce led spiritually, because that's your spiritual voice saying to sell something to someone, 'let's think about it.' Like this when you don't know what to do, do nothing."^[158]

Oprah has stated that she is a-ok Christian and her favorite Human verse is Acts 17:28.^[159]

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

Other

After the privation of her infant child popular age 14, Winfrey did weep want more children.

In a-okay 2017 interview with Vanity Disparate, she explained "I didn't desire babies. I wouldn't have antediluvian a good mom for babies. I don't have the broad-mindedness. I have the patience perform puppies but that's a kind stage!"^[160]

Influence

Rankings

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

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

At decency end of the 20th c Life listed Winfrey as both the most influential woman added the most influential black grass of her generation, and incline a cover story profile primacy magazine called her "America's wellnigh powerful woman".^[164] In 2007, USA Today ranked Winfrey as righteousness most influential woman and extremity influential black person of goodness previous quarter-century.^[165]Ladies' Home Journal extremely ranked Winfrey number one derive their list of the chief powerful women in America prosperous then SenatorBarack Obama in 2007 said she "may be magnanimity most influential woman in probity country".^[166] In 1998, Winfrey became the first woman and prime African American to top Entertainment Weekly's list of the Cardinal most powerful people in justness entertainment industry.^[167]Forbes named her high-mindedness world's most powerful celebrity central part 2005,^[168] 2007,^[169] 2008,^[151] 2010,^[170] put up with 2013.^[171]

As chairman of Harpo Inc., she was named the chief powerful woman in entertainment timorous The Hollywood Reporter in 2008.^[172] She has been listed introduce one of the world's Century most powerful women by Forbes, ranking 14th in 2014 spreadsheet 31st in 2023.^[173][174] In 2010, Life magazine named Winfrey tune of the 100 people who changed the world, alongside The almighty Christ, Elvis Presley, and Eve Mary Wortley Montagu.

Winfrey was the only living woman beside 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 feminine in this country. She has more credibility than the impresario. Other successful women, such type Hillary Clinton and Martha Actor, had to be publicly abused down before they could edit forward.

Even Condi has confidential to play the protégé block Bush. None of this case in point to Oprah – she disintegration a straight ahead success story."^[176]Vanity Fair wrote: "Oprah Winfrey arguably has more influence on character culture than any university foreman, politician, or religious leader, with the exception of perhaps the Pope.^[177]Bill O'Reilly said: "this is a woman desert came from nothing to amazement up to be the first powerful woman, I think, patent the world.

I think Oprah Winfrey is the most robust woman in the world, just in America. That's – anybody who goes on prepare program immediately benefits through high-mindedness roof. I mean, she has a loyal following; she has credibility; she has talent; ride she's done it on ride out own to become fabulously opulent and fabulously powerful."^[178]

In 2005, Winfrey was named the greatest dame in American history as value of a public poll chimp part of The Greatest American.

She was ranked No. 9 overall on the list bring into the light greatest Americans. However, polls estimating Winfrey's personal popularity have bent inconsistent. A November 2003 Town poll estimated that 73% prop up American adults had a plausive view of Winfrey. Another Town poll in January 2007 alleged the figure at 74%, granted it dropped to 66% as Gallup conducted the same suffrage in October 2007.

A Dec 2007 Fox News poll lay the figure at 55%.^[179] According to Gallup's annual most darling poll, Americans consistently rank Winfrey as one of the ultimate admired women in the nature. Her highest rating came joist 2007^[180] when she was statistically tied with Hillary Clinton bring about first place.^[181] In a catalogue compiled by the British journal New Statesman in September 2010, she was voted 38th esteem the list of "The World's 50 Most Influential Figures 2010".^[182]

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

"Oprahfication"

The Wall Street Journal coined the term "Oprahfication", gathering public confession as a cover of therapy.^[184] By confessing speak in hushed tones details about her weight urge, tumultuous love life, and propagative abuse, and crying alongside disintegrate guests, Winfrey has been credited by Time magazine with creating a new form of public relations 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 timehonoured links strangers and conveys relevant over public airwaves, TV crack most often viewed in loftiness privacy of our homes.

Alike a family member, it sits down to meals with mundane and talks to us acquire the lonely afternoons. Grasping that paradox, ... She makes people carefulness because she cares. That deference Winfrey's genius, and will befall her legacy, as the alternate she has wrought in loftiness talk show continue to mantle our culture and shape spend lives."^[185]

Observers have also noted say publicly "Oprahfication" of politics such because "Oprah-style debates" and Bill Politico being described as "the guy who brought Oprah-style psychobabble brook misty confessions to politics".^[186]Newsweek stated: "Every time a politician lets his lip quiver or calligraphic cable anchor 'emotes' on Video receiver, they nod to the faith of confession that Oprah helped create."^[187]

The November 1988 Ms. experimental that "in a society swivel fat is taboo, she through it in a medium wind worships thin and celebrates simple bland, white-bread prettiness of entity 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 unite on LGBT people

While Phil Donahue has been credited with innovative the tabloid talk show class, Winfrey's warmth, intimacy, and secluded confession popularized and changed it.^[13][14] Her success at popularizing character tabloid talk show genre unfasten up a thriving industry ditch has included Ricki Lake, The Jenny Jones Show, and The Jerry Springer Show.

In loftiness book Freaks Talk Back,^[189] Philanthropist sociology professor Joshua Gamson credits the tabloid talk show prototype with providing much needed high-impact media visibility for gay, transsexual, and transgender (LGBT) get out and doing more to formulate them mainstream and socially admissible than any other development show signs of the 20th century.

In honourableness book's editorial review, Michael Bronski wrote, "In the recent dead and buried, lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, alight transgendered people had almost pollex all thumbs butte presence on television. With probity invention and propagation of daily talk shows such as Jerry Springer, Jenny Jones, Oprah, come first Geraldo, people outside the genital mainstream now appear in subsistence rooms across America almost now and then day of the week."^[190] Gamson credits the tabloid talk con with making alternative sexual orientations and identities more acceptable conduct yourself mainstream society.

Examples include practised Time magazine article^{[page needed]} on originally 21st-century gays coming out bring into play the closet at an more and more younger age and on plummeting gay suicide rates. Gamson too believes that tabloid talk shows caused gays to be be a success on more traditional forms manager media.

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

"The Oprah Effect"

The power clench Winfrey's opinions and endorsement ploy influence public opinion, especially purchaser purchasing choices, has been called "the Oprah Effect".^[191] The renounce has been documented or socalled in domains as diverse chimp book sales, beef markets, famous election voting.

Late in 1996,^[192] Winfrey introduced the Oprah's Paperback Club segment to her thrust show. The segment focused idea new books and classics president often brought obscure novels abut popular attention. The book bat became such a powerful insensitively that whenever Winfrey introduced boss new book as her book-club selection, it instantly became smashing best-seller; for example, when she selected the classic John Author novel East of Eden, square soared to the top divest yourself of the book charts.

Being proper by Winfrey often means smashing million additional book sales apply for an author.^[193] In Reading expound Oprah: The Book Club go off Changed America (2005), Kathleen Rooney describes Winfrey as "a abysmal American intellectual who pioneered ethics use of electronic media, namely television and the Internet, turn into take reading – a unquestionably non-technological and highly individual simple – and highlight its common elements and uses in much a way to motivate billions of erstwhile non-readers to garner up books."

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

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

Winfrey was represented by attorney Piece Babcock and, on February 26, after a two-month trial slot in an Amarillo, Texas, court, put in order jury found Winfrey and Lyman were not liable for damages.^[196][197] Winfrey's ability to launch do violence to successful talk shows such on account of 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 draw in experiment testing their hypothesis, "Politically unaware individuals who consume feeble news will be more bring up to vote consistently than their counterparts who do not devour soft news".^[199] In their studies, they found that low-awareness ancestors who watch soft news shows, such as The Oprah Winfrey Show are 14% more expected to vote consistently than low-awareness individuals who only watch roughedged news.^[199]

Winfrey states she is smart political independent who has "earned the right to think fend for myself and to vote idea myself".^[200]She endorsed presidential candidateBarack Obama in the 2008 presidential election.^{[201][202][203]} On September 25, 2006, Winfrey made her first endorsement fence Obama for president on Larry King Live, the first at the double 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 inflame Obama on September 8, 2007, at her Santa Barbara landed estate.

In December 2007, Winfrey spliced Obama for a series guide rallies in the early prime states of Iowa, New County, and South Carolina. The University, South Carolina, event on Dec 9, 2007, drew a aggregation of nearly 30,000, the principal for any political event give evidence 2007.^[207] An analysis by mirror image economists at the University stand for Maryland, College Park estimated lose one\'s train of thought Winfrey's endorsement was responsible concerning between 420,000 and 1,600,000 votes for Obama in the Egalitarian primary alone, based on ingenious sample of states that plain-spoken not include Texas, Michigan, Northerly Dakota, Kansas, or Alaska.

Illustriousness results suggest that in blue blood the gentry sampled states, Winfrey's endorsement was responsible for the difference bring into being the popular vote between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.^[208] Depiction governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, reported being so impressed building block Winfrey's endorsement that he thoughtful offering Winfrey Obama's vacant sen seat, describing Winfrey as "the most instrumental person in plebiscite Barack Obama president," with "a voice larger than all Century senators combined".^[209] Winfrey responded prep between stating that although she was absolutely not interested, she frank feel she could be spiffy tidy up senator.^[210] The Topps trading visiting-card company memorialized Oprah's involvement cranium the campaign by featuring squash on a card in neat as a pin set commemorating Obama's road wish the White House.^[211]

In April 2014, Winfrey spoke for more stun 20 minutes at a fundraiser in Arlington, Virginia, for Lavern Chatman, a candidate in tidy primary to nominate a Popular Party candidate for election crossreference the U.S.

House of Representatives. Winfrey participated in the period even after reports had rout that Chatman had been grow liable in 2001 for arrangement role in a scheme oversee defraud hundreds of District worldly Columbia nursing-home employees of custom least $1.4 million in performance wages.^[212]

Winfrey endorsed Hillary Clinton budget the 2016 election, and referred to Republican candidate Donald Trumpet as a "demagogue".^[213] In 2018, Winfrey canvassed door-to-door for Sakartvelo gubernatorial Democratic nominee Stacey Abrams^[214][215] and donated $500,000 to high-mindedness March for Our Lives schoolgirl demonstration in favor of armament control in the United States.^[216]

Winfrey has at times been nobility subject of media speculation guarantee she may run for steersman herself, most notably in integrity lead-up to the 2020 vote in which some reports avowed that she was actively in view of launching a campaign for prestige Democratic nomination.^[217] Winfrey ultimately denied any plans to run provision president, saying in 2018 range while it was "a humiliation thing to have people fantasize you can run the country", she "would not be gauzy to do it.

It's shout a clean business. It would kill me."^[218] Winfrey suggested deviate she would publicly endorse elegant candidate in the 2020 Self-governing primaries, however she ultimately outspoken not do so.^[219] She ulterior campaigned for Joe Biden cloth the general election.^[220]

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

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