Why was Oprah so successful at penetrating White America?

Question

Serious answers...no racism

You can mention her biography in answer too.

No simple answers such as, "she simply good at what she does."

Thanks

Answer 1

At first she was up against Donahue. He had an intelligent show. She came along with all her shows on personal problems in our society. She drew a bigger audience . People could relate to her show but it took thinking to stay with Phil. At some point Phil gave up the competition. She had the stage to herself. Then she changed the format of her show and started to do class acts. When the money came in she started giving things away. She got bigger and so did the checks. She was able to go on her own. More money and now she is at the place she is at. Or so this seems to be what I recall.

Answer 2

Because of her money. Simple. This is not racism its the facts, when you're not white but you have money, then to whites you're 'A-OKAY!'. Before Oprah became the richest African American woman in the world , she was a poor ghetto educated girl of the south who was unfortunately raped/molested. Had she grown up and was middle class or still poor, regardless if she was educated, she wouldnt have such a high respect by MOST (not all) whites. You see this in the biographies she's written and her shows from the early eighties, they were so stuck on making her change her looks (made her perm her hair and it all fell out which is why she wears wigs) to look less "*******" and once she took that unfortunate stop and begame rich, her fame grew.

Also the topics she address on her shows since its grown are not really black issues like Tom Cruise's relationship and some white guy scaming ppl by selling books with false info. etc. Oprah is going to make her first appearance on BET really soon and that explains alot. Once you have the money regardless if you intend or want to, your roots are to be forgotten and Im not bashing her at all because thats how the system works.

I'm sure I will be getting thumbs down....but i dont really give a **** bc when you speak the truth its to be expected.

Answer 3

Perhaps her success has more to do with America being willing to stop obsessing on race and focus on whether "she is simply good at what she does."

Before Oprah's success, the Bill Cosby Show gained many white viewers.

I remember as a kid, you'd only see blacks in commercials when a "Black" show was on. Like the Jeffersons or Good Times. And many of those commercials were identical to others - in otherwords, advertisers made a "Black version" and a "White version" of the same commercial.

Our country is getting over the rampid desease of racism. Not that none, exists today. Just that there is less of it & people who are bigots are more likely to have the common sense to hide it!

And thats a good thing!

Answer 4

She's more successful at penetrating Female America (sorry about that sounding a little off, but just ignore it, I am trying to be serious) because she is always talking about women's issues. Since she rarely deals with topics of race, she seems more "white" to many people.

Answer 5

I havent read her biography but you have inspired me to do so. I believe that a lot of what she has accomplished is that she is a strong, black woman who cares for the less fortunate. She has a lot of money and is fairly generous in making life for the less fortunate, more durable. Let me read the biography though and I will get back to you.

Answer 6

I don't think it has anything to do with race and "penetrating White America"...what she's done is purely based on gender...she has mostly a female audience...that's where her success has come from!!!

Answer 7

I think that Oprah has touched alot of people of all races.

Answer 8

she doesn't have a chip on her shoulder, blaming whites for the hard times that are normal in everybody's lives.

Answer 9

a higher power wants her in the right place to fufill their plot

Answer 10

she picks good books and sometimes she airs serious subjects.