Top 10 Reasons We LOVE Oprah

When you’re as successful as Oprah, the world is always watching - and that means a carefully cultivated public image. For far too many celebrities, that winds up taking the form of a big ego and an utter lack of humor about themselves, but not Oprah! With Jimmy Fallon, she filmed a ridiculously over-the-top fake soap opera. With Jimmy Kimmel, she played along in a hilarious skit where Jimmy pitched show ideas for the Oprah Winfrey Network, which Oprah acted out. Each concept is worse than the last, with Oprah doing everything from stealing cars to violently assaulting people in her book club. And how about her cheekily parodying her own giveaways for National Pet Day?

Success in the entertainment industry often comes with a lot of lost friendships and resentful past collaborators. Oprah, despite becoming a media mogul, has somehow managed to largely buck this trend. We’re not calling her infallible, but when it comes to working with others, she seems like someone you can really trust. We could go on and on about her friendship with BFF Gayle King, but it’s the appreciation she shows for people like her hair stylist that really inspire. What other celeb has been with one hair stylist for 30 years and gushes about them regularly? Even when relationships become strained, like with Iyanla Vanzant, Oprah’s all about love and forgiveness.

For many, Instagram is all about making everything look picture perfect, while simultaneously giving off the impression that these are just snippets of your daily life - unfiltered and unplanned. While we’re sure that Oprah puts thought and effort into every pic or video before sharing on social media, her posts don’t feel nearly as contrived as many of her peers. Take for example the aforementioned Pet Day clip - she’s rocking a super casual look. Or how about this video of her on her property following a mudslide? Oprah’s instagram is chock full of behind the scene moments and casual, intimate shots of her home life. Oprah’s not afraid to be herself, and we love her for it.

There are plenty of famous wealthy people in the world, but there are few who’ve done more with their good fortune than Oprah. In addition to donating millions upon millions of dollars to countless charities and organizations, she herself has started multiple foundations, including the Angel Network and the Oprah Winfrey Foundation. While the money she has given and continues to give is certainly impressive, it’s the personal time and energy that she’s put into initiatives during her lifetime that will surely be remembered as her greatest philanthropic legacy.

Oprah is passionate about education and books. On numerous occasions, she’s expressed her appreciation for reading as a source of inspiration, escape and as a great tool for expanding your perspectives. Indeed, her love of reading has helped shape the literary landscape of the modern world. Lest you think that’s too grand a statement, it’s a fact that Oprah’s endorsement of any book, fiction or nonfiction, sends its sales into the stratosphere to instant bestsellerdom. Oprah’s Book Club was the inspiration for the tidal wave of clubs and reading groups that keep books a vital force in culture.

Though it might be hard to believe considering where she wound up, success didn’t come easily to Oprah. Everything she has, she earned through hard work and perseverance. Born to a poor family, and a victim of sexual abuse in her youth, Oprah faced obstacles that would’ve defeated many people. But despite it all, she excelled in school and, in doing so, created opportunities for herself. She not only earned herself an academic scholarship, but also an opportunity on local news, which culminated in her first big break as a co-anchor WJZ-TV News in Baltimore. It was a gig she soon lost, but rather than give up, she persevered and succeeded nonetheless.

Alright, this might go without saying… but let’s really dive into the statement to appreciate just how true it is. Oprah quickly won over legions of fans with her uncanny ability to connect with people around the world - be it in person, in a studio audience or through a TV screen. She’s shown her journalistic talents time and again: she can get the most out of people with her approach to empathetic interviewing. Her acting has also earned her numerous award nominations, including an Academy Award nom for Best Supporting Actress for “The Color Purple” in 1985. She can pretty much do it all. Oprah’s got skills.

With a lot of celebrities, it’s easy to look at them in awe and feel intimidated by their mammoth success - but with Oprah, the feeling is different. Her success is a source of motivation and inspiration: not necessarily to become a media mogul, but to believe in yourself and your own ability, as a woman, to change not just your life, but the world. Oprah always appears grateful for her own success, and when it comes to the success of other women, particularly women of color, she’s the first to celebrate their achievements. Oprah has broken down countless barriers herself, and she helps women everywhere push to smash the glass ceilings in their domain.

Like we’ve said, Oprah has a knack for public speaking, and given the respect and experience she’s gained throughout her life and career, she’s got a whole lot of insightful things to say. All that to say, when she opens her mouth, people shut up and listen, and really take her words to heart. When she delivered her powerful speech at the 2018 Golden Globes, Forbes described it as a “master class in public speaking” - one that “CEOs should learn from”. It was so inspiring that people immediately began to speculate about the possibility of her running for president. Given her magnetic energy, we can understand the hype.

Oprah is without a doubt one of the most influential individuals in the world. It’s not just book clubs; when she gets involved in something, wheels inevitably start turning. When Oprah voices her appreciation or dislike for a particular product, the companies (or entire industries) feel the effects. Her endorsement of Barack Obama for President in 2007 was called a significant contributing factor to his victory. She’s been credited with breaking ground with public discussions about often-avoided topics like sexual abuse, gender identity and race relations. Oprah Winfrey has already changed America, and we can’t wait to see what she does next!