Why Do People Watch Oprah Winfrey?
Just this past sunday, 2 days ago, one of the most memorable, remarkable episodes of Oprah Winfrey went on air on Starworld (in Singapore, but probably on other networks for other countries). This episode was a timely breath of fresh air, taking a deviation from the standard sit-you-down-on-a-couch-and-talk-till-you-drop format.
On the latest episode, talk show extraordinaire and household personality Oprah Winfrey was grilling celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker and Orlando Bloom as to where their favourite hangouts are. It was really refreshing to see the 'human' side of the celebrities, hanging out at their favourite hangouts, having fun and all, instead of the usually larger than life personalities we often see on tabloid magazines and gossip columns.
Personally, I barely ever watch Oprah Winfrey. Not before this. And part of me just doesn't get the whole concept and purpose of talk shows anyway.
Are people watching her talk show so that they can learn from the woes of others and gain invaluable wisdom? Are they generally trying to glean invaluable nuggets of knowledge from the unpleasant experiences of others? And are they genuinely trying to empathise with the women/couples who go on to her talk show?
Or perhaps, the audiences are simply trying to forget themselves in the pain of others. It's like one big pity party - couples going on air to voice their problems and rant about their dysfunctional marriages, which let's not discredit them, takes courage to do so, and audiences watching on with furrowed eyebrows and scrunched faces, trying to empathise with their pain and misery - everyone seems to be taking consolation in one another.
It kind of disgusts me knowing that people seem to revel in hearing the pain and problems of others on air, not in a schadenfreude way of course, but rather in lowering themselves to the point whereby relief is obtained in comparing plights with others. But then again, I guess it's just all very human ; we all don't want to be alone. When we're going through the valley of the shadow of death, we want to know brimstone and hellfire isn't just raining down on us alone. We want to know there are others going through what we are going through, and perhaps sharing in this solidarity of pain and struggle, we might obtain courage and strength to somehow break free of our shackles.
Still, I don't quite understand those who actually appear on talk shows to voice their woes. Why would anyone want to recover their (often painful) past anyway? These same people who appear on talk shows like Oprah Winfrey's, put themselves through the torture of reliving their past on air - something not much better than hell itself - in the hope that this time, the outcome would be different from the disappointment that life generally turned out to be.
They do it in the hope that they will be liberated and freed from emotional bondages, thinking that mustering up the courage to bare their hurts to the world will actually erase the pain of the past.
Perhaps it works - I'm not an expert in Psychology - but it's something I'd never put myself through. The wounds in my life have scabbed, and scarred, and I do not want to reopen them again.
****
Oh anyway, I'm now officially addicted to Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream! Thanks to the influence of Hungry Bunny and lynn!
And it's been more than a week since the passing of the news of Keano's departure, but I'm still in shock. Anyhow, I'll still always keep the faith in them.
A bona fide Red Devils Legend George Best recently passed away, at 59. Ain't soccer players supposed to live longer lives?
On the latest episode, talk show extraordinaire and household personality Oprah Winfrey was grilling celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker and Orlando Bloom as to where their favourite hangouts are. It was really refreshing to see the 'human' side of the celebrities, hanging out at their favourite hangouts, having fun and all, instead of the usually larger than life personalities we often see on tabloid magazines and gossip columns.
Personally, I barely ever watch Oprah Winfrey. Not before this. And part of me just doesn't get the whole concept and purpose of talk shows anyway.
Are people watching her talk show so that they can learn from the woes of others and gain invaluable wisdom? Are they generally trying to glean invaluable nuggets of knowledge from the unpleasant experiences of others? And are they genuinely trying to empathise with the women/couples who go on to her talk show?
Or perhaps, the audiences are simply trying to forget themselves in the pain of others. It's like one big pity party - couples going on air to voice their problems and rant about their dysfunctional marriages, which let's not discredit them, takes courage to do so, and audiences watching on with furrowed eyebrows and scrunched faces, trying to empathise with their pain and misery - everyone seems to be taking consolation in one another.
It kind of disgusts me knowing that people seem to revel in hearing the pain and problems of others on air, not in a schadenfreude way of course, but rather in lowering themselves to the point whereby relief is obtained in comparing plights with others. But then again, I guess it's just all very human ; we all don't want to be alone. When we're going through the valley of the shadow of death, we want to know brimstone and hellfire isn't just raining down on us alone. We want to know there are others going through what we are going through, and perhaps sharing in this solidarity of pain and struggle, we might obtain courage and strength to somehow break free of our shackles.
Still, I don't quite understand those who actually appear on talk shows to voice their woes. Why would anyone want to recover their (often painful) past anyway? These same people who appear on talk shows like Oprah Winfrey's, put themselves through the torture of reliving their past on air - something not much better than hell itself - in the hope that this time, the outcome would be different from the disappointment that life generally turned out to be.
They do it in the hope that they will be liberated and freed from emotional bondages, thinking that mustering up the courage to bare their hurts to the world will actually erase the pain of the past.
Perhaps it works - I'm not an expert in Psychology - but it's something I'd never put myself through. The wounds in my life have scabbed, and scarred, and I do not want to reopen them again.
****
Oh anyway, I'm now officially addicted to Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream! Thanks to the influence of Hungry Bunny and lynn!
And it's been more than a week since the passing of the news of Keano's departure, but I'm still in shock. Anyhow, I'll still always keep the faith in them.
A bona fide Red Devils Legend George Best recently passed away, at 59. Ain't soccer players supposed to live longer lives?
george best? quick quick. click on this link below, before the video expires.
Link.
Posted by
Ellipsis |
8:31 PM
The Oprah Winfrey show is actually a pretty good show. My mother watches it all the time so sometimes I catch it too.
I think by speaking out their problems, it brings closure to the victims and at the same time helps those who are going through the same problems or similar situations.
Posted by
Zen|th |
8:58 PM
B.o.Y: WOW!!!! I'm really really impressed. I mean I don't think any player in our generation can matchup in skill.
Zenith: actually it does help one to learn alot. but sometimes i wonder if the reason people watch the show is to forget themselves in others' sorrows or is it to genuinely want to try to glean from their valuable experiences.
lonelylolacherrycola (this is so freaking hard to type out): hahaha its true! your blog post was the first thing that piqued my curiosity!
Posted by
Anonymous |
12:55 AM