Oprah Winfrey: Inspirational Entertainer
When daytime talk show programs first appeared on television in the 1950s, they mostly consisted of celebrities gathered around a coffee table discussing secrets about trivial things, such as how to make the best sponge cake. It is unlikely that these shows promoted positive changes in the lives of their viewers in any substantial way. In the early 1970s, Phil Donahue introduced a new variety of talk show. His show was characterized as "an exercise in sociopolitical discourse," but was, in actuality, more successful for its coverage of titillating issues than important ones (Moorti sc 2-3).
Donahue's show impacted the talk show world, but not nearly as much as Oprah Winfrey would with the beginning of her show a few years later. In 1983, Oprah Winfrey applied for a position as a talk show host on a morning show in Chicago. Dennis Swanson interviewed her for the job, which she desperately wanted. She asked Swanson before he hired her if he had any concerns about her. He answered, "Not that I can think of." She responded, "Well, you know I'm black." And he replied, "Yeah, I figured that out." She said, "You know I'm overweight." And he answered, "So am I. I don't want you to change your appearance. If I did I would have hired someone else (Sellars sc 4)." Swanson convinced Oprah that she could make it in the television business by being who she was: overweight, black, and female (Sellars sc 4). In its first five months on the air, the "Oprah Winfrey" show became the third-highest syndicated show on TV (Moorti sc 3). Oprah continues to have astounding success today. She is among the highest paid and most influential entertainers in the business. Although...
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In 1976 she moved to Baltimore and later hosts the T.V chat show people are talking. In 1984, Oprah relocates to chicago to host her own morning show “ AM Chicago”, which was renamed the “The Oprah Show”. In 1985 she makes film debut in Steven Spielberg's “The Color Purple” for which she was nominated for an academy award for best supporting actress. In 1986, OPrah launches the “The Oprah Winfrey Show” as a nationally syndicated program placed on 120 programs. In 1988, she had established harpo productions. In 1989, Winfrey stars in the ABC TV miniseries “The Women Of Brewster Place”. In 1994, president Clinton signs the “Oprah Bill”, creating a nationwide database of convicted child abusers. In 1998, Oprah received her seventh emmy as outstanding talk show host and the ninth emmy for the “The Oprah Winfrey Show”. In 2000, a company launches O, the oprah magazine which is created as being the most successful magazine launch in recent history. In 2003 Oprah's Book Club becomes the largest book club in the world and she receives the association of American publishes, AAP honors award. In 2005, she ranked number one on Forbes power celebrity list. In 2009, Oprah interviews Whitney Houston. In 2010, “The Oprah Winfrey Show” begins its 25th and final
Oprah Winfrey achieved great success in her various endeavors, growing from a news reporter in Nashville to the world-famous talk show host she is today. During the 1980s, talk shows were a crucial part of daytime television. Shows were organized based upon their content and varied greatly in subject. The popularity of talk shows led many people to enter this field, leading to a constant struggle for airtime. Oprah’s rise to fame began when she moved from her hometown in Nashville, to college in Baltimore and ultimately to Chicago, where she lives today. She appeared on an early morning television program called A.M. Chicago, which was later retitled The Oprah Winfrey Show which aired its first episode on September 8, 1986. Talk shows like Oprah’s were wildly popular, especially to women, because they focused on entertaining their viewers rather than discussing political problems. The thirty-minute to hour-long programs allowed for people to escape their problems, even if only for a short period of time (Rose). Biographer, Ilene Cooper took on the challenge of writing a biography about the complex and extraordinary life of Oprah Winfrey. In an article on the Kirkus Review website, published in 2010, a critic enjoys how the author of the biography, Up close: Oprah Winfrey, “makes excellent use of many quotes from interviews, Oprah’s own writing and, of course, her television show” (“Oprah Winfrey”). This reviewer appreciates how the biographer uses all of her resources to understand more information about Oprah. Some of Oprah’s greatest contributions to society are her generous donations to several organizations, and the way she encourages individuals to take actions that can not on...
Researchers have found a way to connect sleep with education. Gary Scarpello who wrote "Lack Of Sleep Could Be Trouble For CTE Students” , did a research study with liberty mutual showed that teens had an average of 7.2 hours of sleep on school nights and 33 to 75 % of all students have sleep problems. In the article it had stated that not getting enough sleep can cause impaired hand eyed coordination, reaction time and brief mental lapses. (Scarpello). The same researchers also found out that Sleep helps restores brain functions such as alertness, metabolism, and memory and regulate hormones (Scarpello). Researchers Mary A. Carskardon and A.R. Wolfson studied 3,120 Rhode Island children. They had figured out that college students who slept more than nine hours a night had a gr...
Perhaps the most notable triumph of Oprah Winfrey is her job as host of her own television show, "The Oprah Winfrey Show". Because anyone is free to decide what they choose as a career, she had the opportunity to create this show. The viewings and acceptance of the consumers to her show allowed it's prosperity. Keep in mind that Oprah had no control of the success her show would receive, although she had free decision to do what she pleased with it, it was the decision of the consumers
Roebuck, B. (2008, January). Homelessness, Victimization and Crime: Knowledge and Actionable Recommendations. Canada: University of Ottawa.
Winfrey, Oprah, and Bill Adler. The Uncommon Wisdom of Oprah Winfrey: A Portrait in her Own Words. New York: Carol Pub. Group, 1997. Print.
Another reason that causes the negative relationship between sleep deprivation and academic performance is the impact of high-stress level that is caused by sleep deprivation. As mentioned earlier, sleep deprivation could decrease a student’s critical thinking and problem-solving skills. However, it can also make the students feel more stressful. According to the survey conducted in Ball State campus, there are 15 students that often do their homework before they go to bed. 10 students play video games, computer games, and mobile games before they go to sleep. 8 students use their electronic devices to do social activities. 5 students watch movies and television series and 2 students read books before they go to bed. This information proves
Oprah Winfrey grew up in abuse and poverty, but that did not stop her in being the women she is today. Oprah is one of the richest women on Earth, but not without her struggles. On top of that, Oprah is a capitalist pragmatist (Lofton, 2006). Oprah believes in a spiritual path, but one that does not concern religion (Lofton, 2006). Her religion is more about perfecting herself and trying to be the perfect human being (Lofton, 2006). Her family and past, her career, the nature of how she sees God, and the influence she has on people all influence Oprah and her worldview.
Studies conducted over a nearly 30 year span have consistently shown only a small fraction of adolescents get the 9 or more hours of sleep they require to function at their best. While teenagers are notorious for causing their own sleep difficulties, sleep loss among adolescents is confined primarily to school nights. “Sleep deprivation is epidemic among adolescents, with potentially serious impacts on mental and physical health, safety, and learning. Most teenagers undergo a biological shift to a later sleep-wake cycle, which can make early school start times particularly challenging.” says
It’s seven thirty in the morning, the time that most American high schools begin class. Instead of being chipper and ready to learn, most teenagers, at this time of the morning, can barely remain awake. These puffy eyed pupils are by no means ready to learn. Sixty percent children under 18 reported being sleepy during the day, with another fifteen percent reporting that they had fallen asleep during the school day within the past year (National Sleep Foundation, Dozing). Though adolescents require a larger amount of sleep than younger children, they usually receive much less (Indiana University Center for Adolescent Studies). The amount of sleep a teenager receives affects him or her both physically and mentally. Sleep deprived teenagers are more likely to be irritable, be depressed, not perform up to their capabilities in school, and have a decreased ability to handle complex tasks (National Parent Information Network). Though teenage sleep deprivation is a big problem, some simple solutions such as rescheduling the school day to fit teenagers’ biological needs, setting consistent sleep schedules, and teaching children the importance of proper sleep habits can easily remedy this problem.
One of the many arising problems of America’s students is they are becoming sleep deprived. The busy daily schedules of children and teens are not allowing them to get enough sleep. “Less sleep is unhealthy especially with the new research that as teenagers move through teenage years, they need increasing amounts of sleep. Nine hours per night is the necessary amount to avoid behaviors associated with sleep deprivation” (Final Report Summary, 2001). Among other things, sleep deprivation is causing students to sleep during class instead of being awake and aware. When the students are sleeping in class, they are not retaining information being taught to them. Researchers have now proven that the majority of adolescents retain more information later in the day. Contrary to this information, America’s school systems are programmed to begin early in the day, which according to the sleep rhythms of most teenagers, they should still be sleeping.
A “mean girl” in high school once said, “raise your hand if you have ever been personally victimized by sleep deprivation,” or something to that effect. Lack of sleep among teenagers is becoming a serious problem in today’s world. Stanford Medicine News Center states that in a 2006 National Sleep Foundation poll, more than eighty-seven percent of high school students in the United States get less than the required eight to ten hours of sleep per night (Richter). That is a ridiculous amount of students who are willing to put themselves at risk for a number of different negative consequences just to get a few hours in the day back. Why are students so quick to deprive themselves of sleep, and what is going to happen if they continue to do so?
As a teen has to deal with school less sleep seem to be a good thing but sleep can affect mood, school,, and can lead to sadness and or depression. In school twenty-five percent of
Oprah was born on a farm in 1954 to a poor family. Winfrey enjoyed reciting African American poetry, and became known as the "little speaker" in her town. When she was 12, Winfrey won $500 for a speech she gave at her father 's church. From then on she wanted to "be paid to talk." When Winfrey was a teenager, her dream was put on hold. Some of the trusted men of her family began to sexually abuse her. She lashed out in anger at the world by lying to her mother, running away from home, and stealing. Unaware of what Winfrey was going through, her mother sent her away to live with her father. If her mother never sent her away, Oprah 's life would have been much different. At age 17, Oprah Winfrey won the Miss Black Tennessee beauty pageant and was offered an on-air job at WVOL, a radio station for the African American community in Nashville. Oprah continued to work at WVOL in her first years of college, but her broadcasting career was already taking off. She left school and signed on with a local television station as a reporter and anchor. In 1976, she moved to Baltimore to join WJZ-TV News as a co-anchor. There, she co-hosted her first talk show, People Are Talking, while continuing to serve as anchor and news reporter. In January 1984, she was invited to Chicago to host a half-hour morning program on WLS-TV. In less than a year, she turned AM Chicago into the hottest show in
Carlyle Smith, a professor of psychology at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario suggested yet another adverse effect of sleep deprivation. Students who studied hard all week and then stayed up all night partying on the weekend lost as much as 30% of what they had learned during the week.