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| Photo credit: Harpo Studios. |
Love her or hate her, Oprah’s impact is undeniable. And now, after 25 years at the helm of a groundbreaking talk show, Oprah Winfrey is moving on.
I first laid eyes on Oprah back in 1984 when she co-anchored the channel 7 Eyewitness News in Chicago with Joel Daly. Shortly thereafter, she took over a local TV show called AM Chicago.
Oprah, with her tiny Afro, perfect diction, infectious spirit, and her willingness to just be herself in front of the camera, quickly won the hearts of her viewers. Within a year of Oprah’s arrival, AM Chicago shot to number one and in 1986, the program was rechristened The Oprah Winfrey Show.
When the Oprah Show was filmed at WLS-TV studios at 190 North State Street, near the corner of State and Lake in downtown Chicago, I often ran into Oprah on the streets. On one occasion, Oprah was wearing a purple coat with an elegant cape and black boots. Her lush head of hair was perfectly coiffed in a traditionally overtop 80’s hairdo.
One day as we both crossed State Street - I going west and Oprah headed east - I said, “Good morning Oprah.” “Good morning to you, too! How are ya’?” Oprah replied.
It wasn’t what Oprah said, but her reaction to my greeting, that has stuck with me for years. Oprah’s eyes lit up with a friendliness that is often reserved for close acquaintances and long lost friends. The same realness I experienced while watching Oprah’s shows, was present during our face to face encounter on a busy Chicago street. I was impressed.
In the late 80’s, my sister and I attended our first and only Oprah Show taping. All of Oprah’s guests were ex-wives of celebrities. One of the women on the panel was comedian Richard Pryor's ex-wife. The only reason I remember her, is because she kept staring at me in a rather flirtatious manner. I couldn’t have been more than 17 or 18-years-old at the time.
During the commercial breaks, Oprah casually laughed and joked with the audience. I felt like I was sitting in Oprah’s living room. The atmosphere was calm and familiar.
One of the commercials that aired during the taping was a spot for Devry Institute. Oprah asked us if we thought Devry was a legitimate school and talked about doing an investigative show on Devry’s graduates. Several audience members offered differing opinions of the school.
When the show was over, everyone in the audience stood in line to shake Oprah’s hand and get her autograph. My sister still has her copy of O’s signature.
Throughout her 25-year reign over daytime TV, Oprah has inspired millions of viewers to “live their best lives”. Whether that meant losing weight, following a dream, getting out of a bad relationship or overcoming child abuse, Oprah was the little angel on our shoulders whispering, “You can do it”.
Through the magic of television, Oprah became a mother to the motherless, a friend to the friendless, and a voice for the voiceless. Oprah’s words of encourage were like a daily dose of medicine for millions of weak and weary souls.
Even though she will still be on TV via the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), the absence of Oprah’s daily visits are sure to leave a void even the moon itself, cannot fill.
Yes. 25 years may have come and gone, but Oprah’s story is still unfolding.
Vintage footage of Oprah's humble Chicago beginnings:
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