Psychotherapists everywhere are worried that America — indeed,
much of the English-speaking viewing audience — may not be able to
cope in a post-Oprah world when she leaves her famous daily
television show this week after a quarter century of nurturing.
Yes, TV’s spiritual healer promises to appear periodically
on her own channel this fall, but it just won’t be the
same every afternoon. The nation will have nowhere to turn each day
when in need of a big hug. How will viewers be constantly inspired
by people who have turned their life around despite severe drug
addiction, bulimia, abusive parents, a cheating spouse, a murder
conviction, and a tendency to snack between meals?
Also troubling is the recent news that Katie Couric, Regis
Philbin, Mary Hart and Jim Lehrer are about to exit their
daily perches on television, leaving the country bereft of four
other friendly faces on TV at an unusually dark time. Many viewers
have not yet recovered from Larry King leaving his nightly CNN show
after 25 years. Even Barbara Walters is cutting back at 80. What
next, wonder distraught viewers — the resignation of Anderson
Cooper? That would be the final straw.
Oprah’s decision to abdicate her afternoon throne will
severely test the country’s ability to get through personal and
national crises on its own. Arnold Praxis, one of Oprah’s in-house
advisers, says that America has endured many blows in the past —
the Depression, World War II, 9/11, a recent end-of-the-world scare
— and will somehow struggle with the trauma of Winfrey’s departure
from afternoon TV after 4,561 shows, 48 million weekly viewers in
150 countries, and $2.7 billion in the bank.
“Oprah will still be there when we need her,” Praxis says
consolingly. “In case of a major national crisis, President Obama
has assured us that he will call upon her to administer to American
viewers in dire times and to help bind up the nation’s emotional
wounds.” Praxis pooh-poohs rumors that Winfrey has left her daily
show to accept a soon-to-be-created Cabinet post in the Obama
administration as Secretary of Empowerment & Life-Affirming
Experiences.
He acknowledges that the additional blow of Couric leaving
“The CBS Evening News,” Philbin’s departure from “Regis and Kelly”
and Mary Hart’s retirement from “Entertainment Tonight” has only
exacerbated Winfrey’s stunning decision to give up her daily
feel-good sessions to form a new network. Some theologians see it
as a grab for even more power and a threat to organized religion as
we know it.
Exclaims a theology teacher: “There has never been anybody
in the church with her influence since Billy Graham — or indeed
God, who had to be impressed when Oprah was named the third most
powerful woman on the planet. Not even the Almighty has His own
magazine, network book club and a Chicago street named for
Him.”
Shrinks, who have despaired over the years as former
patients turned in large numbers to Oprah’s show, are quietly
relieved that she will be leaving her daily stint as the nation’s
full-time therapist (and part-time minister). “She’s done a darn
fine job, even without a license to practice,” concedes
psychiatrist Gordon Prattle, “but we professionals finally feel
ready to take over from her. Oprah has taught us a lot and made us
believe in ourselves again. Like Oprah says, everybody’s story
matters, which is easy to forget when you’re dealing with some real
fruitcakes.”
Of overriding concern is the question of who the nation’s
women can turn to now when they need someone on TV to look out for
them and help them find their own passion. Dr. Phil, Dr. Laura and
Judge Judy are all superb at dishing out stern, no-nonsense,
straight-from-the-shoulder tough-love advice to America’s troubled
souls, yet none of them has the ability to shed a tear on cue, as
Oprah has done so feelingly for so long.
Phil, Laura and Judy simply have not been willing to share
their fears and secrets on national TV, which has made Oprah the
nation’s Big Sister (quite big at times). Oprah’s daily exit comes
at an unusually wrenching time for fanciers of human misery, what
with the two remaining network soap operas also shutting down for
good.
Only Our Lady of Perpetual Empathy has the ability to get
women nodding in unison by the millions and vowing to live the life
they want and be the best person they can be, to always look on the
bright side (as the old Monty Python song counsels), lose those 150
extra pounds, ditch that unresponsive husband, bond with that
sullen teenager; to further resolve, by golly, to charm those
unfriendly neighbors, angry in-laws and jealous siblings; and yes,
to make those dreams come true, find the right caring man for you
and eat fewer saturated fats.
