Oprah Winfrey will say goodbye to her syndicated talk show after next year. AP photo
So Oprah Winfrey is closing down her Chicago-filmed talk show in 2011.
It's about time.
Good for you, Oprah
I'm not saying that to be snarky. Good for her, I say. I'm not sure I could host a talker for 25 years, no matter how much I like to yak. I think Winfrey's been ready to hang up the mic for years to pursue other interests and make billions of more dollars.
Seriously, why run a syndicated talk show when you can run an entire network?
Rumor has it she's going to devote her time to the Oprah Winfrey Network, the cable network she is starting with Discovery Communications. OWN, which was supposed to launch this year, is probably going to debut in 2011 now.
And who knows, Oprah just might resurface with a new show on the network. After all, that's the best way to assure OWN's success. The woman has the golden touch.
Way to go, O.
But what's good for Oprah is sad for Chicago. Some pundits are guessing that she'll leave the Windy City for the West Coast, where she already lives part-time. They suggest she could move Harpo Studios with her. That would be a huge loss for the city, which has only been helped by Oprah's presence here since she started her talker in 1986. (Harpo declined to comment Thursday, but a spokesman said Winfrey will make an announcement during her 9 a.m. Friday show on WLS-Ch. 7 in Chicago.)
Sure, it's fun to rip on the rich gal all the time. I've probably enjoyed it more than most. But you can't deny the woman her right to move on, no matter how much you'll miss her.
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4 Comments
Patricia Biesen said:
I agree, good for Oprah, bad for Chicago. It is rumored that Harpo Studios will remain and will have worker bees focused on some of O's projects. If it does leave completely I think the West Loop restaurant district will be hit really hard.
I think Oprah will enjoy having more freedom. I get the feeling that she really wants to bring spirituality more into the mainstream. You can only go so far with this on national tv. I could see her producing a cable channel with more spiritual shows (like if Wayne Dyer were to have a one hour show on her network or whatnot).
Curt Wagner said:
Yeah I think she can really get her message out, or messages, by influencing an entire network. Thanks for commenting.
KyleBennet said:
She should stay, if her staff all lives here in chicago its unfair to relocate, the studio that is.
PattiCake said:
OK again can someone really tell me who is OPRAH, I mean i've heard of her, been in her studio, seen her in the color purple, but I'm lost why does anyone cares she's leaving Chicago, I mean Yes she help people, done things for those in need, but isn't that a write off at the end of year! I'm just saying hell OPRAH can I get a new car, can you pay my debt off, and can I get about 25,000 those who may have receive such gifts as these may be the ones who will crack up in 2011....
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