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* It’s Friday, we’ve had a long, emotional week, so let’s lighten it up a bit.
The Question: Will you miss Oprah Winfrey’s Chicago-based TV show when it ends in 2011? Why or why not?
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 12:36 pm
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No, it’ not for me. Like American Idol, Oprah wears thin in about 10 minutes. To each his own.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 12:38 pm
I may in the minority on the planet, but I’ve never sat down and actually watched it. I won’t miss it at all.
But, I have friends and family who work for Harpo directly or indirectly, so it will be a blow to them and Chicago if the show goes completely ‘poof’. But from what I read, she may reinvent herself on cable, so maybe not much will change on the production side of things.
Comment by Team America Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 12:44 pm
I don’t watch her show, so on that level, she could broadcast from the moon and I wouldn’t care one way or the other.
Still, it is kind of a downer for Chicago to lose a major national production, though. Like her or not, Oprah is a Chicago icon. I guess it’s sort of like losing a corporate HQ, it is still a net loss for Chicago’s image.
But she’s right, Chicago is cold in the winter. If I had her sweet place in CA, you’d never see me here much except for Cubs games, and even then only until mid-July when they tank. Plus, you can order Carson’s Ribs and Vienna hot dogs for delvery to Montecito these days, too, so once I win the lotto…
Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 12:46 pm
Who is Oprah?
Comment by Moving to Oklahoma Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 12:47 pm
The economic windfall TO this city and the worldwide positive PR OF this city from the years of Oprah filming here is incalculable. I think we will all miss that when it is gone after 2011.
Comment by Responsa Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 12:48 pm
Oprah’s decision to locate Harpo Studios on W. Randolph St. sparked a huge economic boom in that region. I’m not a fan of her show, but I worship her business abilities and greatly admire the economic impact she’s had on Chicago. So, yes, I will miss her. A lot.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 12:59 pm
Good riddance. She is a phony.
Comment by nice kid Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 1:04 pm
47th Ward how dare you forget to mention the ability to have Giordano’s pizza shipped as well!
On the oprah issue I mirror Rich’s sentiment with the additional comment that my mother loves to watch her show as well; and so I will miss her for the joy her show used to bring my mother as well.
Comment by Ghost Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 1:05 pm
It’s not clear to me that Harpo Studios is shutting down. They do a lot more out of there than her show. I’m guessing she’ll still be producing stuff out of there.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 1:05 pm
I will miss Oprah. She’s GREAT!!!!! She is so kind and giving. She really did a lot to put Chicago on the map. A Chicago icon of her type will be hard to find.
Comment by Will County Woman Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 1:09 pm
Thanks Ghost,
Giordano’s ships too? Why does anyone still live here?
Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 1:14 pm
Does this mean we get Phil Donahue back? and That Girl too
Comment by Pat collins Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 1:16 pm
No way no day. Never have liked the show and therefore will not miss it a bit. I’m actually excited for it to be over so I don’t have to listen to my mom and my teacher friends yap about it all the time.
Comment by TTL, III Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 1:16 pm
So did Springer ever leave?
Comment by OneMan Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 1:20 pm
47th, I know! I’m not saying, im just saying.
Comment by Ghost Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 1:22 pm
Harpo Studios did help the near west Loop tremendously, I know people who worked there before and after, and it is such a better area to work now. The garbage has been picked up, security is better, loitering by people who were up to no good is down tremendously. Harpo Studios has helped that neighborhood a lot.
I work during the day and never have watched her show, so no I won’t miss it.
Comment by Third Generation Chicago Native Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 1:30 pm
I will miss her being such a preeminent Chicago icon. As far as the show goes, I am always at work when it is on… reading CapFax.
Comment by Obamarama Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 1:37 pm
Rich, you are 100% correct with your comment about Harpo sparking economic development in that area. I’ve been in one of those lofts nearby - they’re absolutely beautiful. To specifically answer your question though - no, I won’t miss her show. Not because of anything against Oprah. Talk shows just aren’t my thing, that’s all.
Comment by Response Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 1:39 pm
Springer and Steve Wilkos are filming their shows in Connecticut these days I do believe. That’s where they were talking about going.
As for Oprah. I’m not really a fan of her show. Her show has definitely made her a lot of money and a by product of that is she’s used her money to help thru charitable giving. She gave to Morehouse College I do believe.
Still I would miss the show if only to say that we’ll lose another TV production company and can only hope that someone will replace the old Harpo Studios in the future.
Comment by Levois Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 1:39 pm
“OneMan - Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 1:20 pm:
So did Springer ever leave?”
No, I believe he is still sitting alone at a table at a bar on Rush, trying to get people to recognize him.
Comment by OdysseusVL Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 1:45 pm
The only thing i’ll miss is that Joe Laiacona’s book “Becoming a Slave: The Theory & Practice of Voluntary Servitude” wont have a chance to be in Oprah’s Book Club.
Comment by GOP4EVER Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 1:45 pm
I have really conflicting views on this. When I’ve seen her show, I always thought it bordered on the arrogant — as if she was looking down on the people on her show or in the audience. However, when I used to live near where she did, she always seemed very nice while walking her dogs.
Harpo did do wonders for that area, and we all should appreciate it.
Comment by OdysseusVL Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 1:47 pm
I’m with Rich, she means as much to me as ESPN matters to my grandmother, which is to say nothing, but it was good for the city and you have to admire her life story.
Comment by shore Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 1:49 pm
Nope, never watched her show, so can’t say that I will miss it.
To be honest, the most I’ve seen of her show is the occasional reference on The Soup or the crazy video online of her audience members freaking out over new cars.
Comment by TJ Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 1:53 pm
no. i did like her ok enough but it ended for me, in one event…..Hermes. Her arrogance at the staff of that store in Paris not keeping the store open for her was totally out of bounds. She called it her “Crash” moment, promised to do an entire show on it. she did not. what happened? was she lured to silence with a Birkin bag? she showed herself to be way over the top when it comes to daily things. Hermes bags cost from $5000 to over $20,000. the fact that she complained about it, and turned it into a quasi racial incident, without backing up her allegations, was nonsense. and, of course, don’t get me started about her support for Obama. NOPRAH indeed.
Comment by Amalia Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 1:53 pm
The jobs likely to be lost at Harpo from production technical people to show producers to security guards are obvious. Other economic benefits to Chicago that will be missed when Oprah goes dark are: the celebs and their entourages large and small who regularly came to town to appear on her show and while here patronized local eateries, clubs and top hotels; The audience members who drove in from Keokuk and Minneapolis and Akron, or flew in from Manchester or Boulder —and stayed overnight, took cabs, ate several meals, took in a theatre production, and shopped on State Street and the Mag Mile while they were in town. All this multiplied over 25 years. Regardless of how they might feel about the show itself, to see so many folks posting here appear to be so oblivious to, and lackadaisical about, the loss of business and tax revenue for the city of Chicago is sort of stunning.
Comment by Responsa Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 2:06 pm
Did I miss something? I mean, who’s Oprah?
Comment by Deep South Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 2:11 pm
Can’t miss something you have never watched.
Comment by Dan S, a voter and Cubs Fan Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 2:19 pm
Yes, I will miss Oprah. She is an amazing woman who overcame a lot in life to find herself as one of the most powerful people in the world who has strong values and faith. She does a lot of good for a lot of people.
Comment by 2010 Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 2:20 pm
I have watched parts of the show two or three times when I happened across it while flipping through channels, never all the way through. I am not the target market, and Oprah’s existence rarely crosses my consciousness. So, everyone else’s opinions are no less valid, but I don’t think I’ll notice her more, starting now.
Comment by Thomas Westgard Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 2:37 pm
Twenty five years.
Gunsmoke only lasted twenty, and it had a lot more social insight than Oprah!
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 2:59 pm
I don’t know what I am going to do with Oprah not on TV anymore!
How am I going to know what to read, who else to listen to for good advice, and otherwise just how to live. Oprah is more than a TV show, she is a lifestyle! This could be a turning point in humanity!
Did anyone ever notice she decided to quit in 2011 and not 2012 or 2013?
I bet she has one of those secret rocket ships to go to space when the Earth ends in 2012:)
Comment by Richard Afflis Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 3:33 pm
I work for a living, so I never watch her. Couldn’t care less.
Comment by trafficmatt Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 3:49 pm