Oprah's African School - Too Much Coverage & Self Promotion?- Page 3

[Elphaba]

Posted: 2/27/07 at 12:44am

exactly as Borstal says.

She is helping girls who would otherwise have no hopes for an education. She can be as self-serving as she wants, but you all have to realize the importnat part......the girls she is helping. That is all that matters

[Elphaba]

Posted: 2/27/07 at 12:48am

"I would be more inclined to support the idea of this school if it was not a girls only leadership academy. Why not just a school for boys AND girls?"

I suggest you take the time to learn the role of women in Africa, and how women are treated in Africa...THAT is why it's a girls only school.
Do you read the papers? Do you know that a woman is basically no more than property in much of Africa?
This country is so self-centered that it's disgusting

[Kringas]

Posted: 2/27/07 at 9:53am

Oprah donates more to charity than any other show business celebrity. Listed as the 235th richest American (in 2005), she was the 32nd most philanthropic.

I can't decide what's more laughable. Chastising the woman for how she does her undeniably good works, or pissing and moaning that she's not giving her money what some of you deem the right causes. Absolutely astounding.
Bio Brief: Oprah Winfrey

[DG]

Posted: 2/27/07 at 9:57am

I agree, Kringas. I keep trying to laugh at people who have nothing better to do than find some perceived fault, but it's difficult at times.

I thought the special was astounding.

[Kringas]

Posted: 2/27/07 at 10:01am

After a while one does have to wonder what other factors are at play here for her to engender such hostility for giving her own money away. Is it that she's a woman? A black woman? A single woman? Something else has to be stuck in the craw of these sourpusses.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 2/27/07 at 10:09am

I hope everyone takes the time to watch this special.

I've been told it will repeat on Saturday.
I plan to record it and will watch it whenever I need to be reminded about GOOD in the world!

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 2/27/07 at 10:24am

I dont care why she had a special about this, but I suspect it was to promote the cause, not herself...if there was self promotion involved, fantastic. She deserves it.

I cried for these girls, first for their struggles, and in the end for their joy.

The final sentences were about how each of us could get involved...perhaps that is why she wanted to do the special...maybe she would like all of us to feel what she is feeling.

Those questioning her motives for changing the lives of hundreds of girls who ONLY had hope on their side has me befuddled.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 2/27/07 at 10:26am

It's a wonderful example of how someone can use their 'celebrity' and public platform for GOOD.

True GOOD.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 2/27/07 at 10:34am

I bet you people would have criticized Audrey Hepburn for "self-promotion" when she "posed" with those starving children in Africa.

Sheesh.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 2/27/07 at 10:40am

I heard Audrey stormed out of the shoot because they were skinnier than her.

...and she knew that she wasnt as good as Julie Andrews as Eliza.

[lildogs]

Posted: 2/27/07 at 10:45am

First, the bible hasn't got a monopoly on the proper form of charity--she doesn't have to follow its rules on giving.

She does alot more than I've ever done for others and she IS a television personality with advertising time to sell. It IS a show. And she accomplishes three goals: she helps the less fortunate, she raises awareness and she pays her bills--what more could you want?

She also encourages reading, which I think is ALWAYS a good thing.

Scoff all you like, I think she's a great American.

[sidjones09]

Posted: 2/27/07 at 11:09am

If you watched the special, and you still think that Oprah is a self-promoter that has a hidden personal agenda behind the charitable things that she does, I would love to hear about it.

The special, and the lives of those girls speak for themselves IMO.

[Kringas]

Posted: 2/27/07 at 12:00pm

Elphie was right. No good deed goes unpunished.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 2/28/07 at 11:21am

Oprah is doing a marvelous thing. Those young women were all incredible. I sobbed through the entire show. It must have pained her to get the number down to 132 students. What an amazing journey for Oprah. I love Oprah but my mind does boggle, as it is hard for me to wrap my mind around having that much power to make all of that happen. It is stunning and hard to believe.

Everyone needs to watch the special on Saturday-it will amaze you. I have no idea why it aired at 10pm. It needs to be show earlier and in every class room in America to children who throw tantrums b/c mom and dad wont let them eat @ McDonalds everyday.

Those young women were astounding.

[DG]

Posted: 2/28/07 at 11:26am

"I have no idea why it aired at 10pm. It needs to be show earlier and in every class room in America to children who throw tantrums b/c mom and dad wont let them eat @ McDonalds everyday."

AMEN! And I had exactly the same thought about the airtime. I believe the airing on Saturday is at 8PM, though (at least, I'm hoping!)

And I wouldn't say that just kids need to see it to get a sense of perspective - 'entitlement' is not something that just they seem to be mired in!

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 2/28/07 at 12:49pm

I taped it and most likely will watch it sometime this evening.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 2/28/07 at 2:10pm

Actually, what I had thought is that the school and its young women would make an enthralling series-getting to know these young woman and watching them mature. Maybe not as a series, but with installment visits, like the documentary guy who made the British series where he visited the same group at various points in their life.