Thursday, January 26, 2006

Must See TV

Today Oprah Winfrey reportedly addressed the James Frey situation, and the overall quality of her programming:

"I feel duped," she said. "I don't know what is true and I don't know what isn't"

On the bright side, with qualifications like that, she may be getting a call from the Star Tribune when they decide they need a few more layers of editors.

To be fair, you have to give credit to Ms. Winfrey for standing up and taking responsibility for her most public of mistakes. That's something you'll never see from the likes of Mary Mapes, Jim Boyd, Kate Parry, etc.

Oprah even gives an apology, sort of:

I gave the impression that the truth does not matter," Ms. Winfrey said. "I made a mistake." To all of the viewers who called and wrote to her telling her she was wrong to allow Mr. Frey to maintain that his book reflected the "essential truth" of his life even though substantial details were falsified, Ms. Winfrey said, "You are absolutely right."

We accept her apology. And as long as she's opening up the veins, maybe a few more overdue apologies will be on their way for other broadcasting frauds:

The Police Chief of New Orleans on babies being raped in the Superdome

Leonardo DiCaprio on global warming

Presidential candidate Al Gore, on being a successful, sensitive, middle-aged professional who really, really loves his wife

Oprah's Book Club Fleece Throw

(Although that last one sounds like an appropriate premium for anyone conned into buying Frey's book based on Oprah's recommendation).

I'll also accept an advance apology for tomorrow's show, summarized on her web site as:

A passionate affair. Two gorgeous men in love. It's the movie everyone is buzzing about.

Ah, James Frey, if you'd only have added a couple of gay cowboys to your story, you'd still be the toast of day time TV.

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