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Oprah Winfrey Facts

Oprah Winfrey Facts
Oprah Winfrey is an American talk show host, actress, producer, and media mogul most famous for her talks show The Oprah Winfrey Show that aired from 1986 to 2011. Oprah Winfrey was born on January 29th, 1954, in Kosciusko, Mississippi, to Vernita Lee, a housemaid and single mother and spent her first six years with her maternal grandmother. Oprah's upbringing was difficult and she lived in poverty and was abused at the hands of relatives and a family friend. Despite her hardships Oprah was intelligent and a good student and became an honor student at East Nashville High School. She went on to study communication with a full scholarship. Her presence in the media began at a radio station WVOL. She worked her way to hosting her own show in 1986.
Interesting Oprah Winfrey Facts:
When Oprah began hosting A.M. Chicago she soon beat out the major competitor in that morning time slot - Phil Donahue.
Oprah was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the 1985 movie by Steven Spielberg, The Color Purple.
Oprah Winfrey refused to succumb to the trashy talk show format that as becoming popular in the 1990s and vowed to avoid tabloid topics. Despite a drop in ratings initially they came back up because her audience respected her decision.
Oprah has gained attention for her successful attempts to lose weight but she has had a difficult time keeping it off. Those who truly admire her don't care about her fluctuating weight and continue to watch her shows.
Oprah Winfrey's production company is her name spelled backwards - HARPO.
Oprah Winfrey is responsible for launching the careers of many other TV personalities in addition to her own, including Dr. Oz, Dr. Phil, Gayle King, and Nate Berkus.
Oprah is on the cover of every issue of her magazine named "O: The Oprah Magazine".
Oprah started the "Oprah's Book Club" as part of her talk show, and helped many authors to gain attention for their work.
In an interview with Lance Armstrong, a celebrated Tour de France winner, he admitted to Oprah about using drugs to enhance his performance. He had been stripped of his titles because of doping charges and owned up to it on her show.
Oprah Winfrey has been called the richest African American of the 20th century by Forbes magazine.
Oprah Winfrey was called the most influential woman of her generation by Life magazine.
Oprah Winfrey was called the Greatest Black Philanthropist in America's history by Business Week in 2005.
Oprah Winfrey has raised more than $50 million for charities and has built schools for girls in Africa, is an activist for children's rights, and helped to pass a law that puts child abusers' names into a database.
Oprah Winfrey was the first recipient, in 2002, of the newly established Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Bob Hope Humanitarian Award.
Oprah Winfrey was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in November 2013, for the contributions she has made to her country.


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