Syl Let's face it, England has Queen Elizabeth II and America has Oprah Winfrey. While she might be only a talk show hostess, she already commands a billion dollar empire which includes her show, magazine, radio station, television channel, etc. She is the first African American woman to be a billionaire but also represents those of us who strive to achieve as well. Oprah's show is expected to run it's course in 2011 and please say it isn't show. Can we imagine life without her show? Probably not, it wouldn't be same. I knew she was going to be big but as a success story when I first saw her after Color Purple and her academy award nomination. I never imagined her to be so successful beyond her wildest dreams. Oprah's show is always first rate most of the time. You may like her or dislike her but you can't avoid her show's influence and hers as well. Too bad, her film version of Beloved didn't win her an Academy Award because she deserved it. Oprah's book choices become best-sellers even though I disagree with some of her choices as too feminine and emotional. She chooses books that will make us better people. Enjoy her now while you still can because when she retires from her show, television would never be the same.

Axel Otterberg Okay, our dear Oprah is famous over the wide world now with her own TV-show "The Oprah Winfrey Show". I have watched it since -98 and I find it kind a fun. The guests she has is (almost) always interesting, she ALWAYS talks about topics that really are relevant. I met her for the first time in Chicago and I talked to her for about 15 minutes. I liked her very much, but in the end she acted like she was a very important person, and I mean a VERY Important person, which I disliked. But that doesn't have anything to do with her show. That's great and will always be. I remember when Nelson Mandela and Madonna were visiting the show, so interesting and so exciting! No TV-host have never had that kind of guest before. But if you find these guests kind of a boring thing, u can always listen to her own stories about her different diets for example. So, if I am going to rate this show I guess I'll have to give it a 4 out of 5. Yep!Keep up, Oprah!

dgordon-1 I started watching "Oprah" back in 1987 about a year after her talk show went national. At the time, her show was set up like Phil Donahue's, where she would have different topics, and go out into the audience to get their opinions on whatever the topic was. Her subjects ranged from weight loss to racial disharmony in America and everything in between. Whatever the subject, I always looked forward to tuning into her show. It offered thought provoking subjects, and was always entertaining to watch. Whether she was pleasantly plump or skinny, she was always "large & in charge" in my books! Oprah has always had a style about her that has not been matched by any other talk show hosts, back then and now. Her show changed in the mid '90s to be more of a hybrid of the classic talk shows like "The Dinah Shore Show", and "Merv Griffin", but with the flare of Oprah thrown in for good measure. At the time, there were something like 14 other talk shows with the "Phil Donahue format", so I don't blame her for wanting to change the direction of her show. I remember Oprah stating in an interview that she wanted to get away from the sensationalism of the other talk shows and offer something truly unique and inspiring. In true Oprah fashion, she pulled it off and has not suffered from a loss in ratings like what was predicted. Another point that makes Oprah stand out from the rest of the pack is her undying generosity. She was instrumental in starting up "Habitat for Humanity", and is involved with many other charities. Along with this, she helps writers to get their work known to the public by choosing them for Oprah's Book Club & she will do special things for her audience like invite them back for her Christmas special where they get lots of good stuff! In conclusion, I have always admired Oprah Winfrey, not only for what she has done for herself, but how she helps other people achieve their hopes and dreams as well. Whether she is on her talk show or in a movie, Oprah has won an emmy & academy award in my heart a long time ago!

GazPac I'm quite surprised by the number of negative comments here. By no means is The Oprah Winfrey Show perfect, but let's face it in this day and age with so much demeaning trashy crud on daytime TV, Oprah shines like a beacon. The Oprah show has had such an amazing effect on so many people's lives, and has provided information on so many varied topics in a concise, intelligent, positive manner we should be applauding her. Her post 9/11 shows were the perfect example of how TV should react to such devastating events. No scare mongering, but a forum for reaction and information in a loving, healing way.