There's a lot of speculation in the biz about what will Oprah do next. The daytime talk show giant supposedly made up her mind recently and decided that her syndicated show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, would end its run in syndication and move to OWN, the Oprah Winfrey Network (formerly Discovery Health). An official announcement is anticipated before the end of the year, but is that really was Oprah has decided? Nobody knows for certain.
There are pros and cons on either side. The companies that syndicated her talk show stand to lose a significant asset if she wraps up the current incarnation and abandons the market. Think of all those afternoon hours around that country that count on Oprah at three or four o'clock, or the morning slots where Oprah leads in to noon newscasts. Companies like CBS Distribution and the Tribune Company have feasted on the robust ratings Oprah has consistently delivered.
Dr. Mehmet Oz has a new show debuting on September 14 (thanks Oprah!), and the show is going to be taped right next to the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon studio at NBC. Last night he gave Fallon a tour.
Oh, if you're wondering why Fallon is taking off surgical gloves at the start of the tip, he had just given Oz a rectal exam.
I haven't watched Oprah for years, but I'll be tuning in this week and maybe even recording the shows to watch again later. Why? Because she's got a bunch of shows I can really use!
After admitting to the world that her weight has crept back up to 200 lbs. (although if a celebrity says they weigh 200 lbs., really they weigh at least 220 lbs. - trust me on this), she's getting back on that wagon and taking that fat bull by the horns.
Here's the rundown for her "Best Life Week," day by day:
Monday, Jan. 5: Your Weight. To get back on track, Oprah talks about her diet, workout plan, and ways to put yourself back on the priority list. Her workout guy Bob Greene stops by to help us all out of a rut. I just joined a gym, so I'm completely on-board with this one.
There's a famous scene in The Godfather: Part III -- the only really memorable one -- where Michael Corleone says, "Just when I thought I was out... they pull me back in." I thought of that when I read that Oprah Winfrey may not be ending her talk show in 2011 after all. What? I thought it was a done deal, but no. Every time I think she's done, she's back again.
When asked by Access Hollywood about The Oprah Winfrey Show ending in 2011, Ms. W said, "I'm not done." Well, you sure could have knocked me over with a feather. I mean, really, I understand that it's a woman's prerogative to change her mind, but I really thought Oprah had other worlds to conquer, other fish to fry.
Recently, TV columnist Aaron Barnhart took note of the fact that Oprah Winfrey's show is sinking in the ratings. Her talk show, which is the centerpiece of her multimedia success -- a success that has made her the richest woman in show business -- has been losing ratings consistently for the last six months. At first blush, the politically minded of you might think it's because she endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, but I think it's more than that. After all, if anything, the vast amount of grassroots support that the Senator from Illinois has engendered might be a plus for Oprah rather than a minus.
Therefore, there have to be other factors to explain why Oprah's landmark TV talk show has lost its luster -- at least ratings-wise. I've come up with six possible reasons.
This marks a change from her usual relationship with CBS Television Distribution which distributes her own show as well as the spin-offs involving Doctor Phil and Rachael Ray. Dr. Oz is being perceived by many as a competitor to Dr. Phil, whose host's ethics have recently been in free-fall. CBS is already planning to launch its own spin-off of Doctor Phil called The Doctors.
Move over, Rachael Ray! Another Food Network bird is straying for the nest to try her wings in syndication. Southern diva Paula Deen is readying a daytime cooking show for syndication in 2009. She also following Rachael's lead by not giving up her secure and lucrative connection to Food Network. Her Paula's Home Cooking and Paula's Party programs will remain Food Network staples.
The challenge for Paula will be coming up with a show that's not simply an echo of her other two shows. Unlike Rachael, who does a full-fledged talk show with a cooking segment, Paula's new effort is being called a "cooking" show. That could be limiting.
There's a lot of speculation in the biz about what will Oprah do next. The daytime talk show giant supposedly made up her mind recently and decided that her syndicated show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, would end its run in syndication and move to OWN, the Oprah Winfrey Network (formerly Discovery Health). An official announcement is anticipated before the end of the year, but is that really was Oprah has decided? Nobody knows for certain.
I haven't watched 
There's a famous scene in The Godfather: Part III -- the only really memorable one -- where Michael Corleone says, "Just when I thought I was out... they pull me back in." I thought of that when I read that 
Recently, TV columnist Aaron Barnhart took note of the fact that 
It looks like Oprah is getting in bed with someone else, figuratively speaking. 
Move over, Rachael Ray! Another Food Network bird is straying for the nest to try her wings in syndication. Southern diva 
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