Newsweek Tackles Oprah And Her "Cures"
By Marcus Gilmer in Arts & Entertainment on Jun 1, 2009 4:40PM
National magazine Newsweek has launched a volley against the Cult of the O. In their June 8 issues, their cover story is, "Why Health Advice on Oprah Could Make You Sick," covering the issues revolving around the lifestyle advice Oprah dispenses to her readers. It's the most skeptical take on Oprah we've seen from a mainstream publication in a while.
This is where things get tricky. Because the truth is, some of what Oprah promotes isn't good, and a lot of the advice her guests dispense on the show is just bad. The Suzanne Somers episode wasn't an oddball occurrence. This kind of thing happens again and again on Oprah. Some of the many experts who cross her stage offer interesting and useful information (props to you, Dr. Oz). Others gush nonsense. Oprah, who holds up her guests as prophets, can't seem to tell the difference. She has the power to summon the most learned authorities on any subject; who would refuse her? Instead, all too often Oprah winds up putting herself and her trusting audience in the hands of celebrity authors and pop-science artists pitching wonder cures and miracle treatments that are questionable or flat-out wrong, and sometimes dangerous.