Ok, she didn’t really say that, but I’m not an Oprah fan so you’ll forgive me for spinning the title. Oprah spent $40 million on the “Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls” in South Africa. She hand picked 152 students from among the 3,500 applications she received. When asked why she didn’t build a big school in the US for the kids that need help at home, she said that they wanted material stuff instead so screw ’em.
But the talk show queen is ticked that people aren’t appreciating her generosity, and says Americans would just waste a golden opportunity to get a good education at her expense. “I became so frustrated with visiting inner-city schools [in the U.S.],” she tells Newsweek. “If you ask the kids what they want or need, they will say an iPod or some sneakers. In South Africa, they don’t ask for money or toys. They ask for uniforms so they can go to school.” But that didn’t stop Oprah from including a yoga studio and beauty salon in the plush girls’ school.
Doesn’t Oprah contribute to our materialist culture with crap like her “favorite things” and “most expensive shit” shows? I’ve seen her fawning over handbags and acting like it’s heaven to taste thousands of dollars worth of chocolate on her show. Who is she to complain?
somehow, I don’t believe that Oprah has asked every inner city child if they’d like an education. I’ll agree that alot of them are materialistic, but there are a select few in inner-city school kids who are really trying to do well in school and get out of the bad situation that they are living in. my mother works in a school like this, and she tells me stories of kids who work hard enough to win scholarships to go to good private schools (since their city’s high schools are tough and they have no other choice of public school) so that they will have a better chance at getting into a good college and staying away from the crime in the bad schools. Oprah can surely help these kids who are willing to work hard… and anyway, do (non-celebrity-adopted) afican children even know what an iPod is? it seems like an unfair question for Oprah to ask…
It’s her money. She should spend it whereever and however she wants.
I think she should have done both. Give to inner city schools and the other. I agree with her though. Modern children have NO idea what a education even is and take it for granted completely. I know I did. Lucky for me I had parents who were constantly teaching me. Not everyone has that and kids in other places would give anything for the opportunity a lot of children here have. That said. Inner City Schools NEED HELP TOO!
Couldn’t she have made a school that more of those 3,500 applicants could go to instead of one with a salon and yoga that only 152 hand picked mini-O’s could attend? Seems like an awfully stupid way to spend HER money. Wonderful, an elistist class amongst the pitifully poor in South Africa…. just what the country needs.
Her fake eyelash is falling off… spend a couple $ on some more glue Oprah, and teach those special 152 girls how to put their fake lashes on correctly in their new fancy salon.
I was wondering when this would happen, a celebrity would atually say why they what to flock to the third world. I’m not so impressed by her school. I think she could utilize her money in a different way.
I’m a teacher. I do see where they get that notion in a way, but you can’t give up on your own. It seems a bit stuck up to me. She diidn’t just take anybody, she picked certain girls.
I kind of see where she’s coming from though. I read an article about this on People and she said that she got tired of writing checks and not seeing a physical reward, so she wanted to build this school for eager students and that she’s building a house for for herself at the school so she can be with them. I can’t judge her reasons for spending her money the way she does, but I think it is a pretty neat idea. She said that the yoga area and beauty salons were bc these girls have never been told that they are beautiful and frankly, How cool would it be to be one of those little girls, huh? That would be a dream come true if they really want an education the way O says. You get your education, a famous lady fawns over you, and you can do your hair in all kinds of pretty ways. Sounds like a blast. She’s also going to fund them going to college anywhere in the world. Sweet deal.
Oprah’s has a big mouth but she has a big wallet to match. Charity begins at home. I think Oprah’s like a lot of black American’s. They hate themselves and think the African’s are somehow “purer” since they weren’t slaves. What Oprah doesn’t realize is that real good can be accomplished if somehow, a successful inner child school is achieved in the USA. Team USA Oprah baby. Oh yea, give me an iPod, and a new pair of sneakers!
PS, Oprah’s still ugly!
Yeah, right. The schools in the U.S. are not the problem. Those kids walk into their elementary schools and High Schools as full-out criminals. Their home environment is what the problem is (as if it is a teacher’s job to raise a child.)
Oprah, God bless you. Africa needs infrastructure. American needs morals.
Wow, Mr. T, are you off base! As an American black woman, I am offended by your incorrect categorical representation of black Americans and our feelings about Africans. Maybe do some research next time before exposing your ignorance?
I think that fuller context is needed before judging Oprah’s actions based upon that article. Sensational news is often made of a single comment taken out of context. If she did say that about American students, let’s not forget all of the good Oprah has done with her Angel Network in the states in years past. She has often given money/supplies to teachers or schools.
I do think that the criticism about Oprah’s own materialism is valid, though. I want to barf every time the audience loses its collective mind when she does the giveaways for Oprah’s Favorite Things.
American (sic) America. Excuse me.
This paired with the narcissism article is an interesting combination. How you spend your money shows a lot about who you are.
There is a strong connection in our culture between material things and power. When a child says they want an ipod or sneakers rather than an education it’s because they know that having those things raises their status amongst their peers. For a lot of these kids an education doesn’t eliminate their immediate hopelessness. Instead it’s seen as a long hard road that could end them right back at the starting gate anyway. Some cool toys would make a big difference quicker. Oprah is being short-sighted if she’s misinterpreting this.
Julie–again a great comment:).
And as to our materialistic culture, I have only one thing to say: “YOU get a car, and YOU get a car and YOU get a car!!!”.. Please, she’s just irked because nobody is kissing her ass ALL the time for her generosity. I’m not bashing her for it but she’s a self-serving cow first and foremost. Oprah is about Oprah, period. Who else would name a magazine after herself and pose for the cover EVERY month?
I feel that Oprah is free to spend her money any way she wants, and that it’s great that she’s using it to help other people. However, I feel like she could use her money a lot more efficiently. $40 million is a lot of money that I think could be used to help a lot more than 152 kids. Having a yoga studio and beauty salon is great, but I’d rather have more kids in the school. Imagine how many more children’s educations she could pay for with that money.
As for her statement on why she would rather help African kids, I felt it was an unwise thing to say. She doesn’t have to justify how she uses her money, especially when it’s given to charity. Why not just say: “I founded a school in Africa and not in the US because I just felt like it?” She didn’t need to rag on American kids.
omgg I cant believe people would even think to bash oprah. You should all shut ur mouths and mind ur own buisness she worked for that money and wants to help her people in africa. She helped americans out enough. 100 yrs ago african american were slaves by ameraica and now they want her money. HOW PATHTHIC!!!
she did the rite thing she helped out the people that needed it most. If your born in america ur gifted enough!
think before u speak
Oh man, it should be illegal to hate a beyotch like I do her. Anybody who purports “compassion” but serves veal and foie gras at her 50th anniversary—the 2 most cruelest foods on earth, and TOGETHER, as if on purpose!?—deserves no thanks. She got rich off americans, and fat off of tortured animals. let her be hated, it’s long overdue.
You cannot blame kids for being impressionable by our giant media machine. Tell Oprah to stop glamorizing hollywood and celebrity and maybe these kids will stop. cunt.
Doesn’t she own several houses throughout these United States?
If she wants to practice what she preaches, she needs to sell her shit and move into a thatch hut with a dirt floor in South Africa.
Can’t stand her. Another one that needs to go away.
She’s allowed to enjoy herself. She never claimed to be a martyr–it’s still generous of her to spread her money and time around to others. We’re not asking Bill and Melinda Gates to live in a cave.
It’s hard to make a dent in the US, and building a group of confident women who can really give back to the community may be more effective than educating a lot of students to a lesser level.
hey wzup with u all?it’s her money and she does what she wants,right?who are we to judge her!I don’t like her but who am I to bad mouth her?I guess instead of being so pissed off about all that money she has we need to just mind our own biusness and who knows maybe we would one day make that kinda money too…happy new year and stop sweating it out guys!!!
Americans, Americans, Americans, always running your mouths off without fully understanding context. Don’t believe everything you read, especially not from questionable news sources. I’m a black South African woman and I applaud Oprah. Americans live in a FIRST WORLD COUNTRY with all the opportunities they want/ need, but they’re roo damn busy bringing other people down/ eating McD’s to take those opportunities. Those 152 hand-picked girls come from the type of poverty Americans don’t even know is possible. Even Jay Z was shocked at how poor we are here compared to in the black American ghettoes. O’s going to enrol around 450 DIRT POOR girls into the school eventually and then open a school for boys in another part of the country. You all hate on Oprah, but there are 100’s of other entertainers who don’t do jack shit for anybody else – why not look to them to ffund inner-city schools? And besides, I’d much rather have O open a school than adopt one of our children.
America may be a first world country, but there is plenty of “third world”-type poverty here. Just because the average quality of life here is better than in Africa doesn’t mean that there aren’t people here that are starving and underprivileged. Just sayin’.
Another proof that Oprah can be a narcissic persona. Taking money using a materialistic on one hand and blaming the material things while giving things with the other hand.
I think Mr.T is right. I think she is one of those African Americans who doesn’t like herself. They cater whites and often marry them because they don’t like being black.(Tiger Woods etc.) I don’t think it’s becasue they see Africans as being pure because slavery. That’s the way Africans see us over here. I’ve have some relatives like this. I find it more so in the dark skinned blacks. I’m light skinned. Why you see a black man married to a white woman he is always dark. They want to lighten up their line. I’m an African American woman and I love being black. I’ve never been that way.
Mr. T are you black by the way?
white men go with white girls as the easier to manipulate than black ‘headstrong’ girls. Also, sorry to say this, but some black girls are pure headache.
have you noticed that these white girlf friends are a certain type?
as much as some darker races desire to be fairer, so some caucasions desire to be more black.
You don’t need to insult Tiger Woods. Both him and Oprah are intelligent, well-educated and CLASSY. As if being upper-class makes them white or trying to be white. No, it makes them upper-class.
As if being poor or undereducated is some type of virtue. It isn’t. Virtue makes you work for your money and if you don’t have enough, make changes in your life.
This has nothing to do with race. There are upper and lower class people in ALL races. Enough said.
Country babe, I appreciate your comments. I have a black heart that’s for sure. God bless James Brown, now there is a role model for blacks if there ever was one!
Wow- there are a lot of haters here. As much as you all may hate Oprah- she came from a very poor and worked her way up to where she is today, with no help from anyone. She pursued her own education and pursuits. She’s been doing this for over 25 years and she’s entitled to spend her money however she wants and that includes herself. You all are talking about how she should help people here- she was the first celebrity and possibly the one of the first organizations to help out Katrina victims- who else provided homes to those displaced. She started the Angel Network before she had she shows about her favorite things and giving away big gifts. Bottom line is that she is putting her money where she feels it will make the most impact- she knows exacttly how her money will be used- there is no public school admin red tape. What I find amazing is that she is one of the few celebrities that tries to make a difference with her wealth and she gets a bad wrap for it. Besides- what do you think those boarding schools are like for rich kids- they are probably just as lavish if not more and we all know those places with those extremely rich parents don’t give a damn about proverty and AIDS stricken kids in the US.
GOD BLESS Oprah!
Well, nothing wrong with giving money to charity, that’s what we all should do on this days. But, what i found repulsive it’s when they make it public, it’s like they need the world to know, like: “OK i’ll give you some of my money, but you’ll put my picture right in the middle of the bills” So hypocrite!
NYSailor Scout, Tiger Woods couldn’t even say what race he was, when he is blacker than I am, you know that’s sad. Tiger and Oprah both have a BA, so what I’ve got one too.
And why do white folks love “classy black people” better than regular black people?
Disco bitch you’re right, they do see it is easier to manipulate a white woman after they get with her. Back women are used to striving, they’ll put a man down in a minute and go it alone.
Thanks Mr. T, you know the score. I remember hearing James Brown say that, I was so glad, because like I said most black celebrities try to be white.
Tiger Woods wouldn’t say that he was black? I didn’t know that.
White folks like “classy” black people better because they don’t have to take their race into account above a certain refinement level. It’s just easier.
“White folks like “classy” black people better because they don’t have to take their race into account above a certain refinement level.”
Sorry NYSailorScout, I don’t understand what you mean. Would you mind explaining that more clearly?