Posted on 12/04/2004 8:41:18 AM PST by xp38
You got something to say...why don't you spit it out instead of hiding behind insults.
Oh, come on. Don't be so thin skinned. :P
You know exactly why I said what I said. It would have just been stating the obvious.
Since you insist, though, why should Oprah give her money to anyone? She earned it, it's hers. :P
And if she wants to talk GM into giving away free Pontiacs, then why should we complain, outside of the fact that it promotes her kooky personality cult?
Actually, GMC gave the cars to Oprah...she didn't pay for them herself, so I am sure the cars are covered by warrenty. Who the hell would crab about some rich person, finally, giving something away? A person can do what they want with their money, spend it, give it away, whatever. Some of the people in the audience probably really needed those cars. I do not like Oprah in general but I see nothing wrong with this or see where it is sending the wrong message. On the other hand, swan and similar shows have very bad messeages indeed.
And remember, Oprah s did say that GM gave the cars. They didn't cost her a dime. I'm 99% sure I heard that right. Anybody know? I suspect that most of her give aways are provided by the manufacturers as advertising on her far reaching show.
She did use her money when she went to Africa last year and prpbably does in other similar situations.
I'm sort of on the fence about all that. Material things are not big on my list, but there is something nice about seeing people in need provided for. I don't think it is mandatory to be Christian to be used by God. If He uses Oprah to help some people, that has to be a good thing. I think.
Sure, give aways are great ratings generators. But even that is part of the cycle. High ratings generate the money that provides the way for philanthopy. If she had bombed all those 19 years ago, lot's of needs may not have been met. Or would He have used someone else. Probably.
It seems to be circular. God provides the means, and prepares the heart of the giver. Maybe in the vastness of the give aways there is the Lord, directing some of it to His glory.
I have to do some more thinking on the subject but I promise to do it in my prayer closet. I've thrown out some thoughts. Maybe some of you can sort through this mess and show me the light.
philantophy = philanthropy
See post #23 about the car give-away. Gm donated them. Some of the people who received them were truly needy but that made it even more difficult to pay the taxes due. Maybe Oprah could've paid those taxes for them? And I really doubt that very many of the people in her studio audiences who receive the gifts are needy.
As I said before, I don't care that she has these shows but I don't consider them true charity on her part. I think that her visits to Africa and the giving there may qualify as charity.
=== TV always has had instant-prize programs. In the '50s, Queen For A Day asked the studio audience to pick which contestant had the most pathetic life -- and then reward them with a recliner.
My grandma came in second and only got a vacuum cleaner, I think.
So they grovel for the scraps thrown to them from the table of the Masters. Next they will be kissing their feet. Have these people no dignity, no self respect, no shame?!
These are the gods' of Liberals.
oh
And hard work and perseverance takes a back seat to TV jackpots and giveaways. It sends a completely wrong message to those who are struggling to make ends meet.
Muleteam1
Muleteam1
The prizes were very domestic. I was a kid, we "played" Queen for a Day, for me, it was all about the robe.
You are correct sir. Oprah was giving away GM's money...which was good advertising on the behalf of GM. Oprah provided the means, GM the ends...
As others have pointed out, the "gift" was not as generous as one would think, considering that Uncle Sam wants to collect the $5000+ taxes on those cars before the people can take them home!!!!
If these people couldn't afford the payments on a new car, I seriously doubt they have $5000 on hand to pay the IRS... It would be interesting to see just how many people were able to actually keep the cars...
Not really.
When I heard about Oprah giving away the cars, my first reaction was, "Why doesn't cheap-as$$ GM give away the cars? They're getting all this free advertising because of Oprah's good will. I sure hope she got a good quantity discount from them."
I'd be willing to bet that, to this day, half of America still thinks she gave away the cars, not GM.
As proof, this latest giveaway. Who's giving away, Oprah or the manufacturers? I don't know, do you?
With stories like those today, they'd get a book deal and a possible made-for-TV movie.
Thanks for the photo and the memory jolt. It was about the crown too. I forgot that the show was so much about the misery story. I gusss it didn't do too much damage, I don't watch reality shows.
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