Lance Armstrong has chosen TV-confession-godmother, Oprah Winfrey for his doping confession. No coincidence: The talk Queen presides over a marketing-machine of guilt, Atonement, profit. Besides, it looks a though she also needs the interview.
It started in Hawaii where both Lance Armstrong and Oprah Winfrey coincidentally spent their Christmas vacation — ex-cyclist on the Big Island, the talk Queen on Maui . Winfrey had already asked the deposed Armstrong for an interview, now she used the chance to hook up.
One hand washes the other. Armstrong needs a stage, Winfrey needs ratings and a dedicated viewing audience. Together they glorify doping scam to the Hollywood script – Happy ending included — at the end of the day both sides benefit.
Actually, CBS itself wanted to have interview with the disgraced 7-times tour-de-France champion. But it pulled the short straw against Winfrey – an former cheerleader of Armstrong, whose ‘OWN’ media conglomerate is co-owned by Discovery, which once sponsored Armstrong’s cycling team, US postal. In Gayle King, Oprah has her best friend at CBS, co-host of “CBS This Morning” .
So, she was able to make a smart move there when CBS allowed her to cast even more teasers , ”I was satisfied ” & ” He did not come clean in the manner I expected ”.
Oprah even brought Michael Jackson to talk
Behind Oprah’s media empire there is a huge, profitable marketing machine. A media-industrial complex of celebrity confession, that moves billions and whose ruler is Oprah Winfrey.
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As Winfrey 2011 celebrated the last episode of her talk show after 25 years and more than 5,000 episodes, superstars gave her the last escort: Madonna, Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Beyoncé, Halle Berry, Will Smith, Jamie Foxx – they were all in tears at her studio couch – the once poverty-stricken Winfrey was helped this way to turn her talent into a billion dollar fortune.
Winfrey’s unparalleled influence on culture – often called “the Oprah effect” – has boosted lesser-known authors onto the New York Times best-sellers list There are some who have reached celebrity status due to Oprah’s influence. Here are 10 people we wouldn’t have met if the queen of talk shows hadn’t introduced audiences to them:
The “Oprah effect” faded as Winfrey switched to her own network. But, ‘OWN’ did not come out of the popularity rating cellar. Only after she comes up with the tabloid-oriented celebrity confession format, was she able to rise her popularity again. With series of interviews comes “Oprah’s next chapter,” headlines, viewers and stars returned: George Lucas, David Letterman, Bette Midler, Whitney Houston.
“Godmother of the confessional media setting and unquestioned arbiter of self-help and spiritual trends, Oprah’s influence on broader pop culture is peerless.” (Time)
Now, as a logical consequence, Lance Armstrong comes to confess to Oprah – and with The Interview of 2013 “Biggest I’ve Ever Done!”, she probably hit the jackpot again.
According to the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian tradition, in the Sacrament of Confession/Penance, individuals confess their sins to the priest, especially those which have the mastery over the sinner. The reason for confessing sins to the priest are:
– In order to get through him absolution from all his sins.
– In order that the penitent can get his spiritual advice as to the way to conquer his temptations and lead the holy life.
But, in the US media/entertainment business the sacrament promises salvation from sins of VIP and PR disasters – and the High Priestess, who have the mastery over the sinners is Oprah Winfrey. .
As the ESPN reporter Don Van Natta Jr. posted on Twitter, “You don’t go on Oprah to confess. You go on Oprah to be forgiven.” Or, at least, debt forgiveness and the final million-audience of his lifetime.
It is an ancient ritual. Doping, drugs, adultery, fraud, corruption, even murder and manslaughter: A disgraced star can buy freely in front of cameras. The media plays moral guardian, but it even makes more money – during the fall and resurrection. Sin? Atonement? The difference vanishes into crocodile tears.
The pre-recorded interview will be aired on Thursday, 17/01/2013.
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