No more teflon

Dear Oprah,
I am uncertain of exact numbers, but it is my understanding that your audience is roughly 75% women. I have a question for you: Do you really believe all of those women are just plain dumb?

I have seen news shows reporting you have chosen not to have Governor Sarah Palin on your show. Obviously you get to make any choices you want, just as I will be choosing to tune you out until the end of your reign. Let me be clear, I am not turning the channel on you because you will not have Sarah Palin on your show. While I think Governor Palin would make an interesting guest (given the challenges she faces as a working mother of a special needs child and a pregnant teen...which seems right up your alley as far as programming topics),like I said, you not having her on your show is not at all why I am turning the channel. I am making this choice because you are dishonest.

You have said you do not want your show to become a political forum. By not having Governor Palin on your show, that is just exactly what you are doing. Especially given the fact that Barack Obama has been on your show. Yes, I know it was before he was an official nominee, but let's not split hairs. The very thought of you portraying your empire as non-political is asinine.

The reality is you are a Barack Obama activist. You support him. You have made your choice. You stood at a rally in Iowa and told us all the reasons why he is the candidate for you. That is not my issue. If I tried, I could not care less who you support in this election. I think for myself. I have never bought into the Oprah fanaticism. I do not diet because you decide it is time. I do not read a book because it has your stamp of approval. I do not buy products because they are good enough to grace your list of favorite things. Most importantly, I would certainly never vote for someone just because the all-mighty Oprah says so. All of that to say again, I do not care who you throw your name behind in this election.

What I care about is that for some reason you will not woman up, you will not truly be that powerful, woman of integrity you sell to us mere mortal women everyday on your show. Why not just look into the camera that has made you who you are and say: I support Barack Obama. I can't have Sarah Palin on my show because he probably would not appreciate that.

You won't do that because you are not the woman you sell to us on television and radio each day. That woman you sell is one who preaches and teaches strength, truth, and empowerment. You only live what you preach when you are standing at a podium in Iowa surrounded by people that, without a doubt, support the candidate you endorse.

It must be so tiring and tough to be you. How difficult is must be to walk the fine line between embracing your candidate and keeping women of different demographics happy. Because isn't that really what this is all about? You can't possibly put it all out there, not like you did at the rally in Iowa. You are afraid of what the stay-at-home white mother of three might think. You can't be that honest with her. You have to sell her feel-good, make-her-cry books and stories. You have to sell her diet tips and celebrity interviews. Tell her how to do self breast exams, and what jeans look good on her.
But stand up and say, look ladies I am sure Sarah Palin is fascinating, but I can't have her on because Barack is my candidate...no, you can't say that because you don't have the guts, and that is the bottom line.

So, I simply ask that you stop trying to sell me a gutsy woman. It borders on false advertising, and is quite insulting that you think I will buy her. And since you and I both know you will never stop, I am turning the channel. I know of others who will do the same. We weren't asking for much, just truth. Unfortunately, your truth changes depending on your audience.

Frankly, your Messiah complex was tiresome and boring to me years ago. I have long been both frustrated and baffled by the women who bow down at your Manolo Blahniks. You have been dubbed the "Teflon Diva", inferring that you are untouchable, indestructible. For your information, I don't care who thinks it is the best product around, I am tired of "teflon" and I won't be buying it. Oprah, you do not speak for me.

I am calling on the TRULY strong, honest, powerful women in this country...women who will never grace the cover of a magazine or a list in Forbes. I am calling on wives, mothers, daughters, friends and sisters. I am calling on single moms, stay-at-home moms, working moms, and women who want to be moms.

I am just one person, the most typical of typical. But, I refuse to be fed dishonesty and distractions any longer. Oprah, that is why I will be turning the channel on you this Thursday, September 11th. I do this in honor of the real Teflon Divas of America, the most typical of typical.

Sincerely,
Natalie Anderson