I'm Over the O

Oprah Winfrey is out this weekend, joining Barack Obama on the campaign trail. I'm probably one of the only's in America to say this, but I cannot stand Oprah anymore. Her god-complex gets worse every year, as she seems to throw herself behind more and more products. Well, O f-ed up twice this year, getting two big for her britches. First and foremost, O's "school" is, and I hate to be cynical, ridiculo.

"The $40 million Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls opened on January 2, with a launch attended by former South African President Nelson Mandela, U.S. singers Mariah Carey, Tina Turner and Mary J. Blige, comedian Chris Rock, actor Sydney Poitier and filmmaker Spike Lee. The school boasts state-of-the-art facilities including laboratories, a yoga studio and beauty salon. Tuition and board is free. The academy provides its 450 students with textbooks, uniforms and meals."

Look, I'm all about education and Oprah providing tuition for children who can't afford it, but why not spend $40 million dollars opening 5x as many schools? Does a school really need yoga studios and a beauty salon? A school in Africa, with more impoverished people than any other nation?! And a performance, by Mariah Carey? Gross. Anyway needles to say, the school is already drenched in scandal as a dormitory matron was charged with abuse.

So now Oprah has decided to throw herself into the public eye again, but this time, and for the first time, backing a presidential candidate. I've never been a fan of entertainers endorsing politicians and now, the biggest blowhard of all is trying to shape a presidential election. SCAARRRRYYYY. I just don't feel like politics are the same as a book club.

I have no problem with Obama. I think he is a strong, albeit green, candidate. But it frightens me to think people will vote for a presidential candidate based on a celebrity endorsement. And they will. Let's face it, Oprah is a corporation, and maybe it's not such an evil empire as Haliburton, but it's still a corporation and corporations should not creach their way into politics. That's how we get into wars.