In January 2006, a very strange thing happened to me while I was keeping time with my TV. I saw someone on my screen who looked like Oprah, dressed like Oprah but did not sound or act like Oprah.  But it was  Oprah.

Yes, indeed. Channel 7, 4 PM EST was Oprah’s time slot for 20 years back in 2006. I even double-checked.  Was I living in a time warp bought about when hostile aliens transported me to a planet that had never heard of Oprah? Somehow I think aliens know who Oprah is and tune into her show along with reruns of Mash, Cheers and Will and Grace. Okay, that is what I would watch if I was related to ET.

The show was the interview between Oprah and James Frey, the author of A Million Little Pieces. This get together was after his book was exposed as a piece of fiction. Oprah had made his book an Oprah book club selection. She was helped make James a very rich author.

I watched the interview and had a sickening reaction to it. My strongest feeling was that I did not like Oprah anymore. Total blasphemy on my part. Off with her head!

James Frey’s A Million Little Pieces talked about his life as an addict and in recovery.  Only he didn’t live it himself. He did live a life similar to it.  I think there are only a couple of scripts when it comes to people spiraling into their own personal hell due to an addiction. But it wasn’t James’ story.

And his publishers sold James’ soul and pushed the book into bookstores and homes across the country because it made a compelling memoir… but not a great fictional account of a recovering addict? Go figure.  Good writing is good writing is good writing.  Maybe not?

I watched this former addict being ripped to shreds by Oprah.  Some said she ripped him a new one, and if there was an open fire pit, he would have been thrown into it. Along with his book.

Oprah’s words hit me like a slap across my face and all I did was tune in that day. Where was my Oprah?

If an addict came to me and said he wrote this compelling account while he was on crack, I would assume he had to make most of it up. My facts get downright foggy after 3 drinks. But I am not trying to be amusing. I have known addicts who tripped in and out of my life and their memory got pretty damn dim after a while. Nothing like listening to an addict tells you that he loves you – over and over because he keeps forgetting.

After the interview, I feared that James Frey would have been found in a dark alley, dead from a drug overdose. Thank God he had people who kept him going and kept him writing.

With Oprah’s show coming to an end, I was hoping that James Frey would end up sitting across from Oprah once again.

And then it happened. And it was a 2-part interview.

Thank you Oprah for stating two facts that had stayed with me since watching that interview in 2006: you had reacted out of ego and also did not show compassion.

It was a semi love fest and I think the power of forgiveness and responsibility on both their sides made for such a great life lesson.  We can rise above anything life throws our way and come out stronger and kinder.

It is no wonder why people have loved Oprah for over 25 years. She teaches us how to be the best we can be – even when it is a tad uncomfortable.

Now, is it too soon to ask about being on the cover of O? Oh, okay. Gayle will get back to me?

So you see Oprah and I are still talking to each other. Even if I have to play both roles.

© 2011, Coach on the Edge ™

elizabeth’s Creativity Coach site is: Coaching for the Creative Soul

Follow elizabeth on Twitter at: EdgyCoach or elizabethcoach

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Laurie:  Far be it from me to question your judgment, Lovely Oprah, but I was wondering if you were aware that Ellen DeGeneres will no  longer be a part of American Idol next season?  After one brief year she will not be returning as a judge on the ratings-slipping, once-popular show.  Now she says it is because she just can’t be cruel and judge people and possibly hurt their feelings.  Uh, clue coming up:  You were hired as a JUDGE.

elizabeth: I am stepping around this and please don’t go calling me “lovely.” For the record -  I’m not. But I so get Ellen and her reasons for leaving. She was not happy there and she found being a grim reaper of dreams did not fit her. I still have the emotional scars from some of the jobs and some of the bosses (they will be in my memoir – How I Survived Your Psychotic Moods and Stopped Shaking). I think Oprah would applaud Ellen for taking herself out of an environment that didn’t suit her. But I bet Oprah is a dream boss and we would be happy to spend some time with her at our photo shoot.

Laurie:  I would never disparage Ellen.  In fact I enjoy her humor and her dancing.  But I’m just saying that Coaches on the Edge may have been a better bet in the cover arena.  No, we don’t have the clout of Ellen or our own daily television show for that matter.  But so far, we haven’t quit anything.  Witness our persistence in contacting you every Wednesday, rain or shine.  Madam O, do it for the little people (and we’re working on getting even littler – elizabeth has this great new exercise plan she’ll tell you all about).  Put everyday gals on your cover and make them BIG people.  Then we can all get on elizabeth’s exercise plan.

elizabeth: Little people? We are already fabulous women who have a dream. And Oprah knows this and is getting ready to let us know. We’re waiting. And I am off the phone so Oprah can call now.

© 2010, Coaches on the Edge ™

If you would like to learn more about Laurie, please go to her site: Empowered Life Journeys.

Stop by at elizabeth’s site at: Coaching for the Creative Soul

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elizabeth: “I also realized this season that while I love discovering, supporting and nurturing young talent, it was hard for me to judge  people and sometimes hurt their feelings.” Now this last part sounds like me (when the evil twin is napping), but Ellen DeGeneres announced the other day that she is no longer going to be a judge on American Idol. Some people speculate that she got booted out. I believe she just had had it with making ratings by playing it cruel.

Laurie:  Surely Ms. DeGeneres didn’t think she was joining a youth glee club.  Her job as an American Idol judge is to crush dreams, pop unrealistic bubbles, discourage useless efforts, and if at all possible, do it as cruelly as possible.  Anybody who doesn’t know that has been living in a cave without cable.

elizabeth: Don’t get me wrong, some of the contestants were bloody awful. Their parents should be slapped for mixing their genes together, but no one deserves to be slammed in front of millions of people. Now this only goes for American Idol hopefuls. Certain politicians, TV and Radio hosts and the cast from the Jersey Shore do have it coming to them. What really upsets me about the “Shore Whores” group is that some of them are from the area I live in. Gives me another reason to get off this island! And just for the record, if I sounded like any of them, I would volunteer to have my tongue removed.

Laurie:  I stopped watching Ellen (but would start again if she had Coaches on the Edge as her guests) when I turned on the television one day and she was hysterically crying.  Like someone had swooped in and massacred her family and made her watch.  And then I find that the flowing tears were about a dog that was adopted by one family and had to be given to another.  Sad for one family I’m sure.  Worthy of five minutes of television crying time?  Not mine.  Touching but maybe a bit over the top.

elizabeth: So kudos to Ellen and thanks for setting an example about what how we should treat each other. The bottom line is that we need to be able to get up in the morning and face ourselves without a lot of regret.

And Ellen, if you are as nice as I think you are, Coaches on the Edge would be great guests for your new fall season. Just don’t tell Oprah. She is starting to see the wisdom in having us on the cover of O. We won’t stop you if you want to put a good word in for us.

And not to worry. There is a New York State law that prohibits me from singing within 500 yards of anything with a pulse. Sadly, Laurie has to cross state lines or face arrest.

Laurie:  Luckily I still have a pulse so I’m loving the sounds of silence.

© 2010, Coaches on the Edge ™

If you would like to learn more about Laurie, please go to her site: Empowered Life Journeys.

Stop by at elizabeth’s site at: Coaching for the Creative Soul

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elizabeth: Dear Oprah – How are you? How is camp? I watch all your reruns on TV now and I figure you are off somewhere making ceramic ashtrays or my personal favorite which was the dreaded chapel veil that the dreaded nuns made us make. I think it was for the missionaries. All I know is that I never mastered the fine art of sewing without stabbing myself and taking the Lord’s name in vain. Oh, yeah. The nuns loved me. Feelings were mutual.  So I am thinking after you made something for your entire staff in your arts and crafts class (I would like a toothbrush holder) that the issue of putting us on the cover of O would come up again. And again. And again.

Laurie:  Are you saying we have to wear a veil if we’re on the cover of O?  Or dress as nuns?  I already have a marvelous yellow outfit picked out to go with my make-me-look-skinny jeans.  But if Oprah wants me to be a nun, what the hell?  Oops, make that what the heck.

elizabeth: I am sure the true spirit at camp this year is about learning to share.  I heard Bill Gates was in your leadership for camp counselors’ class and that your pal Julia Roberts took CPR classes with the cast of Glee. So if I need to contact them about helping us get on the cover, I will gladly sell my Four H trophies to show them that I mean business.

Laurie:  What do the four H’s stand for?  Hot, hazy, humid and hallucinating?  My best friend Oprah doesn’t need no stinkin’ camp.  Her whole life is a camp and a beach and whatever else she wants it to be.  And it’s all probably in one of her many front yards.  We’re here when you need us, Oprah!

© 2010, Coaches on the Edge ™

If you would like to learn more about Laurie, please go to her site: Empowered Life Journeys.

Stop by at elizabeth’s site at: Coaching for the Creative Soul

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Laurie:  Week 34, Oprah.  Can you believe that a mere 34 weeks ago Coaches on the Edge started their quest to be on the cover of O     magazine?  Pretty impressive tenacity if you ask me.  Now I don’t want to criticize, but just as impressive as 34 weeks of begging/cajoling/manipulating are, so is the bewilderment of a lack of response from you.  No one can be that resolved to ignore 34 wildly clever, slightly brown-nosy, and always polite attempts to win you over to our point of view.

elizabeth: Rome wasn’t built in a day. The heat must be getting to me because I don’t like silly little expressions like this.  Could Rome have been built in a day? I think not. So I think 34 weeks is not that bad considering that the Roman Empire did fall and we are still stranding. Albeit sweating and feeling like a couple of dish rags. Not to self: come up with less unappealing visuals about the coaches.

Laurie:  If you’re concerned about not truly knowing us, I will bet that none of your guests submitted 34 individual, straight-from-the-heart requests to be on your show.  And we’re not even talking show.  We don’t need to have our say; we’ll be satisfied with a picture.  No words will be necessary because we’ve already used them up in our thus-far-ignored requests.  I don’t mean to sound cranky – maybe it’s this ridiculous heat – but 34 is a mighty big number.  34 – Open the Door.  35 – Stop all the Jive.  36 – Take our Pix.  37 – We would be in Heaven.  Don’t make me go to 38, Mate.

elizabeth: Good grief. Now she is rhyming. Somebody throw some cold water on Laurie. Maya Angelou she ain’t.

© 2010, Coaches on the Edge ™

If you would like to learn more about Laurie, please go to her site: Empowered Life Journeys.

Stop by at elizabeth’s site at: Coaching for the Creative Soul

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