BlogHer - "Oprah's Big Give" A Review - Comments

I Am Inspired By The Big Give!

LindaCarolBerry — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 17:35:51 -0500

Bottom Line -Oprah got me thinking what I could do to change lives and improve the situations of persons who do not enjoy all the advantages I do.

How can that be bad?

We have launched a BIG project, Inspired by the GIG GIVE

Your support is welcomed!

Take a Moment and
Make a Difference to KATRINA Survivers:
www.LindaCarolBerry.com
Linda Carol Berry www.INSPIREDBYTHEBIGGIVE.com

Thanks for The Comment

Megan Smith — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 06:41:25 -0500

Yeah, Oprah's pretty amazing.

Megan
BlogHer Contributing Editor, TV/YouTube

Megan's Minute
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Re:

Amy Wood — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 20:51:09 -0500

I agree. As a television show, it did not work for me. I felt uncomfortable watching it. However, there's no doubt that Oprah always manages to inspire and to raise awareness.

Amy
Amazing Gift Ideas

thanks

julesAI — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 17:17:00 -0500

for the kind words, Megan.

I love what you all are doing here! Glad to finally find my way here.

Julie

Oprah & Gayle Once Again Give Away Not Their Money!

MountainMan — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 00:34:03 -0500

Really weird to have to see the airwaves again with another Oprah and Gayle give away from other peoples money. Oprah loves with Gayle's approval to take Corporation money and give the idea she is giving of her own money. The Day Oprah gives away anything of her own will be a 1st. After 20 years of repeating the same programs over and over again she really needs to retire.

Once again Oprah has failed big time on the Big Give. I watched it the 1st night. I wanted to see if there was any humanity left of Oprah. It appears Oprah and Gayle refuse to accomplish this. When Oprah did the big give away of Cars a few years back, everyone was given the thought it was Oprah giving them away. When in fact it was the Car maker giving them away. Oprah has this problem she appears to never deal with. She can not afford to have one penny of her own money ever touched.

Oprah is making people on the Big Give to go through crap in giving to people who need help? In the process those giving away money that was provided by Corporations to make this Circus Show go on the air, make it a farce. None of these people are giving away this money to do better and make them a better person. They are all doing it for the Big $1 Million Bucks. So instead of doing it for the very act of being unselfish souls they are greedy people and those they give to are the props who are being used so those giving away money can be even more greedy self serving jerks.

Oprah is reported to be worth over $1 Billion. She and her "Friend" Gayle appear to have enough to do what ever they want to in life. Stedman remains Oprah's "Walker" to give the impression Oprah is in a relationship with a man.

I really feel it is time to clear the airwaves of such self promotional types as Oprah as there is a group of thse High Priced Host on TV today. As the rest of the country is suffering from a very Deep Depression $$$ we have to allow on the airwaves Rich People throwing crumbs to the Poor and Middle Class that are suffering everyday to make ends meet.

There was a day when people did things to help other people with no other reason then to help people not to be rewarded big time for doing a good deed. Sad to see such crap on TV today. Oh I know some of you will say if you do not like it then turn off the TV or change the Channel. That of course is what I have done in ever watching the Big Give again. Nor do I find Oprah have any real honesty in her bones other than greed. I can change the channel and see Donald Trump dumping people for the Greed of his ego. Or turn the channel to Martha Stewart selling her products in anything she has on her show. Or turn the channel to Rachael Ray promoting her goods and see her on boxes of Ritz Crackers in the Grocery Store. Not something I want to think about if I buy them and have to eat one with the picture in my mind of her in each bite.

Face it, we have lost in our society people who want to do good deeds unless they are paid big time for doing it. This is what is being promoted on TV.

It is sad but when we have "Emperor Geroge W. Bush and his Dick as in shoot your best friend in the face Cheney causing the 'Daily' Suffering and Deaths of American Poor, Disabled, Senior Citizens, G.L.B.T. Community, Children, Veterans and the Unemployed by Economic Deprivation. It leaves no finger prints at the crime scene." We surely have lost as a society people who do things for not wanting anything in return. All we have left is a bunch of air heads who can not think for themselves and must think they are impowered by having to watch the Almighty Oprah, Trump, Martha and Ray's of the TV Media Controlled.

George Orwell you appear to be alive and well in what was once a country that cared about it's neighbors and helping each other out. Now everyone thinks if they are going to get help they go to TV to be on to get the help they need. I am sure Dr. Phil a Fascist Republican and huge supporter of Emperor Bush has many just as brainwashed.

Lets return to Democracy ruled as a Republc and surely have Hillary Clinton as our next President. 231 years of the Good Old Boy Club is over and time to have an educated, experienced and leader back in the White House to undo the damage Emperor Bush and his Dick have caused this country and want to bees. The 'Big Give' is just what it says it is, The Big Give to Oprah and Gayle to just have more in the bank for their own ego's. Sad anyone buys into this crap. Oprah fails at any TV or Movie Production she ever does other than when she was in the movie Color Purple. Maybe that was just having a moment of luck in her life. I will keep doing for others with nothing expected in return. Try it, you might discover you get more from it than making the few real rich on their TV programs.

http://www.impeachbush.org

That's A Great Idea

Megan Smith — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 13:47:10 -0500

Hi Julie,

I think that's a good way of exploring some of the good the show is trying to do.

Megan
BlogHer Contributing Editor, TV/YouTube

Megan's Minute
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Big Give

julesAI — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 09:52:07 -0500

Like others I, too, am ambivalent about the show. So much so I decided to start a new blog about it! (http://alittlegem.blogspot.com) Ultimately, I think it's great to have the topic of helping others out on the table.
Peace,
Julie

The Big Give

Tilan — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 12:10:46 -0500

I'm glad I found a blog about this. I actually had a nightmare last night after watching the second episode. I was giving of myself and I suddenly found myself being judged by a panel of my peers, where my works were up for discussion. The conclusion...what I'd done wasnt good enough. I think the need for me to share this today is out of a sense of confusion. Mainly because of how much I love Oprah and what she stands for. While I love the basic premise of this show and it’s focus on giving, I find it difficult to swallow that one would be scrutinized and kicked off a show for giving. Am I missing something? I’m so afraid that those that have the heart to give will at the very least question the significance of their giving, and at the most extreme, may not choose to give because they question their significance. I’m a little confused and conflicted to say the least.

Thank You Very Much!

Megan Smith — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 14:04:03 -0600

I'm glad you thought the post was something your readers would find useful.

I've become a big fan of sk*rt as I've seen the site develop, and now I'll be an even bigger fan! :)

And thanks to you Denise for providing the link.

Megan
BlogHer Contributing Editor, TV/YouTube

Megan's Minute
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All Good Points

Megan Smith — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 13:49:45 -0600

Hi Ray,

Thanks so much for your very nice comments.

I too would be curious to hear about the experiences of some of the recipients on the show. And it's possible future episodes might improve simply from the fact that there will be fewer people to showcase.

Megan
BlogHer Contributing Editor, TV/YouTube

Megan's Minute
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Thank you!

Denise — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 12:07:12 -0600

I love it when people sk*rt BlogHer articles, and this one was definitely worthy!

(For those looking for it on sk*rt, here it is: http://sk-rt.com/story.php?title=Oprahs_Big_Give_A_Review )

~Denise
BlogHer Community Manager

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motherbumper

Motherbumper — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 11:24:37 -0600

I've picked this to be featured on the sk*rt Arts &Entertainment Editor's Picks because it's an interesting and balanced review from an Oprah fan - I haven't watched the show (yet) but this review made me pause when I quickly believed the critics.

RE: Big Give

RayD — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 10:16:26 -0600

Megan,

Thank you for the attribution to my blog on Oprah's Big Give. In reading your comments and those of your commenters, I agree with much of what you are saying.

I think it's important to keep a couple of things in mind.

First, I think the show holds some potential to inspire others to find ways to help people. Oprah casts a very big shadow in our culture and I think we could see other people doing things because of this show.

Also, all the people in need on the show were actually helped by the result. That's a positive thing however you slice it. I'd be curious to know what some of them thought about the experience.

Although my wife and I watch and enjoy a number of reality shows, it is largely a virtue wasteland.

It is very similar to the video game industry. I'm not a big gamer, but I have friends who are. I've always thought there should be more games that require critical thinking skills as opposed to the shoot'em up mentality.

"Big Give', in my mind, is a little bit like the thinking (or in this case the caring) person's reality show.

We'll wait and see how subsequent episodes play out and maybe some of the people helped will talk to the media about their experiences.

My view is that Oprah has done the genre and all of us a favor with this show.

Love your blog. Thanks again for the mention.

Peace...

Ray Davis
The Affirmation Spot

It Was A Bad Concept

Megan Smith — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 09:26:51 -0600

Hi Virginia,

I totally agree with you.

Megan
BlogHer Contributing Editor, TV/YouTube

Megan's Minute
Video Runway

Encouraging people

Virginia DeBolt — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 07:33:03 -0600

to find creative ways to help people is a good idea. But the throw-them-off-the-island mentality of the way it was done didn't work at all for me.

http://www.webteacher.ws/
http://first50.wordpress.com/

"Oprah's Big Give" A Review

Megan Smith — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 23:25:04 -0600

I'm a huge Oprah Winfrey fan, make no mistake about it. I think she's an inspiration, a role model and done very much more good in the world than bad.

But that doesn't mean I won't call her goddess-like butt on the carpet if I think she's messed up. "Oprah's Big Give" is one of her rare mess ups.

First let's look at it as a TV show. It simply doesn't work. It's like watching a frantic cross between "The Amazing Race" and "The Apprentice," except with needy people thrown in the mix. Five teams of two are given $2500, a clue, and the photo and name of a person in need. The Givers then have five days to change their Givees' lives. Each week the weakest "Big Give" link will be eliminated, as determined by a panel of judges, and at the end of the eight week series, the person who gives away the most wins.

The comparison to "The Amazing Race" is no coincidence since the creators of that show, Bertram Van Munster and his wife Elise Doganieri are, along with Oprah, among the executive producers of "Oprah's Big Give."

Unlike "The Amazing Race" however, the "Big Give" tries to be too many things all at once: a scavenger hunt as the Givers try to find their Givee with only a photo and a clue to go by; an executive-in-training course as the Givers work the phones to wring money out of corporate fat cats; a test of survival skills as each contestant tries to avoid being ejected.

As a TV show it fails because the frantic pace makes the goal of the show pointless. With ten Givers, five Givees, five fund raising efforts and five big reveals, you don't have time to become emotionally involved with anyone. There are no details about how things are accomplished. For example, how did they arrange that donation from Firestone? Or get all those people in that church to donate for the homeless woman and her family? Or arrange a fashion show in five days? Even though it was a failure.

Now, only an absolute ogre would begrudge the Givees the help they received. A homeless single mother with two teenage kids who got a paid up apartment, a car, and some cash to get her on her feet. A medical student who's trying to pay off $200,000 in student loans so he can work with poor kids in the neighborhood he grew up in. A woman widowed when her husband was killed in a robbery who got money to pay off her mortgage and scholarships for her two little girls from their local Catholic school.

Obviously these people needed help, and I was happy for them, but otherwise, I was bored. It's much easier to show people competing for something instead of competing for a feeling, which is what this show tries to do. Making the show a competition with eliminations just like any other reality show also diminishes what the show is trying to encourage. Somehow I kept feeling that a documentary about these same people, given some money and the same task would have been much more valuable. Unfortunately, you don't get big ratings from even the best of documentaries these days.

There was plenty of internet commentary about the show. Ellen Gray of Philly.com said in her review.

It's not even that I have anything against Oprah, whose heart, I'd like to believe, is in the right place. It's just that I'm ready to live in a world, or at least imagine one, where people in trouble don't have to go to television shows to beg for help. Where giving - and receiving - isn't a competition.

Where the problems caused by our ever-thinning safety net are once again seen as all our problems, and therefore worthy of all our help, even if we never get to see the recipients or dab our eyes as they express their gratitude.

TV Crunch liked the show:

Maybe it’s just me, but I sat blubbering through most of “Oprah’s Big Give” tonight. After so many reality shows that feature contestants in it only for themselves, it’s refreshing to see “Oprah’s Big Give” exploring the idea of changing people’s lives.

Ray at the Affirmation Spot also liked it and had this to say in his post, "'Oprah's Big Give' Is A Winner:"

This show might just redeem reality TV as something capable of delivering real value. The genre seems riddled with people back-stabbing, lying, and cheating their way to some giant cash prize. ‘The Big Give’ is quite different. The first episode aired Sunday evening on ABC. Once again, Oprah renewed her credentials as America’s matriarch of the heart.

However Maureen Ryan of the Chicago Tribune had some serious questions:

How many of those corporate donations were lined up in advance and came from companies that were eager to be part of a prime-time Oprah endeavor?

And it’s strange that the staples of reality television — fighting and the ejection of an unsuccessful player — come to the fore in a show that’s
supposed to be about altruism. Actually, it’s weird to be rating altruism at all.

Well, there were evidently 15.6 million viewers out there who didn't care about those questions, because the overnight Nielsen ratings had "Oprah's Big Give" as the highest rated show of the night and the third highest rated premiere of the season.

So if a couple of those viewers are inspired to go out and volunteer in their communities and try to make a difference, the show can't be all bad.

Megan Smith is a BlogHer Contributing Editor covering TV/YouTube and aspires to be a modern day goddess. Her other blogs are Megan's Minute and Video Runway.

Photo courtesy Harpo Productions