From Rags To Riches: The Life And Times Of Oprah

The Oprah Effect

Oprah Winfrey / Facebook

As The Oprah Winfrey Show continued to have success, Oprah’s own thoughts and opinions even began to sway Americans.People soon realized that if Oprah endorsed something, or trashed it, then sales were heavily affected. The Oprah Book Club had the power to launch an unknown author from obscurity to prominence. Who knew that a once poverty-stricken child would one day hold the ability to make or break someone else’s career?

Some people were not as pleased about The Oprah Effect. In 1998, Oprah was sued by Texas cattlemen because, in response to mad-cow disease, Oprah said she would not eat another burger and they claimed it had negatively affected their sales. With lawsuits and a new love interest, at least Oprah had her best friend to lean on. But her best friend would end up fueling some of the wildest rumors.