Oprah's Interview With A Fraud

Ironically, in my first ever blog posting, I briefly gave mention to author James Frey (“A Million Little Pieces”), who, like Greg Mortenson (“3 Cups of Tea”), came under scrutinyfor writing a fallacious memoir, and how Frey was even able to pull the wool over Oprah’s eyes in 2005, landing him a spot in her book club. Now, according to today’s news, Frey is reportedly returning to one of the talk show queen’s final shows to talk about how his life was affected by the scandal over the past 5 years. Really, Oprah?? You already threw the guy under the bus back in 2006 for lying to you, and you’re inviting him back? For what? Ratings? To prove that you made his life better by outing him? Maybe it’s a combination of both, but for someone who reminds her audience on a daily basis of how many days are left until your farewell performance, couldn’t you have chosen a guest with a little more integrity? There are a lot to choose from, but just in case you need a few suggestions, here’s my short list: servicemen and their families, cancer survivors and their families, firemen, the volunteer at the local soup kitchen, and the unemployed single parent trying to make ends meet— Anyone but the man you publicly shamed for lying to you five years back, who, it just so happens, is pushing his new book, “The Final Testament of the Holy Bible.” Ooops! There’s goes my chances of being a guest… Like that would ever happen in the 20-some-odd days she has left on the air. Look, I admit, I do watch Oprah (Tivo), and I enjoy the majority of her shows (Whitney on crack—that is, her voice cracking), especially this year’s segments (You’re going to Australia! You’re going to Australia! You’re going to Australia!), but is Oprah really running out of that many ideas that she can’t find someone other than a guy who gives authentic non-fiction writers a bad name?I realize it's the producers who bring their ideas to Oprah. Let's hope she reconsiders this one.