Wednesday, January 27, 2010

I don't mean to judge, but....

Wow! Anytime that is the preface to your words, just know that you REALLY do mean to judge.

I didn't realize just how hypocritical that sounded until I watched Oprah tonight.

Her guest was Ted Haggard's wife, Gayle. You know. The former mega-church pastor that admitted to affairs with male prostitutes and meth-use. His wife stayed with him. She wrote a book and was on Oprah.

This is the introduction she got (I tried to write it down verbatim--sorry if it's not quite right):

O: I decided I would approach this interview with no judgment...
We come from two different cultures.
I am a woman who has always taken care of myself.
I have always been independent.
I've always made my own decisions.
So, it's UNIMAGINABLE to me to be in a situation where somebody is going to betray me and I would stay.
But I get, reading, that you did.
How you coming from where you come from were able to do it.
And that was my epiphany.

Really? That is with no judgment? I wonder what it would sound like if you judged?

Here is Gayle's response. (Which, by the way, displays the grace this woman has, that Oprah could only dream of!):

I'm glad that you had that.

I'm glad that you don't want to judge me.

(To which Oprah said, "I don't." HA!)

Because I think I would say:
I'm an independent woman.
I'm a strong woman.
And I take care of myself.

And these were my choices.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
Further proof that Oprah suffers from a serious God-complex.

I am going to try harder to not use phrases such as, "I don't mean to judge" and "If I were you" and "Not that it's any of my business" or really any phrase that ends in a "but."

I guess Oprah isn't totally useless.

4 comments:

Emily said...

Wow. I'm impressed that woman didn't slap O across the face. I don't get how someone from such humble beginnings can be so out of touch with reality. The way she acts would lead one to believe she came from a long line of money.

And, yes, I AM being judgmental. I'm just not apologetic about it. :)

Ginger said...

Oh man, that's pretty pathectic that she gets paid as much as she does for doing THAT!

Anonymous said...

I am glad to see I am not the only Oprah downer. She really bugs me. And I don't feel bad at all for judging her. She is way to far out of touch with reality.

And Kathy Griffin was totally right when she said..."Wow...Oprah thinks she's Jesus."

Jamie said...

AMEN. I watch her show regularly because she has amazing producers who tell really great stories, but when SHE starts adding HER two cents, it is always degrading & condescending. I often want to slap her. For someone who thinks herself compassionate and generous and Christian, she seems pretty closed-minded adn egotistical.
PS: my fave out-of-touch moment (well, one of them) was when NAte was talking abotu bathrooms one day and she went off abotu towels--"I don't know how people live with cheap, mis-matched towels. Come one people--you can afford matching towels--have some self-respect!" and I am thinking, WHO DO YOU THINK IS WATCHING YOUR SHOW, WOMAN???? people at home, in the daytime who are prolly not working and living on shoestring budget--I'll take mismatched towels if it means another week of grocery money to feed my kids, beeyotch.