Oprah, she’s a fine tuned instrument. Three or four years ago I had the opportunity to be an audience member. You are never told in advance who or what the show is going to be about until you are in settled in your seats. I am sure some guests were in the know from friends or relatives who work for Oprah, but I was not one of the privileged ones. Rumors were whispered through the waiting room that we had just missed the exciting and unforgettable taping of Tom Cruise jumping on the sofa. Sigh! My friend and I check in at the front desk and are ushered into a waiting room, apparently until all who are on the list arrive. Then, we are ushered into another waiting room and we wait…. and wait. Finally, we are allowed to enter her hollowed kingdom and the race is on to grab your seat. Women were running down the hallway, around the stage and snatching seats next to the isle Oprah, herself, will soon walk down in all her glory to announce her show, the final show of the year.
“Sports & Parents Living Vicariously Through Their Children” is what we were all told. A silence fell over the crowd, a deafening silence. I, for one, was more than a little disappointed. No gifts. No movie stars. No famous authors. Oh well. I’m still gonna be on Oprah!
Families and their children are escorted to the front of the auditorium and called up on stage one by one to be interviewed by the Queen of Daytime TV. Videos are played of fathers yelling, screaming and forcing their five year old sons to run laps, do push ups and lift weights. Mothers are shown hauling their young daughters to cheerleading practice, dance class and acrobats. Kids were crying. Parents were exasperated their children were not performing at Olympic intensity. I have watched Oprah since 1986 and there is one thing I know for sure; she doesn’t like parents living vicariously through their children.
Finally, one burly man from the front stood up along with his son and he explained to Oprah that he was managing his family the exact way Joe Jackson ran his. His kids were going to be famous, too! Well, let me tell you what happened next. All Hell broke loose! The Queen started yelling. She came marching down off the stage, into the audience and got in that man’s face like I have never seen before. He didn’t say a word. He just stood there and took it. What choice did he have? I was seated in the back of the auditorium and, frankly, she scared me, too!
“Do you have any idea what Joe Jackson did to his family? To his children?” and on and on she went about how abusive he was, how much those children had endured under his hand and no one, absolutely no one, should EVER try to emulate Joe Jackson. She continued railing about what Michael Jackson’s father had done to him and no child should ever live through that kind of torture again. Finally, she turned and walked back to her seat. The man and his son quietly sat down. Oprah was still going off about how this was her last show and she couldn’t believe she was dealing with this business. We sat there stunned. The interviews soon ended. Oprah announced there would be no “After Show” as she waved good-bye and marched off stage to her dressing room. The entire incident left me feeling quite empty and sad for the Jackson family.
I couldn’t wait to see the show when it aired, but of course, the confrontation had been cut. To this day, I will never forget Oprah standing up in defiance over anyone believing the Jackson children had a happy childhood. Good for her. On this day, the day of Michael Jackson’s death, say what you will about how strange he was, but never forget that through all his ups and downs, his genius shone through.
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