October 31, 2006, - 11:22 am

HOprah Watch: “Oprah’s” Kickback Debit Cards

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Much is being made of Oprah’s giveaway on her show, yesterday, of $1,000 debit cards to her guests.
First of all, despite her saying this is “her favorite giveaway ever,” she didn’t give them away. The cards–and all of the money on them–were given away by sponsor Bank of America, NOT Oprah. Just like the G6 cars “she” gave away, in 2004. Those were from GM, NOT Oprah.
Then, there are the cards themselves. Oprah says the money on the cards is to be donated to chartiable causes, but the money can be given to another person (relatives are not eligible). Well, did it ever occur to HRHSBotU (Her Royal Highness Supreme Being of the Universe) Queen Oprah that anyone can donate the entire sum to a friend with the friend agreeing to split it or give a certain percentage back?


That’s what’s known as a kickback. And don’t be shocked if Oprah’s 300 plus guests who received the cards do exactly that. Most of them-were specifically recruited for that particular show because they were poor and/or unfortunate. Why shouldn’t they do that? Who wouldn’t expect them to? Let gazillionaire Oprah donate her own dough.




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4 Responses

This is one of the lamest publicity stunts this weird goof has pulled and that’s saying something.
Supposedly this is to teach the joy of giving. The joy of giving is when you SACRIFICE something. The Stepford audience isn’t sacrificing a thing.
Typical feel goody sham Oprah media manipulation.

Jeff_W on October 31, 2006 at 2:02 pm

While I mostly agree with what’s printed here about Queen Oprah, I don’t agree with the last part that most of her audience members are/were poor and unfortunate and so they’ll most likely exercise their option to engage in “kickback”. I mean they might, but “poor and unfortunate”? Oprah has commented many times how she has the best dressed, best looking audience on tv. And it’s true. Most of her audience is white and if you look at the hair, the make-up, the stylish clothes, the jewelry, you can tell they have money. It’s more than just wanting to look good in case the camera pans their way – this is not the Jerry Springer crowd by any means.
THAT’S USUALLY THE CASE. BUT FOR YESTERDAY’S EPISODE, SHE PICKED POOR AND UNFORTUNATE PEOPLE WHO OVERCAME BAD CIRCUMSTANCES, ETC. FOR HER AUDIENCE. THAT’S NOT TO SAY THEY ARE ANY MORE OR LESS LIKELY TO GIVE THE MONEY TO CHARITY THAN ANYONE ELSE. BUT IT DOES MEAN THAT THEY NEED THE MONEY AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP IT FOR THEMSELVES, AND THAT IF THEY DO HAVE A KICKBACK SCHEME WITH A FRIEND, IT’S NOT TOO OBJECTIONABLE.
DEBBIE SCHLUSSEL

DGomez on October 31, 2006 at 3:10 pm

I’ll remember this for the next time someone trashes the Bush Administration’s $300 tax refund in summer 2001.

Jeremiah on October 31, 2006 at 4:12 pm

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IIDNHVNKNDWTPWQSGRJ on August 29, 2018 at 1:38 am

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