SAN BRUNO, CA and CHICAGO, IL — 11/02/07 — YouTube and Harpo Productions, Inc. today announced the debut of the Oprah channel on YouTube. Offering exclusive, behind-the-scenes footage from the "Oprah cam," Harpo Studios' green room, backstage highlights, and special guest moments — the Oprah channel on YouTube will bring unique perspectives to this ever-expanding international online community.
Yes! Finally! Now I, and millions of other Oprah followers, can use YouTube! Oprah has endorsed it! It's okay!
Maybe we can change the name of it to O-Tube, or OprahTube, or TheSecretTube, or something with the words "Oprah," "tube," and "The Secret" that doesn't sound like an invasive surgical device or a bad science fiction short story. Oprah's Internet Video Club Powered By The Secret, maybe?
Personally, I know I've been waiting for years to find out if O-sanctioned spirituality can show up in Internet videos, or if it just disappears, like a vampire's reflection in an mirror. Truly these are exciting times.
But what about these "Unique perspectives"? You mean "The Secret and stuff that Oprah buys" right?
"The Oprah channel on YouTube offers our community an opportunity to get more access to one of their favorite television personalities and a look at what it takes to produce the number one daytime television talk show," said Jordan Hoffner, head of business development at YouTube. "We are delighted that Oprah's channel will open up the dialogue with a new audience, allowing people around the world to communicate their stories, demonstrate their creativity, express their thoughts, and participate in the process."
If there's one thing that people need, it's more access to Oprah–and definitely a platform where they can leave bitchy, weird, gushing, or just plain nonsensical comments about her videos.
Except, there are no comments on the Oprah channel now. There's just a message that says, "Please note that, while we invite your comments, due to the number of comments received, only selected comments will be posted at the discretion of the channel manager."
Still, it is exciting to see Oprah (!) right there, hovering above the empty "Talk To Oprah" section like a loud, heavily-made-up, soft-focus deity shouting about "exclusive video" from on top of her mountain made of televisions.
Oprah also will be a guest editor for the YouTube community and a few of her favorite videos will be featured on the homepage starting Monday, November 5 through Tuesday, November 6.
Judging by the videos, I think "guest editor" means "popular YouTube video aggregator" but whatever.
Here's Oprah's first video, in which you can almost feel her exhaustion at having to introduce herself ("I'm Oprah, of course."). In it, we're treated to grainy "behind-the-scenes" footage from her PDA, several bouts of O's trademark yelling, and Oprah's sincere wish that we all learn something about passion and success from a skateboarding bulldog.