Is Oprah Winfrey Helping or Using Sarah Ferguson?

By Rob Shuter Posted Jun 14th 2011 08:12PM

In May of last year, Sarah Ferguson was once again embroiled in scandal when she was caught attempting to sell access to her ex-husband, Prince Andrew. Brought to her knees financially, Fergie reached out to Oprah Winfrey. After promising the Queen of TV she would not do 'Dancing With the Stars' (and a cooking show in Australia), the cash-strapped Duchess of York agreed to do her own show, 'Finding Sarah,' on Oprah's fledgling network, OWN.

"It is one thing for Oprah to offer up Dr. Phil and Suzie Orman to help the Duchess, it's another to convince her to document the entire journey on camera," a friend of Sarah's tells me. "You have to wonder who is helping who in this situation. Is Oprah trying to help her network get viewers by exploiting Sarah or is she genuinely trying to get the Duchess help?"

The show, which premiered Sunday, follows Sarah on a six-episode docu-series offering a glimpse into her struggles to find herself, including a painful look at her past and harsh advice with Dr. Phil and Suzie Orman.

"Oprah could have offered all of this in private," one TV insider tells me. "Is it really going to help Sarah having her entire past dug up again so publicly? No way."

Plus, as people who have seen Sarah since she finished the process, she seems more vulnerable and insecure then ever before.

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Tags: Finding Sarah, Oprah Winfrey, Sarah Ferguson

Comments

(82)

Sunday 19 June

By audrey_dupuy07

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Folks, I am insulted that you question Oprah Winfrey's motives in her effort to help Sarah Ferguson get back on her feet. Have you ever read the long list of people, places, & institutions that this womon (Oprah) has helped...O ye of little faith!

Tuesday 14 June

By captzeppelin

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I like Fergie....Oprah...why aren`t you out to pasture yet??? Didn`t you have a 3 day going away party?? Go Away!!

By stu

& the Oscar goes to...Fergie!!!
Oprah=gullable.

Wednesday 15 June

By Jane

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My sentiments exactly!!

By Lori

I like Fergie too. Maybe instead of this show hurting her maybe it will help people to understand her life. People who think she is just another act or another poor little rich girl need to know that the old saying "money can't buy happiness" is true. Even famous people have problems just like all of the rest of us and having money doesn't make the emotional problems go away or make someone immune to the harsh realities of life. I hope she finds peach in her life. She does good things for charity with her celebrity status.

By anni

I cannot believe the Royals haven't beheaded her. She cannot have had permission to film at the Queen Mum's cottage, which is where Sarah is living because she has no where to go. She showed Suzi Ormen the bench inscribed as a gift to the Queen Mum on her 100th birthday. Sarah and Andrew lost the home they had, Sunninghill, which is condemned and boarded up. Some "Mid Eastern" conglomerate bought the home for many millions of pounds more than it was worth. The Queen would have never let her Grand-daughter be interviewed, as she was in clips.

By Heather

You know, I wondered that after watching the episode on Sunday. Sarah seemed really insecure and entirely too concerned about what the media would think of her. You can't do honest soul searching if you're worried about what the world is going to think of you the whole time. I think she would have been better off to do this process in private.

By shirleyA

Once I read that "Dr" Phil, the quack was involved,
I have to say I believe that Oprah is using Fergie not only for her network, but for the quack too.

By earl taylor

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IN reponse to ShirleyA about Dr. Phil being a quack, well, I just wish we had more like him to help and advise People, I think he is great and has a wonderful show, advising people. I would like to see his response to your remark, he is very good at answering such as this.

By lisama

I think you don't like Dr Phil because he knows people and what makes them tick. He takes no bull and he talks straight to you, offering help to get people squared away. I'm sure he has way more capabilities and understanding of human behavior than you ever thought of having. Maybe that's why HE has a TV show and YOU don't. I like Oprah. She has a big heart but I don't always care for her shows. Fergie is struggling to find her place in the world. I wish she'd go to a shrink and not be doing this on TV. Althought Oprah might think she is helping, in this instance I feel she is harming Fergie's chances to grow up and get on with life.

By Jean

I'm definitely not a fan of Dr. Phil. He may "know people and what makes them tick. He takes no bull and he talks straight to you". The problem is that it's very easy to analyze other people's problems and see where they're stuck. It's quite another to do effective therapy. Dr. Phil does no real therapy. He's just a show for ratings. It's sad because people watching him will think that giving advice and then blaming the person if they don't or can't integrate that advice is what therapy is about. Dr. Phil was able to tell Fergie that she is "emotionally bankrupt". He was not able to do anything positive to support her. This just leaves her hanging off a cliff and even more stuck than she was before. How sad, both for her and for viewers.

By kdg

So wait .... we're worrying about this woman who tired to exploit her ex-husband being expoited herself? Give me a break!

By hattie

Get real if any body is the user Call it like you see it Fergie is the user however i kinda like her spunk but remember she is not royalty, ANYMORE

By caritas7s

She's using her. Fergie is obviously vulnerable and in a bad place in her life. Oprah is an opportunist. This taking advantage of Fergie has caused me to lose all respect for Oprah. She is no friend to Fergie. I'm so sorry this is happening. Fergie deserves better.

By vobox3343

Fergie deserves better? How so? Some of you silly Americans need to make up your minds. You're either for entitlements or you're not.

By kim

Duh!!! Silly question!!! USING!!!

By chris

of course oprah is using her to get viewers to her new network she will do anything sarah must be supid to not see this

By Olie

Of Course Oprah is USING FERGIE.... that is what having a NET WORK is all about. Now.... no one can disgrace Fergie any more than she HERSELF already has. She not only decided to jump off a cliff... she decided to take her EX-HUSBAND, children and the WHOLE Royal family with her !! She IS NOT a Duchess.... more of a DUFFIS !! Yeah, DUFFIS FERGIE !! THAT WORKS !!

By the_fool

Hey did Oprah steal these chairs from her old set or did she go out and buy some new ones? Ha ha ha.

By Holly

Sarah Ferguson is definitely not the brightest bulb on the planet and face it, she'll do just about anything for money. Oprah's a smart businesswoman and if Sarah is willing to be exploited, you can't blame Oprah for using this to her advantage. It was Sarah's lack of discretion in the first place that led to her downfall.

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