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)

Wednesday 15 June

By KITZER

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'OOMPRA' IS USING SARAH JUST LIKE SHE HAS USED EVERYONE ELSE!!
I THOUGHT SHE (OOMPRA) WAS DONE AND GONE, BUT IT IS STILL PUTTING HERSELF IN THE FRONT OF THE CROWD!! 'BE GONE', PLEASE!!!!

By carriednj1

I'd actually like to see her on DWTS. /shrug

By Judy

It's all very sad. Sarah is in a very vunerable state and, in my opinion, turned to the wrong people. If they had wanted to help
Sarah they would have done so privately. They would not have used a medium where everyone could listen to, dabate and make fun of what Sarah was saying. Too many people would love to see someone who had it all fall on their face...once again.

By Debbie

I think Oprah and Sarah are using each other. Sarah needs the money and Oprah needs a reality show to fill the network schedule. Nothing wrong with that. Everyone has the opportunity to turn the channel if he/she doesn't like the topic.

By ruthless

This is a predatory act on Oprah's part. Give Sarah Ferguson back her privacy. She has two young daughters that will be affected by this. Who of us would ever put a friend through this for all the money in the world ?

By suzie white

I was a HUGE fan of Oprah's and rarely missed a show until she announced basically she was sick of doing them and couldn't wait until they were over. After that all she had was mostly "repeat's" letting us know update's on previous guest. Big deal. I haven't turned on her network and don't intend to. My cable co. wants me to pay 50.00 a month more each month to access her channel. Not worth it to me. When she started it was mostly the poor people who boosted her to the top because her show's dealt mostly with the underprivledged and what they went through, She left anyone who can't afford high cable price's behind when she quit her show. I no longer care about her or who she will exploit to get her cable network up and running

By The Zazz

Why is AOL so anti Oprah? They always dwell on something negative about her.

By Nancy

Oprah uses everybody - the only person Oprah Winfrey cares about is Oprah - everything is about promoting her "brand"- and she learned a long time ago you can capitalize with a down and out royal - she's pathetic and I hope her new network fails miserably.

By chuck

she uses everyone........OWN channel lives off the problems of others

By TButtons

Who cares. Even discussing the matter gives it more time than this woman...this so-called but actually former duchess...is entitled to. She will certainly be in as much debt a year from now as she was up to this point...yes, settled all her debts all right...got her former employees to accept a pittance of what they were owed. She is a cheap schemer more than anything else.
I thknk Oprah has been the one who is duped. Not the so-called duchess.

By Bubba

Good ole Opie has always been a USER and will Never change
But Fergie is some PIECE OF WORK also !!!

By kit

Perhaps they are using each other - Oprah for ratings & Sarah to get back into the good graces of her ex in-laws. It was Sarah's choice to accept or reject the offer. I wish I could sit down for a one-on-one with Dr. Phil especially since several of the things he said hit close to home, especially when he talked about being emotionally bankrupt. Go for it Sarah. I wish you well.

By kju8

I think O is exploiting not only Fergie, but the Judds, Chaz, Shania Twain, and other men/women whom she can get to star in their own reality show on her OWN network. I'm sure Fergie can use the money she's getting paid by O. It looks to me that this type of show is what we'll see a lot of on OWN.

By cillastem

So is A&E using Tori Spelling, Kardasans, Jessica Simpson; etc. I guess it only if Oprah do it she using Fergie. What a double standard some of you people have.

By Leanne

Oprah uses everybody, why would Sarah Ferguson be any exception...I wish they would take the reruns of her show off...I thought we were all finally done with that egomaniac..

By wlparadise

Dr Phil is just a bunch of sound bites and cliche's. He is NOT a psychiatrist or an MD and is a pompous marginal celebrity who would be nowhere if Oprah hadn't launched his supercilious self onto the unsuspecting public.... without the education as an MD/Psychiatrist, his so called advice is of little value. (yes I am married to a psychiatrist-- so I do know some of what I write here)

By Cathy

According to Fergie on last night's Jimmy Kimmel Show, it was not Oprah's intention to televise any of this. She offered Dr. Phil and Suze Orman. It was Fergie who wanted it televised.

By Jean

What a shame to see Fergie so lost and vulnerable and desperate for help and all she gets is advice made for TV ratings. Oprah, your heart may be in the right place. I believe you really do care. But you've gone over the line with this one. I find it very sad. That's the end of watching Oprah for me.

By Lori

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She is not the former Duchess, she is still a Duchess.

Thursday 16 June

By Cassandra Chandler

Okay let me get this straight. Oprah uses people who contract for payment to perform on a realty TV show but Fox, Bravo, VH-1 and all of the other networks are performing a public service...Give me a break., TV is a business and the executives and producers behind those shows develop shows and make deals for MONEY plain and simple..Oprah is a capitalist and as far as I see...no one has a problem with FOX, CBS, ABC, making money why should Oprah be held to a higher standard. I wonder why this is even a topic. Honestly has there ever been a debate about motivations of the Owners of the other networks or is it just Oprah.

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