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)

Saturday 18 June

By Janette

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I like Fergie, I wish her well, I hope nobody is taking advantage of her situations. I do think Oprah and her teams are there to promote themselves first and Sarah after.

Wednesday 22 June

By Jan

Ratings. Ratings. Ratings. Sarah Ferguson's vulnerability was exploited publicly and cruelly. Oprah is a shrewd business woman - not a trained therapist - not a religious figure. Get real people - Oprah is a TELEVISION MOGUL. She is a great role model for success and has done good - but who in their right mind wants their picture on the cover of a magazine EVERY month? A lot of people help others quietly and privately. Another stupid decision on Sarah's part - she has a kind,loving heart and yet is easily led. A sick manipulation on Oprah's part.

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