I have an infinite amount of respect for Oprah Winfrey, not only because of the kind and morally decent person that she is, but also because of her broadcasting career-from when she had worked with Richard Sher at WJZ-TV co-hosting the locally-produced Talk Show at this Westinghouse-owned and operated ABC and later turned CBS affiliate, and WJZ-TV being where she first met her friend Gayle King where King had worked as a Producer; but also when Oprah’s well-regarded and nationally syndicated Talk Show had begun life as WLS-TV’s in house and locally-produced Talk Show A.M Chicago in 1970, then Winfrey took over as host in 1984, staking it from having basement-low ratings and being the subject of laughing matter to being the most-watched locally-produced program in the Chicago area before A.M Chicago would morph into the nationally-syndicated Oprah Winfrey Show in 1986, while still remaining the property of ABC; and Oprah had taken full ownership of the show in 1989.

A.M Chicago, before it had evolved into the nationally-syndicated Oprah Winfrey show; was WLS-TV’s corresponding show to ABC mandating that each of their owned and operated stations run a locally-produced morning Talk Show. A.M Detroit and later Kelley & Company were WXYZ-TV’s examples of this mandate, A.M Los Angeles hosted by Regis Philbin (before his move to New York City) and Sarah Purcell was KABC-TV’s example of this mandate, A.M San Francisco hosted by the husband and wife team of Fred LaCosse and Terry Lowery and Good Morning, Bay Area hosted by Susan Sikora; were KGO-TV’s examples of this mandate; and A.M New York-which had evolved into Regis, Kathie Lee, and Kelly’s nationally syndicated Talk Show, was and still is WABC-TV’s example of this mandate.

As you may already know, Oprah is responsible for fostering Dr. Phil McGraw, another individual who I love and respect, and get along with quite well, dating to when she had utilized his Forensic Psychology services during her lawsuit against the Beef Industry in 1995, and then began to regularly appear on her Talk Show starting in 1998, because he would gain his own Talk Show from 2002 onwards.

For more information regarding Dr. Phil McGraw and his second wife Robin, please see these earlier posts:

Phil McGraw’s Second Wife Robin

Episode Of Phil McGraw’s Talk Show About Just How Bad Life And Society In The 21st Century, Devices Such As Smart Cellular Telephones, Tablets; And Social Media Websites All Are

Oprah Winfrey would have a similar conversation with her on again, off again confidant-Iyanla Vizant 19 years later in 2012: