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May, 2011 is bittersweet to me. I am going to London, England to do workshops for gay and lesbians couples, gay men and therapists dealing with clients struggling with internet infidelity. That is the good news.
The sad news is that I am losing one of my favorite shows and people on the air--Oprah! I found it helpful to write a letting go article that I will share with you to allow me to accept that she will no longer be on daily television. It is a bit tongue-in-cheek and yet it also is very meaningful to me.
Here is the article:
Ladies and Gentleman: Joe-prah!
By Joe Kort, Ph.D.
I have to admit, over the past 25 years, I've been a little obsessed with "Oprah." Okay, maybe not just a little bit-maybe a lot more than that. To be honest, I have been a major fan of hers from the very beginning.
In 1986, when I saw her on the air for the first time, I connected with her immediately. I couldn't believe that here, for the first time, here was a woman on television who resembled no one else I had ever seen on network TV. She talked about issues that clearly mattered to her. She showed her true emotions, was overweight-and she was black. Before this, each of these traits by itself might have spelled low ratings and quick cancellation for any TV personality. But not for Oprah-she was authentic.
How come I identified so closely with Oprah Winfrey, especially since we have nothing in common? I'm a gay white Jewish male, now a therapist, who grew up in a lower-middle-class household. She and I didn't share the same gender, religion, race or profession, yet I felt a kinship with her, an understanding.
At that point, little did I know that we two had a lot in common!
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