Making Oprah
| Making Oprah | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Presentation | |
| Hosted by | Jenn White |
| Genre | bio-podcast |
| Production | |
| Production |
|
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 3 |
| Publication | |
| Original release | November 10 – November 22, 2016 |
| Provider | WBEZ |
| Related | |
| Website | www |
Making Oprah is an American bio-podcast produced by WBEZ and hosted by journalist Jenn White. The three-part series tells the history and development of Oprah Winfrey's professional career.[1] It premiered on November 10, 2016. The podcast was recommended by Wired,[2] Time,[3] and The New York Times.[4]
Synopsis
[edit]The podcast tells the story of how Oprah Winfrey became one of the best known talk show hosts and moguls in American pop culture.[5] It follows her career from her first broadcasting job as a local TV host for a Baltimore show called People Are Talking, up to present day.[6][5][7] The show's topics include reasons behind why audiences connected to Winfrey the way they did, the development of Harpo Studios, and how Winfrey turned to spirituality, all contextualized in terms of the American TV landscape.[6] It discusses some controversial episodes, such as her interview with skinheads,[6] when Tom Cruise jumped on her couch,[6] and the "you get a car" episode.[3]
Host Jenn White interviews several of Winfrey's associates including Phil Donahue.[8] Winfrey appears for an interview in the last episode of the podcast.[5] White shares the significance of the project as a Black woman in media in her forties.[9]
Production
[edit]The show was produced by WBEZ anchor and host Jenn White, Colin McNulty, Joel Meyer, Ben Calhoun, and Tricia Bobeda.[9][10] It was released as a 3-episode series. The podcast debuted on November 10, 2016, with one episode released online each week.[11]
WBEZ succeeded with series with Making Obama (2018) and Making Beyoncé (2019).[12]
Episodes
[edit]| Episode # | Date aired | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | November 10, 2016 | No Strategy, No Plan, No Formula |
| 2 | November 17, 2016 | Skinheads And Scented Candles |
| 3 | November 22, 2016 | YOU GET A CAR! |
Critical reception
[edit]The podcast was called "excellent" by Sarah Larson of The New Yorker.[6] The show was recommended by outlets including Wired, Time, The New York Times, USA Today, Marie Claire, and Vulture.[1][3][4][2][7][13]
Making Oprah was the most successful podcast by WBEZ after its release.[14]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Making Oprah: the best podcast of 2016". Marie Claire. December 28, 2016. Archived from the original on February 15, 2020. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
- ^ a b Locke, Charley (November 21, 2016). "Want a Respite From Listening to Politics? Oprah, Disco, and Audio Fiction Can Help". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
- ^ a b c "The Best History Podcasts to Listen to Right Now". Time. Archived from the original on September 24, 2021. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
- ^ a b Bromwich, Jonah Engel (May 26, 2017). "Stuck in Memorial Day Traffic? Here Are 15 Podcasts to Distract You". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
- ^ a b c Verdier, Hannah (November 17, 2016). "Making Oprah: how one woman changed the face of daytime TV". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on February 15, 2020. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e Larson, Sarah. ""Making Oprah" Illuminates the Oprah Phenomenon, and More". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on May 9, 2020. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
- ^ a b Mallenbaum, Carly. "Podcast pick of the week: 'Making Oprah'". USA TODAY. Archived from the original on February 15, 2020. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
- ^ Desta, Yohana. "Oprah's Staff Was Once Threatened by the K.K.K." Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on August 14, 2020. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
- ^ a b "'There's Something About Her': Podcast Explores How Oprah Became Oprah". NPR.org. Archived from the original on June 28, 2020. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
- ^ "How I Make It: Making Oprah | Werk It: The Podcast". WNYC Studios. Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
- ^ "Making Beyoncé". NPR.org. Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
- ^ "WAMU And NPR Announce Jenn White As New Host Of 1A". NPR.org. May 7, 2020. Archived from the original on June 27, 2020. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
- ^ Quah, Nicholas (October 3, 2018). "The Best Podcasts of 2018 (So Far)". Vulture. Archived from the original on January 7, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
- ^ "The making of binge-worthy serial narratives, from "S-Town" to "Framed"". Nieman Foundation. Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 27, 2020.