If we talk about ice skaters, we have to mention Sonja Henie, and if we talk about science fiction writers, we have to mention Harlan Ellison. And people who have occupied the “public figure” stage? Oprah Winfrey, no contest. As one of the most recognizable and respected celebrities on the planet, this woman’s every word and action have been the subject of close scrutiny for decades, especially since everyone who does not happen to be Oprah seems to feel obligated to chime in with an opinion about every breath she draws.
In the USA and even on the world stage, many favorite topics of conversation have been Oprah-centric: her accomplishments, her acting, her generosity, her spirit, her knack for spotting talent, and of course, always and forever, her relationship with her body; specifically its size and weight.
Just when it seemed impossible that fate could provide the opportunity to explore yet another facet of Oprah, it happened. The world had not seen such a scandal since a king of England resigned his position in order to marry a divorced commoner.
The upset
In 2023, the star stated publicly that, for some time after hearing about the new weight-loss medications, she had continued to feel that personal willpower was the only legitimate way to pursue weight loss. But then as the months slid by, her thinking evolved.
In the autumn of that year, the OprahDaily.com website mentioned some of its reasons for existing. One was to banish the idea that obesity can and should only be cured by personal willpower. Using medicine to treat obesity is just as legitimate as using antibiotics to treat infection, and that principle needed to be respectfully brought into the house and given a seat. The text plainly said that the site’s intention was…
To discuss the safety and efficacy of the new weight loss drugs, such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro.
Meanwhile, Oprah had served on the Weight Watchers board of directors for nearly a decade, and a difference of opinion had developed. The people who had been tracking that situation and shaking their heads were proven correct when, at the end of February 2024, Oprah resigned from the board.
Much of the reporting served only to confuse the issue. Oprah’s personal decision, made some months before, to start taking a weight-loss drug was regarded by a segment of the public, including some of her most loyal fans, as a betrayal. It was as if Oprah had been caught stepping out on her long-time gentleman friend.
Some fans were angry, others were sad. But this judgment was complicated by the fact that Weight Watchers had already bought a telehealth platform whose services included “access to healthcare providers who can prescribe weight-loss drugs including Ozempic.”
That development left many Weight Watchers members confused about where to aim their displeasure — at the organization, or Oprah, or both, or neither? Some felt betrayed, without knowing exactly why, or how to react, or which port to seek in this storm. Some critics seemed to base their disapproval on very shaky ground, almost as if they believed as a general principle that no one should ever be allowed to change their mind, even if evidence, experience, and logic might point toward making a behavioral adjustment.
New year, new problems
Meanwhile, as 2025 rolled in, Oprah stated publicly that the existence of medically approved prescription drugs for weight loss felt “like redemption… not something to hide behind and once again be ridiculed for.” The fact that she owned a lot of Weight Watchers stock added to the dismay.
Did that make her a loyal company woman, or a traitor? Did this aspect of her business life define her as an oppressive fat-shamer who profited from the pain of ordinary members, or what?
Plenty of former supporters were unhappy with their fallen hero, even if they couldn’t put their finger on exactly why. It is a human characteristic to admire someone who takes a rigid stand, no matter how harmful that position might be. At the same time, another ineradicable human trait is to scold someone mercilessly for “flip-flopping,” as if changing one’s mind is the worst sin ever.
Your responses and feedback are welcome!
Image by Pat Hartman
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