Forget Jesus… What Would Oprah Do?

There’s a fine line between being a fan and a fanatic. Head over to your nearest sports venue and you’ll gather that fairly quickly. Talk to someone who enjoys the same television shows or movies or music that you do, and you can probably determine the level of sanity that goes along with our shared fascinations in others.

Robyn Okrant, 35, was featured this morning on the TODAY show because she has decided to put one of those cultural icons to the test. For the past 10 months she has sought to live a 24-7 devoted life to what Oprah says she should do. She’s spent thousands of dollars on the things that Oprah says are must-haves (including a backyard fire pit, although she doesn’t have a backyard, and ergonomic garden tools, even though she doesn’t have a garden). She has to practice emotional ‘pick-me-ups’ throughout the day, like striving to be nice and ‘getting a lift’ each time she comes through the front door. It’s a process that overall is exhausting.

Before you lump her in with the fanatics you should know that she doesn’t lump herself in with the group and wouldn’t even recommend anyone following in her footsteps. She’s doing it as a social experiment and plans to write a book when her one year of following all things Oprah is over.

You can read the article on the MSNBC website (“Woman living la vida Oprah”) or watch the entire segment from the TODAY show below:

Posted 10.17.2008

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