Can Someone Tell Her She Is Not The Center of the Universe, People?!

So, I have mixed feelings on Oprah.  Sometimes I like her show because she has interesting topics.  And she's pretty self-aware, which is nice to see in people.  Most of the time, though, that self-awareness rears it's ugly head as "I'm Oprah.  I've found a good way to live.  You should do it how I do it too."  The first time it really got my goat was when she acted as if James Frey had personally offended her and how wrong that was.  Please!!!  As if she is the only person in the world.  But whatever, if I'm home, I'll watch her and probably buy some skin cream she's suggested.  I'm fairly easy to please.

But this, this is going too far and clearly displays her lack of respect for other people, her self-aggrandizing, and her obliviousness.



Do you see how she forces herself on these objects?  The rules are actually for the American people--these shoes are not props and they are invaluable and they belong to us all with the Smithsonian acting as their steward.  Her actions show a serious lack of respect towards 1) The Smithsonian Institution (or any museum) as a repository of sacred American cultural artifacts and 2) the professionals whose job is to protect them ( this includes a minimum of a hand-courier, a conservator, armed transport personnel, and the friggin' director of the museum!  Museum professionals are just that (well most of the time), professionals.  It's our job to keep these treasures for future generations, to house them, to interpret them, to display them... not to let Oprah do whatever she wants with them.  Sure, he could have walked off or done a smack-down, but he's trying to raise awareness for the Smithsonian.  Believe it or not, it's not some sort of awesomely funded and well-kept place.  Like other cultural institutions, its budget is shrinking and its collections need money to keep them preserved and housed properly.  Plus, they don't charge admission, a huge source of income for other institutions.  So, giving in a little to Oprah is a bit understandable, though clearly dumb.  But the way that she responded to his kindness and handled those objects like she would her own friggin' shoes is so disrespectful...  It's like it was all a big joke to her. I am seriously aghast. 

Luckily, so are many of her viewers, who realize just how wrong it was for Oprah to act as if she is above the rules set in place for everyone else.  Oprah needs to realize that just because she's famous, successful, and millions of people look up to her gives her no more right to touch the ruby slippers than anyone else.  This is symptomatic of a major attitude problem she has and I hope the public outcry will wake her up.  There's nothing that says being a powerful woman means losing the ability to be humble.