It sounds kinda silly, but I’ve often wondered if I’d ever meet Oprah. Having spent so many years in broadcasting and even hosting a daily live talk show of my own for a long time, I’ve interviewed lots of folks who had been on her old show. When the opportunity arose to attend a taping of her Lifeclass show in Houston, I jumped at the chance.
As ‘luck’ would have it, my seat was reserved for her session with Joel Osteen (she was also taping with Rick Warren who I’m sure was wonderful). I’ve been a long time fan of Osteen’s books and his Sunday morning services. We actually went to NYC and caught his sermon at the then new Yankee Stadium. About 5 or 6 years ago, I did interview Joel and Victoria and instantly liked them both…their sincerity and graciousness exceeded expectations, something that doesn’t often occur in the world of public personalities.
The show was wonderful. Oprah was warm and exuberant–Joel characteristically optimistic with his fun sense of humor. If you asked audience members, I’ll bet everyone of them would tell you they experienced some sort of an ‘ah-ha’ moment. Tidbits from the show include —
*instead of thinking about where you’re going, stop and look at how far you’ve come
*Dream big – Pray bold…God has bigger plans for you than you have for yourself
*How you feel about yourself is SO important – ‘I am’ are two very powerful words. If you had to fill in the blank ‘I am ____’…what would you say?
I didn’t get the opportunity to meet Oprah, but to see Oprah and Joel Osteen converse on stage was great fun. I have to say I am….blessed and I am grateful!
I think it’s important to note that behind the scenes, the mood was just as jubilant. I’ve never been more impressed with PR folks than I was with the team Oprah had onboard. Kind, respectful and helpful–they were outstanding. My guess is it starts at the top! You can watch the first episode of Oprah’s Lifeclass with Joel Osteen on OWN Sunday, October 28, at 8p CT.
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