“Rational thoughts never drive people’s creativity the way emotions do.”—Neil deGrasse Tyson
MULTI-BILLIONAIRE EMOTIONAL TYCOON
Saying Oprah Winfrey changed the broadcasting industry would be a gross understatement. Oprah stands in a creative league of her own. She created and humanized a new genre of TV, tabloid talk shows. Oprah’s philanthropic efforts gave a voice to marginalized communities. She broke racial and financial barriers, becoming the first African American multi-billionaire. Her sociopolitical acumen, a deep awareness and appreciation of her emotions, and how she told emotive stories fueled her success.
For decades, she connected emotionally with the people she interviewed on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Oprah and her guests opened up and bravely shared their pain. She single-handedly created the confessional format that’s commonly used in talk shows today.
At the cusp of her meteoric rise, TIME wrote, “Guests with sad stories to tell are apt to rouse a tear in Oprah’s eye or ge…