Oprah Winfrey is one of the most influential personalities in the history of media. Her legacy, largely powered through 25 seasons of The Oprah Winfrey Show, has cemented her place in pop culture and has inspired many talk show hosts, journalists, and entertainers who have come after her. That being said, it was a complete honor to watch her sit across from the brilliant rising talk show host Keke Palmer to share a few hot takes on moments in Winfrey’s life, words of inspiration, and give clarity on the answer to whether or not she would make a return to hosting a daily talk show.
Oprah Names 3 Other Mentors Besides Well-Known Maya Angelou
GettyOn July 21, Palmer dropped a new episode of Baby, This is Keke Palmer, and her special guest was again Winfrey. While the two talked about a number of topics over the course of an hour and 16 minutes (that left me both entertained and inspired), there were a few standout moments that were quite interesting. One of which was Winfrey shedding light on her mentors as she rose up the ranks in the entertainment industry. The question Palmer actually posed to Winfrey was, “Favorite thing money can’t buy?” In response, Winfrey stated:
“Oh my gosh. I would have to say, for me, it’s the peace of mind and satisfaction that has come from living a life well lived. It’s the peace of mind and satisfaction.
“You know, when I first started out, it was hard. I know you’ve had this, too, every relative comes out of the closet. You got cousins you didn’t know, and you got everybody wanting and demanding of your time and your money. And I didn’t know how to say no. I didn’t know how to manage all of that in the beginning. And I had really strong mentors. I had the best.”
Naturally, Palmer asked Winfrey who her mentors were, and the famed Daytime Emmy winner replied:
“I had Maya Angelou. I had Sidney Poitier. I had Quincy Jones. I had Coretta Scott King. Those were my mentors. So when something would go wrong, I would call one or the other of those people… and Maya and Sidney more so than anybody else.”
It’s also worth pointing out the true gem Angelou shared with Winfrey on one occasion after Winfrey found herself emotionally tormented by the tabloids. Winfrey recalled Angelou telling her:
“I want you to say thank you…Thank you because whatever it is you’re going through, I don’t even want to know what it is right now. I want you to know God has already put a rainbow in the cloud for you. The rainbow is coming. So the cloud that you’re in right now, you just got to wait to get to the other side where the rainbow is, and say thank you because I know the rainbow is coming.”
Out of 3,500-plus Interviews, Oprah’s Favorite Guests Are
It may shock some, but Winfrey herself reported in the discussion that she has conducted over 3,500 interviews. That list includes authors, politicians, actors, singers, and more. When Palmer asked the Queen of Daytime her favorite guest, Winfrey replied, “Okay. Favorite guest who surprised me recently was a guy named Alan Levi who’s written this book called Theo of Golden.” In fact, she said he was “the best guest I’ve ever had.” It appears her high regard for Levi stems from his genuine kindness and interest he takes in other people.
Now Winfrey’s favorite surprise guest is actually someone she credits with helping to inspire her to get into the journalism space. That person is none other than Mary Tyler Moore.
Will Oprah Winfrey Make a Return to Daily Talk Show Format?
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)Since her departure from her daily talk show in 2011, many have wondered if Winfrey would make a return to that format in the future. Not for nothing, there is definitely a hole she left when she wrapped things on her longtime series. When Palmer directly inquired if Winfrey had a desire to go back to that style of show, Winfrey first talked about her current podcast, which she does twice a week, sometimes with an audience. She then noted, “Daily is too much.”
Be sure to check out the full Keke Palmer interview with Oprah Winfrey on Baby, This is Keke Palmer below, or on available platforms.
