| Oprah Winfrey is one of the most popular talk | | | | In 2003, Oprah decided to do two episodes of |
| show hosts in American television history. | | | | her favorite things segment - one in the |
| As her show enters its 21rst season, she has | | | | Spring and one in the Fall. Spring audience |
| millions of viewers who tune in each day. | | | | members got an Apple iPod ($399), Silhouette |
| One of her most popular segments is her | | | | Minimal X Sunglasses ($175-$250), and a |
| "Favorite Things" holiday show. During this | | | | Hewlett Packard Digital Camera, Printer and |
| show, Oprah shares with the studio and | | | | Dock (total value $730) among other items. |
| television audience some of her favorite | | | | Fall audience members racked up with UGG |
| things including jewelry, gadgets and | | | | Classic Short Boots ($110), a Philip Stein |
| vacation getaways. | | | | Teslar Watch ($595), and a Sony DCR-DVD200 |
| | | | Handycam ($1000). |
| People love this show because on the | | | | |
| "Favorite Things" episode, audience members | | | | 2004 was a very special Favorite Things |
| get the extravagant gifts that Oprah | | | | segment for Oprah. She convinced 300 |
| displays. Around 300 audience members are | | | | teachers to attend her show, under the |
| showered with gifts each holiday episode. | | | | premise of talking about education and a |
| The amount varies, but Oprah audience members | | | | teacher's daily routine. Instead, she |
| can each expect to receive between $4,000 and | | | | surprised them with the Favorite Things |
| $15,000 worth of gifts. But, Oprah is a big | | | | episode. The teachers received gifts such as |
| winner as well. The 2004 episode of | | | | a Sony VAIO S260 notebook computer, a Dell |
| "Oprah's Favorite Things" had the highest | | | | 30" wide-screen LCD television, a Maytag |
| ratings ever for a "Favorite Things" episode | | | | Neptune Top-Load Washer and Drying Center, |
| and was the second highest rated episode for | | | | and a trip for two to the exclusive Miraval |
| the season. | | | | Resort and Spa. Total gift amount for each |
| | | | teacher was about $15,000 - much more than |
| Oprah has been doing her "Favorite Things" | | | | the previous year total of $4,800. Oprah, a |
| episode since 1999. Guests received a set of | | | | supporter of education and teachers, knew the |
| Illumination Ritual Candles, each one to | | | | teachers were worth every penny. |
| inspire different feelings like love, peace | | | | |
| and passion and each candle contained a tiny | | | | In 2005, Oprah decided to make her favorite |
| gemstone inside. The 12-candle set was | | | | things audience up of Katrina relief workers. |
| valued at $169.95. Dog owners were no doubt | | | | Among the gifts were Sony VAIO(R) FJ |
| thrilled with the Fifi and Romeo Pet Clothing | | | | Notebook, Kashwére(R) Shawl Collar Robe, |
| ($150 and up) - one of Oprah's favorite | | | | BlackBerry 7105T (TM) from T-Mobile, and a |
| things of 1999. One of the most extravagant | | | | couple of Oprah's favorites from 2004, UGG |
| gifts that year was a Susan Abbott | | | | Australia's Uptown Boot and an Apple iPod. |
| Personalized Painting, ranging from $5,000 | | | | While considerably less than the year before, |
| and up. Oprah loved the Susan Abbott painting | | | | the 2005 recipients still received over |
| given to her by author Sarah Ban Breathnach. | | | | $7,000 worth of items. |
| | | | |
| In 2000, Oprah added many hi-tech gadgets | | | | Probably due in part to Oprah's television |
| like the Motorola Talkabout pager (priced at | | | | audience as well as her personal appeal, each |
| $179), so audience members could receive | | | | year the manufacturer's of the items found on |
| email while on the go. Another favorite | | | | Oprah's favorite things donate all the gifts. |
| thing from 2000 was the book equivalent of | | | | But they reap great benefits from doing so. |
| the iPod, the Gemstar REB1100 eBook from RCA | | | | They get television exposure and an immediate |
| ($299). The Gemstar let users download up to | | | | increase in sales after each episode. |
| 8,000 book pages, so they never had to carry | | | | Companies like Sephora and Macy's have both |
| around a book again. | | | | publically stated that as soon as Oprah |
| | | | mentions one of their products, people are |
| The BlissLabs Glamour Gloves ($44) and Gel | | | | coming in the stores in droves to get it. |
| ($22) was one of Oprah's favorite things in | | | | |
| 2002. The Panasonic 4-in-1 Digital Camera | | | | So in the end, it is a win-win situation. |
| from Frontgate ($449) was also a big hit that | | | | The manufacturers see increased sales, the |
| year. The camera, the size of a credit card, | | | | audience gets great gifts, and Oprah just |
| takes pictures and video, but can also be | | | | keeps on getting more and more popular with |
| used as a MP3 player and audio recorder. | | | | her viewing audience. |
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