I admit to not liking Oprah.
Scary but true: I’m more afraid of posting an anti-Oprah post than an anti-Bush post. In other words, I still believe enough in the inherent goodness/incompetence of our government as opposed to the reach of Oprah’s empire.
But I have to say that I really have the hots for her Nate Berkus automaton — another guy that she glommed onto and decided to make into an Oprahifed commodity.
He’s cute — adorable, hot, really — and has suffered a horrific tragedy in the form of losing his lover in the tsunami, something I can’t imagine. But tonight I discovered something about him that makes me sick to my stomach. Yes, if you visit his website you’ll see it too:
Not to defend Nate Berkus — hot, hot man that he is — but I assume his name is trademarked in association with his eponymous brand of home decor products? (Just walk into his section of Linens N Things to be surrounded with Nate-ness.) Though, yes, it is weird to see his TM’d name alone up there in the banner. Man and brand are one.
It must be a bizarre experience being plucked for installation as an Oprah Brand, to have your identity transformed into a brand name and your personage packaged for mass consumption by Oprah’s disciples. A lot of people look upon her as a god figure; I think the way she selects and packages people smacks more of selling one’s soul to the devil.
Oh, and I wouldn’t mind at all being surrounded by Nate-ness. But not at Linens N’ Things.