Oprah's private jet comment no great endorsement

Oprah, fat cat (Source: NewsBusters)

Celebrity hero worship ain’t my thang.  An endorsement by them often means less than nothing to me, and I’m sure others.  Occasionally their comments are cringe worthy and do more damage than good.  The latest example:  Oprah Winfrey bragging about how great it is to have her own private jet.

Just Google “Oprah” and “private jet” and you’ll see the spectrum of opinion on this.  Many are those types hoping and praying to get a ride on Oprah’s coattails.  One even said that perhaps she could do for the aviation industry what she did for books.  Please (that’s sarcasm, not a request).  I’m glad she’s found success and is enjoying it – it’s the American dream, good for her.  But she’s adding to the class envy and warfare that’s been on the rise lately.

In case you haven’t heard, she said the following at a commencement address at Duke University: "Anyone that tells you that having your own private jet isn't great is lying to you. That jet thing is really good."  First, the obvious, who would tell you that having your own private jet isn’t great, or even good?  I’m sure the lowly graduates appreciated the condescension.  But in case there was any confusion by what she meant, they are young and less world savvy after all, she makes it clear in the second sentence.

Yes, having your own airplane, jet or not, is pretty cool.  But I’m sure that’s not Earth shattering news.  The odds of most of those students, or her gazillions of viewers, ever owning one, or even seeing the inside of one, are about as likely as me getting a guest ride on the Space Shuttle.  But thanks for reminding us you have a $42 million Global Express XRS (pictured at right, source: Avweb)

But this “lying to you” part, I also take issue with.  Who lately has been excoriating corporations, and any other fat-cats, flying around in their private jets?  Who has General and Corporate aviation fairly upset with the announcement of user fee’s coming next year, and increasing the jet fuel tax by 65%?  And who said the days of people getting on their jets and flying to Las Vegas are over?

If the elected leaders who are doing the above aren’t the ones Ms. Winfrey characterizes as “liars”(that she also helped get elected), who would it be? This is that whole class envy and warfare thing I was talking about.  I cannot believe I’m about to agree with Perez Hilton of all people, but he/she/its blog hit it on the head: "Lesson to learn, graduates: It's good to be Oprah and sucks to be everyone else!"  Exactly.

Yes, I suspect that her fans, after checking out the book of the month or this week’s diet, will all rush out and look into private jet ownership.  And the .01 percent who have the ability to actually follow through can then look forward to becoming targets of Ms. Winfrey and her pals.  Darn rich fat cats.