Smith-Shomade (2008), "Oprah the Iconic and Television Talk"

Smith-Shomade (2008) argues that Oprah's success is aided by her performance of binaries of class, race, and gender. Most importantly, she employs a "rags-to-riches" narrative that allows her to play to both wealthy audiences and those audiences who aspire to greater wealth. Furthermore, Smith-Shomade (2008) argues, Oprah is successful in large part because she plays a "middle-of-the-road" role in terms of both race and gender. Oprah therefore escapes stereotypes of Blackness, femininity, and wealth, allowing her to play to a broader audience.