Coming after Oprah: Cultural Fallout in the Age of the TV Talk Show

Coming After Oprah: Cultural Fallout in the Age of the TV Talk Show is the first book-length study assessing a decade of toxic talk - talk that makes the quiz-show scandals of the 1950s look innocuous by comparison. More than just a commentary on the aesthetics of the genre, this book looks at the evolution and cultural significance of these programs, disputing claims that they are nothing more than harmless entertainment. In the book's revealing first half, Vicki Abt and Leonard Mustazza uncover the mechanics of the talk-show game. The book's second half examines the behind-the-scenes economic games and their implications, revealing a web of complex commercial and political interests that influence their production. (A detailed description of the corporate players and the revenues they are generating is also provided.) The study concludes with suggestions for what we as a culture might do to protect ourselves from its inherent deceptions and misinformation.
The transformation of TV talk shows over time is the quintessential illustration of how material culture (technology, the media) affects our cultural narratives and symbols and, through them, changes the social construction of reality. This book provides important insights into the power of television and its messages.