Oprah Winfrey is trying to do the Barbara Walters gig --doing interviews with famous and semi-famous and infamous people. An interview she has done with Joel Osteen has been airing over and over on her cable channel. I suppose you know who Osteen is?
He is the preacher at the biggest church in the world; a ampitheatre accomodating 16,000 people and it's packed every Sunday. Osteen is one in a long line of televangelist, and huckterism is their bread and butter.

You couldn't have forced me to watch that interview, but I was finishing up cleaning up the kitchen and didn't want to have to stop and go to the living room and change channels--every step is hard for me--so I groaned and let it play on while I worked.
Osteen and his wife live in a luxurious mansion. Oprah asked the most incisive question she dared to (and an interviewer, she sucks up to people, or maybe like George Bush, the Osteens submitted a list of things she was allowed ask about, who knows) but the question she asked was how if they don't live on donations made to the church, how they could afford their plush lifestyle?

So I'm in the kitchen listening when Osteen says he wrote a best selling book and they live on the proceeds from that. (What bull.)
Now I noticed the timbre of his voice changed when he said that. It was as good as a lie detector. He's lying through his teeth. Bub, no matter how many books you sold, you ain't gonna maintain a life of luxury from it.

Then Oprah tells him he's been criticized for not displaying a cross in his church, or any other religious items, and not doing much Biblical preaching, but instead preaching acquisition of wealth and worldly things.
What he does really, is preach a feel good seminar at his church every Sunday. By this time I was watching the telly and was struck by by how gay he looks and sounds. He and his Barbie doll looking wife look plasticized. Her face is Botoxed and wrinkle free, but you can tell she's had work because by contrast, though the face is taut, there are age crinkles in her neck.
I was hoping Oprah would ask this pair who seem desperate to portray themselves as perfect people, about something in the tabloids a few years back when Ms. Osteen reportedly made a big scene in a plane because she didn't like the treatment she was getting. One of those "Do you know who I am" things.

Nope, the sight and sound of these hucksters makes my hair stand on end. Bah Humbug!

susil