Oprah Champions The Joys of Private Jet Travel

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
May 11th 2009 at 11:02PM

Usually Oprah is the voice of the middle class but this weekend in a speech to Duke University's graduating class, she let her wealth show. She told the students that it's "great to have nice homes." She also loves her private plane and said "anyone that tells you that having your own private jet isn't great is lying to you."

She's right of course and like Robert Frank said in The Wealth Report, it's nice to see someone being honest about the perks of wealth, of which the ability to travel wherever, whenever, in perfect comfort is one of the best. Now we just need to see Oprah say this on her show which she likely will not do for fear of alienating her core audience. With all of the bashing the private jet industry has gotten lately and the resulting fall out, causing the loss of thousands of jobs, the industry could use a little help. The NY Times recently noted that many former private jet users are changing their travel strategies due to both monetary issues and the pervasive feeling that private jet travel is now somehow wrong. Oprah has always had a soft spot for the underdog and right now the private jet industry finds itself in that position.

Tags: duke, oprah, oprah winfrey, OprahWinfrey, private jet, PrivateJet

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Andy May 11th 2009 11:49PM

She should give out NetJet cards to her audience... But we all know how well her previous promotions have gone... Pontiac is disappearing and KFC couldn't fulfill.

Corey May 12th 2009 1:20AM

Typical rich liberal. Lets make sure we tax the little people and any evil capitalist who is conservative to the point where they can all be poor together. Put your money where your mouth is! Donate your billion dollars, live like the rest of us and then we wouldn't be taxed into oblivion.

Hypocrite!

lken06880 May 12th 2009 10:37AM

i thought oprah was concerned about the global warming problem, flying around in a private would seem to work against that issue. i am sure from chicago, one of the busiest air hubs in the world, you can get anywhere without a whole lot of trouble, pampered the cow.

just me May 12th 2009 11:09AM

If you continue to read what she was saying in the same paragraph of speech, you would see the point she was making:

"It's great to have a private jet. Anyone that tells you that having your own private jet isn't great is lying to you. You may achieve great things, but you haven't completed the circle of success until you help someone else move to a higher ground and get to a better place."

kev501 May 12th 2009 1:28PM

"The Oprah Effect" strikes again! What ever Oprah mentions turns to gold. CNBC is airing a documentary about her power and influence called "The Oprah Effect" on Thursday, May 28th 9p ET | 10P PT.

Check out web extras at http://OprahEffect.cnbc.com