Was Jasmine supposed to be Oprah Winfrey

[Honoria Dedlock]

I always wondered if Jasmine was supposed to be some sort of take on Oprah Winfrey. Some similarities. Beyond the superficial similarity that they are both black women, here some things I noticed:

1. Both Oprah and Jasmine tout a philosophy of love and peace and both have been criticized as hypocritical.

2. They both gravitate toward power and the media. Jasmine announcing a talk-show and her false modesty at the people erecting a temple in her worship really made me think of the cult of Oprah!

3. Oprah has previously been portrayed as a demonic entity in Mad TV skits, much like Jasmine's true nature.

4. Both are cases of the emperor's New clothes... Jasmine's sanctity was completely fake and founded on manipulation. Oprah Winfrey has come under fire for some questionable practices, destroying the legacy of certain people while not touching those who helped her like Harvey Weinstein

Please note that I do not think Oprah Winfrey is some kind of demon. I merely see her as a powerful egomaniacal woman who had nevertheless made great strides for African Americans and women (although perhaps not recently)

I'm sure the writers can't say Jasmine is based on her or they'd risk incurring a libel case from O herself!

 

[WillowFromBuffy]

Yes, I think that's a great observation. Not just Opah, but everyone in the daytime pantheon. The last time I had a proper TV (which is like 10 years ago), I watched a lot of Ellen. Ellen seems like a nice person, but there is still something sinister about it all ... how the audience just worship her, especially when she calls them up on stage.

That kind of infatuation and hero worship is depicted well in the Joker movie, when Jackie Phoenix imagines himself being interviewed by Rob DeNiro.

 

[AlphaFoxtrot]

Obviously, without comment from the writers it's unknowable, but I would agree that it's a sound insight.

 

[Honoria Dedlock]

Yes, I think that's a great observation. Not just Opah, but everyone in the daytime pantheon. The last time I had a proper TV (which is like 10 years ago), I watched a lot of Ellen. Ellen seems like a nice person, but there is still something sinister about it all ... how the audience just worship her, especially when she calls them up on stage.

That kind of infatuation and hero worship is depicted well in the Joker movie, when Jackie Phoenix imagines himself being interviewed by Rob DeNiro.

Here worship is a good term for it. Is free with you about Ellen...and if it's been ten years since you've seen Herz then oh boy, she's gotten MUCH worse since her popularity soared. E is the new O, self-importance and hero worship and all.

It's the effect of fame. Oprah was a lot more down to earth and real when the Oprah Show was at its height...it was somewhere in the nineties when she decided to buy into her own hype.

That's why I like that Jasmine's true name is what defeats her. That shows the writers were aware of her inauthenticity as a Godhead.

The whole Jasmine arc is underrated and gets a bad rep because of Cordelia. Would have worked better had they just had Zoe play Jasmine from the beginning of the season. She was the only Big bad on Angel I found compelling aside from the Wolfram and Hart attorneys

 

[TriBel]

I always wondered if Jasmine was supposed to be some sort of take on Oprah Winfrey.

I always presumed so.

Not just Opah, but everyone in the daytime pantheon.

This could equally be true. I don't watch daytime TV (in the UK) but the power wielded by these "celebrities" seems immense and completely out of proportion to their abilities (not a comment on Oprah or Ellen who have other strings to their respective bows).

 

[Mr Trick]

Never thought about it that way before but I wouldn't be surprised if the writers had that in mind. Fair play to Oprah for sending herself up so brilliant in that episode of 30 Rock

 

[Bbwvamplover]

Really Oprah? Lol I think jasmine was basically antichrist vibe...very similar to the stars or famous people in a way people worship famous people they go crazy for them

 

[Ethan Reigns]

For someone who is not a Christian, Joss has written a surprisingly clear portrait of the antichrist:

1. The antichrist will be a very attractive, seductive person.
2. The antichrist will right longstanding wrongs.
3. The true nature of the antichrist will not be seen except by people who have a gift of insight.
4. The antichrist will kill people, in the case of this story, as nourishment.
5. The antichrist will be given rockstar treatment.
6. The antichrist will preach a message of love while being the opposite type of person.

Oprah has been guilty of giving a platform to people whose ideas (particularly medical ideas) are dangerous and destructive. I would never see her as being an authority on anything or someone whose ideas are worth following.