Oprah Winfrey & Sarah Palin: Perfect Together

I've dubbed the pop culture players accordingly. You may cheekily call the duo Paloprah or Opalin in that snazzy, annoying Hollywood mash up style ala Brangelina (Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie), but whatever you call the daring, dynamic duo of talk titan Oprah and political princess Sarah Palin, they're joining forces for a sure TV ratings and book bonanza.

On November 16, 2009, Sarah Palin will be welcomed on Oprah. Yes Oprah, the one who endorsed and campaigned for Barack Obama. The very next day "Going Rogue", Palin's much talked about book will be released. It's real nifty media marketing which will benefit two of the most popular, though polarizing women, currently on America's public, political and pop culture stage.

Talk about girl power!

Oprah transformed from a local TV news anchor and talk show host into a national media phenomenon, an Academy Award nominated actress in Steven Spielberg's The Color Purple, and into the international multi-media institution she is today. Sarah Palin has similar roots. She was a local news and sports anchor, then elected Governor of Alaska, and soared into the pop political stratosphere when she become Senator John McCain's VP pick and running mate in the 2008 Presidential election.

Many are shocked, dismayed and more than a bit of both over Oprah's invitation to Sarah Palin to come and play in her daytime TV sandbox. I feel exactly opposite. I'd be shocked if the reigning queen of talk didn't have the reigning queen of politics on to discuss one of the most exciting, bizarre and divisive political campaigns in American history. Both Oprah Winfrey and Sarah Palin are confident, savvy and fearless women. To think for a moment they wouldn't join forces, for even one day, to exploit the huge buzz around Palin's book is undervaluing and underestimating the two women.

Oprah Winfrey, after backing Barack Obama, caught heavy flack for throwing her hat into the political ring. She still has more than a hefty viewership, but it's declined. You can argue with new faces on the scene like Tyra Banks and Ellen DeGeneres, Oprah's ratings erosion was inevitable. Is Oprah also inviting Sarah Palin on so fans who either abandoned her or are angry at her partisan politics, will think she hears both sides of the aisle? For Sarah Palin, it's a win win situation. She could have gone on The View, 60 Minutes or 20/20 - she may still do that - but for her to anoint the first show (Oprah's hyping it as a 'world exclusive') with what promises to be the biggest books in years, she's doing Oprah the favor.

http://www.tvsquad.com/2009/10/20/yup-sarah-palin-will-appear-on-oprah/