Oprah Winfrey has broken her silence over her protégé, celebrity physician Dr. Mehmet Oz, taking a run for a Senate seat.
Oz announced in November that he planned to run as a GOP candidate to succeed retiring Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA).
Winfrey is famously a Democratic supporter, having issued endorsements for former President Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in their White House bids. Oz found fame on The Oprah Winfrey Show up until it ended its run in 2011. He has since hosted his own Dr. Oz Show.
Asked by New York Magazine to comment on Oz’s political ambitions, Winfrey was not exactly forthcoming with her support.
“One of the great things about our democracy is that every citizen can decide to run for public office,” Winfrey said via a spokesperson. “Mehmet Oz has made that decision. And now it’s up to the residents of Pennsylvania to decide who will represent them.”
Ouch. If Oz is hoping for more fulsome endorsement from his former colleague, he’ll likely be waiting a long time.
Related: Dr. Oz won’t stop bitching about cancel culture and everyone on Twitter is like “Girl, byeeeee!”
According to The Wrap, ratings for The Dr. Oz Show have been dropping since he announced his run for political office. The show will air for the last time on January 14, ahead of his official 2022 campaign starting in earnest.
When he announced his run for Senate, Oz said he’d been partly driven by the pandemic.
“We have not managed our crises as effectively as past generations. During the pandemic, I learned that when you mix politics and medicine, you get politics instead of solutions. That’s why I am running for the U.S. Senate: to help fix the problems and to help us heal.”
Earlier this month, it emerged that part of his campaigning would be railing against “cancel culture”. Audio emerged of comments he made at a private luncheon in New York City defending Harry Potter author JK Rowling. In response, Oz tweeted, “It’s time to stand up to the Left and end the cancel culture mob that is destroying our country.”
It’s time to stand up to the Left and end the cancel culture mob that is destroying our country.
— Dr. Mehmet Oz (@DrOz) December 18, 2021
Although news of his run has already met with some negative press (besides his cancel culture comments, the fact he lives in New Jersey and is running for a seat in Pennsylvania has also raised some eyebrows), he’s already picking up support for his campaign.
Related: More craptastic news for wannabe U.S. Senator Dr. Oz
A December 20th poll by the Trafalgar Group asked over 1,000 Republicans in Pennsylvania who they’d vote for it they could do so “tomorrow”. Oz led the field, taking 18.8% of the vote: ten points ahead of the next GOP candidate. However, 50% of those to respond said they’d yet to make up their mind.
cuteguy
Well on the bright side, at least his low rated show is ending
jayceecook
Sadly it’s not ending because of low ratings but for legal reasons. And even more sadly the show replacing his is his daughter’s.
Cam
The sad thing is, it’s being replaced by a show headlines by his daughter, so they’ll keep funneling money to that family.
jayceecook
@Cam It’s almost as if somebody made almost the same comment before you did.
Cam
@jayceecook , Nahhh, you must be mistaken. 😉
Ronbo
Oprah has unleashed other conservatives upon us; Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz aren’t her only quacks. Her production company put hundreds of conservatives behind the camera into management and into the mainstream – where the real manipulation takes place.
Wealth changes people into conservatives. Her great friendship with sex offenders Harvey Weinstein, John of God and Jeffrey Epstein speak as loud as anything her publicist produces.
Cam
Oprah gave Jenny MacCarthy a platform for her anti-vaxxer lies also.
jayceecook
So, where’s Oprah’s big backhand slap for “Dr” Oz? Her statement is the most bland, non-confrontational one a person can make.
Fahd
Öz being the Republican nominee may make it easier for the Democrat to win the Senate seat. Name recognition isn´t everything (see C. Jenner). Let´s hope the Democrats have a good candidate and get out the vote: always key in Pennsylvania.
Very weak statement from Oprah. Seems that the aggressive, right-wing, internet trolls and violent insurrectionists have had a chilling effect on Oprah. Disappointing that she seems to just not want any trouble. Maybe out of the public eye, she´s using her wealth for good.
Wheelerman
Yes! We have John Fetterman, who is our current Lt. Governor. He is a big, burly, tattooed fella with a strong history of what a Democrat should be. He is a big supporter of LGBT rights and Equality. He displayed a PRIDE flag on the balcony of his office at the State Capitol, despite it being prohibited. He also officiated at the first same-sex marriage here in PA before it was legal. He’s a maverick, and he’s got my vote!
IWantAFullBeard
Well, I think that is just lovely. I mean why wouldn’t someone from western Pennsylvania be interested in voting for a Turkish muslim who lives in New Jersey?
The real positive in all of this is that no matter how much money and fame you have, it’s no indication on how much common sense you lack.
SDR94103
she only endorsed Obama because he’s half black. Fact. Loyalty to race above all else. I hear it all the time.
MISTERJETT
nope!!!! she endorsed him because she thought he was the best man for the job…..and he was.
cuteguy
@SDR
Show some respect. She endorsed the first president who supported gay marriage. Gay rights have catapulted since 2012 when the great Obama endorsed gay marriage.
Kangol2
SDR, so Oprah endorsed Hillary because she was…half Black? Uh, no. Is Biden half-Black? Oh wait, Oprah endorsed him at a get-out-the-vote event and Biden is a White man on both sides of his family! I guess you decided to show your racist card upon seeing Oprah’s and Obama’s names!
inbama
Six years later and Obama’s “half-black” heritage still triggers you.
Sad.
brian6767
@cuteguy…..WTF are you talking about?!? Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and, yes, even Hillary Clinton were vehemently against gay marriage until they realized how many of the gays vote, then they changed their tune for their own purposes.
Cam
What a shock, the anti-LGBTQ troll also hates Black people.
Kangol2
@brian6767, Obama supported same-sex marriage as an Illinois State Senator representing a predominantly Black district in Chicago. When he ran for the US Senate, winning his seat in one of the biggest blowouts in decades, he moved to the center-right on same-sex marriage, and remained there through his first term in office. He was never “vehemently” against same-sex marriage, though.
cuteguy
@brian67
Did you bother reading the year I put in my post?! 2012 Go take your dementia medication and ask permission from your caretaker before you post next time. Thank God for Obama. The GQP leaders you support hate LGBTQ ppl.
brian6767
@Cam-I’m an African-American homosexual, douchebag! Take your trolling somewhere else. You’re an embarrassment to our community
Thad
Oh, Oprah’s “endorsement” was definitely “fulsome.” So many writers don’t seem to know “fulsome” means “foul.”
Hope you avoid that coffee with the “rich, fulsome flavor.” Ewww.
And as a Pennsylvania voter, Dr. Oz seems fulsome to me.
Kangol2
Actually, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, “fulsome” has multiple meanings. One is negative and means excessive or over the top (“Complimentary or flattering to an excessive degree”), while the second is more positive, and means of a large size (“Of large size or quantity; generous or abundant”). The second meaning is the original one. The word does not derive from “foul” but rather from “full” (filled, abundant) + some (English suffix indicating a condition, as in “loathsome,” “lonesome,” etc.) So the Queerty writer is using the word correctly here.
Thad
Thank you. I learned something! Merriam-Webster has an interesting article on the ambiguity of “fulsome.” At one time it did mean “foul-smelling.” That meaning has faded. But it’s a word I’ll avoid, for clarity’s sake.
And as a viewer of ABC’s “The Chew,” I liked Daphne Oz. She’s a goofy vegetarian, but kind and open-minded and fairly sane.
winemaker
Really, who really cares what this big fat ( ex weight watchers endorser) and overpaid windbag has to say? Oprah, like the kardashians, brittany spears,l indsay lohan etc, are always trying to be relevant but fail in the process. Like their opinions and suggestions are like the word of God and must be followed. Please give the smart and thinking people here who can think for themselves a much needed break. Must be a slow day here on Qweerty.
Cam
It’s funny, under all of your screenames you always come in and complain when Queerty runs any articles about anybody in pop culture.
Almost as if you want LGBTQ sites to stop getting views and shut down. But it’s such a dumb trolling move that I hesitate to credit it to you because your trolling couldn’t be THAT sad and weak, could it?
cuteguy
@winemaker
How in the world could you compare the incredible Oprah to a kardashian or Lohan? Go back to Faux News site. You obviously don’t belong here
inbama
I like a lot about Ms. Winfrey, but the truth is she’s always had a soft spot for quacks.
Kangol2
Oprah Winfrey is a brilliant businessperson and deserves all of her billions, which she earned on her own, but she has shown terrible judgment at times with people she’s promoted on her show. Dr. Oz is chief among them. Her book picks have been much, much better!
cuteguy
Oprah is not perfect but overall she has done more for humanity than most. But I do agree re: Dr Oz and you can add Dr Phil. Dr Phil only got his own show after Texas and the meat business when they sued her back in the day. Texas, like Florida, are backwards states. Texas is killing Roe v Wade and gave us Ted Cruz. And don’t forget Florida gave us Ron Deathsantis
Invader7
Glad Dr. “Quack Cures ” is going off the air. But his lame daughters show will be joke. And hopefully the voters in WESTERN Pa will elect a Democrat over this HYPOCRITE con artist !!!
[email protected]
Earth to Queerty commenters…..not all LGBTs are Democrats. You may be surprised that many of us believe in enforcing immigration LAWS…energy independence (which we were under Trump until Biden shut the pipeline down and made us once again reliant on OPEC)…supporting law enforcement…not defunding the police,etc. If Dr Oz supports those views then he would have my vote. Is it still okay not to base your vote on your identity…be it sexual or racial?
Den
You really are the one needing a dose of reality, but that is something the right has a real hard time with. But here goes, child:
1. The LGBT community has never cast more than 25% of their vote for right wing candidates. That is more correctly described as “some”, not “many”. And in the case of Trump, the percentage was lower than usual. Like most minorities only the dullest of us fail to vote for our own self interest.
2. Pretty much EVERYONE believes in enforcing immigration laws. The debate is over whether we should modify them to express empathy, or modify them to be used as a white supremacist cudgel to keep the brown people out.
3. The United States achieved energy independence during the Obama administration. And we remain energy independent today. We are in fact the largest oil producing country in the world, and the fourth largest exporter of oil. We are not reliant on OPEC except to the extent they control the prices of oil, and our imports are based on quality of product, not quantity. The economics of fossil fuels are very complex, a level of complexity few right wingers even try to understand, as is typical for complex issues. If you are referring to the Keystone Pipeline, that would have taken CANADIAN tar sands oil to US ports on the Gulf Coast, so it had no effect whatsoever on US oil exports. And the damage to lands owned by indigenous people and ecologically sensitive was significant, while creating less than half of the temporary jobs claimed and very few ongoing jobs. You folks are SO far removed from the real world, and so easily brainwashed.
4. Please indicate how the rabid right supports “law enforcement” more than reasonably intelligent legislators. The right gives lip service to law enforcement. But when it comes time for legislation, they oppose it. A case in point is Idiot Taylor Greene. As for defunding the police, it does not mean what you have been told to believe e it does. It is an unfortunately poorly chosen slogan that the right pounced on to manipulate folks like you.
5. “Dr.” Oz has been censuered by the AMA for hawking remedies not known to have any efficacy…what used to be called “snake oil”. That is indicative of his level or integrity and intellect. Barely one cut above Gwyneth Paltrow.
Were I not filled with pity for your intellectual deficiencies and lack of critical capacity, I’d be laughing at you as most likely are.
Iona Lexiss
Great. Another TV “Star” running for higher office. Let’s see if we’ve learned our lesson.
winemaker
Who gives a rats ripe ass about oprah or her suggestions or opinions? Most people really couldn’t care less. Move on, more important things to deal with.