Oprah-Made: 3 Stars Who Shot to Fame Thanks to Winfrey - East Idaho News
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Oprah-Made: 3 Stars Who Shot to Fame Thanks to Winfrey

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Getty E 091512 OprahWinfrey?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1347716687918Heather Wines/CBS via Getty Images(NEW YORK) — Oprah Winfrey is one of the most influential figures in media. She placed second on Forbes’ “World’s Most Powerful Celebrities” list this year, and has estimated earnings of $165 million.

Aside from her wildly popular syndicated talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, which ended last year, the mogul also has a 24-hour cable network, OWN, a popular book club and an award-winning magazine.

The so-called Oprah Effect has proved to be incredibly powerful several times over. Endorsements, frequent show appearances or, better yet, a regular segment on the media titan’s show can be the golden ticket to a successful career.

Many household TV names got their start on the Oprah Winfrey Show and went on to become icons themselves and make fortunes. Here are three stars who shot to fame thanks to Winfrey and remain close to the “Oprah” brand.

Dr. Phil

Psychologist Phil McGraw first came on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1998, and soon began appearing in a regular Tuesday segment to offer relationship and “life-strategy” advice.

In 2002, McGraw launched his own syndicated daytime talk show, Dr. Phil, a spinoff of his segments on Winfrey’s show, which is produced by Winfrey’s Harpo Productions. The show, which was renewed through 2014, has been nominated for an Emmy 25 times.

McGraw is also the author of six No. 1 New York Times bestsellers and appears on Oprah’s All Stars, a show on OWN.

Rachael Ray

Rachael Ray’s name is synonymous with the phrase “30-Minute Meals,” but Oprah Winfrey helped turn the celebrity chef into a global brand.

Ray’s frequent appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show helped launch her own syndicated daytime talk show, The Rachel Ray Show, in 2006. The show, which is in its seventh season and is produced in part by Winfrey’s Harpo Productions, led to Ray’s landing Food Network cooking shows, her own magazine and a line of cookbooks and kitchenware.

Dr. Oz

Dr. Mehmet Oz is a world-class heart surgeon, but he is more widely recognized for his television appearances.

Dr. Oz first appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2004. After having a regular segment on her talk show for five seasons, he launched his own program, The Dr. Oz Show, in 2009. The show, which focuses on health issues and medical questions, is co-produced by Winfrey’s Harpo Productions.

The surgeon also appear on Oprah’s All Stars, an advice show on OWN.

Dr. Oz has co-authored six No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. He recently appeared in ABC’s reality-TV drama series, NY Med.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

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