Top 10 Most Memorable Oprah Winfrey Moments

In 1996, Oprah launched this new section on her show, but she surely had no idea it would become such a phenomenon. Running for 15 years, the original club was a book discussion segment, focusing on titles chosen by Oprah herself. The club became wildly popular, and the books Oprah selected – often obscure and lesser known – would typically experience major sales boosts. This has become known as the Oprah Effect, which pretty much means that anything Winfrey touches turns to gold. During its run, Oprah gave 70 books her stamp of approval, and while many were upset when she concluded the popular segment, fear not, as Oprah’s Book Club 2.0 now runs on OWN.

#9: The Mad Cow Controversy

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Also in 1996, Oprah held a discussion with activist and cattle herder turned vegetarian, Howard Lyman. The interview inspired Oprah to give up eating hamburgers, however, it also led to a plummet in beef prices. The industry suffered a ten year low in prices, and they claimed it was due to Winfrey’s controversial interview with Lyman. The National Cattlemen's Beef Association filed a defamation suit, which dragged on for several years. Eventually, however, the court ruled in favor of Oprah, which she praised as a victory for free speech, commenting after the ruling, “Free speech not only lives, it rocks.”

Another Oprah segment that became a phenomenon, Oprah’s Favorite Things has been parodied time and again, however, the magic of the original still warms the heart. Debuting in 1996–which apparently was a great year for Oprah– she slotted a holiday season episode to be something special, and she did not disappoint. Channeling her trademark generosity and spirit, Winfrey treated the crowd to her favorite items... for free. Over the years, this has included things as small as a key lime pie, and as big as a week-long Caribbean cruise. Since its first airing, the annual Favorite Things show continually proved to be Oprah’s most watched episode of the year.

In 1987, six months into “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” Oprah broke ground and shocked audiences with a brave episode tackling of racism. Taking her show to Georgia’s Forsyth County, an all-white community, Oprah confronted the citizens on their views. Refusing to compromise her vision, Winfrey pushed Forsyth County to voice their raw, shocking racism, which she was intent on airing. Clearly hostile, the locals of Forsyth vocalized that they believed African Americans are dangerous, and that they did not want a mixed society. The segment was incredibly powerful, and showed the prevalence of racism. In 2010, Oprah returned to Forsyth to find its views had changed, and it now had over 7,000 African Americans living there.

#6: Diet Dreams Come True

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Having struggled with weight, one of Oprah’s most inspiring moments came when, over the course of four months in 1988, she lost 67 pounds. She credited her weight loss to Optifast, a diet program that replaces meals with protein drinks. At the end of the four months, she walked onto her show’s stage in a pair of size 10 jeans, wheeling a little red wagon filled with 67 pounds of animal fat – the exact amount she lost. It was encouraging at the time, but Oprah has since expressed remorse for the incident. She’s stated she looks at the display in disgust, as she wishes she hadn’t focused so heavily on body image.

One of the most incredible aspects of her show was Oprah’s ability to encourage guests to be vulnerable. In 2009, Whitney Houston gave her first interview in seven years, sitting down with Winfrey for her show’s season premiere. Houston opened up to Oprah, revealing her fall into the world of drugs after the incredible success of her film, “The Bodyguard,” and the birth of her daughter. She also revealed details on her relationship with former husband Bobby Brown, whom she cited as the fuel for her addiction. The interview was highly anticipated, and the emotional way in which Houston came clean proved extremely powerful.

#4: Tom Cruise Jumps on the Couch

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This one’s a little bit of a break from all of Oprah’s powerful and intense moments… Well, actually, it was clearly pretty intense for Cruise. Sitting down for a regular, ordinary chat on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” Cruise quickly launched into new and unexpected antics. But come on, they were inspired by love! Apparently overcome with his love for newfound flame Katie Holmes, Cruise began jumping up and down on Winfrey’s couch and yelling at the top of his lungs. The audience loved it, Oprah was surprised, and the moment was instantly a part of pop culture history. It’s too bad the romance didn’t last, but hey, that’s Hollywood.

#3: James Frey in the Hot Seat

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Oprah is warm, nurturing, and welcoming, but like a Mama Bear, you do not want to get on her bad side. James Frey, author of the memoir “A Million Little Pieces,” learned this lesson back in 2006. The book, recounting the author’s experience with alcohol and drug addiction, inspired Winfrey, leading her to select it for Oprah’s Book Club. The book experienced increased sales, and all was fine and dandy, until, that is, it emerged Frey had embellished the stories in his book. With the revelation that Frey did not, in fact, experience many of the book’s hardships, Winfrey brought him back on her show for a brutally harsh interview, chastising him herself for his fraudulence.

#2: Michael Jackson Interview

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In 1993, before all the scandals and accusations, Michael Jackson was the untarnished King of Pop. He was also, however, a bit of a mystery. Enter Oprah. For an exclusive interview, Jackson opened Neverland Ranch to Winfrey and her film crew. He also opened up to Oprah on his personal life, dishing details on things like his family relationships and his childhood. It was a rare, intimate look at the private life of a superstar, and the public ate it up. In an age lacking YouTube and online streaming, 90 million viewers tuned in to the show to catch Oprah sit down with MJ. Before we unveil our top picks, here are a few honorable mentions. Elizabeth Taylor Interview Lance Armstrong Admits to Doping Ellen DeGeneres Comes out as a Lesbian Prince Interview

Our top moment channels every quality that made Oprah one of the biggest attractions in television and a cultural icon. In this one moment, she is exciting, inspiring, and passionate; she also pulls viewers in and tugs on their heartstrings. In 2004, surprising viewers, Oprah gave every member of her studio audience a free, brand new 2005 Pontiac G-6 midsize sports sedan. These weren’t ordinary audience members, as through a pre-selection process, secretive entries submitted by friends made the case for a person to be selected by Oprah. All desperately in need of a new car, it was an incredible moment that highlighted Oprah’s ability to change a person’s life. Do you agree with our list? What do you think is Oprah’s best moment? For more inspiring Top 10’s published daily, be sure to subscribe to MsMojo.