Caught James Frey on Oprah today and she totally hung him out to dry.

 

Granted, a lot of what he did was wrong, but she just hammered him completely.

 

Her EGO is so abnormally large that she made the whole show about how embarassed and humiliated she was to ever have the book in her book club rather than trying to figure out what was and was not true in the book.

 

I haven't read the book, many close to me have, but certainly the message of the board remains somewhat the same. I mean the guy shouldn't have lied, there's no doubt about that, but there is no reason to completely bury him like that.

 

Anyone else see this or have any comment.

 

Here is a story from Reuters:

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060127/ap_on_...DltBHNlYwM3MTY-

 

Also, here is the Smoking Gun link:

 

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0104061jamesfrey1.html

I'm just waiting for Oprah to secede from the Union and take 98% of America's women with her.

I was LMAO that he totally fooled her and a couple million Americans, hook line and sinker. I can't wait to read A Million Pieces Part 2, How I was exposed a liar on Oprah, relapsed, and soared again with the help of Dr. Phil, Scooby-Do, and a tunnel from Mexico.

Oprah's just pissed that she looked foolish in front of her Estrogen Acolytes.

Now she'll just instruct them to buy something else, and they will pour into their minivans ( the ones who DIDN'T get the "free cars", of course ) and rush out to buy it before the spell wears off.

Roeper had a good article http://www.suntimes.com/output/roeper/cst-nws-roep27.html

 

In case you want to read an anti-Oprah guy praising her.

BTW, im reading his book right now, and its really good. I couldnt give a f*** what oprah says.

BTW, im reading his book right now, and its really good.  I couldnt give a f*** what oprah says.

Oprah loved it, and defended it until the truth was overwhelming that he lied. She was his #1 supporter.

 

Does it bother you that what he presents as the truth, are actually lies? That most of that didn't happen?

I'm neutral toward Oprah, but I think it's funny how all the haters are jumping all over her about this. When you read a book that is non fiction, do you assume everything in it is true or do you question it? I'm not familiar with her whole Book Club thing. Does she have a responsibility to verify facts?

I'm neutral toward Oprah, but I think it's funny how all the haters are jumping all over her about this.  When you read a book that is non fiction, do you assume everything in it is true or do you question it?  I'm not familiar with her whole Book Club thing.  Does she have a responsibility to verify facts?

 

She kept defending him against the critics. She even went on Larry King and defended the guy. It would embarass anyone to stick your neck out and your reputation, only to find out you'e been conned and you helped sell the con to millions.

 

Her book club recomendation means an almost guaranteed million selling book. She has become one of the most powerful literary critics around.

I was LMAO that he totally fooled her and a couple million Americans, hook line and sinker. I can't wait to read A Million Pieces Part 2, How I was exposed a liar on Oprah, relapsed, and soared again with the help of Dr. Phil, Scooby-Do, and a tunnel from Mexico.

I think there's a sequel by him already out. . .

I think there's a sequel by him already out. . .

"my friend leonard."

 

it's about a friend he made in jail. he was in jail for, like, half an hour.

"my friend leonard."

 

it's about a friend he made in jail. he was in jail for, like, half an hour.

 

LMAO I'm really starting to like this guy.

"my friend leonard."

 

it's about a friend he made in jail. he was in jail for, like, half an hour.

Sometimes the best friends you ever have are the ones you barely even know....

 

I think I read that on a Hallmark card....

I'm neutral toward Oprah, but I think it's funny how all the haters are jumping all over her about this.  When you read a book that is non fiction, do you assume everything in it is true or do you question it?  I'm not familiar with her whole Book Club thing.  Does she have a responsibility to verify facts?

there's a difference between subjectivity and fabrication (gross fabrication in frey's case). no, you can't assume absolute truth, but when something is presented as nonfiction--and that's what memoir is--it's the author's responsibility to tell the truth to the best of his ability. to do otherwise is a disservice to lit. in frey's case, lit notwithstanding, he's not just pissing on lit and not just saying "f*** you" to all the fiction writers who try and do it the right way, rather than just branding their novel as nonfiction and riding that easy cachet to publication. he also pissed on the memory of a coupla dead girls by inventing a dramatic role for himself in the incident that killed them. same for his friend who committed suicide. he claimed he could've stopped her had he not been jailed. turns out he wasn't jailed at the time. he's scum.

Does it bother you that what he presents as the truth, are actually lies? That most of that didn't happen?

Nope, its still a good story and a good read. I dont know any of those people nor do I care. I just care about whether or not I find the book interesting, and whether I can relate with the characters and story line.

"my friend leonard."

 

it's about a friend he made in jail. he was in jail for, like, half an hour.

oh, and he met Leonard in rehab not jail.

oh, and he met Leonard in rehab not jail.

my bad. frey's a straight shooter.

my bad. frey's a straight shooter.

Its in his story. It the second novel is based off of the first novel, thats where he met him. If its fiction, its still the case. Maybe you should write him a hate letter.

Its in his story.  It the second novel is based off of the first novel, thats where he met him.  If its fiction, its still the case.  Maybe you should write him a hate letter.

i understood your first sentence. i didn't understand the second. i didn't understand the third. i understood the fourth but was unimpressed with it.

oh, and he met Leonard in rehab not jail.

It'll probably be college or church by the time he gets done "recalling".

It'll probably be college or church by the time he gets done "recalling".

Since its fiction, you need to look at it as fiction. His first book places him in rehab with Leonard. That is where he meets him. I dont care what actually happened, its still a good book, and a great story.

Plagiarism is one thing, but lying to Oprah! that's a crime unto itself. The bastard should rot in hell for that.

Since its fiction, you need to look at it as fiction.  His first book places him in rehab with Leonard.  That is where he meets him.  I dont care what actually happened, its still a good book, and a great story.

if it's such great fiction, why not publish it as a novel (ie, fiction) rather than a memoir (ie, nonfiction)?

 

i don't imagine it has anything to do with the fact that memoirs sell at a much higher rate than fiction in this country. probably has nothing to do with the fact that every publisher to which he submitted "MLP" when it was a novel manuscript rejected it, either.

if it's such great fiction, why not publish it as a novel (ie, fiction) rather than a memoir (ie, nonfiction)?

 

i don't imagine it has anything to do with the fact that memoirs sell at a much higher rate than fiction in this country. probably has nothing to do with the fact that every publisher to which he submitted "MLP" when it was a novel manuscript rejected it, either.

I dont care if he published it as a dictionary. Its a good book so far, and the fact that its not all true doesnt effect my interest in the book. If you want to argue the morality of how he published the book, im not the guy.

I dont care if he published it as a dictionary.  Its a good book so far, and the fact that its not all true doesnt effect my interest in the book.  If you want to argue the morality of how he published the book, im not the guy.

cool.

 

i'm just gonna sit here and stare at your avatar, if that's OK.