Oprahization

Oprahization, sometimes spelled Oprah-ization or Oprahtization, is a neologism that refers to an increased sensitivity towards self-disclosure, particularly from victims of abuse or other tragedies. The term takes its name from The Oprah Winfrey Show, in which the eponymous host Oprah Winfrey often uses "extraordinary empathic skills in extracting self-disclosures and gut-wrenching confessions from her guests." In the context of politics, Oprahization refers to the tendency for politicians to discuss the ways in which they and their families have suffered, thereby "endearing the candidate to the nation as a man of sensitivity and caring." In the context of law, Oprahization refers to the tendency for juries to acquit or impose reduced sentences upon those defendants who have been victimized in some way, even when there is compelling evidence of guilt.