“奥普拉·温弗瑞”就像一个商标,标志着一个人,一种电视节目类型,一个时代。她是世界上几乎所有谈话类主持人的偶像,她是全球观众最忠实的朋友。过去的24年时间里,她一直陪伴着大家,于是我们很自然地以为这一切不会停止。然而她说:四分之一个世纪,是时候停止了。
“选秀之父”西蒙·考威尔,一手捧红了《美国偶像》、《X元素》,还有从这些节目走出去的无数明星。他让我们见证,从普通人到巨星,只在一夜之间。他的毒舌和他始终如一的深色T恤,是《美国偶像》最具特色的象征。然而他说:2010季度之后,他将不再出现在《美国偶像》的评委席上。
一个是见证了岁月变迁及文化发展的脱口秀女王,一个是流行文化和媒体市场的掌舵者,他们的告别让我们唏嘘。他们尝试着告诉我们,离开只是为了再次开始。然而对于我们的记忆而言,他们的离开就是一个时代的终结。
发音：英美发音 语速：175词/分钟 使用方法：泛听+讨论
End of an Era: Oprah Winfrey’s Emotional Farewell
一个时代的结束:奥普拉·温弗瑞的深情告别
Oprah: You know, I actually started to feel it when I…when I had the option, you know, well, the question was do I leave in two thousand and…you know how I like numbers. Do I… (Host: I know, I know.) So the question was do I leave in 2010—that’s an even number!—or do I, you know, try to make the 25th? And also it just comes to the point of, as I do the show every day, how much longer do I think I can be hundred percent present, still stimulated, stimulating for the audience? Do I think I could do that, you know, past 2011? And the answer is no, because the show is one hundred percent harder to do now than it was when I first started.
奥普拉:你知道,我开始觉得,当我……当我面临这个选择的时候,你知道,我问自己是否要把离开的时间定在二零……,你知道我对数字很敏感。我是否……(主持人:我知道,我知道。)因此,问题就在于,要么我在2010年离开,这是个偶数!要么,你知道,在做完第25季后离开?还有一点,我每天都在做节目,但像现在这样百分百地投入,鼓舞观众的同时又被观众鼓舞的日子还能持续多久?你知道,在2011年之后,我还能这样做吗?答案是否定的,因为这个节目现在制作起来比起刚开始的时候要难一倍。
Oprah in her first show: Welcome to the very first session of Oprah Winfrey Show!
Back in 1986 she was a little-known talk show host making her national debut. Today, Oprah Winfrey is a one-woman multimedia 1)conglomerate, and everyone knows her on a first-name basis.
Woman 1: I mean Oprah’s been on the air for forever. She’s kind of a part of everyone’s life.
Woman 2: She’s an icon.
Many Oprah fans tell me they’re shocked by her decision to 2)pull the plug on her show next September. She told her audience and viewers at home that they’ve enriched her life beyond measure.
Woman 3: When the cameras were done rolling and she came back and said, “You know I just, I really do want to thank everybody and it means, you know you mean so much to me.” So she said it again, which was really nice.
It was 3)vintage Oprah, relatable and emotional.
Woman 4: Everybody seemed pretty sad and got emotional with her. I got a little teary-eyed, and yeah. Yeah.
Reporter: She cried?
Woman 4: Yes, she did. Yeah, she had her…catch her breath, and she got emotional. Big day.
There are restrictions on showing you the video just yet, but here’s a taste of what Oprah told her viewers. “Why walk away and make next season the last?” she asked, “Here’s the real reason. I love this show! This show has been my life, and I love it enough to know when to say goodbye. 25 years feels right in my bones, and it feels right in my spirit.”
Winfrey has been the highest-rated daytime talk show host for most of her quarter century on national TV. We watched her chat with celebrities…
Oprah on the show with Tom Cruise: I’ve never seen you like this!
…surprise her audience, build an empire, and endorse a president in her spare time. There were embarrassments, like the Oprah Book Club selection that turned out to be 4)bogus. But for most of her fans it’s always been “all about Oprah”, her long-time struggle with her weight speaking volumes about her “I’m-a-lot-like-you” appeal.
Oprah: I am mad at myself. I am embarrassed. I can’t believe I’m still talkin’ about weight.
Oprah’s common touch has given her the 5)Midas touch. She’s worth an estimated $2.7 billion. She’s sinking some of her fortune into a new cable TV venture, the Oprah Winfrey Network. It’s scheduled to debut in January 2011, just a few months after she ends her 6)reign as the queen of daytime talk.
[注]Ellen DeGeneres: I don’t think I could be here without her. I think she has 7)blazed a trail that is…. She’s an amazing, amazing woman.
奥普拉脱口秀首播:欢迎来到奥普拉脱口秀的首播现场!
1986年,她还是个名不见经传的脱口秀节目主持人,第一次在全美国观众面前亮相。今天,奥普拉·温弗瑞独力撑起一个多媒体集团,而她的名字大家都耳熟能详。
妇女1:奥普拉的节目一直都在播,她几乎成为我们每个人生活中不可或缺的一
部分。
妇女2:我们尊她为偶像。
许多奥普拉的粉丝告诉我,对于她做出在明年9月停播脱口秀节目的决定,他们都为之震惊。奥普拉告诉现场观众和家庭观众,因为有他们的支持,她的生活才能无限精彩。
妇女3:当拍摄结束的时候,奥普拉又重新出现在我们面前,说道,“你们知道吗?我真的想感谢你们每一个人,你们知道你们对我有多重要。”就这样,她又说了一遍,那种感觉真的很好。
这就是独特的奥普拉,深懂人心又富有感情。
妇女4:大家都非常悲伤,也跟她一样伤感。我眼睛都有点湿润了,是的,是的。
记者:她哭了?
妇女4:是的,她哭了。她……她有点哽咽,情绪很激动。真是重要的一天。
虽然我们现在还不能公布这期节目内容,但是可以给一小段先睹为快,到底奥普拉有什么话要跟观众们说?“为什么在拍完下一季后就离开?”她说道,“真正的原因在于:我热爱这档节目!这个节目已经成为了我生活的全部,我如此爱它以致清楚明白何时该与之挥手告别。这25年让我从骨子里感觉很美好,打心眼里觉得过得不错。”
温弗瑞主持的脱口秀25年来是全国最高收视率的日间节目。我们看她与名人聊天……
奥普拉录制嘉宾汤姆·克鲁斯的节目:我从没见过你这样子!
……给观众惊喜,建造起一个帝国,甚至在闲暇时间支持总统选举。当然也有难堪的时候,比如奥普拉书友会选集成为了一个骗局。但对于她众多的粉丝来说,“这就是奥普拉”,她折腾许久的减肥计划也道出她“我跟大伙一样”的心声。
奥普拉:我对自己很生气。我很尴尬。我不敢相信我依然还在谈论体重。
奥普拉平易近人的风格让她成功至今。她现在身价约值27亿美元。她把自己的一部分资产投入开创了一个新的有线电视网络,名为奥普拉·温弗瑞电视网。按预定它将于2011年1月开播,距离她脱下日间脱口秀女王的皇冠只有几个月时间。
艾伦·德杰尼勒斯:没有她我不可能有今天。我认为她开辟了一条辉煌大道……她是一位令人惊叹的女士。
Is Simon Cowell Killing American Idol?
西蒙•考威尔,《美国偶像》的杀手?
Simon: I was offered a lot of money to stay on the show, and everyone thought I was posturing to negotiate more money, etc, etc, but it actually wasn’t the case. I just felt like doing something new.
西蒙:他们开出很高的价钱请我留下来做节目,每个人都以为我是在摆姿态以抬高价钱,以及其它猜测。但是事实并非这样。我只是想去尝试些新鲜的东西。
George (Host): Simon Cowell says he’s leaving American Idol after the 2010 season, which does 8)premiere tonight. Is he jumping the shark because he thinks ‘Idol’ has jumped the shark? Brianna Golodrieger is here with more.
Brianna: First Oprah and now Simon. What are we gonna watch after next year? Well, Simon isn’t leaving television, but he is leaving American Idol. We know that’s the 9)epitome of a programming cash cow. It brought in a billion dollars in ad revenue a year last year. And while gathering his sharp tongue, we know that this host is gonna have the lucrative job in history—the most lucrative job we’ve seen so far—but yesterday Simon Cowell announced that this would be his last season. So what happens next, when television’s most famous judge leaves the show he put on the map?
Simon’s Comment 1: The problem I have is that you don’t look like an American idol. (Contestant: Says who?)
Brianna: The man known for telling it like it is …
Simon’s Comment 2: That was horrible! It was like—and I’ve said this before—like a horrible, horrible wedding performance.
Simon’s Comment 3: And you look like one of those creatures that live in the jungle with those massive eyes.
Simon’s Comment 4: Did you really believe that you could become the American Idol? (Contestant: Yes, sir.) Well then you’re deaf.
Brianna: …is leaving the very show that made him a household name. After months of speculating whether he would stay or go, Simon informed the television critics of America he was saying goodbye to Idol but not to FOX. His new co-host, Ellen, lamented his departure on her show.
Ellen DeGeneres: He announced he’s leaving on my first day. I’m trying not to take it personally.
Brianna: Simon, along with his sharp tongue, will bring an American version of his hit British talent competition, The X-Factor, across the pond…
Simon’s Comment 5: You look like a man dressed as a woman.
Brianna: …to FOX in 2011. Reports say he even approached a certain former co-star to join him.
Paula Abdul: You’ve moved me from the beginning.
Brianna: Critics agree that, if everything goes according to plan, the new show will be a hit for the network.
TV Critics: …believe the audience will travel with Simon, so no matter what happens there’s going to be a large segment of the Idol population that will go with him wherever he goes.
Brianna: But after Paula and Simon’s departure, the fate of Idol may not be guaranteed.
Simon’s Comment 6: It was a little bit like a(an)…annoying girl singing in the bedroom. (Contestant: I think that’s a bit much.) Sowee. (as a small child might say ‘sorry’)
Brianna: Now it is estimated that Cowell rakes in between 36 to 50 million dollars a year from Idol, but he stands to make a lot more money from X-Factor, where he won’t only be a judge, but also a producer. His production company also created the 10)franchise so all the profit will go directly into his pocket, not FOX or any 11)subsidiaries. I know that sounds like a lot of money, George, but if you think about it, they had 26 million viewers last season. That’s a lot of viewers.
George: A lot of viewers, but that is also a lot of money. Thanks Brianna. Joining us now is editor of the Wall Street Journal Speakeasy Culture Blog, Christopher John Farley. Good to see you.
Farley: Thanks for having me. ’preciate it.
George: So, there’s no question that Cowell is leaving because he stands to make an awful lot of money if X-Factor is a hit, but is he also calculating that Idol’s best days are over?
Farley: Well, you know, ratings have been slipping. They’re down 7.8% from last year, but the show is still strong, I mean it still pulls in double the ratings of some other hits, so it’s not like Idol’s going away any time soon. And also, Simon Cowell may be leaving the show, but he’s not leaving the format. If you’ve seen X-Factor, it’s almost exactly like Idol. I mean he’s sitting there …
George: It’s more broad.
Farley: Right. Because the age range is broader; there’s no age restrictions, but he’s still there judging people, putting people down, raising other people up. So Simon Cowell is not leaving the format. He’s still gonna be front and centre in American pop culture, so it’s not that big a change when you think about that for FOX and X-Factor is also gonna be on FOX.
George: Well that’s true. They’re both on FOX.
乔治(主持人):西蒙·考威尔宣布,他将在今晚首播的《美国偶像》2010年季度结束之后就要离开。他选择下车是否是因为他认为《美国偶像》开始走下坡路?布兰娜·戈罗朱治将给大家带来更详细的信息。
布兰娜:先是奥普拉,现在是西蒙。我们明年之后还有什么可看的?西蒙并不是离开电视圈,他只是离开《美国偶像》。我们知道《美国偶像》是棵摇钱树,光去年在广告收益上就入账10亿美元。尽管他语言刻薄,但我们都知道他却占据着史上最赚钱的职位——至少到目前为止——但是昨天西蒙·考威尔却宣布这将是他最后一季了。那么当这位电视上最著名的评委离开他一手捧红的节目后,接下来将发生什么?
西蒙评论1:我的问题就是,你看起来一点不像个美国偶像。(参赛选手:谁说的?)
布兰娜:这位想说什么就说什么的人……
西蒙评论2:太恐怖了!这就像——我之前也说过——像个很恐怖、很恐怖的婚礼表演!
西蒙评论3:你看上去就像那些生活在丛林里长着一双大眼睛的动物一样。
西蒙评论4:你真的相信你能成为美国偶像吗?(参赛选手:是的,先生。)那你是聋子一个。
布兰娜:……将离开这个让他家喻户晓的节目。经过了几个月外界对他去留问题的猜测之后,西蒙告知美国的电视评论家他将不再留在这档节目,但仍将继续与福克斯合作。他的新搭档艾伦,在她自己的谈话节目中对他的离开表示惋惜。
艾伦·德杰尼勒斯:在我担任评委的第一天他就宣布离开,我尽量不去想这可能是针对我个人的。
布兰娜:西蒙,带着他有名的毒舌,越过大洋,将会为大家带来其制作的当红英国才艺比赛类节目《X元素》的美国版本……
西蒙评论5:你看起来像个穿着女装的男人。
布兰娜:……将于2011年登陆福克斯电视台。报道称他还将邀请他的前搭档参与其中。
宝拉·阿巴杜:你从一开始就感动了我。
布兰娜:评论家说,如果一切照计划进行的话,新的节目将是有线电视网的又一个热点。
电视评论家:……(我)认为观众将追随西蒙,所以不管发生什么,都会有一大部分《美国偶像》的观众会跟着他转移到其他地方。
布兰娜:但是在宝拉和西蒙离开之后,《美国偶像》的前途变得扑朔迷离。
西蒙评论6:听上去像个……惹人烦的小妞在卧室里唱歌。(参赛选手:我觉得你说得有点过分。)对不起。(学小孩子说法。)
布兰娜:据估计考威尔通过《美国偶像》一年能赚3600万到5000万美元,但是他却借由《X元素》赚更多的钱。在那档节目中,他不单是评委,还是制片人。他的制作公司同时还设定了特许经营权,因此所有的利润全都入其囊中,而不是福克斯或是其他合作机构。我知道那听上去已经很多钱,乔治,但是想想看,上一季(它)拥有2600万观众,相当之多。
乔治:的确很多,这也意味着很多收益。感谢布兰娜。现在加入谈话的是来自《华尔街》杂志“地下酒吧文化博客”的编辑克里斯托弗·约翰·法利, 你好。
法利:谢谢邀请我,十分感谢。
乔治:所以,无疑考威尔选择离开是因为如果《X元素》成功的话,他注定要赚很多钱。但这是否也因为他觉得《美国偶像》将辉煌不再了?
法利:你要知道,(《美国偶像》的)收视率一直在下滑。今年与去年相比下滑了7.8个百分点,但是节目依然具有很强大的影响力,我是说它的收视率依然是其他节目的两倍,因此《美国偶像》暂时不太可能被砍掉。另外,西蒙·考威尔只是离开这个节目,但是他并不会离开这个电视选秀的圈子。如果你看过《X元素》,会发现这两档节目如出一辙。我是说他依旧坐在那里……
乔治:(《X元素》的)范围更广。
法利:对。因为年龄限制放宽了;参赛者没有年龄限制,不过他依旧坐在评委席上对人评头论足,贬低一些人,同时抬高另一些人。所以,西蒙·考威尔并不会离开电视选秀节目。在美国的流行文化中他依旧引领潮流并占据着中心地位。如果这么想的话,你就不会觉得福克斯会有多大的改变,因为《X元素》也将在福克斯电视台上播映。
乔治:确实如此,它们都是福克斯的节目。
注:Ellen DeGeneres,美国著名主持人。她主持的同名脱口秀《Ellen DeGeneres Show》是CBS的王牌节目,收视率居高不下。《Oprah Winfrey Talk Show》即将落下帷幕的消息传出,CNN做了一个“谁将是下一个Oprah Winfrey”的调查,结果Ellen DeGeneres以78%的支持率高居榜首。无独有偶,在她顶替离开的Paula Abdul出任《美国偶像》评委不久,西蒙·考威尔就宣布他将离开《美国偶像》。Ellen DeGeneres能否拯救如今前途浮沉的《美国偶像》,也因此成为大家最关注的事情。
