Oprah’s Deceit Drops Weight Watcher’s Stock Faster Than Her Weight
Oprah Winfrey has been a weight watcher spokesperson since October 2015. Winfrey bought a 10% stake in the company, became its spokesperson, joined its board of directors, and lost weight on the program, plus she helped launch a new holistic lifestyle and fitness program called “Beyond the Scale”.
However, recently Winfrey came clean and admitted that she uses drugs as a maintenance plan to steady her weight. I’m sure that there are a lot of spokespersons that don’t religiously use every product that they endorse, but it feels a little grimy that Winfrey would sneak off to the drug store for weight loss pills. Let’s face it, nobody cares if the spokesperson for Lays doesn’t eat the chips, or if the coke spokesperson doesn’t drink the soda. However, weight loss is a very personal thing and the fact that she kept the charade going for a year or more is despicable.
Winfrey has always had a problem with her weight yo-yoing, so she sought out the drugs, but hey good news. Winfrey said, she initially had “shame about it” but is now accepting the drug use and is openly admitting it. She told People magazine, “I now use it as I feel I need it, as a tool to manage not yo-yoing.”
Winfrey added, “The fact that there’s a medically approved prescription for managing weight and staying healthier, in my lifetime, feels like relief, like redemption, like a gift.”
Last month, Winfrey decided to do the right thing and announced that she will not run for re-election to the board off Weightwatchers and will leave the company.
CNBC reported (naturally), that It wasn’t revealed if her admission to the use of pharmaceutical drugs as part of her weight maintenance regime is the reason for her leaving.
When she announced her decision to leave the company and divest her interests, Winfrey stated:
“I look forward to continuing to advise and collaborate with Weightwatchers and CEO Sima Sistani in elevating the conversation around recognizing obesity as a chronic condition, working to reduce stigma, and advocating for health equity.”
“Weight health is a critically important topic and one that needs to be addressed at a broader scale. I plan to participate in a number of public forums and events where I will be a vocal advocate in advancing this conversation.”
Which begs the question, exactly what will Winfrey’s advice be? Since Weightwatchers wasn’t effective in controlling her weight, will she now endorse the pharmaceutical method or a combination of both? Will Weightwatcher’s, tolerate that since they have to feel betrayed, or will they not want her involved at all going forward?
Winfrey has acquired 10 percent of the company’s stock and is their single largest shareholder, ABC News reported. She will now be leaving her sizable number of shares to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Shares in weightwatchers dropped by as much as 25 percent in trading after the news of Winfrey’s departure broke. Unlike her weight, I’m sure the company hopes they bounce back up and quickly.
