You may have heard about the snafu last week, when Oprah announced free downloadable coupons to try Kentucky Fried Chicken's new grilled chicken. The response was so overwhelming that local KFC chains had to turn away customers because they ran out of the product. And instead of using this to their marketing advantage, apparently some KFC stores were actually rude and belligerent in turning the hungry customers away. My takeaway:

Do count your chickens before you hatch a scheme with Oprah. 

Now is it just me, or is anyone else just a little freaked out about how powerful Oprah is, to control the reins of the populace like this? Oprah loves The Shack. Everyone loves The Shack. Oprah hails grilled chicken. KFC is inundated by consumers. Oprah becomes an adherent of Eckhart Tolle and his wacko beliefs. Lo and behold, so does your neighbor, and three out of five of your friends on Facebook.

Don't get me wrong, if Oprah-tunity came knocking on my door, I wouldn't turn it down. But just the very fact that her word holds so much power is a little... chilling. I think if she told Americans that standing on their head for five hours a day would cure cancer, the world would, well, be turned upside down.

(Image © KFC)

Comments

[jason taylor]

I don't know. Ever tried standing on your head for five hours?

[Wayne Cook]

The fealty this country shows to Oprah, Al Gore, et al is most troubling in its lack of critical thinking. Our schools do not appear to teach critical thinking anymore. In fact it is discouraged in the name of political correctness. Someone once said "question everything". This would be a good start...