So how do you interview the woman who has done it all, and has it all? Hilary was clearly nervous as they sat together in Oprah's purple velour cave. I was on the edge of the couch, trying not to fall off the edge of the universe - this combined star power was sure to open a black hole.
Luckily, Oprah knows how to put the world at ease, which I suppose is why she was able to host a successful talk show for 25 years. "Shall I hug you to my bosom?" she asked Hilary, a true pro who knows the word "bosom" is a sure-fire way to get things rolling. I felt New Zealand let out a collective sigh of relief, shed our cloak of cultural cringe and relax into what was to become a moving and brazenly sincere interview.
It's no mean feat to maintain an everywoman persona when you are one of the wealthiest women in the world, but Oprah always stayed anchored to Hilary, and therefore us plebs in the audience. It's worth acknowledging that in the current television climate of snackable stories, flashy graphics and fast pacing, a considered longform interview is a rare gem. The flashiest thing about the production was probably Hilary's necklace, which is a testament to the magnetism and charisma of both women.
Oprah spoke frankly about her decision to quit the talk show, noting a producer's suggestion to send the audience into space as the moment she decided to pull the plug. Now she seems to roll with a much more spiritual message, one which she disseminated through various extended metaphors about running races and "life's volume" throughout the interview. Normally that sort of tripe would make my stomach turn, but I watched in horror as my disembodied hands typed the name of Oprah's new self-help book into Google. The force is strong in that one.
With her giant, glistening saucer eyes, she told Hilary to find moments of quiet, even if it's when you are "on the loo". Oprah's talked about the toilet on television! Surely this is a milestone of some kind. Surely Hilary should get an under-seat prize for that. She spoke of building and mentoring at a school for girls in South Africa, with Hilary (and all the rest of us) hanging off her every word.
Yes, she has spent a career rattling on about scented candles and inspirational catchphrases like an infected Pinterest bot, but Oprah's compassion is undeniable. Hilary asked her about her childhood, one which was spent under welfare with her single mother. Oprah told the story of a charitable Christmas act by nuns that would later inform her entire philosophy on philanthropy. Oprah was crying. Hilary was crying. I was crying. Just three new best friends, all crying.
As impressive and necessary as Oprah's charitable side is, I do think there was a missed opportunity to discuss her hurdles as an African- American woman breaking into a world where this representation was seldom seen on television. I'll admit I had visions of Oprah and Hilary sharing stories from the trenches, cackling over their male counterparts, and maybe even getting a pedicure. Maybe next time.
The interview closed with the next natural question: will Oprah ever run for President? She laughed, gave "Hilz" (her nickname, not mine) a high-five, and promptly started to choke on her water. "That's a sign," she said, revealing that she will never, ever run for office. That closing note didn't let me down too much, I was actually more disappointed that Hilary never bothered to check under her seat.
