ARTICLE: “Treatment Description In Memoir Is Disputed: Several addiction counselors question James Frey’s book,” by Edward Wyatt, New York Times, 24 January 2006, p. B1.

Frankly, I just don’t get this one. If Frey had simply pulled the wool over Oprah’s eyes, then she admits she was lied to and fooled. Big deal!

But this article points out that suspicions were raised directly to Oprah’s senior producers even before Frey appeared on her show (or more than 3 months prior to Smoking Gun’s revealed investigation) by a veteran counselor who had worked at Hazeldon in Minnesota, a woman who had herself frequently appeared as an addiction expert on Oprah’s show in the past (so a trusted source, yes?). Oprah’s people were concerned enough about her reporting that Frey’s description of his time there, which basically defines the book in question (420 out of the 432 pages), was full of gross distortions and outright fabrications, that they conducted their own investigation (whatever that means, frankly). But in the end, Oprah sticks with her choice, does the show, and, in the events that follows, basically chooses to blow off the concern of counselors who say that Frey’s fantastic lies will actually end up deterring real addicts from seeking treatment at such centers out of fear that they will suffer similarly unreal experiences.

In sum, Oprah, despite knowing better, chooses her own aura of infallibility over the potentially disastrous harm this book ends up causing among the very population she purports to help through its promotion.

I say, Oprah, forget about running for political office. With this sort of self-preserving hypocrisy, you’re already there.

The sad thing is, Oprah’s learning the old DC lesson: it’s not the mistake, but the cover-up and the stubbornness in admitting the mistake that actually costs more in the end.

Oprah needs to dust off her own tale of personal redemption. I’m sure her spirit is willing, even if her ego is too strong.