Deceit of Harpo Studios and Oprah Winfrey According to George Ricketts of Casablanca, Morocco

I received this email from George Ricketts of Casablanca, Morocco with an email address gpricketts@yahoo.co.uk. I don't know him and its the first time he emailed me. He said he just want to spread this to have a release of the bad feeling he has with this matter.

Here's the message he sent to me with the Subject: Deceit of Harpo Studios and Oprah Winfrey...

George Ricketts – Casablanca, Morocco.                                          

gpricketts@yahoo.co.uk          

Deceit of Harpo Studios and Oprah Winfrey

In spring 2004, I sent a draft copy of my manuscript for the novel ‘Tarik – A Bridge for Imlil’ (the original working title) to one or two influential people, including Oprah Winfrey. The novel is set in a small mountain village in Morocco.

It was explained in the covering letter that I had written the project in the hope the recipients would like the project and, perhaps, assist in finding a suitable publisher. 

The letter also spelt out the reason for writing the work. 

At the time, I was deeply involved in charitable work, helping poor children in the mountain regions of Morocco. Many were unable to attend school due to a lack of funds to buy the necessary books etc. I provided them with free school materials and an assortment of much needed clothing. 

My plan, if the book was successful, was to use the royalties to expand my charitable work. Subsequently, there was no direct response from either Harpo Productions or Oprah Winfrey.

Early autumn 2004, I sat down to watch the first program of the new season of the ‘Oprah Winfrey Show’ on MBC 4, an Arabic channel transmitted by satellite. 

I followed the proceedings with great interest. After all, it is not every day that every member of the studio audience receives a brand new car. 

There was also a piece done on a ‘local hero’, where a very generous elderly lady was given assistance to continue looking after a number of socially disadvantaged children. I recall she was about to be evicted from her home because she was behind with the rent. Also, her neighbours and a band of musicians were assembled in the street to give her a grand reception.

However, it was not until a young homeless girl was awarded with a free scholarship, and as announced by Oprah Winfrey, ‘to any university of your choice’ that the penny dropped. These were the exact words spoken by a male character in my manuscript when presenting a free scholarship to a young boy.

At that precise moment, I saw the connection between the events of the show and my manuscript. 

In my manuscript, several people lost their homes when a devastating flood inundated the village. Subsequently, a kind and appreciative benefactor promised new homes for all affected at no cost to themselves. I concluded the cars given freely to the Oprah Winfrey audience were a substitute for the new homes.  

The manuscript also included a ‘local hero’. When he returned to his village, after confronting a corrupt local official, whom the villagers feared, he was given a rapturous reception in the street. In the crowd was a band of musicians. 

Low and behold, the piece on Harpo Productions’ ‘local hero’ also included a band, playing on the street. 

I was even more convinced my ideas had been stolen when Oprah Winfrey closed the show by saying that the next show would include the preparation and making of couscous, a traditional Moroccan dish. Again, couscous got more than one mention in my manuscript. 

Furthermore, I had addressed the manuscript to the ‘Harpo Dream Factory’: I wanted to make sure it would get undivided attention - which it certainly did.

However, to my astonishment, Harpo Productions also made use of this and created the concept ‘Ever had a dream come true’, or something along these lines. This entailed a bus or truck going out and about nationwide to fulfil the dreams of certain people. 

This whole episode of events left me so disturbed and deeply affected that I could no longer continue to be creative and finish another writing project I was working on. It is only now all these years later that feel emotionally strong enough to return to my passion, which is creative writing. 

To this day, I find it greatly incomprehensible how one of the world’s richest women, and one who claims to care so passionately about the underdog, could abuse something that was created with the intention of helping socially marginalized and deprived children. 

She certainly increased her wealth and fame following this particular show, which was shown around the world. 

As for me, I was no longer able to be creative or continue my charitable work due to the shock and confusion caused by such unimaginable greed and utter selfishness. 

 I am not sure about this. But if this is true, why would Harpo or Oprah Deceit someone with that matter? True or not it's for you to judge.