Okay, I think I can finally see where at least some legitimate outrage might be coming from. This reader sums it up well:

I think the reason this is a big deal for Oprah viewers is that for most of them (like my sister) she is their ONLY media source. Oprah has them invested in her for everything they could possibly want to know about: Medical issues: Ask Dr. Oz! Financial issues: Ask Suze! Family drama – mental health: Dr. Phil! (back in the day) Consumer Reports/ what to buy: Oprah’s Favorite things! Spiritualism: Live your best life now! What to read: Oprah’s book club! Eating and Weight loss: Boib Greene! Who’s side to take in the Brangelina/Aniston throw down: Jennifer. I could go on and on. So when these viewers see her purposely keeping something that’s so interesting and big from them, they resent her putting her own interests ahead of theirs when they’ve given her such trust on matters in their own lives.

I am not a huge fan of Oprah’s. I don’t dislike her. I just don’t feel very invested in her one way or another. But I get what this reader’s saying. If a sportscaster I loved let politics start skewing his coverage, I’d be outraged (or annoyed, ticked-off whatever) at the violation of trust. I guess it’s sort of like my annoyance with shows like Law & Order, which were once great and then the producers decided they were a Very Important Show and needed to provide biting social commentary. Laura Ingraham’s line, “Shut up and sing!” comes to mind. Or, another example might be my outrage with certain venerable magazines that have decided to tolerate deranged smear tactics and unalloyed hackery emanating from their own star blogger. Everyone has the right to do these things, but the violation of principle and trust does get under the skin, doesn’t it?