By Emilia Benton

It’s no secret that many American women flock to anything endorsed by talk-show host Oprah Winfrey as though whatever she touches will turn to gold. For the most part, I tend to roll my eyes and move on when I hear about yet another Winfrey sales pitch. (Do we not remember her endorsement of James Frey’s fabricated memoir, “A Million Little Pieces”? Do we not remember the millions of people who raced to nab their copy of “The Secret”? Give me a break.)

However, I could not believe what I heard when I watched last week’s interview on NBC’s Today show with a Chicago yoga instructor who has pledged to spend an entire year “living la vida Oprah.”

Robyn Okrant, 35, who has been blogging daily about her adopted lifestyle in following “the gospel according to Winfrey” on www.livingoprah.com, has done everything from buying expensive clothing from Winfrey’s must-have list to purchasing a backyard fire pit when she has no backyard to speak of. Okrant estimates that living like Winfrey has set her back about $3,000 and taken approximately 600 hours of her life.

Here’s the catch though-Okrant maintains that she was no “Oprah disciple” before she took on this project. Instead, she insists that she’s an example of how ridiculous it can get when women scrutinize and follow celebrities to the utmost detail. She has attempted to justify her new habits by only doing the things Winfrey has said we must do-meaning when Winfrey utters her obnoxiously tired catchphrase, “Ladies, you’ve got to do it.”

And indeed she is the perfect example. By following the mantra of “what Oprah says, goes,” Okrant is encouraging the stereotype that women can’t make their own decisions, similar to Sen. John McCain’s choice of Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate with the (hopefully) false pretense that former supporters of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton will now lend their support to Palin because-dare I say it-she’s a woman. And at that, she’s a woman who is supposedly “just like you and me.” (Hello, she is most definitely not like me, but that’s beside the point-the vice president of our country should be one of the most qualified, credible and educated people the country has to offer-not someone who I could see as a potential BFF.)

The ultimate slap in the face to womankind in general came when Okrant admitted to having voted for Sen. Barack Obama in the Democratic primary after he was given the proverbial “Winfrey blessing,” even though she was initially a Clinton supporter. I think most would be in agreement that we are in an election year where it is more important than ever for men and women alike to think for themselves when it comes time to cast our ballots next month.

The fact that Okrant has described her project as a “feminist” perspective on Winfrey’s empire baffles me, as she is so clearly encouraging the notion that women should constantly aim to reinvent themselves through new purchases. Spokespeople for Winfrey have even praised Okrant’s brand dedication. For every move Okrant has made this year, she’s asked herself, “Am I doing this correctly? Would she [Winfrey] give me the thumbs-up on this?”

Okrant’s stunt (which has two months to go), all in the name of her efforts to land a book deal, is ridiculous and irresponsible, especially in a time when we should all be making a conscious effort to live within our personal financial means.

Note to Winfrey: you’re a celebrity. If you must continue to preach to the millions of gullible shopping addicts out there, stick to endorsing things like eco-friendly household products and appliances.

And to Okrant: for the sake of women everywhere, consider going back to thinking for yourself.

Emilia Benton is a senior print journalism student. You may e-mail her at [email protected].