In the case of Rachael Ray and her dinnerware promotion, it should be noted that she was well known as a cook and for giving cooking advice long before she got a TV show.
In fact, it was her fame as a cook which got her on TV.
That's true, but she was promoted on Oprah on the season (2005 year) before she got her show. Rachael's show is actually a Harpo show. The odd thing is after Rachael got her daytime show, she never returned to Oprah esp. during Oprah's last season. Yet Oprah had Nate Berkus, Dr.Oz and Dr.Phil all return. She would include Suze Orman with those guys on those experts shows.
Oprah definitely didn't discover Rachael but she gave her a little boost back in 2005 and she makes money off of her given that her show is a Harpo show. Nate has lost appeal although his product line was at Linens N Things and now is at Target and wikipedia lists a show with NBC primetime in the works.
Bob Greene was another guy found by Oprah, although he seemed to prefer keeping a lower profile.
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