'Why the hell are people paying $2600 to see Oprah in Australia?'

Oprah Winfrey is a dead-set legend. There’s no denying it.

She overcame her rough start to life to become the “Queen of All Media”, she’s regularly touted as the world’s most influential woman, she’s an amazing philanthropist, Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom (the highest civilian honour possible), she has honorary doctorate degrees from some of the fanciest universities in the world, and – thanks to her hard work and unprecedented success – she is North America’s only black billionaire.

For many, understandably, Oprah is an inspiration.

But really Australia? REALLY?

Australians have been flocking to fork out up to $2600 to see the 61-year-old’s five local shows in December.

Tickets to her Melbourne show went on sale on Wednesday morning. By 10.30am, both the cheapest and most expensive tickets had sold out, 3AW reported.

The ‘O VIP Photo and Soundcheck Experience’ includes the opportunity for a group photo with Oprah, a 15-minute group Q&A with her during soundcheck, and a pre-show cocktail party (that Oprah will not attend). And it costs $2569.

That’s two return flights to London, according to the Flight Centre website. Or 29 tickets to Taylor Swift’s concert.

Yes, she’s the most hooked-up woman in the world, with a black book teeming with the most famous names in the world. But unless it’s free cars for all (a distinct possibility), I’m out.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m as big a fan of Lady O as the next person. I keep an eye on what she’s doing on social media, whether it’s hanging out with her dogs, chilling with Stedman and Gayle, or pulling big-arse home-grown vegetables from her patch. But with a legacy of 25 seasons of a hit show, a detailed autobiography and her own production company and magazine, I feel like I can access her whenever I want for free.

It’s not really clear what ‘An Evening With Oprah’ will entail. The ticketing website says: “Oprah will take to the stage, bringing her personal story and insights to life in a one-of-a-kind intimate evening.” Oprah is quoted as saying, “I look forward to being reconnected, rejuvenated and re-inspired about what is possible for our lives.”

The intimate evenings will be shared with up to 15,000 fans in some of the country’s largest arenas.

Hoping to get a better understanding of what the hell was going on, I tuned it to Nine’s ‘Oprah Down Under: The Next Adventure’ last night. It was pretty much 30 minutes of Oprah doing her distinctive sing-song yelling about how she was pumped about returning to ‘Auuuuuuuuussstrrraaaayyyyyyylllllliaaaaa’.

“I felt you Australia,” she says, referencing the fun, energy and love of her “Aussie friends”.

She said she toured Canada and seemed to share my surprise that people lined up to see her, even though she doesn’t sing or dance.

Oprah said it’s her “life’s work” to get people to strive for the life they want. She said she’s been given the gift to get people to rise to their best selves. And something about being the master of your destiny.

It was like an Instagram inspirational-quote account on steroids.

In what appeared to be a clip from her 2010 visit to Australia outside a sailing boat race where all the sails had her name on it, she tells her fans, “There’s a regatta somewhere with your name on it”.

But, no, O. There’s not.

If that’s the message 15,000 people per night will be leaving with, things could get confusing.

I watched the full 30 minutes of the promo show last night and I’m still confused.

Today, I asked a bunch of people why they were going to the shows.

One woman said she happily paid $500 for a ticket and considered the $2600 option. “I saw her last time she was out and it was one of the best days of my life. It says she’s talking about her life, success and sharing personal stories. To be honest, I’d go and watch her knit for an hour.”

“I feel more than anything I would have massive FOMO if I didn’t go. Like who passes up the chance to see Oprah!?” another says.

One colleague said she would part with up $500 to score a ticket: “Seeing and hearing Oprah IN THE FLESH. Inspiration. Happiness. Hope. She makes me feel like I can do anything.”

It seems no one really knows quite what to expect from the show.

And with a basic entry price of more than $100, the disenfranchised women who could get the most out of to her inspirational rags-to-riches story probably won’t be there.

But you can’t put a price on hope. And that’s exactly what Oprah’s peddling.

Will you be getting tickets?

For more on Queen O, check out these articles:

VIDEO: 25 years of Oprah Winfrey’s hair.

Oprah’s Favourite Things will break your favourite credit card.

FLUFF: Someone found Oprah’s original 1983 audition video.

Oprah’s been, Ellen came, so why is Australia still such a hard sell?