By Becky Steinberg

"Oprah: A Biography" was released last week. Author, Kitty Kelley, gives readers what she calls an intimate portrait of Oprah Winfrey’s life, including her early career, personal hardships and bad boyfriends. Kelley has received some cold shoulders from the media, insisting that few outlets are willing to have her on the show for fear of backlash from Oprah. However, she maintains that the biography portrays Oprah as a complex, interesting and compassionate character. On the Today Show, Kelley said, “After you read it, no matter what’s inside, you come away being inspired.”

Inspired is right.

Oprah is arguably the most influential woman in the world with an empire extending from a talk show to publishing company to charitable foundations. She has been a journalist, producer, actress, and philanthropist in her life, but perhaps most dear to her heart, an aunt.

She is “Auntie O” to William Bumpus, son of Oprah’s long-time friend, Gayle King. “Willzer,” as Oprah lovingly calls him, graduated from Duke University last year. She had the honor of embarrassing him, like any aunt would, at his graduation ceremony. When she spoke to the class of 2009, she opened her commencement speech with memories of Will as a child, playing with her antiques as if they were toys, knocking them around and making enthusiastic “Vroom” noises. But she continued her speech with advice for the graduate.

She said, "At some point something is going to eat you inside. It could be anger; it could be guilt; it could be past hurts...but graduates I want you to know if you can summon courage…in the face of life’s hardships…you will be a huge success because you are responsible for your own happiness and you are responsible for the energy you bring to everything.”

It’s easy to understand that these words come from Oprah, the talk show host, but it’s powerful to think of them as words from “Auntie O.” At the end of the day, Oprah, just like all aunts, tries to help her nephew grow up to be happy and healthy by teaching him how to make happiness for himself.

Photo: Chicago Sun Times

Becky Steinberg is a senior at Boston University, where she will graduate with degrees in public relations and Spanish in May 2010.