A Pictorial Review of Oprah's Big Give

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The median expected salary for a plastic and reconstructive surgeon in the United States is $306,465, according to this website.

And who was one of the needy people portrayed last night on the first episode of Oprah's Big Give? A medical student and future plastic surgeon.

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I admire the spirit behind Oprah's Big Give. I really do. But I found the execution tacky -- from the product placement for Ford and Target to the Simon Cowell/Piers Morgan-esque Brit delivering the bitchy feedback (or copious praise) to contestants before they're eliminated.

And isn't that just the epitome of tacky? Eliminating contestants who want to help other people each week until a final winner is crowned? Turning charity into a competition and relying on the same old reality show cliches that were tired years ago? Just awful.

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That said: There was a women on the show last night who helps autistic kids. She is lovely, a complete antithesis to most reality show contestants because she is genuine. She is truly giving, not narcissistic. God bless her.

Compare her with an odd contestant on Big Brother who calls autistic children "retards." He just got fired for those remarks from his job at the ... United Autism Foundation

There also was a woman on Oprah's new show whose husband was murdered at Home Depot. I'm glad that this show is helping her pay off her house.

Would it be possible, do you think, for Oprah to help these people without resorting to a completely narcissistic prime time television show that employs some of the worst of what reality TV has to offer? Oh, and on the previews for next week's show, she talks about the show's "shocking new twist" that viewers can find out about next week. Heard that one before?

Oprah has jumped the shark.