The next Oprah?

Last week, Oprah announced that she was leaving her daytime TV talk-show after 25 years. Who should take her place?

- Courtesy of Seven Days Seven Answers

Wow, the matriarch of daytime TV is leaving? Having rarely watched her show, this still surprises me. Oprah, though I'm not one of her fans, has a signature way of interviewing her guests, involving her audience (both live and through the television), and influencing those who dance around her flame.

I'm not sure there's many others like her out there. In general I would say someone like Barbara Walters, who has the name recognition and interview skills...and yet, I doubt millions of women (and some men, I'm sure) would follow her interests to the point of book clubs, magazine, and holiday giveaways like they currently do with Oprah.

For the influential end of things, perhaps someone with great style and what appears to be a winning personality, like Michelle Obama? This woman nearly always dresses well, and at least publicly, has a personality that seems to win people over. She might do well as a TV host for such a program, though it probably wouldn't be seen as fitting for a president's wife.

Long story short: Oprah will be leaving some very big shoes to fill, and offhand I can't think of anyone with feet that would fit.