Influential in the 20th century for creating a more intimate confessional form of media communication, unleashing confession culture, and popularizing and revolutionizing the tabloid talk show genre pioneered by Phil Donahue, which broke 20th century taboos and allowed gays, transsexuals and transgenders people to enter the mainstream. She was considered influential as an inspirational role model from the impact of her book club in making literature accessible to the masses...