Oprah syndrome

Posted by Ben Gambit on February 06, 2000

In Reply to: Oprah syndrome posted by ESC on January 29, 2000

: Oprah syndrome -- the desire to ditch work and watch TV all day.

: I found that expression in a "Consumer Reports," February 2000, article about workers compensation(the U.S. program that pays for medical care and lost income if a person is injured on the job). The article states: "Employers and insurers, says Jeffrey Biddle,a Michigan State University economics professor, sometimes assert that workers-comp claimants are afflicted with an 'Oprah syndrome' -- the desire
: to ditch work and watch TV all day." Oprah referring to a popular daytime talk show.

: I must add that actually the focus of the article was on people who are disabled following on-the-job injuries but are "jerked around" (another American expression) by insurance companies.

Dude, that's not a phrase, it's just something the author make up to sound funny.