I can't wait for this show or the movie. I was, like Oprah, a high school and college debator (in fact, I attended college on a debate scholarship) and also participated in forensics in a variety of interpretive areas. Those years on the forensic circuit were ones of incredibly hard work, challenges and great fun! Debators, when I went to school, were thought of as somewhat odd (in today's times, we would probably called geeks) but I am very proud of my time as a debator. My years as a debator still serve me well in my professional and personal life--now 33 years since high school graduation. Thanks, Oprah for remembering the debators! Go Mitchell and USC!

It would have been better if Ms. Oprah talked to D about American Gangster, but hey if she's in the movie...makes perfect sense right?!?!!?! Btw, let's bump all these stupid Seinfield post off the front page..BUMP>

I love a good debate...:D.

Would have been nice if one of the actors had mentioned the name of the college debate team that defeated Harvard in1935--it is WILEY COLLEGE, Marshall, Texas--still exists--many illustrous alumni --still graduating students each May. Female member of debate team--in her 90's--still alive and proudly talks about the experience and life in the 1930's.

mrsbacchus
I, too, am so anxious to see the movie because I know it is about real people--though probably fictionalized to a degree. No one on the show mentioned the name, WILEY COLLEGE--the small East Texas college where it all began--and still exists. I'll find a theater and proudly wear my
purple and white on Christmas Day because I am an alumnus of this great school. The college's history is an interesting read--try it---you'll love it!

My husband grew up 10 miles from Wiley College during the 1950s and 60s and never knew about this story. This was never taught in that part of the country, especially at white and later at segregated schools. Why do we not have more black history as part of our lives? It is fitting that Forest Whitaker is in it as he is from that part of the country. We will make an effort to see this movie and if it is half as good as American Gangster, it will be worth every penny we spend to see it. There are just not a lot of movies around that are a fresh story and show how good our country can be......it leaves something for us to aspire to.....

Your kidding? I have relatives that grew up in Marshall, TX and I heard about this great story from them. My son studied about the debate team when he was in high school during Black History Month......so I would not be too hasty to lump "that part of the country" into the same category. I enjoy any movie with Denzel and Forest Whitaker and can't wait to see this movie. I've been a fan of Denzel Washington since he was on St. Elsewhere and I have followed Forest Whitaker's career for years since he was in Platoon. He is a fellow Texan.

Debates=wonderful!
attla53

hey i loved this show. but i missed some of the quotes of Denzels they were talking about. i was wondering if anyone got those?
but i loved the show. and Denzel is so amazing!!

Oh My GOD! I can't believe you said "Why do we not have more black history as part of our lives? " Are you blind or deaf? what is the month FEB for? what is MLK day for? what is the million man walk for for? OMG i am so sick of these "poor black people shows" I don't think america will never go on while we keep bringing up everything that happened to them, i have adopted a black child and raised him not to forget where he came from but at the same time don't keep going on about "poor black people" i am not Jewish, but i think what they went Thur was 100 times worse then what the black people went Thur. so why not more shows about Jews since we wanna make people feel bad for being white.

THANKS TO OPRAH FOR "THE GREAT DEBATERS" STORY

For the first time in years, I am genuinely excited about a movie - "The Great Debaters". Even though I am from a small southern African country (Zambia), I can relate to almost every aspect of the story, having been a debater myself in high school. I won a major multi-school debate competition for the small high school that I went to. The motion for debate was "Parental indiscipline is the root cause of Juvenile Delinquency" and I spoke in support of the motion. I remember that my school was placed last to speak because it was the smallest and had never won in the past. Nobody expected us to win at all. I could feel the audience's disregard for our all-girl team because when I was called upon to speak, several pupils in the audience stood up and started walking towards the door. When I started to talk, the most magical thing happened. The pupils stopped in their tracks, turned to look up at me and sat down again. For the 20 minutes while I spoke, the auditorium was silent and at the end of my speech, I was given resounding applause and a standing ovation. My school was awarded the first prize and I was voted the best speaker out of 24 others. It was one of the most empowering moments of my life and a true testimony of what one can accomplish with self-belief and a chance to shine. As a young girl in a country that sometimes overlooks women, this was quite an accomplishment for me. Today, I am an attorney doing what I love in New York City and I look back on this incident as one of the defining moments of my life. I believe that "The Great Debaters" will touch different people in many uplifting ways. For me, it is, without a doubt the most uplifting movie of 2007. Thank you Oprah, Denzel Washington, Forest Whittaker and all those involved for creating this beautiful film. We need more movies like this!

Oprah,
Before I get started I wanted to let you know how much I admire you. You are such a great humanitarian.
Just by chance we were asked to rent books and benches for THE GREAT DEBATERS. We live a short distance from where it was filmed.We also live about 20 minutes from Longview where Forest Whitaker was born.
My question is, could you get autograph pictures from you, Denzel and Forest. We couldn't believe it when we were notified of the movie. It takes little to amuse us, but we were so excited.
We will be at the movie on the 25th for sure. We were told after the shoot at an auction that our items (books and benches) were used in the making of the film.
You three are great and are some of my favorite actors/actresses.
Thanks for your attention.
Cindy Cook
cacook1974@yahoo.com

GEEEEEZE another movie for Oprah to talk and brag about to bore us to death..she goes on and on about how handsome he is and the greatest actor ever like we are going to agree with her ideas this movie is gonna be an oscar winner cause she raves about it..Come on just because they are black doesn't make it a Titanic or Gone With the Wind ect..we're not gonna remember it for the end of time..Roots hasnt been a lifetime experience much less Color Purple..It will die along with all the other mediaocer movies we forgot when we walked out of the theater,,Don't think I will spend 80 dollars for the family to see it at the movies..Don't even care to see it on DVD..

If you don't know your past, You cannot appreciate what happens in your future, I don't know what race you are but I hope the child you are raising will know where he came from. That is why we have so many confused people, everything has to be forgotten and sweep under the rug so not to be mentioned again. It hurts to see what oppressed folks have endured and yet still we rise.

I myself cannot wait for this movie. Yes, I will go out maybe not Christmas day, but soon thereafter.

To Design64......That's the problem with non-Blacks adopting our Black Children....We seem to always be able to find the sickness that you'll harbor.....your sick of all of these "poor Black people stories"....Please ! You should be investigated.