50 Times Oprah Made a Really Great Point — Literally

Though Oprah Winfrey is a motivational guru, the undisputed queen of media, and has garnered praise for her roles in The Color Purple, Lee Daniels's The Butler, and Selma — she's yet to adopt any sort of royal wave. Instead, she recognizes fans and photographers by giving them the finger — the pointer finger, of course! As she gets ready to celebrate her 66th birthday on Jan. 29, let's take a look back at her best pointing moments over the decades. Seriously though, Oprah really loves to point.

— Additional reporting by Annie Gabillet

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Oprah pointed on the red carpet at an award show in London in February 2014.

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She noticed a familiar face at the Santa Barbara Film Festival in February 2014.

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She pointed while exiting her car in NYC in December 2014.

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Oprah arrived in style at the 1986 Golden Globe Awards.

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She had Stedman on her pointing arm for the 1992 Emmys.

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Oprah was all smiles and pointer fingers as she arrived on the SAG Awards red carpet in 2014.

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Oprah opted for a point instead of a wave as she entered her car in 1988.

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Oprah pointed from her seat while receiving an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree at Harvard University in 2013.

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Oprah attended a party honoring Barbara Walters in 1992.

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She pointed down the red carpet at the Independent Spirit Awards in February 2015.

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Oprah smiled at a 2004 event for Morehouse College.

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Oprah flashed a smile and a finger at the 2002 Vanity Fair Oscar party.

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Oprah was pointy at the 2005 premiere of Their Eyes Were Watching God.

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Oprah was on point during her Melbourne tour stop in December 2015.

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She pointed from her car in NYC in May 2015.

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Oprah made an appearance at the opening of 2004's A Raisin in the Sun.

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Oprah pointed to fans outside at Ed Sullivan Theater in NYC in October 2015.

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She shaded her eyes from the sun while pointing to photographers at the Critics' Choice Awards in 2014.

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Oprah gave a double-point at a screening of Lee Daniels' The Butler in 2013.

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Oprah arrived on the red carpet at the LA premiere of Lee Daniels' The Butler in 2013.

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Kimberly Hefner, Quincy Jones, and Oprah walked the red carpet at the 2005 Oscars.

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Oprah and Stedman Graham hung out together in NYC back in 1987.

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She walked the carpet for the 2009 screening of Precious.

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Oprah had a point to make at the Essence Black Women in Hollywood luncheon in 2013.

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With the Australian prime minister on hand, Oprah engaged with a crowd in Melbourne in 2010.

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Oprah arrived at the 2004 Vanity Fair Oscar afterparty.

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Oprah pointed even while guest-hosting Good Morning America in 2012.

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Oprah attended the Women In Entertainment Power 100 breakfast in December 2008 at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

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Oprah spoke to, and pointed for, Duke University's class of 2009.

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With a point, Oprah kicked off season 24 of The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2009.

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Oprah got the audience going for a day of filming in Australia in 2011.

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She was all smiles for a London photocall in 2013.

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Oprah attended the Annual National Urban League Awards in 2002.

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Oprah and Quincy Jones attended the People's Choice Awards in 1997.

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Oprah enjoyed herself at the opening night for the Broadway show Three Days of Rain in 2006.

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She was honored at the International Radio and Television Society Foundation Gold Medal Awards in 1996.

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Oprah pointed to her audience during an event for her O, the Oprah Magazine in 2012.

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Oprah was literally shining at 1994 daytime Emmys.

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Oprah pointed it up with her 1991 Daytime Emmy.

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Oprah made quite a few points (both figuratively and literally) when she accepted the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the Golden Globe Awards in 2018.

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Oprah addressed her fans at the A Wrinkle in Time premiere in February 2018.

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Oprah raised a point during her speech at the 10th Anniversary Women in the World Summit in April 2019.

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In June 2019, Oprah spoke on stage at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, Canada.

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Oprah gave the photographers her best angle as she attended the premiere of OWN's David Makes Man in August 2019.

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Oprah delivered the commencement speech at Agnes Scott College back in 2017.