A full circle moment with Oprah

Sometimes, full circle moments look like shining amethysts all wrapped up in a big purple bow.

That’s what I was thinking Wednesday when we watched an episode of Sherri Shepherd on which our oldest son Charlie served as senior producer.

The episode was a full circle moment for its host too, which just goes to show how impactful circles can be when they ripple out from icons.

That’s the Oprah Winfrey effect. Though she hasn’t hosted her talk show since 2011, Oprah continues to wield tremendous influence in both the entertainment industry and the world around.

When Oprah visited the Sherri Shepherd set this week, she publicly anointed Sherri, who grew up in Chicago and said she remembers sitting at a bus stop following a comedy gig (because her car had been repossessed) and being inspired by an ad she saw for the Oprah Winfrey Show.

“Are you passing me the baton?” Sherri asked her idol.

“I am,” Oprah confirmed.

Charlie can also trace the roots of his career straight back to Harpo Studios, where he worked as an intern and then a researcher. His assignment for one of Oprah’s final shows was to escort Dr. Maya Angelou around the United Center. Toward the end of their time together, Dr. Angelou took Charlie’s hands and told him to have a blessed life.

And he has.

While his family – his whip-smart wife Tara, a script supervisor on Sherri Shepherd, and adorable baby Margo – are his greatest blessings, Charlie also has enjoyed a fascinating career, most of which he spent working in New York as a talk show producer.

The job can be challenging, but it is never dull and Charlie has met and produced some amazing talent along the way. You can watch the Sherri Shepherd locally at 10 a.m. on Channel 32 or via her YouTube channel. In fact, if you want to watch the Oprah episode, you can find it right here.