Today's Evil Beet Gossip
HOT TOPICS: Kim Kardashian Lindsay Lohan Justin Bieber

Oprah Rejected By Schizophrenic Child

October 7, 2009
Wendie
Oprah
52 Comments

Little Jani Schofield may be the smartest seven year old that I’ve ever seen.  She was on yesterday’s Oprah (film only, her parents were in the studio) because she’s a little girl that has been diagnosed with schizophrenia.  You know why she’s a headline-maker to me, though?  Because she screamed right in Oprah’s big potato head face.

You know, this child is mentally ill, but that doesn’t make her a Malti-Poo.  And I think she didn’t appreciate Oprah talking to her like she was one.  This clip proves one thing:  Oprah’s condescending demeanor stops for no one.  Schofield just kept screaming, “I don’t want to talk to you!” which is basically my dream come true.  I often fantasize about agreeing to go on Oprah and at the first sign of Oprah giving me a dismissive nod or interrupting me because she just knows what I’m going to say next, I’d yell, “I don’t want to talk to you!  Get away from me!  I wanna be on Tyyyyyyyrrrrraaaaa!”

Anyway, it’s been said that children can see auras and are extremely perceptive about people’s energy.  Do we need more evidence?  Today, I salute you Jani Schofield as well as every voice in your head.  You’re all awesome!

52 CommentsLeave a comment

  • Wow, Wendie. You are insane.
    Did you not notice that her parents were talking to her in the same way? Oprah was just following the parents.

  • WTF Oprah.. jaaaani jaaaaaani jani.. I would’ve smacked her. I also don’t appreciate the way Oprah seemed to be laughing “400 just left” *smirk at the camera*. Way to make fun of a mentally ill child.

  • My mom said the same thing about Jani when we watched the show together…”more people should say that to oprah!”

    haha

  • I couldn’t watch it after she started chasing her around saying her name to get her attention. The child is clearly distressed and not able to sit and talk with you, Oprah. I would never let someone treat my child this way. Sorry to waste your time O, but my kid isn’t interested in being with you… the end of interview.

    Ms. O wouldn’t last long with an autistic child for sure!

  • Wow. There’s sure a lot of Oprah hate on this site. I watched the show and I must say that I learned a lot about schizophrenia. I did not find her condescending, I don’ think she knew how to handle the situation. I think the parents agreed to do the show to get more information about children with schizophrenia out there.

  • Anyone with an inkling of common sense and respect would know better than to mock a child with a disorder like that. Oprah especially should know better since her career often leads her to deal with different types of people AND she’s in the public eye. Why the eff would she mock her and say “400 just left” and then smirk? Makes me want to vomit.

    • So, I went back and watched the rest of the episode and I do agree that Oprah must have educated herself more before the rest of the show and it was extremely touching. But I still think she was out of line during the taping with Jani. Without being educated on the disease, common sense should still tell you not to act that way.

      “You know why she’s a headline-maker to me, though? Because she screamed right in Oprah’s big potato head face.” hahaha

  • I think it’s a clear Oprah didn’t fully understand the disease prior to her visit. Maybe she educated herself before the taping of the actual talk show. Either way, she certainly came off as ignorant when talking to her.

  • GODDAMMIT!!that woman makes me MAD!!i already knew she’s a condescending holier than thou knowitall but this just tops eveything…how could she talk to that girl like that,in that mocking flippant tone thats just infuriating…

  • Wendie, you really should take the time to watch this episode regardless of your personal feelings toward Oprah. I think the clip makes this episode appear more lighthearted than it actually was. I was fascinated to learn about the very rare condition of childhood schizophrenia. The sacrifices and lengths this little girl’s parents have gone through to keep her safe and as happy as possible are nothing short of amazing and heartbreaking. The parents have to live in separate apartments so Jani doesn’t hurt her little brother. They can’t go on trips or basic errands and even taking Jani to the park requires constant explanations of her behavior to others.

    Oprah can be condescending and downright annoying but she does occasionally have great topics on her show and I have learned from them. Maybe I’ve just learned to tune her out when the topic is interesting, but I really wasn’t bothered by Oprah’s behavior in this case. Not knowing what to expect and taking cues from Jani’s parents, I think she did fine.

    • Thank you! You took the words right out of my mouth. I watched this and it really touched my heart. My uncle’s schizophrenic but he didn’t start having severe symptoms until he was in his 20’s. This is on a whole different level and extremely painful for her parents.

  • I’ve been reading the Dad’s blog almost since he started, this is not even close to the entire story, I would venture that there were some extremely poor decisions made about raising this child that exacerbated her condition. Also I am not sure if it was mentioned that both he and his wife are severely bipolar, she’s often threatened suicide in front of the child, he cannot filter information and treats the child like an adult, plus he’s been extremely violent in front of the child and she’s got almost no coping skills – rarely can they keep her at home for longer than 2 weeks at a time and then she is placed back in a mental ward for children for months at a time, she’s also given doses of psyche meds that are higher than adult men are given.

    It’s a harrowing story but I am glad that it’s out in the open because the chances are much higher that someone might see this show and they can save this little girl because the parents can’t, and it seems her current physicians only seem to be able to dope her into coma’s.

    Again why would two people with severe forms of mental illness think this was going to have a happy ending? It’s the law of averages. Also they had to move into two apartments so Jani wouldn’t kill her younger brother which she tried to do on a nearly daily basis – she’s too dangerous to be near other children or animals. Can anyone else see where this is going? His blog is januaryfirst.org and if you can stand to read the entire story from HIS point of view.

    • I, too, have read his entire blog. I didn’t start reading it until someone commented somewhere here on evilbeet (maybe it was you, Jinxy?) with a link to it, but I spent two entire evenings getting caught up and now check for updates regularly.

      It’s an intriguing story, and I think your interpretation of it is fairly accurate. Jani’s parents had/have far too many issues themselves to be able to completely care for her, but I do believe Michael recognizes that fact. My biggest issue with him is his unwillingness to consider the one place in Texas that continues to be suggested by everyone who’s ever evaluated Jani. They’re being too stubborn, especially now that he’s not even teaching anymore. Nor do they have any family support, as he’s stated over and over again. Two parents who are jobless have nothing tying them down to California, especially when the cost of living is well beyond their means. They will just continue to drain funds from a state that is already in the shitter.

      But that’s just my two cents. I obviously could never imagine putting myself in their shoes!

      The family should pack

  • I haven’t been able to watch Oprah since her racist self shone so brightly with her endorsement of Osama bin Barack.

  • Is it possible that the kid is just a brat and needs a minor beating? Or that the parents have promoted and encouraged this strange behavior to the point that it is now a problem? Guess I’ll have to check out the father’s blog…

    • Not even a remote possibility.
      Definitely read the blog. For all the issues that they may or may not have caused in their daughter, it’s definitely gone above and beyond bad parenting. Jani is definitely mentally ill, and the many doctors she has seen in her short life can attest to it. They just don’t know what to do for her.

  • You can like or dislike Oprah, but I don’t think she meant to be condescending. I also think people like to go against the grain and be the first to like something (Will Farell, Oprah, Borat, etc.) and then like to be the first to be “over it”. Where were all these Oprah haters before? It’s only since she’s been crowned ruler of our planet (which she WORKED for) that everyone wants to hate. I’d waste my hate on ignorant little f-tards like Paris Hilton who do nothing for humanity, do not work for the success they have, and are generally cruel to anyone “below” them.

    All that being said, if you want to take your hate out on someone, might I suggest the parents?

    • thankyou for mentioning the good she has done…how do you talk to a child but as a child…on their level…what do you do to get a child’s attention..don’t you remember your teachers speaking the same way in public school? perhaps she should have spoken to her in a more adult fashion…do I detect racism here? Sure seems like it..
      Mollination, you hit the nail right on the head! Even the parents don’t deserve hate. They don’t even have the tools to cope, apparently. This is a very sad situation all around, and all you armchair authorities have no right to judge them till you have walked a mile in their shoes. Oprah is just putting the story out there. If you can’t stand her, why keep watching?

  • YellowRose, you’re a buffoon and a total idiot. A.) for trying to tie racism to Oprah’s support for Barack Obama, and B.) for intentionally misspelling his name. The racist, my dear, is you.

    Now, back to the point of this thread (sorry for getting off topic), I think this is an important story to get out there, and I’m grateful to Sharon and Jinxy for their very insightful posts. Regardless of your feelings about Oprah, she was very obviously out of her element when talking to this child (most people would be) but at the same time, she’s getting the story out there and educating people (those who are receptive to being educated, at least). So, kudos to her for that.

  • maybe oprah didnt know how to react to that. being that I work with these types of people(18-up) everyday. i didnt see anything she did. She just didnt know how to act/react to the child. Working with people like this can drive you to think your mind isnt right or mental state going down. day after day constant having to play into their hallucination/delusions. it can drive you mad. Then make you just want to retreat to a quiet place to free your mind. So, oprah being a woman that has never been around a person with a severe mental illness, she did oright to me. i didnt see any wrong doing. The people I deal with everyday for 12hrs daily are those that suffer from mental illness and mental retardation or both. So, she conducted herself fine from my stand point.

  • Remember when you were a young child & your play-life & dreams (or nightmares) seemed so real that sometimes, when you were brought back to the present by mom calling to you or a siblings’ interruption, you were startled?
    You were in your own ‘world.’ Normally, the transition to the present is easy & complete. What if your world was the one you lived in the majority of the time & to you IT was the real one?
    Given the vividness of childrens’ imagination, it is interesting (though sad) to see what happens with a chemical imbalance in the brain. These children are so often very bright. They are also in need of constant stimulation (as the father alluded to) & are hyperactive ( the mother mentioned the child being awake 20 hours out of 24). If a parent wasn’t already emotionally/mentally challenged (One of the bloggers said that both parents were bipolar (?)), they would be; given the sleep deprivation.
    Remember also, there were others in the family to care for. How much of the parents’ time & energy do you think THEY received??? They are the silent victims in this family & others like it.
    It is a needed service to get this information out to the public. There are parents who have children with bizarre behavior who may have seen this segment & take THEIR children for evaluation. The diagnosis may not be schizophrenia, but whatever it is, the younger the child, the better the prognosis for improved mental health.
    Often these children are miserable. As all children, if even for a moment, they want to be loved & please their parents. The parents need a support network. There was no mention of a spiritual family (in the short segment on the computer I saw) & understandably they are separated from the community. If this child had a physical malady as severe as her mental one, this family would have so many more resources to draw from.
    Our society still looks upon mental illness as demonic & that is too bad. The insurance coverage for mental illness falls far below that of physical illness. This diparity has not changed in decades, nor is it slated to in the future.
    If you are interested in this subject, research it. Ask yourself if there are any parents in your world who may welcome respite help from you. You could be the one who helps them keep THEIR sanity. At the very least, remember this family & others like them in your prayers.
    And to the ‘haters,’ stop watching Oprah.

  • This poor child is obviously troubled and Oprah had no idea how to deal with it. Poster “Vee” makes a lot of sense. Working in education myself it is apparent that this little girl is sick and needs medical care. What are the parents doing to help her? She didn’t do anything to Oprah. In fact, she most likely was behaving normally (for her) and would have treated anyone else sticking cameras in her face and asking too many probing questions in the same manner.

  • I watched it twice and I do not see where Oprah did anything wrong anyone whom is not used to being around someone like that wouldn’t know how to react generally. Ok you dont like Oprah why are you watching something that you do not like, so i question many of you as well. The little girl is sick but shes not aware of it.
    Many people are hypocrites but must we remind them of it everyday noooo. She is trying to make others aware thats it no more no less, who is to say how you would react if you were in that same situation.
    Race, gender, etc has nothing to do with what happened. People kill me always have something bad to say and claim you are children of God.
    I dont see any helping to make the situation any better.

    Quick to criticize but not likely to empathize

    If im not mistaken the parents have issues as well correct????

  • I feel that this was a job for Dr. Phil. At least he is more knowledgeable on issues such as this. I think this is the saddest thing I have ever heard. I feel so bad that she will never have the chance to be a normal child and enjoy all that a childhood has to offer. I think that Oprah might have just followed the parents way of dealing with the issue, however, I also feel that she is not knowledgeable of the issue at hand. However, I am not a fan of oprah but I think I like the fact that it shows the reality of things. Whether she knew how to deal with it or not. It shows any normal reaction. I think people are being to harsh on her behavior. She may have not expected it to be that severe and therefore that was the result of it.

  • Aight y’all I loved Jani, Oprah & da show cuz it really shows that there’s more to Jani then her sometimes violent ways. Peace out

  • Oprah is pathetic. I am so glad Jani dissed her. That child i gifted; I don’t care if they label her “crazy”. I saw the tape where Oprah keeps pressing her about where “Calalini” might be.The child first says “I can’t tell you. That’s where 24 Hours lives and she’s the worst one.” Then she finally says “It’s on the border of my world and yours.” This child can walk between the realms. Like reincarnation, other realms exist, even if you don’t believe they do. Study quantum physics.

    Earlier in the series of tapes, they mention that, as a baby, Jani slept only in 20 minute intervals. Later, Jani is in the pool and she says “I like your swimsuit 24 Hours. It says “I’m staying up all night”. No one is really paying attention to her y don’t understand and are too quick to slip her a Lithium. She makes perfect sense if you listen.

    • I totally agree with you. Just because some brains don’t work the way the majority of brains do, doesn’t mean it’s an “illness”. It saddens me that people like Jani have to take drugs because they’re unable to “fit in society”. It’s conformity at it’s worst.

      Who’s to say her visions aren’t really there? I saw a clip of Jani playing with another schizophrenic child that she’s met at a psych ward, and it gives the impression that they see what each other see. If their condition was isolated within themselves, how could that be possible?

      And lastly, I was pretty shocked to witness Oprah’s behavior. Schizophrenic or not, this child is extremely intelligent and uninterested in the tasks being requested of her. Would it have so inconvenient for Oprah to stick around and talk to Jani at shorter intervals? How she thought she could get a full-length interview from her is beyond me.

  • And Casey, I DON’T watch Oprah. I stumbled upon the videos through a link from a metaphysical/occult site.

  • Look, people do that 2 me also. Jani just has a sense of humor so give Oprah a break and LAY OFF!!!!

  • LISTEN TO ME! ANYONE TIRED OF LOGGING IN OR REGISTERING ON EVERY SINGLE SITE YOU COME ACROSS? GO TO BUGMENOT.COM FOR FREE ACOOUNT NAMES AND PASSWORDS. JUST TYPE IN A SITE IN THE SEARCH BAR. FOR EXAMPLE

    youtube.com

    JUST LIKE THAT. ENJOY!

  • The thing that shocked me the most, was that even as a tiny baby, there was something about Jani. She would “see” things. Now, how does a baby have any references to “see” things. I dont usually believe in this sort of stuff, but I really think she is possessed. I am not trying to be funny. I am wondering how a tiny baby can see such things.

  • “She would “see” things. Now, how does a baby have any references to “see” things. I dont usually believe in this sort of stuff, but I really think she is possessed.”

    POSSESSED? By what, a biblical demon? For f’s sake, gimme a break. Because children have just crossed the borders between our world and the next, they can still interact with their guardians and other angels and energies who have helped them before being reincarnated. Anyone who has ever seen an hours-old baby smile knows it ain’t gas, no matter what idiots try to make you believe. And anyone who doesn’t believe in reincarnation may find it interesting that it was a tenent of Christianity until 553 CE.

  • This little girl is probably being abused. She’s not schizophrenic, she’s autistic but after further inspection, I found out that the parents were label shopping and were not happy with “autism” so kept insisting until they finally got the psychotic one that they wanted.

    Read her father’s blog. He deleted the about me section where he admits to hitting Jani and starving her to break her.

    This reeks of autism and abusive parents. She’s not schizophrenic because if she were, these imaginary friends wouldn’t be consistant, it would be all over the place.

    I can’t believe how people defend his abuse because she’s different.

    The father and mother are getting attention, book deal, making money off of Jani while she has to go get drugged up for schizophrenia in adult doses but something else is really bothering her.

    Jani could die over this.

    • Your very wrong and shouldn’t talk about schizophrenia if you know little. Yes, people with schizophrenia very often have consistant and repeated hallucinations which are either visual or auditory which they can identify and point out specifically. It is either one voice for example, or a multitude of voices which may or may not change in charecteristics. It’s dangerous when people speak of such a serious diseas without knowing a lot. Years ago people would misdiagnose autism as schizophrenia for a reason, because they can appear similiar. Now adays the opposite is true, and in the face of the autism diagnosis mass hysteria, everything under the sun is being labeled as autistic. Lets explore other options. I’m interested in the fact that she may have multi complex developmental disorder. She fits the criteria for autism, but has problems that CAN NOT be explained away by autism and/or psychological abuse alone.