On September 13, 2004, Oprah Winfrey kicked off the 19th season of The Oprah Winfrey Show with a surprise that would become one of the most recognizable (and memed) moments in television history. As 276 audience members sat in Winfrey’s Chicago studio, they had no idea they were about to receive the ultimate gift for being part of the show: a brand-new car. The episode, the giveaway and Oprah’s enthusiastic “You get a car!” cheer to her frenzied audience are being revisited on The Oprah Podcast, with Winfrey herself calling it “one of the most iconic moments in television history.” Rewatching the episode, her words just might be an understatement.
By Season 19, The Oprah Winfrey Show had become synonymous with inspiration, revealing conversations and audience giveaways. Her annual “Favorite Things” episodes not only introduced viewers to must-have products of the year but also allowed audience members to leave with a collection of Oprah’s picks. Other audience surprises included a trip to Philadelphia, surprise celebrity appearances and, at the beginning of Season 19, a brand-new car.
Never one to miss an opportunity to build toward a frenzied TV moment, Oprah initially gave 11 audience members the keys to a Pontiac G6 before handing small gift boxes to the rest of the crowd, telling them that only one contained the key to the final car. But when everyone opened their boxes, they discovered that each one was filled with a key. That’s when Oprah launched into her now-famous anthem: “You get a car! You get a car! Everybody gets a car!”
All 276 audience members received Pontiac G6 sedans. The gift was memorable, but the audience members’ reactions were just as unforgettable as the giveaway itself. There were screams, tears, hugs and exclamations from surprised and stunned audience members as Oprah bounced around the stage, turning her season premiere into a joyous event.
More than two decades later, the moment is still instantly recognizable to many of us, endlessly shared and often spoofed. But the appeal of rewatching the “You get a car!” episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show is about more than just a walk down nostalgia lane. It’s a reminder of how a live television moment can take on a life of its own and become an enduring shared experience, even 20 years later.
Related: Oprah Winfrey Names This ‘Beautifully Written’ Novel Her Latest Book Club Pick and Critics Are Comparing It to Ann Patchett
Why Oprah’s ‘You Get a Car!’ Giveaway Became TV History
The Season 19 premiere was a carefully planned event, but it became a piece of pop culture lore that outlasted the original broadcast. It’s also a reminder of the heyday of daytime talk shows and how hosts like Oprah Winfrey and Phil Donahue could not only spark conversations about some of the era’s most challenging subjects but also spread joy and give audiences watching from home and live in the studio the feeling of being part of something bigger than themselves.
Shows like The Oprah Winfrey Show became appointment television, and their season premieres were the audience’s annual Super Bowl. We waited to see what Oprah, Rosie O’Donnell or Phil Donahue would say or do next. They challenged us to think differently, made us laugh in times of strife and made anyone watching alone from home feel, well, a little less alone.
How Oprah Made Everyone Watching Feel Like a Winner
While it was remarkable at the time that Oprah Winfrey gave her entire studio audience a brand-new car, it was clear from her “You get a car!” chant that she got as much joy from giving the cars away as her audience members did from receiving them. But the episode also offered everyone watching from home the joyous feeling that anything was possible.
Even if we weren’t the ones getting the car, Oprah made us feel like we were all part of the surprise.
Related: Amazon Books Names This Sweeping ‘Masterpiece’ of Contemporary Storytelling Its Best Book of 2026
Hence then, the article about oprah calls this one of the most iconic moments in tv history 20 years later you get a car was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Oprah Calls This One of the ‘Most Iconic’ Moments in TV History 20 Years Later: ‘You Get a Car!’ )
Also on site :
- ‘Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ Star Jen Affleck Says This Secret Habit Cost Her Family Over $100,000 and Ended Her Marriage
- Nvidia’s Jensen Huang was the Jenga piece to a towering multi-trillion AI industry. Will his exit set off a chain reaction?
- ‘The Amazing Race’s Michelle and Matt Patterson Reveal the Surprising Team They Tried to Form an Alliance With (Exclusive)