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Oprah talks to Grise Fiord
Gabriel Zarate Northern News Services Published Monday, May 18, 2009
The Oprah Winfrey Show recorded a short interview from Grise Fiord over the Internet as part of its new "Where the Skype Are You" segment. Skype software allows people to make telephone and video calls over the Internet. "It's interesting because she shows the diversity of cultures in different places around the world," said Laisa Watsko, one of three residents who spoke on camera. "In this case she talked about our culture and our climate." Watsko, Neevee Kakkee and Janice Anderson spoke directly to Oprah herself, who asked questions about life in such a distant place. She asked mainly about the cost of living such as the prices of food, beer, soft drinks and clothes, and how many stores there were in town to buy such things in the tiny community. Oprah was also curious about the weather and the snow, asking how cold it was in degrees Fahrenheit. Jimmie Qaapik, the community's economic development officer, did the electronic set up for the show, connecting web-cam and laptop outside so Oprah's show could have the Arctic scenery as a background behind Watsko, Kakkee and Anderson. Watsko said Grise Fiord joined other far-away places such as European and American cities, an Antarctic research station and even a submarine as web-cam correspondents on the show. "I watch the show and I like the locations where they were showing them," Watsko said. By all accounts, most of the actual talking during the interview with Oprah was by Anderson, who declined to speak to News/North. As the community's senior administrative officer, Anderson said she does not speak to the media. As of press time there was no word on the air date for the Grise Fiord segment. A representative of The Oprah Winfrey Show said she would not comment until such a date was confirmed.
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