David Zaslav. The titan next door.
The dealmaker. The CEO’s CEO.
His name alone can send chills His name alone can send chills
down one’s spine, but when down one’s spine, but when Fixer Fixer
UpperUpper (the show that introduced (the show that introduced
us to the world) ended and we us to the world) ended and we
met David for the fi rst time in met David for the fi rst time in
Waco, Texas, he was warm and Waco, Texas, he was warm and
kind and quickly became our kind and quickly became our
friend. There’s something about friend. There’s something about
the feeling David imparts when the feeling David imparts when
he believes in you, that has the he believes in you, that has the
ability to change circumstances. ability to change circumstances.
To change the outcome. To To change the outcome. To
change you and the world for change you and the world for
the better. And now, as he takes the better. And now, as he takes
on the role of CEO of Warner on the role of CEO of Warner
Bros. Discovery, that opportunity Bros. Discovery, that opportunity
becomes even greater.becomes even greater.
What we love most about What we love most about
David is how he loves his wife David is how he loves his wife
Pam and their beautiful fam-Pam and their beautiful fam-
ily. He loves his work and the ily. He loves his work and the
people he does that work with. people he does that work with.
David is a trailblazer but still David is a trailblazer but still
grounded in what matters most. grounded in what matters most.
He’s a visionary who boldly He’s a visionary who boldly
predicts what’s ahead, but is the predicts what’s ahead, but is the
fi rst to get behind other people’s fi rst to get behind other people’s
dreams.dreams.
David could not be more David could not be more
deserving of this honor. He deserving of this honor. He
has spent decades celebrating has spent decades celebrating
others—now it’s our turn to others—now it’s our turn to
celebrate him. Congratulations celebrate him. Congratulations
to our mentor, our partner, and, to our mentor, our partner, and,
most important, our friend David most important, our friend David
freaking Zaslav!freaking Zaslav!The Gaineses are the The Gaineses are the
co-founders of Magnoliaco-founders of Magnoliaco-founders of Magnoliaco-founders of Magnoliao d agnoliaDDavid Zaslav avid Zaslav
MMedia media mogulogul
B Y C H I P A N D J O A N N A G A I N E SB Y C H I P A N D J O A N N A G A I N E SWhen Oprah connects with some-
thing—a person, a book, a song, an
idea—she makes sure to shine her light
on it. She validates it. She anoints it.
People know that when Oprah is in-
volved, there is no pretense, no fl uff —
whether it’s her work in arts and
media or her philanthropic work on
health care, food equity, and more.
Every project she touches follows
the same pattern, asking us to think
critically about our society and how
it works, reminding us of our common
humanity, and challenging us to take
our victories and failures, our pride
and vulnerability—and make it all seen.
That’s why no matter where you
go, everyone knows her name.
And all of it makes me wonder:
maybe her success isn’t rooted in the
fact that she found a common denomi-
nator that unites us all. Maybe Oprah
is our common denominator.Obama is a lawyer, author, and former
First Lady of the United StatesOprah Winfrey
Cultural touchstone
BY MICHELLE OBAMA
Once, while speaking to a group of
college graduates, Oprah said some-
thing about her years as an interviewer
that struck me. She said, “The com-
mon denominator that I found ... is
we want to be validated. We want to be
understood.”
Whether she’s talking to pop stars,
Presidents, schoolgirls, scholars—or
she’s asking you about your life over a
glass of wine in the living room—Oprah
has always had that uncanny ability to
open us up, to hear beyond our words,
and to uncover a higher truth, to be vul-
nerable with us in a way that allows us
to be vulnerable back.
That’s her secret. But what I love
most about Oprah is that she has never
been content to keep it for herself.
88 TIME June 6/June 13, 2022