Sarah and Oprah, Separated at Birth?

Sarah Palin and Oprah Winfrey have more in common than you – and they – might think. Both women from modest backgrounds have built success on their "everywoman" appeal. And both have long since become anything but.

Watching them square off on Winfrey's show Monday was like watching Queen Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots – respectful monarchs keeping their distance. Except, neither lost her head.

It was a curious hour, with both women on their best behavior. When Winfrey "went there" with questions about Levi Johnston, she played it more cute than caustic, throwing in that "invitation to Thanksgiving dinner" comment sure to draw get a laugh without cutting too deep. Even her usual demonstrative audience seemed to hold its breath, waiting for drama that never came.

For her part, Palin didn't make much of Winfrey's very public support for candidate Barack Obama. During the election season, Winfrey strayed from her human-interest features and diet and lifestyle tips to take on politics, and some of her female viewers – perhaps feeling solidarity with Palin – resented it. Her ratings dipped slightly, something that hardly slipped the astute Winfrey's notice. So she's off to state fairs, consolidating her down-to-earth bona fides, and mending a few fences with the hottest interview on the planet.

Palin's smart enough to know what's at stake. The most successful authors still go through Winfrey's empire. On the show, Palin felt close enough to Winfrey to do a little Katie Couric-bashing, peevishly blaming the CBS anchor for the crime of asking follow-up questions. (By the way, how can Palin now insist she didn't want to be treated differently because of her gender, then imply Couric promised a just-between-us-girls chat instead of a serious interview?)

Because both Palin and Winfrey trail strong personalities and a power aura, there wasn't any room for spontaneity, and that's too bad. I was waiting for Winfrey to ask Palin why she didn't rebuke the more raucous and racist chanters at campaign rallies. Instead, viewers got some video of Palin in the gym and hanging out with the kids. As the interview ended, when Winfrey playfully asked Palin if she craves a talk show and Palin demurred, calling her questioner the "queen," it was clear that there would be no heat and little light.

What you got was what you'd expect – two pros who know how to protect their brands and can recognize a fellow survivor when they see one.