BOSTON MarketWatch -- Even with the stock market doing somersaults, it was no surprise which story more people wanted to discuss in the last two weeks than any other. From the moment word of a New York Times Sunday magazine interview with Suze Orman became public information, people wanted to know if I had seen it and what I thought. Their reason for asking was two-fold: First, it's no secret that I'm not a big Orman fan.

Second, they simply were stunned that, in the New York Times interview, Orman came out, discussing her relationship with her female partner, calling herself "a year-old virgin" and more.

Dozens of newspapers carried the story, financial planners were buzzing about it and yet they all missed the real shocking part, namely that the most compelling thing Orman came out about wasn't her sexuality but her investment portfolio. Sexuality plays no role and carries no influence in financial advice, but the way people invest in the privacy of their own home says a lot about them.

Outing Suze Orman's portfolio - MarketWatch

And when Orman opened the closet on her finances, the view was stunning. Before getting into specifics, let's get a few things straight about Orman, whose new book, "Women and Money" just hit store shelves and whose past bestsellers and television show -- along with endorsement deals and much more -- probably make her America's best-known financial adviser.

For starters, she has helped an awful lot of people, particularly when it comes to facing up to the personal and self-esteem issues that surround money. If she can help someone deal with financial fears and gain control, she has put them on the path towards a comfortable financial future. But Orman's help only goes so far and she has always been iffy when it comes to investment advice, advocating a "sell after small declines" strategy that is coupled with a "buy things that have been on the rise" concept, leaving investors in a position to sell low and buy high.

Her push for paying off mortgages to the exclusion of everything but retirement-plan savings matched by employers could leave consumers with too big a chunk of their net worth tied up in real estate. And her suggestions of how to divide your money between asset classes tend to be so conservative that financial planners worry that consumers would fall short of reaching their goals. Now, thanks to Orman's interview with Deborah Solomon, published in the Times' Sunday magazine, we know why.

What does Orman do with the rest of her money? Solomon asked, and was told: I buy zero-coupon municipal bonds, and all the bonds I buy are triple-A-rated and insured so that even if the city goes under, I get my money. I take a little lower interest rate to make sure my bonds are percent safe and sound. As for playing the stock market, Orman said "I have a million dollars in the stock market, because if I lose a million dollars, I don't personally care. In short, the person being trusted as everyone's financial adviser has a portfolio that few people could live with.

You need to be comfortable living with the advice you give out, because you are making the same kind of decisions. Orman, despite repeated attempts to reach her, was on a book tour and could not be contacted for a response.

Obviously, Orman can afford to take virtually no investment risk and not worry. Meanwhile, taking risk and dealing with it appropriately are primary issues for most Americans, who will never reach the comfort level achieved by Orman. In fact, Orman's portfolio is reminiscent of a story about Groucho Marx, the famous comedian who purportedly once toured the New York Stock Exchange and held court with the floor traders after the closing bell.

Suze Orman’s three tips for beginner investors

Knowing that Groucho was wealthy, one trader yelled out "Hey Groucho, where do you invest your money? Groucho always made me feel good and laugh, but I wouldn't want him as my financial adviser; Orman makes people feel good too, but that doesn't make her the right adviser for the bulk of her audience.

She's giving generic, simple solutions to people's most difficult problems, and judging from her portfolio she's taking them on a path she really hasn't traveled herself. Chuck Jaffe is a nationally syndicated financial columnist. Follow him on Twitter ChuckJaffe. By using this site you agree to the Terms of Service , Privacy Policy , and Cookie Policy. Intraday Data provided by SIX Financial Information and subject to terms of use.

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