While Oprah Winfrey?s been dishing out good deeds on Sunday nights, the daytime queen only seems to be getting back high ratings and some big legal fees.

Winfrey?s attorneys are juggling two lawsuits this week. The first one, filed by an unhappy audience member at The Oprah Winfrey Show, claims the woman was injured as the show?s audience trampled over each other for seats during a taping.

Audience member Orit Greenberg is asking for more than $50,000 in medical fees and other damages from Harpo Studios, claiming she suffered “severe and permanent injuries.”

The suit blames Harpo for the incident that involved Greenberg alleged falling down a flight of stairs after the pack of women-watchers were told they would be let in the studio to battle it out for the best seats. The suit says the company was irresponsible and careless for allowing the audience to get out-of-control.

The other suit cites that a mother from Boston was the brains behind Winfrey?s new hit show, Oprah’s Big Give, but Harpo Studios stole the idea without giving the woman any monetary compensation.

Darlene Tracy claims producers of Winfrey?s show took a proposal she sent the company in February 2005 and ran with her idea. Tracy pitched a reality show with an eerily similar premise to Harpo?s Sunday night ratings draw called The Philanthropist to two of the company?s producers.

A judge initially ruled in favour of Winfrey?s team, but Tracy is now appealing the decision.

According to E! News, a spokesperson for the studio told the New York Daily News, “we agree with the judge that [Tracy's claims]…are without merit.”






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