The Big O? More like the Big J. According to ratings, stone-faced Judge Judy draws in the most viewers on weekday afternoons – leaving Oprah Winfrey high and dry.
According to MSN Online, Judge Judy’s civil court debauchery has drawn in a bigger audience than the Oprah Show for the past 11 of 14 weeks. In the pool of courtroom dramas, Judge Judy has been the most popular for the past 700 consecutive episodes.
Just when you thought no one would turn down Oprah, a newcomer to the bizz does just that. Perez Hilton.com reports that Precious star, Gabourey Sidibe, 26, reportedly turned down an invite from the Queen of talk shows to the Academy Awards.
The Brooklyn native apparently didn’t want to get too friendly with Oprah. “Oprah called me and was like, ‘Hey girl, do you want to ride together?’ I was like, ‘I got it Oprah, calm down. I don’t want to show up with you. People will think we’re too cool,” she said.
However, the actress is still star struck by Oprah and there are no hard feelings between the two stars.
“She’s the only person that I’m continually star-struck by. When I meet people I get used to them very quickly because everyone seems like a friend because I watch them on TV. But Oprah is the only one I can’t get used to,” she admitted.
Jay Leno is “embarrassed.” The late night comedian appeared on Oprah to talk about the late night controversy at NBC. Jay told Oprah, “Anything they did would have been better than this,” which took place on the set of his current show. “Anything. Anything they did. If they’d come in and shot everybody, I mean, it would have been people murdered, but at least it would have been a two-day story. Yes, NBC could not have handled it worse, from 2004 onward. This whole thing was a huge, huge mess.”
5. George Clooney
This actor, was dubbed the sexiest man alive, is slowly shedding that reputation in place for one as one of Hollywood´s leading activists. Clooney is known for his passionate beliefs about ending the violence in Darfur and has said he will build support for the work the UN carry out,”critically important work in some of the most difficult, dangerous and dire places in the world”.
4. Sir Bob Gedolf
Best known for organising the 2005 Live 8 and 1985 Live Aids benefit concerts, this scruffy singer/journalist is tremendously well-informed on a broad range of global and national issues. Currently, he is heavily involved in the Make Poverty History Campaign, a campaign against third world poverty. Bob was recognized by Time Magazine as one of the 2005 European Hero’s and made the front cover of their European Edition in 2005. With such an impressive portfolio, it´s a wonder this philanthropist has any time for making music.
This Thursday Oprah will be dedicating her show to dating violence based on Rihanna’s recent experience. Tyra Banks will be featured on the show as well. Oprah claims the show will be “dedicated to all the Rihannas of the world.” Brown has been charged with threatening Rihanna and assault which will put him in prison if he is convicted. Oprah has already addressed the situation on air stating to young women everywhere “Love doesn’t hurt” and “If a man hits you once, he will hit you again. He will hit you again. I don’t care what his plea is.”
Eonline! is reporting that the residences of several celebrities, including Oprah Winfrey, Rob Lowe, Michael Douglas, Ellen DeGeneres, Kevin Costner and Jeff Bridges, are being threatened by a fast-growing wildfire that has broken out in Montecito, California.
The fire started around 6 p.m. Thursday evening and has spread across 2,500 acres. 100 residences have already been burned, and if the fire continues, 1,500 more homes could be at risk.
Talk show host, Oprah Winfrey is using her show as a political platform once again.
This time against child pornography.
According to MSN.com, Winfrey’s show on Monday will address Senate Bill 1738, also known as the Protect Our Children Act.
On the show, Winfrey will ask her viewers to contact their senators about the bill.
In a Harpo Productions release, Winfrey said that the show might shock some people but that viewers should “not turn away because this is happening in our country, to our children, in the United States every day.”
Winfrey, who was sexually abused as a child, has been a long-time advocate for tougher child abuse laws.
Even though she’s busy giving out cars like they’re breath mints, being attacked by Tom Cruise on a couch and being the queen of daytime, Oprah Winfrey is still making time to appear on primetime this fall.
Oprah Winfrey is in final talks to appear as a guest star on Tina Fey’s hit show, 30 Rock, reports E!
Oprah would make her 30 Rock debut on Nov. 6 and has already been written into the second episode script.
Winfrey will be playing herself appearing in scenes opposite Tina Fey’s character, Liz Lemon.
Oprah will be joined by other guest stars this fall including the friendly, Jennifer Aniston, who will appear in the third episode. Will Arnett will also reprise his Emmy-nominated role, Devin Banks for the season premiere.
The Oprah Winfrey Show will begin its 23rd season on Monday, September 8.
Over 150 U.S. Olympic team members will help kick off the 23rd season of “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”
A number of gold medalists are among the special guests at the Sept. 2 taping in Chicago’s Millennium Park, including record-breaking swimmer Michael Phelps, gymnast Nastia Liukin, beach volleyball teammates Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, and basketball players Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Lisa Leslie.
Winfrey’s company, Harpo Productions, said the episode will be a “welcome-home celebration” for the athletes, as well as a chance to put the spotlight on Chicago as the city bids for the 2016 Olympics Games.
The season premiere of Winfrey’s talk show airs Sept. 8.
Fans of Phelps, who took home eight gold medals at this year’s Games, can catch the 23-year-old swimmer again that night when he appears on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”
As previously reported, he will also present an award at the Sept. 7 MTV VMAs, host the Sept. 13 season premiere of “Saturday Night Live” and release a book in December.
Oprah Winfrey has nothing to complain about, considering she has just topped “Forbes Celebrity 100” list, according to gossip columnist Perez Hilton.
Annually, “Forbes” ranks the top celebrities based on fame and money. Oprah came in at number 1 on the list by ranking in $275 million, before taxes, in the past 12 months.
Actress-singer Miley Cyrus also made the list as did power couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. Jolie ranked higher than Pitt on the list, at number 3 with $14 million while Pitt’s ex-wife Jennifer Aniston ranked number 17 on the list, reports Perez Hilton.
“Forbes” estimates celebrity earning and factors in media hits, press mentions complied by Factiva and TV/radio mentions from Lexis Nexis.
Oprah Winfrey announced that she and three members of her staff are going on a vegan diet for three weeks.
The media mogul recently regained a lot of weight.
Winfrey said that she doesn’t know if she’ll feel better or worse but that she is willing to try to see if her body feels differently.
After being inspired by Kathy Freston’s book “Quantum Wellness”, Winfrey decided to try vegan dieting.
All of her meals will be prepared by chef Tal Ronnen, who is Freston’s personal chef.
Winfrey will keep an account of the next three weeks on her blog.
Mediatakeout.com is reporting that newlyweds Jay-Z and Beyoncé may soon be the next couple to hit Oprah’s couch.
Though, not yet confirmed, rumours are circulating that the couple are in talks with the media mogul for an exclusive interview about their relationship and a possible pregnancy.
Tom Cruise is returning to “Oprah”!
The A-lister hasn’t appeared on the talk show since summer of 2005, when he jumped up and down on Winfrey’s couch like a madman, professed his love for Katie Holmes, and then dragged Holmes out from backstage. He was supposed to be promoting his movie at the time, “War of the Worlds.”
This time, Cruise doesn’t have a movie to promote.
Cruise and Holmes were the center of tabloid attention for their unlikely whirlwind romance. The couple was engaged after only two months of dating, and wed in 2006 in Italy.
Cruise also made headlines in 2005 for arguing with Matt Lauer on the NBC’s “Today” show, where he called Lauer “glib” and declared: “You don’t know the history of psychiatry. I do.”
They were arguing over the use of anti-depressants. Cruise had publicly criticized Brooke Shields earlier for taking them to treat her post-partum depression.
Neither the date nor the topic for the Oprah show with Cruise have been released. It may just be another publicity stunt for May sweeps.
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.”
The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls is an all-girls boarding school located just south of Johannesburg, South Africa. The school, founded on Oprah’s good intentions, opened January of 2007, but it wasn’t long before disaster struck.
Allegations of abuse have come up in past weeks and Virginia Mokgobo, a former dormitory attendant, was arrested on the on charges of assault, indecent assault, as well as soliciting under-age girls to perform indecent acts. Oprah claims to be utterly shaken by these reports, as her Academy was intended to be a safe place for African youth to grow, and learn leadership skills for the future.
“This has been one of the most devastating, if not the most devastating experience of my life,” CTV reported her saying.
However, the troubles are not new to the school. In March reports of parental complaintops made their way to North America. Parent’s of this students reportedly complained that the visitation and phone-calling rules were too strict, and it felt as if their children were in jail, not in school. Parents also complained that their children were not allowed any sweets or junk food, and that parents had to enter through a security gate when they came to visit.
Oprah is known for trying her best to do good in the world, but The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls has certainly put a blemish on her record.
No further information has bee released regarding the students.
Last month, a tearful Oprah Winfrey apologized profusely to the families of her South African Leadership Academy for Girls amid accusations of employee abuse towards students.
This week, justice has been served.
A former dormitory matron at the boarding school for disadvantaged girls has been formally arrested by police on suspicion of abuse and sexual assault.
The Johannesburg Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offenses Unit arrested the unnamed 27-year-old woman who is under investigation on charges of soliciting underage girls to perform indecent acts involving at least seven victims.
The incident hit home for Winfrey who has often raised issues of sexual abuse on her talk show and was closely involved in designing the academy and selecting students. A shadow has now been cast over the reputation of the academy, which was opened Jan. 2 in an effort to give impoverished girls an opportunity for elite education.
Winfrey has been traveling back and forth between the United States and South Africa since last month when the first accusations of abuse at the academy surfaced.
TOM CRUISE and KATIE HOMES have added to the star power of California celebrity town Montecito by buying a $3.5 million estate there.
The couple bought the three-acre property, with existing building plans for a lavish home, from Rob Lowe and his wife Sheryl, according to website CelebrityBabylon.com.
The Cruises’ new compound is just down the road from Oprah Winfrey’s breathtaking $50 million home.
Cruise made headlines with Winfrey in 2005 when he jubilantly bounced on thetalk show queen’s sofa after declaring his love for actress Holmes on her Oprah Show.
Now he can pop round and hop on Winfrey’s furniture any time he pleases!
Montecito has long been considered one of California’s celebrity enclaves – Ellen DeGeneres and Portia DeRossi, former Seinfeld star Julia Louis-Dreyfuss and Kirk Douglas are among the stars who call the seaside town home.
According to CelebrityBabylon.com, the property the Cruises have bought isn’t much to look at now, but planning permission granted to Lowe means the couple can build a dream home on the site with few restrictions.
(c) 2007 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All global rights reserved. No unauthorized copying or re-distributing permitted.
Media titan OPRAH WINFREY is throwing her considerable weight behind BARACK OBAMA’s bid to become America’s first black president after dismissing public opinion suggesting she should make a run for office.
Winfrey admits she’s a huge fan of Obama’s opponent and fellow Democrat HILLARY CLINTON, but Obama has her vote.
Speaking on ELLEN DEGENERES’ chat show yesterday, Winfrey admits, “I’m feeling Barack.”
She continues, “I don’t just love him. I respect him. I think he’s a fresh new voice in politics. I think what he can do for this country would be amazing.”
Winfrey has spent the past four years dismissing reports she’s planning a political charge for the White House.
(c) 2007 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All global rights reserved. No unauthorized copying or re-distributing permitted.
OPRAH WINFREY has stunned fans by revealing she lost a child when she was a young teenager.
The media mogul and talk show host tells all in the new issue of her namesake magazine, Oprah, admitting she was almost a mum at 14, after years of sexual abuse and “resulting promiscuity.”
Best pal and Oprah editor GAYLE KING says, “She didn’t really know who the father was of this child… and hid the pregnancy for a very long time.”
Oprah reveals the baby, which was born prematurely, died shortly after birth.
King adds, “It was a secret that she carried for many years because she was very ashamed.”
The media mogul felt she had to reveal all about her secret when an unnamed family member sold the story of Oprah’s lost child to US tabloid the National Enquirer.
King reveals her friend was so upset about the family betrayal, she spent a weekend sobbing in bed.
She recalls, “It was a weekend where she just really had a breakdown.”
But, in the article in the new Oprah, Winfrey insists the betrayal was a blessing in disguise.
She writes, “Having the secret out was liberating. Not until then could I begin the repair work on my spirit for the sexual abuse and damage done to me as a young girl.”
(c) 2007 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All global rights reserved. No unauthorized copying or re-distributing permitted.
Move over Barbara, Oprah has arrived.
Variety reports that Oprah will sit down for her first ever primetime interview show before this year’s Academy Awards.
Although Oprah has done pre-Oscar and post-Oscar interviews on her show, she has never stepped into the primetime territory.
Barbara Walters is the one who normally does a pre-Oscar award show, normally on ABC, but Barbara shouldn’t feel like she’s been put out quite yet.
Oprah won’t be doing any interviewing, instead she has asked three stars to interview Academy Award winners they admire. And the show won’t air just before the Oscars, like Barbara’s, it will air three days before – Feb. 22 at 10 p.m. And Barbara will be in her normal pre-Oscar slot on Oscar night.
The contents of Oprah’s show will see Julia Roberts interviewing George Clooney, Nicole Kidman interviewing Russell Crowe and Jamie Foxx interviewing Sidney Poitier.
