Every time a new episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show airs in 2010, we will blog along with it. If you have plenty of time, read the long version. If you are pressed for time, read the “What we learned today” summary. If you are really, really pressed for time, read the Twitter-sized summary.

Archive for category Celebrity

Date: September 14th, 2010
File Under: Celebrity, Entertainment
150 comments

Episode 87: The Farewell Season Begins

It’s the 25th Season Premier of the Oprah Winfrey Show. They show a montage of the Oprah show over the last 25 years. Oprah comes out from behind the stage, dancing with John Travolta to Love Train. The crowd scream and scream. Hello, hello shouts Oprah. The crowd scream, some are crying. Thank you says Oprah, it’s their season premier. She says thank you repeatedly and urges the crowd to sit. She says that they are on the Love Train today with Oprah’s dear friend John Travolta. Oprah says that there is no one on earth that she’d rather be with today- 25 years later he still makes her heart go pitter patter. John hugs her. Oprah says that it is with deep joy and gratitude that he is here today. The 300 people in the crowd are the “ultimate” loyal fans. Oprah is going to treasure for the rest of her life the emails that have been sent to her- the crowd have grown up and raised their children with Oprah, and they have been on this crazy ride with her, for which she has deep gratitude. Johnny, as she calls him, has been voted their favorite guest of all time. They take a walk down memory lane. In 1996 John Travolta danced his way into Oprah’s heart. Over the years they have danced and danced. He is so special because he has a huge heart. Oprah says that she has been accused of harboring a secret crush on him, and she can see why because he is so lovable. After 11 appearances on the stage, and more “moments” than they can count, he is their favorite guest. John says that coming here makes him feel like home. He says that she makes everyone feel that way and that there is only one of her. You are our queen, and we thank you for allowing us to be part of your life. And we’re lucky to be a part of your life,” he says.

Oprah says that you can’t predict what moment will change someone’s life. Linda in Alberta, Canada would work 12 hours a day and rush home for Oprah, watching for about 55,00 hours in total. The show that she has watched over and over is the toast that John Travolta gave to Oprah on her 50th birthday. It brings tears to Linda’s eyes, for a friend to say that you are a hero. It inspired Linda to be a better person. She booked a trip with her daughter to Africa, to help in an orphanage. They decided to build a house for the kids that they fell in love with. Now Linda has a purpose and it brings her joy to make a difference in the world. She feels a better person because of those words spoken by John to Oprah. Linda in the audience stands up, and John gives her a hug and says that is so amazing.

Oprah says that is what she means, that you never know which words will resonate with someone. Linda thanks John for being here and he says that it is his pleasure and privilege.

Footage is shown from the first nationally-broadcast Oprah show in 1986. When she promoted the show, the pressure was on as to who would be the first guest. Miami Vice was all the rage so they tried to get Don Johnson. He turned them down so that they did a show about everyday people. Which is what they have been doing since, says Oprah. Oprah says that she sent her rhinestone sunglasses to Don, and they were expensive and she wanted them back.

Behind her, walking on to the stage in rhinestone sunglasses is Don Johnson. “no they didn’t!” screams Oprah. Don hugs her and Oprah repeats “No they didn’t surprise me!” Don says that it has taken 24 years to give the sunglasses back, Oprah hugs him. Don says that he was shooting 18 hours a day and they wouldn’t let him come, but that he thinks she’s been doing ok. He is doing well, his new film Machete just opened. He says that Oprah is the greatest and she thanks him. She puts on the sunglasses and the crowd roar.

In Boston, 6 women who have been friends for 25 years are the ultimate group of Oprah fans. Gayle goes to the cafe where they have their weekly meet-up. The women scream and scream and scream. Gayle says that she heard a rumor about the group, that the road trip episode was their favorite. Chevy is making it possible for them to take their own road trip from Boston to Chicago. Oprah wanted them there for the premier of the last show as she kicks off the last season. The group scream and scream.

In the studio, Oprah says that the group think the premier is tomorrow. Over the last few days the crew have transformed the loading dock into a fake parking garage so real that cars have been trying to park there. It’s all fake, so the fabulous viewers have been driving for 2 days and now they are in Chicago and they have heard that the driver is taking them to their hotel to freshen up before the show. What they don’t know is that the driver will drive them directly onto the set. They are pulling up into the parking lot, entering the building. Oprah thought that this was impossible. There are other cars parked there. The car drives up behind the stage which splits to let them in. Unbelievable shouts Oprah over and over. They get out the car, scream and hug Oprah. They says that they are going to cry. Oprah tells them that they are on the air right now, they say that they wanted to get changed and showered and dressed. Oprah says that they have 6 front row seats for them. Big thanks to Chevrolet, says Oprah.

Today they are celebrating some of the most loyal viewers, including the man fans, including Larry. Larry is a man’s man, an ex-marine hunter fisher, griller and Nascar fan. He quotes her all the time, according to his kids. At 4pm he is in his man-cave watching Oprah from his blue barber-chair. Oprah says that they pulled some strings… His friends and family had to move quickly to keep him out of the garage. Jimmie Johnson, Nascar superstar, pulls in to deliver a package- Larry watches a DVD sent from Oprah. She invites him and his chair to come to Chicago for the season premiere. He rides with Jimmie. Larry and his barber chair are here in the studio. Oprah thanks Larry and Jimmie Johnson, and thanks Larry’s wife for sharing him with her all these years.

17 years ago, Crystal Brooks was one of Oprah’s original ultimate viewers. She wrote a class paper on how Oprah started out and changed so many lives for the better- she got an A for the paper. Yesterday they popped in on Crystal at work. Oprah is on the screen at the Middle School where Crystal works. Oprah shows a photo of Ms Brooks at nine years old. Oprah says that Crystal needs to come to Chicago for the season premier. Crystal is in the audience with Oprah and Oprah holds a photo of them together 17 years ago. Oprah has tracked down some of her original guests to see how they have changed. They recount some snippets of the experience.

In 1994, one of Oprah’s favorite surprises was to take the whole audience to Philadelphia. They all flew together, went sightseeing, ate lots of cheesesteaks and got them all home by bedtime. All summer long, Oprah has been wracking her brains as to what they could do to top that. She thought maybe they should go to Philly, or New York. The crowd scream in anticipation. Oprah says that she should think bigger- the crowd scream and leap out their seats. This really is her 25th season, after all and this is her last chance to do something big. The crowd scream and scream. If you want to do something big, says Oprah, you’d want to take along your ultimate viewers. The crowd are screaming and crying. Oprah says that maybe she should take all of them with her, to the other side of the world, to Australia. The crowd go insane. Confetti falls, a plane drives onstage. Australian flags appear. The crowd scream and scream and cry. Oprah shouts “We are going to Australia” over and over and over.  The crowd scream. John Travolta steps out the plane dressed as the pilot. Oprah says hello to Captain Travolta- who is a real Quantus Airlines pilot who has flown to Australia many times. Oprah has been planning this for over a year and the group at Tourism Australia have been getting ready to roll out the carpet for all 300 people. John loves the airline with it’s comfortable award winning aircraft, and the wonderful warm people that you meet when you get there. The director of Tourism Australia gives Oprah an Australian bush hat and says that they are looking forward to hosting her.

The Oprah Show is going to Australia – Quantus airlines will fly them to Sydney and they will tour Australia for 8 days, including the Great Barrier Reef. At the Oprah House, thousands of their Aussie viewers will join them. Oprah say that the new Motorola phone, the Defy, which is water resistant, will be given to each of them. The audience scream again and Oprah thanks Motorola.

Oprah says please read the prompter out loud- and say that she always does. It says with love from the staff and crew and a legendary mystery guest.Oprah looks baffled. The auto-prompt says that Oprah agreed that she could be surprised this year. Don Johnson was the first, and one of her favorites is waiting in the wings. Oprah screams as the curtain goes up on Paul Simon. He wants to sing the song he wrote many years ago to commemorate her tenth season, with some new adjustments. Oprah stands crying as Paul Simon sings and plays guitar. Behind him a montage of Oprah through the years plays. Oprah wipes away a tear as she sits with the friends from Boston in the front row. Paul sings that 25 years have come and gone and her suitcase is packed and the story is still unfolding. Oprah puts her hand on her heart and goes to the stage to hug Paul Simon. Oprah says that she’ll have to stop the surprise thing. She says that this is all because of the audience and that Paul Simon is her favorite and that Graceland is her favorite album of all time. She thanks everyone.

WHAT WE LEARNED TODAY:

You can’t predict what moment will change someone’s life

The Oprah Show is about everyday people, and always has been.

Today’s everyday guests include John Travolta, Don Johnson and Paul Simon.

The audience of “ultimate viewers” are going to Australia for a week and Captain Travolta will be flying them there.

The first episode of the 25th season of Oprah had more audience screaming than the last year combined.

A VERY QUICK SUMMARY:

Oprah shouts, the audience screams, Oprah cries, the audience cry. Everybody screams.

Date: June 9th, 2010
File Under: Celebrity, Public Service Announcement
77 comments

Episode 85: Sarah Ferguson Speaks Out About the Headline-Making Undercover Video

Oprah sits down with Sarah Ferguson and asks her how it feels to be in the eye of the storm. Sarah says that the fear is not real, so she has to calm down her heartbeat rather than going into an anxiety attack. She says when you look back at what you did, that person is unrecognizable. Oprah spoke to Sarah on the phone yesterday and it is her understanding that Sarah has not seen the tape. Sarah has seen parts of the tape in airports, but she hasn’t sat down to watch it all. Oprah says that she is going to play it now, and that Sarah can have whatever response she wants and be as truthful as she can be.

The video plays showing Sarah agreeing to be paid large amounts of money for access to Prince Andrew. She is drinking and smoking. The video is 3 minutes long, at the end of the tape, Sarah takes the computer case with $40,000 inside.

Sarah thanks Oprah for showing that to her, and she speaks in the third person about the person on the video who looks so tired and exhausted. She says that she had drunk too much, she thinks she was drinking wine. She had been on the road for so many months that she is now in the gutter, she is exhausted. She tried to be prefect for 25 years. As a 12 year old she made food her friend.

Oprah says that it is interesting that Sarah talks about the person in the tape as “she” in the third person and that Sarah said that it’s sad, really sad. Sarah says that there aren’t that many words to describe an act of such gross stupidity. She just called her girls and they said that it is a fresh clean start. Sarah says that she is a good mum and that her daughters can learn from her mistakes. She has got to the middle of the onion, all the skin has been pulled away and that people are seeing the dark and light of Sarah merged together. She has made a mistake and has to forgive herself, she is in the eye of the hurricane right now. Oprah says that this video made her sad because by the time you get to this point you have been spiraling downwards to this point. Sarah thanks her for realizing that.

The video tape was seen around the world. This is the first time that Sarah has seen it all. She says that she was not drunk, but she had been drinking. She remembers that she was in floods of tears when she was rubbing her eyes. The interviewer had come recommended by a friend of hers. A friend needed $38,000 urgently, and Sarah was crying thanking him for helping the friend who also knew the interviewer. Sarah says that this is about how her actions have hurt millions of people, she believes that from this she has freed Sarah from the treadmill of her life. Diana, her mother and her best friend all died at the same time and she felt very alone.

Three weeks prior to this, a friend called and said that she had a friend who liked Sarah, who wanted to help Sarah. She said that the friend was recently divorced with 3 kids and wanted her advice. The journalist took on the identity of a man in India who was a family friend of her friend, a big business man in India. They met earlier and talked about his fictitious wife and children. Oprah asks her to clarify why she would meet a stranger to talk about his wife and problems. Sarah says that a friend introduced them and that the man wanted to help her invest in her children’s books and animations. He was introduced as a business man. In her first meeting she thought that he was a News of the World journalist, and she had him sign a confidentiality agreement. She thought then that she wouldn’t see him again.

She says that she instinctively knew that he was a reporter, and she told him that. She says that she met him again in London, he said that he had just flown in for dinner. She sent friends to have him sign a confidentiality agreement and he said he’d do it in the morning when his lawyer was available. She went ahead anyway, that is how desperate she was.

Oprah asks how come Sarah doesn’t have access to $40,000, and says that it seems incomprehensible to the world. Sarah says that she is divorced from the royal family and cant ask them for money. She did WeightWatchers work for 12 years and loved that, and then she started a business but it was built on sand. She is substantially in debt, she says. She is sort of aware of the number, she thinks that she has a huge uphill battle. That is why she now has to look at bankruptcy now, but before she was looking for a quick-fix in places that she wouldn’t normally look.

Oprah wants to be clear that Sarah started this encounter to help a friend not herself. Sarah says that initially she did it for a friend and then she took a long shot to try and get money for herself. The News of the World say that they received a tip that Sarah had done something like this before. Sarah said that she doesn’t think she has, no she never has done that. Oprah asks why Sarah thinks that they set up this sting to get her? Sarah says that they are still in the middle of it, and that she has been a hugely idiotic, over-trusting woman.

Oprah says that Sarah was in a room with someone that she had instinctively not trusted asking for $500,000. Sarah says that she got to the point where you sabotage yourself and you are out of control. She hopes that people will be able to see that she was out of control and at the end of the rope. It is her and it is extraordinary to see it, she will embrace it and beg herself and the universe for forgiveness. It happened and now she has to find a way forward.

Oprah asks how she heard that it was a sting. She was on the way back from France with Beatrice when she heard. Sarah was ashamed and didn’t want to leave the room, but her daughter looked at her with her big eyes and said, “Mum, why did they do this to you?”

Oprah asks what Prince Andrew has said. Sarah wouldn’t dream of quoting him, but he is one of the finest gentle men. Andrew is a man that has always taken a matter of fact view of everything and he knows her and he reached out with such understanding. She has spoken to him many times, he wouldn’t be here without his blessing. Oprah asks if her family was aware of the spiraling and the pain. Sarah says that there was self-hatred and chronic abuse and not understanding who you are from an early age. Oprah asks if Sarah has been living beyond her means. Sarah says that she has been living as the Duchess of York, trying to keep it up. Sarah says that she has out of control behavior, running up huge debts all those issues have to be looked at. She didn’t have a plan for the $500,000, because she plucked it out the sky just sitting there. She says that the whole thing was wrong, even sitting down for dinner was wrong.

Oprah asks Sarah if it is true that she got a settlement of $20,000 a year from her divorce. Sarah flounders a little and says that she can’t break her confidentiality clause but she chose friendship with the boss, the Queen. It was more important to her to keep in with the family. Her work with WeightWatchers was her financial income. She lives now with the Prince because she couldn’t afford rent on her house. It is a short term agreement, Sarah does not want to be a burden on Andrew, he needs his life, they are divorced. Sarah has the same expenses as everyone else, and she has written lots of children’s books. Oprah is surprised that Sarah went to the Book Expo last week, but Sarah says that she must go forward from this point.

Oprah asks if Sarah will continue the charity work. Sarah says that charity work is the safest place for her, the innocence and goodness of dying children can not be negated. She has 72 schools where she learns from the true celebrities, the children. She learns from the child who forgives the person who cut his leg off. Her grandmother always said if you feel bad about yourself, give to others. Sarah says that Oprah of all people should understand that. Oprah says that she understands that sentiment. Sarah says that her Dad died of melanoma and prostrate cancer, when she was on her way to a job in Australia. She went to see him and said he didn’t look too good and he said that the show must go on. Sarah cries a little and says that the show must go on.

Oprah says that none of us are defined by our mistakes, what defines us is if we get the lesson and move forward. Oprah asks Sarah if she has learned the lesson that the spiraling was there to teach her. 1000% says Sarah, but her words are cheap, her actions will show. Oprah asks what the lesson for her has been, for her and God. Sarah says that the lesson has been chronic abuse to herself, she hasn’t dealt with her issues, she has kept going when she should have stopped to address her problems.

Oprah asks why Sarah made the decision to out herself and have this conversation with Oprah rather than go home and wait it out. Sarah says that to go to that level of gutter, you have to address why and you have to apologize. She has to say sorry. Oprah asks how the lesson begins to manifest itself, we cant just wake up and say ok today I am going to love myself. Sarah says that she is like a newborn chick, whenever anything now comes in, like a bill or an article, she is going to look at it and deal with it from a place of Sarah, not from a place of egotistical fear. Already she says going bankrupt is not the worst thing that could happen.

Oprah says that she just had an epiphany- looking at Sarah on the tape, that was a spiritually, morally, bankrupted person. Sarah says that is genius. It’s just a show, they agree. Sarah says that she remembers a wonderful lady in Sierra Leone who said that they can take your country but they can’t take your soul. She feels that she can come back from this, that she is now being authentically herself. Oprah asks if she’d like to say anything else, and Sarah thanks Oprah. That’s all. They thank each other and hold hands.

WHAT WE LEARNED TODAY:

If you are caught on camera asking for $500,000 in exchange for access to your ex-husband, you are in a bad place.

Sarah Ferguson speaks about herself in the third person when watching the video of her trading money for access.

Being an ex-Princess is not financially rewarding.

Oprah had what she called an epiphany- the person on the tape was spiritually and morally bankrupt.

Sarah says that observation is genius.

A VERY QUICK SUMMARY:

Being stung by a News of the World journalist has freed Sarah Ferguson from the treadmill of her life.

Date: May 24th, 2010
File Under: Celebrity, Transformation
4 comments

Episode 82: Julia Roberts and the Men of Eat, Pray, Love

OK. She is one of the biggest movie stars of our time. Oscar winner Julia Roberts plus one of the biggest selling books of all time Eat, Pray, Love. Put them together and you have one of the most highly anticipated movies of the summer. Come on out Julia. The crowd scream, Oprah and Julia hug and hold hands. Wow, you look fantastic says Oprah. Oprah says that she said to their shared agent that at the end of the movie she teared up because Julia is her friend and she is a bona fide movie star, which she could tell just by the way Julia rode her bicycle. Julia says that it was all consuming and she had a great team. When Elizabeth did the journey she had a carry-on bag, and Julia did it with three children and about 16 bags, full of snacks and medicine. Julia says that it is a bummer that the movie is all her, but Oprah says that is what is extraordinary.

Oprah asks how they all are, Julia says that they are great and that they missed Oprah last night. Her twins are 5 and Henry is 2 1/2, Oprah says that she loves 2 1/2 and Julia says that she loves it all. Oprah asks what she has learned from them lately. Julia says that kids are so fresh and interested and engaged as they are so new into the world. As we get older we get grumpier and concerned with being late while the kids just want to look at a tree. Henry woke up at 5.30 and said it’s a beautiful day, momma. Their day starts at about 5.30 then it’s the big party to get everyone up and teeth brushed and breakfast, including the mom. 2 days a week they all attend preschool for a few hours and Julia picks them up for an afternoon snack and a nap. They carpool and have playdates like every other family. Oprah says that it is so normal in that house. Julia sews because kids clothes are so expensive and the dresses Hazel wears are just two pieces of fabric together. She uses patterns or figures it out from a dress that Hazel loves. Oprah asks why she sews, Julia says that it is soothing and fun and not necessarily for financial reasons. It is her new skill to keep her brain firm- after 40 they say that both the brain and the tush go saggy. She sews big pillows and some simple pants for Danny, which Oprah is very impressed by. That is love, she says. Julia says that Danny is perfect.

People magazine has just voted Julia the world’s most beautiful person for the 4th time. Oprah says that we all say that we don’t care about the list, but as a 42 1/2 year old, Julia must have liked that. Julia says that at her age she’ll take every compliment that she gets. Oprah says that Julia is more beautiful now than ever and that something happens when you come into your 40’s and you become more of your true self. Julia agrees and says that she has a great family with so much fun and that you look like where you come from. Oprah says that she’ll remember that when she next sees someone who looks haggard. Or those days after she has been traveling and her face looks like it has been left behind in Cleveland or Chicago and she’s waiting for her face to catch up.

Oprah asks if aging concerns Julia. Not yet, although obviously society works hard to instill panic as quickly as possible. Her husband doesn’t seen concerned and that makes her calm about the whole thing. She is also the new face of Lancome. She felt reluctant to be the ambassador for a brand, now she calls herself a supermodel at home. It is a fun new avenue. Shockingly, Julia says that she ran a half marathon because her husband is so powerful. She says that she was so happy for 13 miles, how did that happen? The crowd applaud. She trained during the movie when it was so hot so by the time she ran the marathon it was to her advantage. She wanted to show her kids that the power of the female body is greater than just giving birth, which is a great power. It was awesome. The New York Times article Mother and Mega-Star, Happily Balanced was a great article, according to Oprah. Oprah smiled when she read the line that Julia is fulfilled by her life on an hourly basis. Julia says that she has a big family who appreciate and inspire each other- they are filled with gratitude. Oprah says that she loves watching Julia and Gayle have such respect for her kids as well as to love them. Julia thinks that they are fascinating people and that they are spiritually closer to the earth than us, maybe as we get tall we grow dumb. Oprah feels that we are born into the world trailing grace, as if we come from the angels, and the older we get the world reminds you and you forget where you come from. Julia agrees that her kids are heavenly and kind and dear. The chaos and the quiet in the house. Her favorite thing is to watch them wake up and to watch the day come upon them.

Eat, Pray, Love – four years ago the story of Elizabeth Gilbert’s journey to rediscover herself struck a chord with millions of women all over the world, including Oprah. Over 7 million copies have sold in 40 languages and now devotees see it on the big screen. She goes around the world, to Italy, India and Bali. You will not be disappointed says Oprah.

Oprah says that she loves the book and that it cast a spell on Julia too. Julia got a copy from her agent and sent a copy to her best friend Paige so that someone she loved was reading it at the same time. Paige panicked that she had to read the book fast to catch up, but says that it came at a good point at her life. Oprah likes to read that way too. They didn’t really talk about it but they shared moments. In India they met a woman reading the book and Julia’s 4 year old daughter said I know what that says, “Mommy’s Work.” Julia says that she surrenders to the book and there is a resonance, it’s like a bell which keeps ringing. Oprah says that it has become a spiritual companion for many people. Julia says that as a family they had their moments of passage during this odyssey. 5 months was a long time to travel together and play Candyland. Her kids were very interested in the culture of everywhere they went. Julia says that the permission to eat with gusto was a gift. Oprah remembers the famous pizza place, did they go there? They went to that place. Oprah shows a clip of the pizza eating scene. The crowd applaud. Julia ate a lot and says that she gained weight. She loves the food in Italy, it’s so fresh and tastes like Momma is in the kitchen. Next she went to India for the praying part, and she loves it there. The children love it, Hazel wants to live there when she grows up.

The story is as much about her journey as the men she meets along the way. Billy Crudup plays her needy husband that she walks away from. She rebounds with David played by James Franco. In India she connects with spiritual friend Richard played by Richard Jenkins, and Javier Bardem plays Philippe, the man who makes her want to love again. The movie was shot in sequence, Ryan made it easier for her to do it in sequence. The scenes are loving scenes, rather than love scenes says Julia. Oprah asks what Julia believes about love. Both Julia and Oprah adore Julia’s husband Danny. She adores him, and he gets better looking year after year. Julia says that no one calls her to do sex in a movie, they just don’t. Julia doesn’t even want to pretend all that stuff- it makes her feel 12. Oprah asks if she still loves acting- Oprah now sees Julia as a mother first. Julia still loves acting, but she loves her family more. She is fortunate that she doesn’t have to make a choice, and that she can choose when she wants to work. It has always been ok with Julia to take some breaks between films and be more relaxed.

The leading men say what Eat, Pray, Love means to them. Javier says his favorite dish is fried eggs, fries and the best Spanish ham in the world. Richard finds his pray in his home in Rhode Island where it is peaceful and spiritual. They have a screened house in the woods with a chair built by his son when he was in 8th grade.  Javier says love is found in books painting, literature, music- love is about putting ourselves in a place where you haven’t been before. James would eat the Cafe Borrone in Palo Alto’s soup and sandwich for the rest of his life. For his prayer he goes to Palo Alto where his family is from, where he gets a lot of spiritual strength. And his girlfriend grew up in the same city so he gets his Eat, Pray and Love in the same spot.Javier thanks Julia in Spanish for everything and for making it so easy to work together.

Eat, Pray, Love author Elizabeth Gilbert is here- she just watched the movie for the first time. She is still misty and emotional about it. She isn’t a visual person, she didn’t take photos of her journey, so it is as if an amazing director made a home movie of her travels and Photoshopped her out and put in someone with perfect skin and 38” legs. Plus, she got to watch herself make out with Javier, which is not a bad way to spend an afternoon. She was an emotional wreck. She saw it with her husband alone in a theater and they were crawled up in a ball together laughing and crying. They didn’t expect that. Oprah says that the book has become larger than Elizabeth. The movie embodied the best time of her life- she cried, went home, drank lots of wine and went to bed. They decided to talk about it in the morning. For the first time, Elizabeth realized why this story is so popular- she suddenly saw that getting over love and disappointment is everyone’s story. She only saw that it was everyone’s story through the movie, not just her own introspective journey as she’d previously thought. It was easy for her to give autonomy to Julia Roberts, Oprah says that when Julia prays you can almost hear what God is saying. Elizabeth says that is Julia’s gift: she takes the personal and renders it universal. Liz says that it makes her happy that Julia can be Liz Gilbert and that she does it so well. Liz can’t contain her feeling about the story, it grew bigger than her a long time ago.

Julia’s favorite all time meal, her Eat, would be a big meal, she likes steak, garlic, anything in a crock pot. Her Pray is hearing her kids sleeping and breathing, holding her husband’s hand and knowing that they get to do it again the next day. Her Love is her family that she belongs to and the family that she has, and her good friends. The writer and director of the movie Ryan Murphy is also the man behind Glee. Oprah welcomes him back. He is bathed in relief that Liz appreciates what he did. They were always about the book, they felt such an obligation to Liz and the book because it is more than just a book. James Franco  says that Julia was pretty shy in the kissing scenes. He thinks that Julia thinks he only did the movie to kiss her, and that’s only half true. He says that he’ll just be sitting there, looking at his photograph of him with Julia.

Oprah and Julia can’t believe that the hour has gone already. Julia mentions her other two costars who have not yet been mentioned. Julia took the whole no phone-zone pledge online  the day after she watched the Oprah show episode. She has signed it. Oprah says that Julia is a responsible mother, Julia says that when she sees people texting, she wants to shout “Don’t you watch Oprah.”

August 13th, Julia’s mom’s birthday is the day that the film is released. Oprah says that everyone should watch it with their girlfriends and then eat and pray and love together.

WHAT WE LEARNED TODAY:

You can tell bona fide movie stars by the way they ride their bicycle.

A movie star sewing pants for her husband displays true love.

You look like where you come from.

The permission to eat with gusto is a gift.

Making a movie of a book that is more than a book is quite an undertaking.

A VERY QUICK SUMMARY:

Getting over love and disappointment is everyone’s story, it is universal.


Date: May 21st, 2010
File Under: Celebrity, Entertainment, Transformation
116 comments

Episode 81: Fridays Live: $266 Million Lottery Winner and Living Legend Dolly Parton

It’s Friday everybody, shouts Oprah. Two weeks ago life had a ginormous twist in store for Jackie and Gilbert. It all started when Jacki asked her husband what he wanted for dinner. He was going for dinner and got ten lottery tickets. She works overnight at the local TV station. A wire came out that someone had won the lottery in her home time. She called her husband to get the ticket and everyone was crying. Her boss says that it’s never good when you get a call at night, she said that they won the lottery and was it ok if she left early?

Jacki and Gilbert come out and meet Oprah. The odds were 1 in 175 million, they won $266 million. Wowser kazowser says Oprah, that is amazing. Jacki says that it is amazing. Jackie worked as freelance, averaging $40,000 a year. Oprah asks if people are coming out of the closet to ask for money. Gilbert says that he’s already told his family not to bother, the answer is no. The crowd laugh. Oprah says really. Oprah asks if they had the conversation about what they would do. They said that they had dreamed of winning $50,000. They wanted to buy a nice house, like in the magazines, an “Oprah house.” They like to travel. Oprah says that they can do it all now, they need to dream bigger dreams. Oprah’s advice is that everybody will come and ask for help, and that they get to decide who they want to help and who they don’t want to help and then they get to make the plan, otherwise it is overwhelming. You can’t say that you don’t have it anymore. Jacki wants to keep working for now, they don’t have the money yet, so she needs to pay the bills but she knows their focus will change. Gilbert says that they can decide what to do now with the money for the greatest good. Jacki says that being on Oprah is more her dream than winning the lottery. Oprah is really flattered and sees that they are stable, happy people and she hopes that it can bring them joy. Oprah says that there is great property in Santa Barbara. She thanks them and they thanks her.

Oprah says she loves it when nice things happen to nice people. Hang on to your britches, everything about her next guest is big, from her hair to her personality. Dolly Parton is a national treasure who grew up dirt poor in the Smokey Mountains. One of 12 children in a one roomed cabin with no electricity or water she was born with the voice of an angel. She graduated high school on a Friday night and by Saturday morning she was off to Nashville. She went on to conquer all of showbiz- television, movies, Broadway and her Dollywood theme park has been thrilling fans for 25 years. She is a one-woman empire and has written over 3000 songs including I Will Always Love You, one of the biggest songs of all time.
Dolly comes on stage and the crowd scream and scream. She drove in from Nashville on her bus and all of her homes are fine, but they are working so hard to help after the floods in Nashville. She has started a relief fund through Dollywood, the crowd cheer. Oprah has family in Nashville and says that many people feel that the crisis is not getting enough attention. Dolly is good, she is here with all her sequins. She says that she would never be seen without make-up unless she was electrocuted in the bath. She has been married 44 years and together for 60, the crowd applaud. Oprah thinks that it is interesting that we never see Paul, Dolly respects the fact that he doesn’t want to be in the limelight. Oprah asks if they have an open marriage- Dolly says that it means that they are both free to be themselves, but they would kill each other if there was any infidelity. She knows he loves her for her, they met the day she went to Nashville before she was a star. Oprah says that Dolly came from a one-room shack. Dolly says that coming gradually into money, she finds it hard to spend. She thinks about every dollar, she’d rather get a whole bunch of clothes from Walmart than one $5000 outfit. She says that she’ll still look cheap, no matter what she wears. It costs alot of money to look this cheap, says Dolly.

They play a duet of Oprah and Dolly in 1987 singing This Little Light of Mine. Neither of them had watched it for a while. Oprah said that she was lip-synching. Dolly is 5’ 1”. She once lost a Dolly Parton look-alike contest when she lived in Santa Fe. She over-exaggerated everything and thought it would be so much fun. Next to all the 6 foot drag queens she looked like a little gay midget. She was lost in the shuffle and she lost her own drag-queen night.

She has celebrated 25 years of Dollywood, her 150 acre theme park near her childhood home in the Smokey Mountains. Her financial advisors told her not to buy it as it was too risky. She says that they do wonderful work down there. They have the Dollywood Foundation where they have an Imagination Library where they give books to children once a month from birth to kindergarten. They are giving their 25th million book away, which Oprah says is amazing.

Standing outside the Oprah studio is Dolly’s tour bus. Oprah says that it’s like a double-wide. There are three bunks and she has her own shower. All her wigs are in the cupboards. She loves to travel by bus where she does all her work and reading and praying. She has a little prayer alter. Oprah has a prayer chair for morning prayer and meditation, with her prayer ornamentations. Sometimes she’ll pray in bed like Dolly. Oprah says that the chairs are so small, she has the same cross as Dolly. Dolly usually cooks, she is on a low-carb diet right now so she has cheese and quiche. She eats what she wants at the weekend, after a no-carb week. She hardly ever checks into hotels anymore, she loves the bus. She’d love to take Oprah on a trip sometime.

Dolly has sold over 100 million albums and has had 25 number one singles, here she is with a guitar and her biggest hits. Dolly says that she wrote 9-5 with the sounds of rubbing her acrylic nails together. She asks the audience wearing false nails to help her out.  She then sings 9-5 followed by a verse about celebrating 25 years of Dollywood and hoping to make a million dollars after being on Oprah.  She tells Oprah about how Elvis was set to record I Will Always Love You but that they wanted her to sign away the rights and she wouldn’t. She gets money every time the song is played. Oprah congratulates her for the decision not to sell, even to Elvis. Dolly says that she cried for days. She then goes on to dedicate I WIll Always Love You to Oprah, saying that she will be dearly missed and that she is one of the most amazing women in the world. Oprah cries as Dolly and the audience sing to her. Dolly stands up and Kenny Rogers joins her on stage for a duet. The crowd go wild.

Oprah asks Dolly what the best thing is about working with Kenny, and she says everything, plus she loves his gravelly voice. They joke about who has had the most liposuction and Dolly says that at one point she was going to install a liposuction machine on Kenny’s bus. They laugh. As a 71 year old, he has 5 year old twin sons who he says are about to break him. Oprah asks what he has learned from them and he says that the other day he spent the day telling one of them not to throw balls inside, get off the table and on and on and on. At bed time, his son turned around and said, “Daddy I am really getting tired of you.” He says that they are like Dolly, they are blatantly honest. Kenny says that Dolly is one of those rare, wonderful people, who is what you see. Kenny says that we are all three people- who you think you are, who others think you are and who you really are. The closer those three are together, the longer you can last in this business. He says that if there is an example of someone who is all those things, then Dolly is one of them. Kenny is celebrating 50 years in showbusiness with a TV special. Dolly is on his show and he is on her 25 year Special. Dolly says that they just can’t be separated. Oprah thanks Kenny and Dolly.

The June issue of O Magazine is all about saying yes to life and getting in touch with your wild and adventurous side. They could count on Ali Wentworth to spend the day at Cirque de Soleil having a photographic shoot on a high wire, dangling over fire and never losing her cool. Read the June issue and do something unexpected. Well done Ali, says Oprah. Here is one of our all time favorites, The Gambler, with Kenny and Dolly says Oprah. Kenny sings and Oprah stands with Dolly. Oprah sings with the other two. Dolly says that Oprah knew every word, to the verses too. Oprah says bye everybody and don’t text and drive.

WHAT WE LEARNED TODAY:

If you win the lottery, you can now do it all. You need to dream bigger dreams.

Oprah’s advice is that everybody will come and ask for help, and that you get to decide who to help and how, otherwise it is overwhelming.

Dolly Patron would rather buy lots of clothes from Wal-Mart than one expensive outfit.

Oprah has a prayer chair, both she and Dolly Parton sometimes pray from bed.

We are all three people- who you think you are, who others think you are and who you really are. The closer those three are together, the better.

A VERY QUICK SUMMARY:

Even Oprah thinks it ridiculous that a recent lottery winner said that being on Oprah is a bigger dream for her than winning the lottery.

Date: May 19th, 2010
File Under: Celebrity, Public Service Announcement, Transformation
66 comments

Episode 79: Bret Michaels’ First TV Interview and Country Star Chely Wright Comes Out

Last weeks cover of People magazine says it all, “I’m lucky to be alive.” Rocker Bret Michaels was one of the top rockers of the 80’s as the frontman for Poison. In 2007 he reinvented himself as the bad boy of reality TV with Rock of Love and now he is on Celebrity Apprentice. The money he raises goes to fund diabetes- he is a lifelong sufferer. He lives with his girlfriend Kristi and their two daughters, 9 year old Rain and 5 year old Georgia. About a month ago he was home with his family when he felt something explode in his head. He woke up Kristi and said that he had to go to the ER. He said it felt like he had been shot- he had a severe brain hemorrhage, the doctors said that he might want to say goodbye  to his children. Doctors say that shear will to live helped to pull him through, after 3 days of drifting in and out of consciousness he survived. He joins Oprah by Skype from Phoenix. He says that he is very glad to be alive. He says that it sounded like a small handgun was going off in his head. It felt like a pop, they call it a thunderclap and he had an instantaneous migraine x10. He went into adrenaline survival mode and woke up Kristi. It was sudden, there was no lead-up to the event. By the time they got to the hospital, the pain got worse, the drive felt like it took an eternity and his head felt so bad that he couldn’t get out of the car. The doctors came out with a wheelchair and they did a CAT scan. The doctor’s face went white around that point. Bret said that if there was a chance that he would survive he didn’t want his daughters to see him like this. He asked God to let him live through this. He got really sad and talked to God. Oprah asks if God talked back. Bret says that he may have done. Bret knows he’s done a lot of bad things and he promised that he’d be different in the future. The event put everything in perspective really quickly: it’s your family and friends and not career or anything that matters. You think about the only thing that matters which is taking care of your kids and thanking God.

On April 23rd, he had a brain hemorrhage, all Kristi could think of was that she didn’t want her daughters to grow up without a dad. His daughters found it really heartbreaking, the thought that he wouldn’t be there any more. The footage makes Bret cry, even though he said that he wouldn’t. He got amazing courage and an unsinkable strength to survive from his family and friends. Oprah says that even in his hospital bed he had his bandana on. He says that it was like Superman and the cape, he had to keep on his bandana and boots- he didn’t want to go out in his hospital gown.

The neurosurgeon says that the condition was very serious when Bret arrived, he was unable to stay awake. He suffered a life threatening sudden bleeding around the brain- 20% of people don’t survive this. There is a sudden release of blood. They still don’t know what happened to cause the clot. The chance for re-bleeding is no more common than for anyone in his age group.  This happens to around 40,000 patients a year, and about 20% make a full recovery.

Bret says that when he asked if he had a chance he was told that the fact that he was talking means he has a chance. Bret says that when your body tells you there is something wrong, you must go immediately to the ER. He got an incredible boost of energy to try and survive. He feels that he has a second chance and he is very thankful to be here. Bret says that he was worried about the size of his brain on the scan that the doctor showed, that it might be small like a walnut. Oprah laughs and he says that this is an instance where size matters.

On Celebrity Apprentice, Bret’s costars were devastated when they heard the news. Donald Trump says that he is a good person. Sharon Osbourne says that he is endearing. Donald felt terrible when he heard about the hemorrhage, Sharon thinks about his girlfriends and kids and then she worries about their own lives and the frailty of it all. Holly Robinson Pete says that she loves him and that he should sit his Energizer-bunny butt down and spend some time with his girls. Sharon says hurry up and get back to LA because his sugar mamma needs him and wants to give him a big hug. Oprah says wow. Bret says right there is what matters in the end, good friends.

Bret’s daily recovery has been upped to two sessions a day. His neck is stiff, he has trouble with is outer extremities. He still gets headaches but every day is getting better. He is so thankful that he is recovering and has his family and friends and medical team and God or his guardian angel. Oprah wishes him well and thanks him.

She appeared to be living her country music dream with her number one hit, top honors and dating some of Nashville’s top stars, but she decided to come clean with her secret and risk everything. Chely Wright was the first country singer to acknowledge her homosexuality. A decade ago her hit Single White Female went to number one on the country charts. As a child in the church she prayed every day for her sexuality to change. She always knew she was gay but she confused the heck out of the stars she dated because she couldn’t love them like they loved her. In her book, Like Me, she talks of the love of her life. In their 12 year relationship, maybe only 5 people knew, even her best friend didn’t know. She didn’t want people to have to lie for her, so she didn’t tell them. After the relationship ended, Chely says that she was left alone with no one to confide in. In 2006 she felt trapped and couldn’t come out. She had a 9mm gun which she put in her mouth and said a prayer to God to forgive her for what she was about to do.

Oprah asks about the network of secret keepers. Chely says that she thinks her friends probably wondered, but like the military it was like don’t ask, don’t tell. She says the gun felt cold and heavy in her mouth, and it felt like an out of body experience as she was detachedly watching her body. Oprah asks how she got to that moment. Chely says that it was layers and layers of betrayal, a lifetime of hiding and lying to others. She knew since she was a teenager that she was gay, in third grade she knew that she was a lesbian. She had layers of fear and loathing. Historically, lesbianism and being a successful country music singer had never mixed. Chely lied when asked outright. One of Oprah’s lesbian friends says that she was always the one poking fun at the other gays. Chely worked in a Nashville theme park and was worried that she would be outted. She was rude to other homosexuals and said mean things. She is now mindful of people who do that, it makes her pay attention. Oprah’s friend thought that those who speak loudest are maybe not suspected of being gay themselves.

Recently, Chely decided to tell the world that she is gay – the word lesbian has been used as an insult for a long time, she is taking her power back. You can call her ugly, or her songs stupid, but you can’t call her a lesbian as an insult. Chely says that only two stars have contacted her which is disappointing. But hundreds of other music industry professionals have come forward to show support. Her fans have been coming out on her Facebook page. Oprah asks if she worried that she’d lose her career, and she says that she still doesn’t know that she won’t. Chely says that it was worth the risk, she had a gun in her mouth so this is all gravy. Her Dad asked why she wasn’t close, what was wrong. She was on a tour bus and she decided to do it. She sat her Dad down to tell him and said that she was afraid he wouldn’t love her or that he’d be ashamed of her. She said, Dad, I’m gay. Oprah asks Stan, Chely’s Dad what he said. He said nothing, he gave her a big hug and told her it was all right. He nods, with tears in his eyes. Up until that point, being raised in the Midwest he thought that being gay was sinful, that it was hellfire, and now he knows that is not true. Oprah asks what changed in him, he says that he knew her heart, soul and mind and that she was a good person. So with that said, he has unconditional love- until you are in that position, it is easy to say some of the more negative issues, but there is nothing that you can’t get through. He is very proud of Chely. The crowd applaud.

Oprah asks how it feels to have this off Chely’s back. Keeping the facade going was labor-intensive says Chely. Chely says that it feels like she is about two weeks old. Oprah say that is the best answer she has ever heard, that is so nice. Chely says that this is who God made her to be. Another reason is that kids across the US are being told by their churches and parents that they are damaged goods, and they are not. Chely says that she has a voice and should do something about it. Oprah thinks that her father’s stance takes alot of courage. Stan says that in the short time he has had to educate himself about this is, the most important thing that he can say is do not close the door, but open your heart.

Oprah asks her how she ended up in a relationship with a man. She has alot of regret for the relationship with Brad Paisley. She knew the whole time that she wanted to be someone else- so she wronged him. It was hard for her to write down her crimes against Brad and the other men that she damaged. She hopes that he can forgive her. She reached out and would welcome any chance to sit down with him and talk. She feels incredible and that her biggest fears have been put to rest- her biggest fear was that she wouldn’t get to do anything again with the military. She saw a group of military men who said that she was there for them, so they will be there for her. She cries a little, and the audience applaud. Oprah thanks her and says that as a two-week old self, she has a lot in front of her. Her new CD is in stores now.

Oprah says it every day, please stop talking on the phone and texting while in the car. It could save lives like that of Gordon, the husband of a viewer who was killed by someone texting in the car. Her children lost their father because of a text message, and the driver is spending the next five years in jail. Take the pledge, bye everybody.

WHAT WE LEARNED TODAY:

Bret Michaels had to keep on his bandana in his hospital bed after his brain hemorrhage, to him it was the source of his power like Superman and the cape.

When your body tells you there is something wrong, you must go immediately to the ER.

If you don’t want people to lie for you, then you can’t tell them your secrets.

Chely Wright felt so strongly that she could not come out as a gay country music star that she almost killed herself. But she came through and came out.

The most important thing that you can say is do not close the door, but open your heart.

A VERY QUICK SUMMARY:

What matters in the end, is not money or your career, but your family and good friends.

Date: May 17th, 2010
File Under: Celebrity, Entertainment, Family
76 comments

Episode 77: Will Smith, Jada Pinkett-Smith and the Whole Family

So Will Smith, Jada Pinkett-Smith and their entire family and friends are in the house, says Oprah. They are a power couple raising a most talented family. He is known as Mr July for raking in a gazillion dollars every year with his summer blockbusters. Jada and Will come on stage, dressed in the same shades of cream as Oprah- they all coordinate. They hug and the crowd go wild. Oprah asks if the Smith family, known as the first family of Hollywood, had a master plan to be so successful. Will says yes, Jada says no. Oprah laughs. Oprah says she has heard they have a marriage business plan, which they could write a book about. Will says if you don’t have a goal or purpose for your relationship, or anything, you can get lost in the murk of the journey. So as an answer to why two spirits are together, there is so much more that you have to be dedicated to than just cooking etc. They had to figure out their vision as they each had their own ideas- just do what she said says Will. Everyone laughs. Jada says that seeing how the children were growing, they wanted to make a family business to incorporate all the talent. They wanted to make a place where all their family and extended family dreams could come true. The whole family are here, plus Will’s ex-wife and her husband. Oprah asks if they made a conscious decision to all get along. Jada says that she and Cheri had to make that decision because they had Trey, the son. They had to put aside their own baggage and sort it out. Cheri said that they had their chance and now it is about the kids. Oprah asks if she could tell the ex-wives of America that? They all agree that it is not the time to be selfish, but to move on and create the best possible scenario for the children. Jada reinforces the thought that the children are their future.

They also have regular family meetings. Will says that the problem with letting your kids talk… the first generation making a path in the world is strictly about survival (parenting with “because I said so”) which is when you loose the humanity and purpose in your life. And why you had children, says Oprah. They all laugh. Will wants his kids- Trey with his football, Willow with her singing and Jaden with his acting, he wants them all to live in service to greatness. To live and create in a way that is inspiring to people, so that people want to be better by being close to their excellence. The kids have to define their own vision. In order to reach that excellence, you have to find that drive within yourself.

Oprah says that Jada looks fantastic, Jada says look who she is married to. At home Jada says she wears track pants because she is so busy. But she says that she makes sure Will gets his treats. They laugh.

Oprah says that she asks this often of her guests, as everyone wants to have a better life than their parents: How do you raise solid grounded kids when they have access to everything? Will says that he tells the kids all the time that their mommy and daddy are rich, but that the kids are broke. They don’t allow their kids to sit around. They talk about the concept of the group- and the necessity of adding something good to the family, then the neighborhood, then humanity. Jada says that they have to have purpose, that gives them self-esteem and that grounds them. Oprah asks if they talk about the purpose of the movie beyond getting the role? Will says that they talk about the idea of illustrating some aspect of the human spirit- the purpose of your art is to advance and elevate humanity.

Oprah asks how they keep their marriage alive, what are the treats that Jada does. Jada says that she always surprises Will, because he is such a thinker, always thinking. Like maybe she sends a sexy photo to remind him what is waiting for him at home. Will says hi to his mom in the audience. Everyone laughs. Jada says that everyone would be surprised at how sensitive Will is, that he has a wonderful, generous heart, how he loves people. Will kisses Jada. Oprah say that she read that Will feels he is still searching for his place in the world as he gets older. Will explains that he was introduced to a Baptist Church in West Philly as a child, and that serving higher goals was very important. He feels that all the blessings that he has had in his life- his wife and family- there is no way that God intended that to happen by accident. The crowd cheer and Oprah says that she gets that, she so gets that. That is how Oprah leads her life too. She prays to be used in service to a calling greater than her own. Will feels that he is energized every day by the possibilities, and now he is almost 43 (Oprah asks if he has turned 20 yet, as he doesn’t seem to age) and he feels that the possibilities of what they can do as a family are enormous. He said his grandmother was always smiling and when he asked her why, she said that she knew what she was going to do- she was going to make everything that she touched better. Oprah thanks him for sharing that.

In the Smith household, 17 year old Trey is a Varsity star football player, 9 year old Willow is a singer, actress and fashionista, like her mom, and 11 year old Jaden has grown up in front of our eyes. He acted alongside his Dad in The Pursuit of Happiness and now he is the star of his own movie, The Karate Kid, produced by Will and Jada. They packed up the whole family and moved to China for 4 months. Come on out, says Oprah. The kids come out and the crowd roar. Oprah hugs them and welcomes them. She meets Trey for the first time. Trey says that he is working on producing music now- he didn’t get the acting bug, he has no interest for now. Oprah asks him the best advice he has received from his parents- his mom told him to speak up when he has something to say. His Dad and him are reading Rich Dad, Poor Dad. Will says that he still has a poor person mentality- he says that he is as financially nervous as he was when they were struggling. Oprah is surprised but she says that she gets it about spending. Who knows what a million dollars can do? She knows what $29.99 can do. Exactly, Jada and Will say. Will wants his kids to have a financial comprehension, to not be slaves to working and money. Oprah asks Jaden if his parents are cool – Jayden says that his parents embarrass him all the time – his dad will just pull his pants down at school. Oprah plays the music video Will made when he was 19. Oprah asks what he knows now that he wished he knew then. He says that parents don’t have to understand because they are in charge. The things parents understand are so difficult because they can’t be explained. He says that allowing kids to see you at work shows them you in your best light, dealing with stress and working with people.

Oprah asks WIllow if she talked to her mom or dad about her new haircut. Willow says her mom is always the one coming up with suggestions. Jada says that it is great that Willow’s beauty doesn’t depend on her hair, she told Jada that she just wanted to be free. Jada told her let’s just piecemeal it, let’s do one side at a time.

To prepare for his role in The Karate Kid, Jaden trained 3 hours a day for 4 months. The remake was made entirely in China. Jaden plays an American boy who has a hard time adjusting to his new life. He gets a crash course in Kung Fu from Jackie Chan, a maintenance man, to stop the bullies. It opens on June 11th, Oprah says that Jaden is great in it, she could feel the tension of being bullied so well. Will says that 4 years ago after The Pursuit of Happiness, Jaden wanted to move forward and The Karate Kid was one of Will’s favorites as a child. They wanted to remake a classic David and Goliath story. Oprah asks Jaden if he was ripped before the movie? Jaden says yes, smaller but ripped. He and Willow have been taking karate since they were three. 3 months into training, he could do the splits in the air. Oprah asks if he’s been bullied before, he says that he hasn’t but he could feel it and understand it and be it. The crowd applaud. He had his first on-screen kiss- he says that he is good at kissing so it wasn’t as challenging as it could have been. This is why you need old-school parenting, says Will. I’m going to leave it there, says Oprah.

Someone in the audience asks what punishment is in their house- Will says that they don’t believe in punishment, but that there are consequences to your actions. The kids can have as much freedom as they can handle, but if something happens then they need to be restricted to protect themselves from potential damage, not punishing them for what they did. That’s good parenting, says Oprah.

They play a home video from China narrated by Will. Will and Jada had two jobs in China- they produced the movie and were also the parents of the star. About 6 weeks into shooting, Jaden hurt his knee and Will had to give his son a pep talk to keep working despite the pain. They also relaxed and had some fun. They filmed in many exotic locations and saw the best of China- the Forbidden City, the Golden Summit. Legend has it that those who hang a lock at the Golden Summit will have their spirits joined together for eternity. They hang their locks- Daddy and Jayden on one and Mommy and Jayden engraved on the other and hug. Trey could not go on the trip as he is a high school football star- Will flew back every weekend to see Trey play. That is amazing says Oprah, it brought tears to her eyes the first time she heard it.

Jada says that to work so closely together with Will was intense and she thinks they got over some huge hurdles. They are different creatures and they create in very different ways. They realized their strengths and weaknesses and found out when to fall back. Will says that in his mind he was teaching his son to hunt- Jada says that as a mother this is an excruciating thing to watch- the mothering instinct kicks in hard. Jada says that it was a ferocious fight because the in China the laws allow the kids to work long hours, too hard. He is 11, there had to be a balance. Jada says that he is a different child now, he walks with confidence  because he has achieved something himself. Greatness is on the edge of destruction, says Will. You were almost over, it was almost it, when the Phoenix rises from the ashes. Yes, but do you have to almost die each time? asks Oprah. Jada agrees emphatically. Will says that 11 is when you learn it, you can’t do it at 22. Jaden learns that he can’t be broken: he is unbreakable. Jada and Will say that they have been having this passionate debate. Oprah says that she gets it.

Oprah says that Will’s movie Seven Pounds is about a man who kills seven people when texting and driving. Will and Jada have agreed to sign the pledge. Oprah thanks them. Oprah thought that the movie would get people to think about it in a different way. Oprah thanks them all. Will says that they have something for her from the Smith Family. It is a white shirt with a sparkly Karate Kid on it and Oprah’s logo. Oprah says that it is great and thanks them all again.

WHAT WE LEARNED TODAY:

If you don’t have a goal or purpose for your relationship, or anything, you can get lost in the murk of the journey.

Will Smith wants his family to live and create in a way that is inspiring to people, so that people want to be better by being close to their excellence.

The kids have to define their own vision, in order to reach that excellence, you have to find that drive within yourself.

Will Smith teaches his kids about the concept of the group- and the necessity of adding to the family, then the neighborhood, then humanity.

Oprah says who knows what a million dollars can do? She knows what $29.99 can do.

A VERY QUICK SUMMARY:

Will Smith and family  believe in greatness and achieving dreams through hard work, excellence and a roadmap to success.

Date: May 17th, 2010
File Under: Celebrity, Entertainment
4 comments

Episode 76: Oprah Fridays LIVE: Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz

So, it’s Friday, says Oprah, they are live in Chicago. They have had a star-studded week with the cast of Twilight, Justin Timberlake and more. They are going to top off the week with Tom Cruise. The crowd cheer and scream, Tom comes on and hugs Oprah. He is a movie star, screams Oprah. She asks him if he did his stunts himself on Knight and Day, and he says pretty much, yes. Tom is good, he is happy to be here. They had dinner together last night at one of Oprah’s favorite restaurants, they both had burgers, not the grilled fish option. Oprah says that Tom handles the public like a diplomat- Tom says he enjoys it. Life is good and is just getting better. Suri turned 4 a year to the day after he met Katie. Oprah shows an extract of Tom and Katie performing at a charity event. What is that? Oprah asks. It’s from Damn Yankees and Katie is a singer and dancer and wanted to do it and he does whatever she wants him to.

Oprah asks about Suri and her clothes- he says that she chooses all her own clothes, she loves clothes. She is such a happy, easy, fun girl she just deals with the paparazzi. They don’t make it a problem, Katie is relaxed and they just deal with it. Oprah asks about Isabella, his 17 year old. Tom says that she has a strong sense of herself so bringing home boys is not an issue. Connor is 15 but looks 17, he looks hot says Oprah. Tom says that Conner is smart and so Tom just listens. Oprah says again that every father has a dream for his family, what is Tom’s dream? That they find out what gives them pleasure in their work so that it is not work, and that they are happy. They are good fun people and he wants them to be happy and produce in life and help society. Connor is now working in the movies, and Tom waited for the day that Connor wanted to do it. Every director wanted Connor in a movie, Kubrick was on Tom the whole time. Connor is bright and charismatic and talented says Tom, and sweet and lovely, adds Oprah. Tom says that he is a natural and that he is very capable and good at every thing that he does.

Oprah talks about Will Smith and Jada- who Tom loves- she asked them how to keep your children grounded and with grace and kindness when they have everything? That answer will be on Monday’s show. Tom finds that children have a natural dignity, Tom sets up studies for his kids before they travel, and so with that comes a greater appreciation of life and people. Oprah asks how do you raise not-spoiled kids? Tom says that they want to help and so they help, even Suri. They have chores that they like to do.

Knight and Day comes into theaters on June 25th. Oprah says that it is a great date movie. They show a photo of Suri in her pink flamenco dress from Spain- she loves it and loves pink. Tom thanks Oprah for the books she sent for Suri, they read them every single night. Oprah says that she sent her Suri’s book club. She gesticulates to suggest an enormous amount of books. Suri loves it, says Tom, loves that Oprah sent her the books. Oprah asks what she would see on a Saturday night in the Cruise house. It’s dinner, games and movie night, says Tom. They play Quick Scrabble, they watch mainly new movies. Tom will “bust out” one of his films if the kids want to see it. Oprah asks if Suri knows that her Dad is a movie star? Suri grew up on move sets and is great on set. She has a chair and will give notes. She’ll run up and kiss them at the end of each take. Oprah says that we all see him as a movie star and he doesn’t age. She asks what that is all about? Tom laughs. Tom says that he sees himself as a Dad that loves movies. He gives himself an A++ for parenting. His kids are really loving and tell him what is going on. Tom tells the story of when Connor was 14 and making a picture and he called home and said that he loved Tom and thanked him for being there. Tom says that is the moment when you think that you are doing a good job and it works out.  Oprah says that Connor told the story at dinner last night that he realized at that point how hard the job is to do, and what a great job Tom does as a movie star and also that he was always there for then. Tom says that was a moment, it was beautiful. He says that he made a promise when they were little that he would do whatever he says, he will be true to his word. If he says he will do something, he will, and if he says that he will not do it, he will not. Oprah says that she was blown away by Will Smiths commitment to his son’s soccer matches- he flew back to LA every weekend when he was filming in China. That’s the kind of person Will is, says Tom.

Oprah says that Tom’s new movie with Cameron Diaz is alot of fun. Tom is a fugitive superspy who meets lonely woman Cameron Diaz. Together they go across the world on an adventure. Mr Thrill Seeker himself did all his own stunts and designed some of them himself. It is action packed with a comedic twist. Cameron will be out in a few minutes.

Tom is always thinking of different stunts. He looks at buildings and asks how he could climb it. He decided that riding on the bike with Cameron Diaz and flipping her around so she could shoot guns would be cool. He gets really excited by it. He likes action, he loves flying airplanes and stuff like that. As a kid he’d jump off the roof and do flips into the snow. “And now you’re Tom Cruise,” says Oprah. Now he gets paid lots of money to do stunts in movies.

Tom describes Cameron as bright, fun, talented and generous, when asked for three words to describe her. Oprah welcomes her on stage. They hug. Oprah says that Cameron is indeed bright and fun in this movie. Cameron says that it is hard not to have fun with Tom. Oprah says that there is perfect chemistry between them. Cameron says that her character was attracted to his because he looks like Tom Cruise. She had so much fun with the stunt stuff. She explains how Tom described the stunt to her and she is so enthusiastic. Oprah asks if Tom is a perfectionist. Cameron says that he has a wonderful high standard. The vision has to come forward and he is fully engaged with that the whole time, which raises everyone’s game. Oprah asks Tom to tell them about the bull run. They flew to Austria and only had a few hours sleep. They didn’t know what they were expecting, and there were thousands of people around. Underfoot was really slick, Tom is always looking for potholes. The stuntman told him that it was terrifying and dangerous. Tom decided he felt good about it, so did Cameron. They got put in a steal cage, the bulls were in a pen and then they run down the road. They felt the vibraton of the bullrunners and Cameron was squeezing him so hard he could barely breathe. They were in a steal cage that was getting banged by the bulls. Guys were getting ping-ponged off the walls. They weren’t scared- Cameron says that you can’t be scared at moments like that. Cameron didn’t have glasses on and there was manure being kicked up in her face. That sounds crazy says Oprah.

On June 25th the movie comes out. There is a video of them on set which has gone viral. Tom tells Cameron to really extend when she kicks, and then he moves the guard and she kicks him over. It’s just for fun says Oprah. That is his humor, says Cameron, he is that funny all day long. It’s easy and fun all day long. Every day they would play fight each other. Cameron says that she couldn’t dream a dream this big, she is still in the journey stage. She has goals, she keeps moving forward, but she is loving her amazing journey. She is so blessed and couldn’t imagine any more but she is open to that. Oprah asks if she considers settling down and Cameron says that she doesn’t know what that means. She has been traveling since she was 16. She loves to eat so she cooks, she makes a great breakfast. That’s a good start, says Oprah. Cameron says that she does an awesome savory oatmeal with chicken stock and sautéed greens on the side. Oprah doesn’t like shallots in her oatmeal. The oatmeal is al denté so it’s like rice. Cameron caramelizes the leeks and shallots and has egg whites on the side. She uses ponzu, a lemon soy sauce and butter, lots of it, on the oatmeal.

Oprah asks them if they love being famous. Tom says that there are pluses, he always wanted to make movies and this comes with it. He loves acting, editing, scenes, playing, he loves it. Cameron says that the relationship with fans changes over time. Fame doesn’t last 15 minutes anymore, you are always there. They are fortunate that they sustain their position of fame because they get to keep making movies. Cameron says that she had to embrace it and make peace with it. It is a wonderful beautiful gift when people come up and say something nice to you. If you resist it, you’re miserable. If you embrace it the love flows.

Oprah asks the audience and cameras if people always tell you that you should be on TV. For her new network, for one show, Oprah is joining forces with Mark Burnett. He is the creator of Survivor and is the king of reality TV. Together they are searching fro the next big star- she’s had some successes- Dr Phil and Dr Oz and now Nate Berkhus. All the details are on Oprah.com. Before they say bye, Jimmy Johnson, one of the fastest drivers in the world signs the no texting pledge. Oprah is excited that Tom and Cameron have agreed to take the pledge. They sign. Cameron asks if there are Oprah police on the streets Oprah says that the paparazzi will get a picture if they text while driving. Tom says that it makes no sense to text and drive, Cameron says that it is like putting mascara on while driving. Tom agrees. Oprah thanks them, they hug. Tom goes to shake hands with the crowd as the closing credits play.

WHAT WE LEARNED TODAY:

Tom Cruise and his family went out for dinner with Oprah. Oprah was going to have grilled fish but Tom’s burger looked so good. Tom was going to order grilled fish but Oprah told him that the burgers were really good.

Oprah sent Suri her own book club of books, and asks Tom how to raise kids that are not spoiled.

Saturday night is movie night in the Cruise household. Tom will play one of his own movies if the kids request it and it is developmentally appropriate.

Tom gives himself an A++ for parenting.

Cameron Diaz says Tom is funny funny funny, all day long.

A VERY QUICK SUMMARY:

Tom Cruise is the best person that he has ever met, with the possible exception of his wife, kids and Oprah.

Date: May 14th, 2010
File Under: Celebrity, Entertainment
2 comments

Episode 72: Harpo Hookups – Cher, Justin Timberlake, Will.i.am, Usher

OK, says Oprah, I love this. Hooking people up is one of her favorite things to do, but it is not easy. Meet Josh, a massage therapist from Portland and a huge Cher fan- he even dresses up as her for fun. Josh has no idea that his partner is about to surprise him by telling him that the Oprah Show is sending them to see Cher in Vegas. Josh sits down, cries and then screams. He sits wailing on camera. Oprah says that is so good. Josh is in the studio saying that he doesn’t remember that moment at all. They fly to Vegas first class and stay at Caesars Palace. Joshua had no idea that Cher is going to call his name at the end of the show. He stands up and screams. Cher calls him down to the front seats and says that he can go backstage later. After the show, he meets Cher backstage and looks at her wardrobe. He tells her that she has been such an inspiration to him, allowing him to be comfortable in his own skin. They hug. Oprah asks Josh to describe the experience, he says that to have the connection with someone that you have looked to for your whole life and have the connection as human beings; you can only dream of such stuff. Cher has sent along a denim jacket glitzed up by Bob Mackie and signed by Cher. Josh cries and says that it means so much to him. Oprah thanks Cher and Josh says that Cher is meant for Vegas.

Oprah says that they have been planning for weeks- and they never know how people will react when they meet their superstar. Since she was 12, Julie has had a crush on Justin Timberlake. She is now 26 and about to be married. She golfs, like Justin, and her fiance Mike is taking her golfing. She is getting a lesson from a golf pro, according to Mike. Justin is the golf pro. Justin introduces herself and is completely silent. They golf together. Back in the studio, Oprah says that Julie looked a little stunned- Julie says that she was in shock and it all happened so fast. She says that inside she was screaming and jumping. She didn’t want to look like an idiot on the golf course. Justin joins them by Skype from his office in LA. Justin says that he thought she was a polite Southern Belle. Julie thanks him for taking the time and says that it was so great to finally meet him and that she can pick up her day just by listening to his music. Justin says that meeting fans is extremely important to him, more so than winning awards. Also this makes him feel old. He gifts Julie and Mike golf clubs and invites them to a barbeque event in Memphis when he opens his own golf course. The golf course is where his Dad taught him to play golf, and they have done a lot of work and are the first eco-certified golf course.

Oprah says that she loves hookups where viewers are in on it. The next guests think that they are here for a show on the recession. Jon and Cheryl and their eight children and single mom Alycia and her daughter are afraid they will lose their home. The Ellers purchased their house in 2001, and now he is making a third of what he made before. Now that the market has tumbled, he has nothing left. To leave their house will be really hard. John has been an executive and a late night donut maker. In the Allgood family, Alycia has received notice of foreclosure after she fell 8 months behind on her mortgage. She lost her job, and now has had to resort to food stamps. Her proudest moment was signing up for the house, she took Asia home as a 1 year old. Alycia went back to school for her Masters degree and thought education would give her a passport to better things. John and Cheryl say that they want to stay together so need to find a home to rent that is big enough for all the kids. Their oldest child waitresses to help the family. Alycia says that her home may be taken away in the next couple of weeks. Oprah invites the families up to the stage to meet their financial experts. Before that Oprah says that angels come in all forms, and that their angel is a superstar and from the Black Eyed Peas, and one of Oprah’s favorite people. Will and the Harpo team have been digging through their financial documents- John owes $250,000 on their home and Alycia owes $100,000. Will.i.am is paying off both of their loans. The families cry and hug each other and Oprah and Will.i.am. That’s a hookup, says Oprah. They own their homes free and clear. Oprah says that Will told her months ago to help families across America. Will sings to help people – to look at things that are happening now- he can help someone that really needs it, and it means alot to him. Why not, he says and why not, says Oprah.

Will.i.am takes the cameras of the Oprah Show to the house where he grew up. He says that he was the happiest in East LA where he grew up. They go in the house, he washed his hair in the kitchen sink and showered with a cup in the bath. When he was 11 he told his mom that he would buy her a house one day and she said don’t make promises you can’t keep. He kept the promise and then bought a house for his Grandma and Aunt on his birthday. She always dreamed that it would happen. It’s important, says Will, it’s why he is who he is. Will tells Oprah that he told his mom to bring everyone to this house for dinner, and they didn’t know who’s house it was. He told them not to worry, and that this house is for her. She has been in the projects for 50 years. His new mission, I.am home will start with his own money. He wants to help America’s people. Alycia says that she loves will.i.am and the other family are extremely grateful. Oprah tells them to be good with their money. Alycia says that they should donate to Will’s foundation, and Oprah says pay it forward.

Oprah says imagine you are a local newscaster and your biggest hero suddenly appears. Diane Sawyer in New York is going to surprise Bridget Shanahan in Illinois. Bridget reads a story about an unsuspecting local women who will be hooked up by her mom through the Oprah Show. Diane Sawyer says that she wants to send Bridget a birthday present. She invites Bridget to come and see them at World News. Bridget cannot believe it. Oprah says that she loves these hookups. Oprah says that there is one more suprise. Usher comes on stage and the audience scream and scream. He hugs Oprah.

Oprah says that Usher has sold more than 45 million albums across the world and he is hooking them all up with a performance of his hit OMG. He sings and will.i.am comes on stage to duet. Usher dances with Oprah.

Usher and will.i.am hug. Oprah puts Usher’s sunglasses and sings and dances towards them.

Oprah asks Usher if he is living his dream- he says that there is a dichotomy between his reality and fantasy but he’s doing well. He has just signed the NO Phone Zone. The crowd cheer.

WHAT WE LEARNED TODAY:

Oprah loves hookups, especially when the audience are in on the scheme.

Cher is meant for Vegas.

Justin Timberlake says that meeting fans is extremely important to him, more so than winning awards.

Will.i.am is paying off the loans of two families who thought they were on an episode of the Oprah Show covering the recession.

The audience are told that they have a special hook-up and Usher comes on stage to sing.

A VERY QUICK SUMMARY

The audience in the Oprah Show scream loudly and for a long time when they see celebrities. Especially ones who have just paid off their mortgage.

Date: May 13th, 2010
File Under: Celebrity, Entertainment, Live your best life
1 comment

Episode 71: From Radio City Music Hall in New York City, Christina Aguilera

Woah says Oprah on stage, hello. Hello, New York, New York, thank you so much. Magnificent Radio City Music Hall- look at this crowd. They wanted this show to be New York big, so a little later in the show, Christina Aguilera is about to make her much awaited comeback.

But first, the team who have changed and even saved lives- here they are, Oprah’s “Dream Team”- Dr Phil, Dr Oz, Nate Berkus, Suzie Orman. They all come out on stage and the crowd roar. Oprah asks them to sit and says that this is a real first. Some of these people met for the first time this morning. Dr Phil says that he met Suzie once before, but the others he met for the first time today. Oprah says that when the doctors met for the first time, it was like her sons came home. Nate says that he has Dr Oz’s cell phone number and isn’t afraid to use it. He has had a colonoscopy, and his moles checked; he says that Dr Oz is older than he is but in better shape.

Oprah says that this event is to celebrate ten years of O Magazine, the best magazine on the market, she says. Dr Phil says that he has written 120 columns, Oprah says that she has done 120 covers. He says that it is so easy to end up going through the motions in life and getting stuck in a rut. He advises that you don’t do what others expect of you, you have to find a passion in life and  model it for your kids too. Dr Phil says that he has met a lot of people who didn’t know that they were depressed until they weren’t depressed anymore. He recommends that people do something different in their lives-  change the furniture, swap wardrobes (not husbands) with a neighbor, shake it up. To practice what he preaches, he is going to shave off his mustache for the first time in over 40 years- his two kids have never seen him without a mustache. He is going to take it off and shake it off. Oprah brings in a master barber, Carl. Dr Phil’s wife Robin thinks it’s a joke and looks shocked. Dr Oz puts shaving cream on with a brush and Oprah asks Robin when she last saw her husband without a mustache- 38 years ago the first month that they were dating. Oprah takes a razor and removes the first part of Dr Phil’s mustache. The show goes to commercial break.

Oprah says that they are celebrating their ten year anniversary of O Magazine with their Dream Team on stage. Dr Phil is having his mustache shaved- we’ll see the results in just a minute, but first Dr Oz has been with the Oprah Show for 8 years. His show is taped across the street at 30 Rock, where they love having a doctor in the house. They show footage of Matt Lauer asking about salad and bowel movements and eczema. Meredith Vieira asks about her high heels and foot problems. Brian Williams tries to recall his name, talks of Dorothy and Kansas and tornadoes and asks if he should take a half aspirin.

Oprah laughs and asks if he is always being asked for advice. Dr Oz says that the energy of Radio City Music Hall is incredible- he loves the energy of the city. The most important thing that he learned on the Oprah show was taking the energy from the audience. Doctor Oz wrote ten things in the magazine, of those the most important are showing off in your life, and sleeping early which will increase your libido- if you have intercourse twice a week you will live three years longer than if you only do it once a week, the national average. After 40 years, here is Dr Phil without his mustache. Dr Phil looks a little unsure, his wife looks shocked. Dr Phil gives Oprah the first kiss.

They show footage of the first time Nate was on the Oprah Show, in 2002. Oprah calls him her little pup, leaving the kennel- this fall he will have his own show. His most inspiring ideas for your home is on page 82 of the magazine. At Nate’s new Manhattan apartment, he says edit what you have. Collections show who you are and tell a story- find an area in the home to display it. Nate uses his best plates and glassware everyday- it’s a little treat. He frames all his photos to make a house a home. Nate says buy art from an art school in your town. He goes to Parsons in New York and buys some work.

Oprah says everybody’s home should tell the story of who they are. Nate says that it takes effort- money and time, but it honors yourself to show who you are, where you have been and where you aspire to go in life. Nate says that his house in Chicago is not as modern, but he wanted to start something new in NY. It’s a brand new space but all the stuff inside is old and meaningful to him.

Suzie made her debut in 1998 on the Oprah Show. She encourages everyone to take an oath of financial honesty- don’t buy it if you don’t have the money for it, credit card debt is a lie. Suzie says that there was a glitch in the system in the stock market yesterday and the points plummeted. Suzie says we should go back to cash and save change. Be who you are, define the things around you, don’t let the things around you define you. Oprah thanks her Dream Team and also Bob Greene, who isn’t here today.

Oprah says check out the 10th Birthday issue of  O Magazine, she says that it is the best issue ever, it is a keeper. The creative director Adam Glassman of the magazine, has chose Oprah’s clothes for every cover. He says that his favorite cover is the swimsuit one where Oprah was in the pool. She had a swimsuit on top while she was in the pool, but she had pants on underneath, she was fully dressed. Oprah’s favorite was when she had to ride a horse for the first time in ten years, and had to try and get it to stop in the right place at the right time.

Adam has written his top ten closet must haves for the magazine. We see them here in the star-studded mother-daughter fashion show. Vanessa Williams comes in with her two daughters. They are all wearing pencil skirts- Adam says that Vanessa’s is sleek and sexy and the kids are doing the mini pencil skirt and the 80’s rocker look. Next up, Jane Seymour and her daughter wear animal prints. Adam says that animal prints go with nothing yet update everything. Another favorite is the nude shoe which makes you look thinner and taller. Next up is L’Oreal Paris model Dayle Haddon and her daughter. They are wearing white jeans which Adam says are more sophisticated and dressier than blue jeans. Everyone needs a sequined scarf, which instantly changes the wardrobe and makes everything look great. This season we are looking at the statement shoe- last year was the statement necklace. Cybil Shepperd and her two daughters come on stage wearing white shirts- Adam says that you can never have two many white shirts. Adam says that the cargo pant should replace the sweatpant- dress them up and wear them out. Susan Lucci and her son come out- she is wearing a wrap dress which emphasizes the waist. She has diamond hoop earrings which are apparently hipper and younger than pearl studs. Oprah thanks everyone and wishes them a Happy Mother’s Day.

Pop queen Christina Aguilera made every woman feel beautiful with her smash hit song. She has sold more than 30 million records and is one of the most successful recording artists of the last decade. She has been belting out songs since she was 6. Her image and music have changed as she grew up. She is married with a two year old, and is back with her first album in 4 years, Bionic, and a provocative new single. Welcome Christina says Oprah. The crowd roar. Oprah says that Christina’s lips are perfection; Christina says that her make up artist will die. Christina likes to take a break between records and take time to relax and live life to be inspired. She is becoming a UN ambassador and has been to Guatemala and Haiti. Oprah asks if that changes Christina’s own life- absolutely, a child dies every 6 seconds of hunger which has had a huge impact on her life, especially now that she has a child. Christina says that having a child makes her feel sexier- she says that our bodies are superhuman and women give life and make life and after you give your body up for a while and get it back you feel more confident and inspired.

She’s back and she’s bolder than ever says Oprah, singing her new single is Christina Aguilera. The stage darkens, lights come on and Christina sings. What a performance, says Oprah.

Oprah introduces the O Magazine staff, all off her staffers have signed the No Phone Zone Pledge. To celebrate the magazine, they roll out a ten year anniversary cake. Confetti falls and the crowd cheer.

WHAT WE LEARNED TODAY:

Dr Phil says that it is so easy to end up going through the motions in life and getting stuck in a rut.

Dr Oz says that sleeping early which will increase your libido- if you have intercourse twice a week you will live three years longer than if you only do it once a week, the national average.

Nate Berkus says that it honors yourself to show who you are, where you have been and where you aspire to go in life through the medium of home decor.

Suze Orman says we should go back to cash and save change. Be who you are, define the things around you, don’t let the things around you define you.

Christina Aguilera our bodies are superhuman and women give life and make life and after you give your body up for a while and get it back you feel more confident and inspired.

A VERY QUICK SUMMARY:

Apparently animal prints go with nothing yet update everything, nude shoes make you look thinner and taller, and every woman needs a sequined scarf and white jeans.

Date: May 12th, 2010
File Under: Celebrity

Episode 67: Supermodel Naomi Campbell

Supermodel Naomi Campbell is celebrating a huge milestone, 25 years in the International fashion world. As we all know, her reputation has taken a hit over the last few years. After years of negative press, she is finally ready to reveal what is behind the anger.

Naomi is the definition of a supermodel, ruling the runway with her signature swagger. She was discovered in London at age 14. She was the first black model to grace the covers of French Vogue and Time Magazine. She became a runway It Girl for top designers like Yves Saint Laurent. She launched dozens of beauty campaigns and featured in pop videos. Her glamorous life and relationships were highly documented in the press, but then came a secret cocaine addiction. Then came the infamous bad behaviors which tarnished her reputation. Today she says that she is a work in progress, trying to face her demons. She’s in love and living in Moscow with her Russian real-estate mogul. After 25 years in the business she is still a top cover model, giving models half her age a run for their money.

Naomi comes on stage and they hug. Naomi is a little nervous, Oprah says don’t be nervous, its just those two and millions of others. Oprah says that she has wanted to do this interview forever. Oprah says that Naomi looks 25, not 40. Naomi will be 40 in May- this is what you want 40 to look like, says Oprah. Naomi says that she has lived a good and reckless life and she has thought before that she wouldn’t reach 40. Oprah asks when Naomi lives this glamorous life, how does it feel? Naomi says that it is lonely, even though you are surrounded by others. Sometimes she doesn’t want to walk on a red carpet. She says it’s like they don’t have feelings but they are human.

Naomi’s temper tantrums have caused problems. In 2000, she was convicted of hitting her former assistant on the head with a cell phone and threatening to throw her out a moving car. Six years later she threw her jewel-encrusted Blackberry at her housekeeper over a missing pair of jeans. She was ordered to attend anger management classes and do community service, she mopped floors at a Department of Sanitation garage. A year later she admitted to swearing, hitting and kicking police officers aboard a British Airways flight and was sentenced to 200 hours of community service. Two months ago she was accused of slapping her chauffeur in New York City. Two days later he retracted the allegations. During a recent interview on ABC News her temper flared again when asked about a blood diamond. She allegedly walked out of the interview and punched the camera.

Oprah asks her what happened. Naomi says that there were added sound effects- she moved a camera out the way to get to the door. She did not want to answer the questions, she was a guest of Nelson Mandela at the same time as Charles Taylor was a guest. Naomi does not want to put her family in danger by talking about Charles Taylor who has done some terrible things.

Oprah asks Naomi what in the moment is going on when she gets mad? Naomi says that she trusts her people 110% and when they do something against her… She threw the phone at her housekeeper, but she never had a jewel-encrusted Blackberry. She says that she sees red. It wasn’t about jeans, Naomi doesn’t remember what the housekeeper said. Naomi took responsibility for the actions and she feels shame. She knows that she has done wrong. Oprah asks again what it is that Naomi feels when she doesn’t get what she wants? Naomi sees red and acts out, she doesn’t see anything then. Immediately afterwards she feels ashamed and remorseful.

She says that she is disappointed by people she trusts, but Oprah points out that it is sometimes strangers. Naomi says that she has anger issues. Oprah asks if she is just a petulant diva who wants things her own way? Naomi says that it comes from a deeper place, a deeper kind of emotional disorder. It comes from an abandonment issue and trying to build up a family around her that is not her real family. It’s not an excuse, she doesn’t have an excuse. It is not the person that she wants to be. She did her community service dressed as a supermodel, which was intentional. Naomi was working and doing a shoot. Her intention was not to turn it into a fashion shoot. She mopped the floor and cleaned offices and walls. She wore boots. She worked from 8-4 each day and it was humbling for her. It was humiliating for her but it was her own fault. Naomi says that she is in fashion and she likes clothes, she dressed for community service just like she dresses.

As one of the Big 6 models, Naomi Campbell had reached superstardom. No one knew that her recreational drug use had turned into a cocaine habit. Her lowest point was showing up at a photoshoot so wasted that she collapsed with wild sobs. In 1999 she checked into rehab. After 2 years of living as a recovering addict, a tabloid published photographs of her leaving a Narcotics Anonymous meeting. Naomi sued the tabloid and won, the crowd applaud. Bravo to you says Oprah. Naomi started cocaine when she was 24, she had always been against it. She did three jobs a day and she never needed a dealer, it was just handed to her. After Johnny Versace died in 1990, followed by many other friends passing away, she felt that she couldn’t keep up with the grief so she replaced it with drugs. Oprah repeats that sentiment. Naomi says that she turned up to do a job and she collapsed, she couldn’t stand. A friend of hers who is now a counselor took her to her house in Italy and left the number for a doctor. She called 10 minutes later. Naomi has been sober from drugs for 6 years and from alcohol for 1 1/2 years. The crowd applaud. Oprah asks if she is working on her anger management. Naomi says that she would not be held hostage to her past, after the cab driver said that she hit him. She doesn’t normally issue statements but this time she did.

She goes to meetings and therapy to try and deal with her anger issues. Her mom in the audience says that it has been hard to watch Naomi’s dramas unfold. Her mom was 19 when she had her child and she was a single mom. She left to give her daughter a better life to give her a private education. Looking back, she realized that material possessions are not all that a child needs. Oprah says that many mothers make this mistake that material things are not the answer. What every child wants is her mother. Naomi cries and Oprah calls for a Kleenex and says that they’ll go to break.

Oprah wants to say that Naomi Campbell went into the ugly cry. Naomi says that she understands the sacrifice that her mom made. She says that she is striving to be a better person and to find peace. The crowd applaud. Oprah says that Maya Angelou has a wonderful phrase that she herself has adopted- “when you know better, you do better.” Oprah says that we are all a work in progress. Oprah says that from the outside Naomi’s life looks extraordinary, but that she needs to spend more time on the internal world. Naomi says that rehabilitation allowed her to spend a month just on herself, which she has never done. Oprah says that it is a daily work. Naomi says that it is a surrender, and that she is religious and spiritual person. When she lets go of the cards and lets them fall, things are much calmer.

Oprah wants to talk about the men in Naomi’s life. Naomi says that sometimes she only has to stand next to someone to be linked to them. Oprah asks if she has ever dated a poor man. Yes, a working class man like herself, she says. A man in the arts she says. Naomi says that she is in a fame circle and you see the same people over and over. Oprah talked with Bono about how men become like putty around Naomi. He said that she has the perfectly proportioned body. Naomi likes men to wear the pants and be strong. She has been independent for a long time and likes strong men. Vlad wears the pants in their relationship. She says that dating rich and famous men is very private, almost not going out the house, she would never admit to the relationship, would protect their privacy and would never bad-mouth them, ever. She is on good terms with all her exes, Robert and Vlad have met.

Oprah asks if she sees her beauty, she says no but she recognizes that she was born with good bones. She thanks her mom. Naomi says that she needs to look as good on the inside as she does on the outside. After doing all the shows, suddenly everyone has gone and it’s an empty feeling.

Naomi now calls Moscow her home. She lives in Moscow, one of her favorite cities. She shows Red Square to the camera crew. 5 brides in 7 minutes, no 8, no 9 brides in a few minutes. She is helping put new designers on the map and she has been working with Russian Vogue. Naomi relaxes in a traditional Russian bathhouse. She has found love with a real estate mogul, Vladimir. Oprah says that Naomi’s boyfriend looks like Bond. They met in Cannes two years ago. Vladimir has been separated from his wife for ten years, Naomi gets on well with his daughter. Wow, says Oprah. They go skiing, Naomi has just learned, and she has also just learned to swim. She says that she couldn’t float. Oprah says that she feels so bad for Naomi that she didn’t have enough body fat to float. Now Naomi has learned how to swim. Since she met Vlad she has been working out and paying attention to her diet. She like to do Gyrotonics which is elongating not bulking. She does a master cleanse three times a year. She did it once for 18 days. She “does the rope,”skipping.

Naomi fulfilled her childhood dream at the Bolshoi Ballet Company. She gets to go on the stage, which is a huge deal. When she was 3 all she wanted to do was be a ballet dancer. In England she was always told that she was too tall. She dances on the stage. She then joins an elite Bolshoi ballet class. She is nervous and finds it overwhelming and jittery. She cries outside. She had a big fear of going back to class, but she never had the guts to do it. It was a big fear for her. It was her childhood dream.

She tells Oprah it felt so amazing, and she thanks Oprah. Oprah thanks Naomi for coming and sharing. Naomi has agreed to sign the No Phone Zone, Oprah tells her to be careful and that she will also get a special pledge, the No Phone Throw Zone. Oprah says that at 40 you become who you are meant to be and that Naomi is too pretty for what is on the inside to not match what is on the outside.

WHAT WE LEARNED TODAY:

Naomi Campbell has some anger issues.

But she’s very beautiful.

She gets angry when those close to her betray her. It makes her see red.

She also sees red when strangers annoy her.

She says she once dated a man who is working class, just like herself.

A VERY QUICK SUMMARY:

Naomi Campbell is beautiful yet angry person who is striving to be better and to find peace.

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