Archive for category Entertainment

Date: January 29th, 2010
File Under: Celebrity, Entertainment, Public Service Announcement

Episode 16: Happy Birthday Oprah! Fridays LIVE

Happy Birthday Oprah! Live in Chicago and it’s Oprah’s birthday and it is the birthday of 101 people in the audience. Happy Birthday to all you Aquarians, they are wonderful people. Kayla is the youngest at 16, she is about to get her driver’s license and has taken the no-driving-phone pledge. Betty is the oldest birthday girl, she is 101. She attributes her success in life to a little scotch every now and then. Her son Freddy is here and it’s his birthday- he is 79 today. That’s incredible. Michelle is 31, she came all the way from Sydney Australia. Everyone says g’day to Michelle. Oprah says that everyone is asking her what she’s doing for her birthday; she’s doing the show for her birthday. She decided to get herself two birthday babies- in come 2 springer spaniels. They are 14 week old puppies, Sunny and Lauren. Oprah always thought her next dog would be called Lauren, so this was fate. They come from Paws, a no-kill shelter in Chicago. Oprah was nervous about getting puppies then a friend suggested that she gets help. Neutering your animal extends the length of their life, and makes them more social. The puppies have a brother, but Stedman said that three would be too much. Nancy, a good friend, who also has a birthday today, is about to get the other puppy- out comes her baby boy. She loves him already. Oprah makes her solemnly swaer to love and cherish and feed the little peanut for the rest of his life. The puppies will go back to the shelter for three more days to get their vaccinations, then they’ll go home. There are many no-kill shelters across the US, there is a list on Oprah.com. Happy Birthday everybody.

Oprah is sharing her birthday with 100 other people born on January 29th. Up in The Air is such a fantastic movie, George Clooney was so George Clooney. The movie reflects what is going on In America right now, it’s about job loss, disconnection and tough economic times, wrapped into a clever entertaining package. George Clooney stars as Ryan Bingham, a man who makes his living traveling across the country firing people. Director Jason Reitman, who was nominated for an Oscar for Juno, does a great job of capturing how people react when they lose their jobs. To capture the anguish of the 15 million people who are unemployed, Jason cast some real live people who had just lost their jobs in the movie. Wow.

This is Jason Reitman’s thrd movie, he is being called brilliant, sophisticated, original… he likes those adjectives, thank you. Oprah asks if he’s enjoying the ride- of course. He’s made personal films, each a story that he wants to tell, all from his heart. It is very fulfilling to do these films so early in his career. He’s wanted to do movies his whole life. At the Toronto Film Festival, Jason says that no one was looking at George Clooney becasue Oprah was in the room. Oprah denies this. Oprah marvels that Jason wrote and directed this film- he started writing it 7 years ago. She asks how he knew, if he had a premonition. He was adapting a novel by Walter Curran and he thought he was making a movie about a single man, but over the course of writing it the world changed. He changed too, he became a husband and father, which had an enormous impact on the character. The economy went from an ecomonic boom to the worst recession on record, and the film began to reflect that. Two weeks ago Jason won a Golden Globe for the best screenplay and he gave the sweetest acceptance speech saying that George was one of the greatest men he’s ever met, his wife is the fuel to his creative fire to write women, and to his mother and father for making him the man and the storyteller he is. He worked with his Dad in the film and hopes to do that again. Oprah happens to be friends with Jason’s parents, and says she can only imagine what this means to his parents. His father is the legendary producer and director Ivan Reitman, the man behind Ghostbusters and Animal House and many other defining comedies of our time. Working together was wonderful and unusual- you have to fgure out the new dynamic and seperate the father-son conversations from producer-director conversations; sometimes the two crossed. Previously, as a pre-med student- he was scared of being a director- the presumption is if you are the son of a famous director that you usually have a drug problem and no talent. He figured he’d fail on a big, public level and if he found success he’d be in his father’s shadow for his whole life. He chose medicine because no-one questions why you want to become a doctor. His father visited him and told him that being scared isn’t a reason to do anything. He persuaded Jason to go back to LA and pursue storytelling. In doing so he became the first Jewish father ever to say don’t be a doctor, be a film director.

Jason does like the title Director- it felt great the first time he was introduced as that. Oprah thought it was a brilliant touch to cast real life unemployed people in he movie. Three of the people in the movie are in the audience. The Chuck-e-Cheese line was said by Lamorris, he made up his own lines because he’d just been laid off. Jason recognised early on that he didn’t have the life experience to get this authenticity. They reached out to people who’d just lost their jobs in the Detroit / St Louis area where they were filming. They’d interview them for a few minutes then fire them on air so the person could say what they had said when they got fired, or what they’d wished they’d said on camera. Oprah asks if it was validating? They all say yes. Marlene was fired by letter after 27 years – she was lost, numb, going through the motions. After you process the news, you realise that your life changes in a day. It happened a week after the movie was being filmed at the airport. Arthur says he was a model employee, he had perfect attendance, and got along with everybody- he went through a double shocker. He believes Jason is a genius and he felt less like he was alone, this was a solid validation of the experience. He feels vindicated and appreciated. The world needs more Jason Reitmans and Oprah, people who care. When seeing the film, Arthur thought it was an opportunity for the world to see what he went through. This is more than a movie, it’s like a slice of reality at its best. Jason is embarrassed. He says it is a movie that is dramatic and comedic and is a mirror to George Clooney and a mirror to America. You’ll recognise what it is like to be a middle age person having a crisis, and you get to see George Clooney fall in love, which is nice. Oprah asks if it was shocking when Clooney came to the door? Jason says he wasn’t shocked because he wrote it, he saw it coming.

Jason thanks the three unemployed people for making his film real, for saying things he couldn’t write, for helping to make a film he couldn’t have made without them. The Chuck e Cheese line was heartbreaking and real, he would never have written it. They gave the actors a run for their money and changed his film. He thanks them. Oprah says everyone should go see the film, to appreciate it and be entertained.

Oprah is going to do everything she can to stop people texting and talking on the phone when driving because it is stupid. She has everything she needs for her birthday, what she wants is for the country to shift like we did with buckling up and designated drivers. Just yesterday, Oprah had an in-your-face intervention with an audience member. Two audience members got into bad accidents texting, two totalled cars. Driving at 50 mph and texting; neither driver has done it since. One of the girl’s friends, Sarah, is addicted to her phone. Oprah tells her the way the universe works is this- first you get a a whisper, then a tap on your head, then a brick, then a brick wall. This is Sarah’s brick wall. She says the fact that Sarah is here and the people next to her got into accidents, means that Oprah would be very very frightened if she was her. She can’t get it any stronger, Oprah is in Sarah’s face. The producers follow Sarah home. Interviewed after the show, she says Oprah is a nice person but the confrontation was tough. They followed her home and had her watch the texting while driving show. She was shocked and heartbroken. The tragic real-life stories gave her alot to think about. The program made the thought a reality. Sarah is in the audience again 24 hours later. It has sunk in, she is lucky and grateful that she has not had an accident yet. She goes on stage and signs the pledge. 266 people in the audience signed the pledge today. Sarah will keep her phone in her purse in the back seat of the car.

The headline in USA Today on Monday, was that the states go after texting drivers- bus and truck drivers are now prohibited from texting while driving, bravo. Apparently the Oprah Show spoke to the Secretary of transport personally who said he signed the pledge at Oprah.com. Ali Wentworth, from the Oprah Winfrey Show admits she sometimes texts and always talks while driving. She pledges to make her car a no-phone zone. In footage, we see her put her phone in a tiny bed in the back of her Lexus and drive away. She’d usually check emails at stop lights- she says she is sweating a little and feels uncomfortable and wants cheese fries. But she works through it and shouts at texting drivers through a megaphone. She films people texting, people say they will stop and sign the pledge. Some say they are not texting but using GPS or saving a phone number. Ali is standing by, Oprah says it is difficult at first, it’s like breaking an addiction.

Ali is in DC and joins the show via Skype. Ali has not slipped in the last three days- a tip she recommends is to tell your children that they can scream if they see you pick up the phone. It works; she slipped up once and lost the hearing in her right ear. She wishes everyone a happy birthday and says she is excited that she and Oprah are now the same age. She holds up a piece of paper with the number 28 written on it. Everyone laughs. She has presents for the puppies, they are excellent collars from the store Bling for your Bitch. Oprah and Sarah talk about giving up using your phone in the car is like an addiction, Ali likens giving up her phone in the car to quitting smoking- she says listening to satellite radio or a book on tape can make the car time work for you.

Hugh Jackman sings Happy Birthday for Oprah on video. Oprah holds a puppy and stands with the audience. All the audience is getting a free 2-night stay in a Hilton hotel anywhere in the world. The audience go wild and a cake is wheeled in with all the birthday names on it. Have a great day everybody and remember Oprah’s birthday wish; make your car a no-phone zone and take the pledge on Oprah.com

WHAT WE LEARNED TODAY:

When you have everything you ever could wish for, two puppies and a mission to make the world a safer place will suffice for birthday presents.

Up In The Air is a dramatic, comedic, brilliant film mirroring both our times and George Clooney.

Texting while driving is still stupid, and Oprah is not afraid to get in the face of any offender.

Giving up using your phone is not unlike withdrawal from an addiction.

Hugh Jackman will have a glass of red wine in Oprah’s honor tonight.

A VERY QUICK SUMMARY:

Oprah’s birthday wish: sign the no-phone car-zone pledge, and get a puppy from a no-kill shelter.

Date: January 28th, 2010
File Under: Celebrity, Entertainment

Episode 15: Jay Leno: The Tonight Show Fiasco

Oprah goes to talk to Jay Leno. The late night controversy- Jay versus Conan has polarised America. It all started 5 years ago when Jay says NBC asked him to give up his#1 rated show, to make room for Conan O’Brien to become host in 2009. Last May, Jay passed the show as planned, and NBC decided to keep Jay on the air and gave him the 10pm slot as the Jay Leno Show. When ratings slid for both shows, rumour had it that NBC was going to let the Jay Leno Show go, but then they came up wth a new plan. Move Jay to 11.35pm for a half hour show and move Conan’s hour to 12.05am. Jay accepted the offer and the war of the words began. In the end, Conan turned down the deal and took a $45 million buyout. Conan left last Friday and Jay is back to the Tonight Show as of March 1st.

Oprah asks Jay to go back 5 years, to when Jay was asked to leave the Tonight Show. He was in his office, when a network executive came and asked him to leave in 5 years to make way for Conan, the upcoming star. There had been no discussion of passing over the show. As the #1 rated show, Jay did not think that he would be moved on. It broke Jay’s heart- this was the job that he’d always wanted and it was the only job that mattered to him. NBC wanted to announce it immediately- Jay Leno wanted the announcement to wait until they dropped to #2 at least. Conan’s contract was up and NBC didn’t want to loose him, so they wanted to move Jay on. Jay was devastated, the show was a tremendous success. Oprah asks what he planned to do in 2009? He says he told a white lie and said he’d retire, but he assumed that something else would turn up. The fly in the ointment was that they were #1 right until the day he went off the air. NBC made him leave 7 months before the contract was up so that he could not go elsewhere. He also had 175 people who worked for him. The best way to keep things smooth was the 10pm prime time idea, which NBC came up with in fall 2008- they had all the graphs and charts. Jay asked to keep his own staff, and NBC agreed. His option was to move to prime-time rather than move to another network. He knows his way around NBC and moving wasn’t appealing.

He feels messed around by NBC executives but he did it because it was an interesting challenge. Paradise is the ability to know you’re in it before you’re cast out of it- Jay feels that in both in his work and his marriage. They had a lot of great staff, it was a wonderful experience. Saying goodbye on the last night was tough. It was fun to watch his staff who all started out young and single, get married and have kids and that’s why they brought out the 65 kids on the stage. This was a family, a real one.

Last Friday night Conan left the Tonight Show after 7 short months and Jay Leno is going back to his old job. Americans are taking this seriously. Some are calling Jay selfish, and some are saying Conan can’t cut it. Jay thought Conan could do the show well, they were friends, this is a network decision. Only 6 or so people know how this feels, so you can only talk to them about it. Jay wished him well. Going to the prime time show did sort of make up for losing the Tonight Show, although it was unchartered territory. Late night he’d go up against Dave every night- if Oprah was on he knew that Dave would get the ratings, but otherwise Jay would get the viewers. But to book against the CSI evil twin episode, was very hard. Other networks wanted them to fail so kept their stars away . It made it more difficult certainly. After his first night he was heralded as the future of television, yet 4 months later he was called TV’s biggest bomb. Jay thinks the show failed beause it was a late night talk show on at 10 o’clock. His ego wasn’t bruised but he felt bad for everyone on the show and for the affiliates. The odd thing was it made money for the network, but not the affiliates. Many people say that Jay being on prime time 5 nights a week took away jobs from millions. He hadn’t realised that until he was on the air. Jay says he was given enough time to build an audience. It is a TV show that got cancelled, and Jay is surprised that there is so much attention. He found it ludicrous that he’s been in the newspapers almost daily for the last 6 months about this, not an actual scandal. Oprah finds it fascinating that America has taken sides in this and alot of people are not on Leno’s side. They think he has been selfish and taken the job from Conan. Jay says it all comes down to numbers. This is the perfect storm of bad things happening. Taking two hit shows and moving them both, what were the chances of them both doing badly? People think Leno pulled strings to make this happen. Jay’s show ratings were down 14% and Conan’s were down 49%. Leno wasn’t allowed out of his contract, despite being fired twice he was considered an asset. This time he was fired for poor ratings which Leno finds acceptable. They fired him and offered him half an hour and Conan on later for an hour. He said ok to 11.30-12.00. NBC were 75% sure Conan would agree. Oprah asks if he wanted to call Conan- Jay says that it wasn’t his place to call Conan. Next thing you know Conan’s article was in the paper, and that was that. Conan said he did not want to take the hour at 12.05. But then it got ugly.

Leno has made a living making jokes of other people during their hard times. However, he feels he was sucker-punched by Jimmy Kimmel- he didn’t know Jimmy was going to make jokes about Leno only having cars and $800 million, while Conan and Jimmy have kids. He hasn’t yet called Conan, he may when things calm down. He hasn’t been hurt by the jokes, it’s what they do. Like a fighter saying punches hurt- you can’t complain because it’s what you do. It all comes down to your conscience, a guilty conscience makes you feel bad and he never felt that. Oprah asks if he ever at any time considered that he was taking away Conan’s dream by going back? No, because this was an affiliate decision, this was the first time in 60 years that the Tonight Show would lose money. It was a matter of dollars and sense. If the numbers had been there it wouldn’t have been an issue. And they only asked him to come back when Conan turned back moving the show back an hour. Oprah asked if no part of him thought enough already, I’ve already done it? Leno says he and Oprah will go down together, they will both work forever. She is making her decision that the Oprah Winfrey Show is done after 25 years. Leno says he believes that she believes it. She asks who he is without a television show that he’s done for 17 years. He says he lives on the money he makes as a stand-up comedian. He considers himself a stand up comedian because TV is so volatile that you never know if you have a job. His TV money he banks and he has a small foundation.

Do you feel any personal responsibility for Conan’s disappointment? No it had nothing to do with Leno. There’s always someone waiting in the wings. He thinks very much about rebuilding his audience at the Tonight Show, he’ll do it by doing the work and servicing the audience. If a joke works all over the US, then it will work on TV. There is a fine balance. Oprah asks if they lost that balance. Even his audience was a little shocked when he made a crack at Letterman’s infidelity. Oprah thought it was beneath him. He thought one cheap shot deserves another. He does feel portrayed as the bad guy, which he feels is unfair. He says he is being likened to Roman Polanski, which is unfair. He hopes Conan gets a job elsewhere and the best man wins. Does his gut ever say that he should say no to the offers of going back? No. Although when he wanted to be out of his contract he would have taken his show elsewhere. He is looking forward to starting again on March 1st and rebuilding his audience. He does not feel responsible for Conan’s happiness. Anything that NBC did would have been better than this, from 2004 onwards this was a huge mess. Oprah asked what he expected? To cut the prime time show down to 2 or 3 nights a week would have been a solution. The Jay Leno Show took the focus of the stories about ratings; when they got cancelled the Tonight Show’s Ratings were under the radar.

They play Conan’s leaving speech saying that amazing things happen if you work hard and you’re kind and not cynical. Jay watched it and thinks he’s a good guy and a good comedian. Going back may be humbling, there is alot of work to be done,some damage control, and he should not be bitter or angry. Oprah asks if Leno was embarrassed – yes, it’s hugely embarrassing. How does his broken heart show itself to him? Does he go for a ride in one of his cars? He always thought he was doing the right thing, and yet so many people are upset,. Who wouldn’t have done what he did? Maybe he’s not a good guy, he thinks he’s a good guy. He asked himself daily if he was being selfish, and his answer is he doesn’t think so. He thinks celebrities will come on his show, why would they refuse? Oprah says they are taking sides. He will work hard and try to be #1 again, it is like a marathon when you do the best you can. The experience has changed him becasue he can understand celebrities having rugh times.

Oprah wanted to do the interview because she thinks people don’t understand the way TV works. She could understand people calling Leno selfish if Leno owned the show, but he couldn’t steal the show because it wasn’t his to steal. He doesn’t want to own the show like he doesn’t want to be a landlord. He likes to be well-paid employee.

80,000 viewers replied to the Oprah.com Jay vs Conan show poll, and 96% are on Conan’s side and 94% thought Jay shouldn’t go back to the Tonight Show. Oprah is surprised that so many people feel this way, that Jay stole Conan’s dream. Being retired seemed selfish to Jay- 175 people at work would all have to fend for themselves. As a team effort, as long as he’s working, they are working. Selfish, maybe, but the minute you can’t do the job, you get the tap on the shoulder to leave. He felt bad for Conan but he didn’t feel he was the reason, the reasons were the ratings. He has regrets but doesn’t know what he would do differently. Oprah says he could have walked away. Jay says that’s the ego decision, to leave everyone hanging. Oprah asks that he could have taken two years of money for him and his staff like Conan did. Jay says he could have done that, but he made a different decision. He would love to have Conan on his show, Conan will hopefully get a job on Fox or something and they’ll all compete again.

Back in the studio, Oprah has a cold and is sucking on a cough drop. Oprah thanks Jay. The Oprah show reached out but Conan’s people said it wasn’t the time for him to be on the Oprah Show. They will redo the poll on Oprah.com, and please take the no-phone pledge when you are online.

WHAT WE LEARNED TODAY:

Paradise is the ability to know you’re in it before you’re cast out of it

It is a TV show that got cancelled, and even Jay Leno is surprised that there has been so much attention paid to the matter.

Ultimately television is all about the ratings.

Jay Leno does not feel responsible for taking away Conan O’Brien’s dream

Maybe Leno is not a good guy, but he thinks he’s a good guy.

A VERY QUICK SUMMARY:

Jay Leno does not feel responsible for Conan’s disappointment; TV is ultimately all about the ratings

Date: January 25th, 2010
File Under: Celebrity, Entertainment, Family, Marriage, Relationships
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Episode 12: Rosie O’Donnell: Life After The Breakup and Her New Love

It’s been a long time since the Oprah Winfrey Show has heard from Rosie, come on out. They hug. Oprah admires her hair, and Rosie says she had to do the menopause cut at the back… she cut the underneath of her hair to avoid the thick-hair-sweat issue. They are both angry that no-one told them about menopause, about how it would be- Rosie hit menopause at 41, Oprah at 50. Suzanne Sommers called Rosie after seeing her on the show and advised her to take bio-identical hormones, and it changed her whole life. She doesn’t do everything Suzanne does, not 7 million pills and a shot in the vajayjay- Rosie takes a prescription cream. For a while she had a brillo moustache from the progesterone- she became The Lunch Lady, who didn’t remove it because she couldn’t see it. She feels alot better and younger now- Oprah interrupts to say that’s a topic for a whole new show.

It’s been 13 years since she was last on the show, but she did call Oprah once at 2 in the morning, crying after Columbine saying that they have to form a union to save the children of the world. Oprah was so good, telling her to breathe. Oprah realised that that tragedy affected different people in different ways. Rosie says when she first started her show she had a delusion of fame that the power of fame could stop bad things from happening- she felt she could get the other superhero media women together to change things, to make the world a better place. Rosie says that Oprah plays a central role in the movie of Rosie’s life, but Oprah doesn’t realise that she’s cast in it.

Oprah asks where Rosie has been the last couple of years, and Rosie says she’s been at home trying to figure out what to do with the second part of her life. Her mother died at age 40, so Rosie spent her whole life thinking she would only live to be 40. Her goal was to do everything she could by 40 then retire and wait to be told she was going to die. And yet every year her mammogram is clear. Rosie got divorced, although she and Kelly were in the first group to be married and it was annulled so they didn’t need a divorce as such. Rosie says that a lesbian divorce is a different paprdigm- the emotional connection remains. Every woman but one of Rosie’s past relationships is still in her life. They prioritise looking after the kids, they are the focus, that is what it is about. Oprah asks why they broke up. Rosie says that what they wanted and and needed at 30/ 35 and 40/ 45 changed. They did not grow apart, they both came back to being their authentic selves. When they met they were very wrapped up in their careers, and fame. For the last two years, she was at home painting and spending alot of time alone. She took her show as a job, with the aim of being at home with her children. She finds it impossible that fame doesn’t corrupt people, it is a toxic drug. Oprah agrees that it is a drug, but says that she hasn’t been drugged by it. Rosie didn’t realise until she was done with her show. She did alot of charity work, and her son asked why she didn’t stay home and take care of them instead of running out to compulsively raise money for charity. Oprah says that in the last 5 years, fame has become an obsession. Rosie agrees that as a nation we have become obsessed with fame, so that trivial news such as who she’s dating can be a headline on CNN.

Video footage shows Rosie’s guesthouse in New York state, where she has made a radio studio, The best part of her gig is that she can wear pajamas. She does a radio show with her kids. Back in the studio, Oprah says Rosie has a new radio show and an HBO documentary about families. Oprah asks what she has learned from her kids now, the oldest of whom is 14. Rosie said she has had to learn alot lately, especially with the idea of co-parenting, Her whole life she has wanted to be a mother, a full-time mother. They co-parent and spend equal time together with the kids. The kids are free-flowing, some are always here and there. Kelly lives close by, but not quite in the same town. One night when she was crying, her son said calm down mom, I’ll always be your son, no matter where I am. Rosie always wanted to be a family with a mom who stayed. She could do the things she could only dream of as a child- provide matching socks, clean underwear. She was raised with love, compassion and grace by a community of women with no blood relation- the neighbor women. Sadly her mother’s death was never talked about- Rosie never said out loud that her mother died until she was at college. Oprah is sure that affected her – Rosie says she’s almost annoying to her kids by asking what are you feeling? Should we talk? She wants her kids to remember that family is forever, change is inevitable and you can always survive it, that you can survive unexpected huge challenges. She hopes to teach them by doing it herself; that there is always something new in the future and you don’t now what that might be, but it has the potential for tremendous joy and to remember what was without the pain of what it is not now.

Despite the divorce, they do all the monumental events together- first day at school, the red carpet… The documentary is about family, and truth is what works for her and her family. She has been working for the last 2 years on “A Family is a Family, is a Family: A Rosie O’Donnell Celebration of Love”, an HBO documentary. They play an extract from the documentary, Rosie is talking with her daughter, about how a family is forever and family is love. Oprah asks why Rosie wanted to make that documentary? She says that she had been a rolemodel for the gay/ lesbian community, and she wanted to be honest in this documentary- gay families are just like other families, and divorce happens. It’s been the most painful experience of her adult life.

Rosie started in stand-up, then became most famous in her 6 year stint hosting the Rosie O’Donnell Show starting in 1996 , where she got 11 Emmy’s. She quit to spend more time with her family, then in 2006 returned to daytime television as a co-host on The View. Ratings soared and so did the controversy. It all came to a head with a heated political debate with co-host Elizabeth Hasselback. They’d had a friendship and it didn’t ring true. Rosie decided she’d had enough. Rosie asked Elizabeth how she felt about her comrades on Fox, where Hasselback is a commentator, calling Rosie un-American and saying she didn’t care about the troops. Elizabeth said she wasn’t going to defend her. Rosie said they were friends, and that Elizabeth had been to her house, and that what viewers saw were her hurt feelings and betrayal. Oprah asks if that’s why she didn’t come back- Rosie says that the producers had pre-prepared a split-screen. Rosie knew that and felt that she had been manipulated. She doesn’t feel that the best use of her talent is arguing and fighting. Living legend Barbara Walters was the person who’s show it was, it was not Rosie’s show. They play a clip of Barbara Walter’s on the Oprah Show, saying Rosie is loving and wonderful but had a moment of pure rage in the dressing room once that she didn’t want to talk about.

Oprah had read in Rosie’s Book, Celebrity Detox, about the incident. Rosie had made fun of Donald Trump’s hair. Oprah reads from the book saying that if Rosie stands up after a confrontation, it is because her rage is too big for her body. Rosie says she stood up, said a lot of terrible things and regretfully she says she scared Barbara Walters. Rosie regrets that moment because no one speaks to Barbara that way. They liken Walters to the queen; Oprah says she is the queen. Rosie was demanding an emotional connection.They think that maybe Rosie was projecting stuff onto her; Rosie says she didn’t think Barbara was her mother, but anyone in that age range, she has reverence for. Rosie was hurt because she felt Barbara should have come to her defense and she didn’t. Rosie tries to teach her children, her 12 year old, what are you feeling? She tries to show her children what their feelings are. If she had been braver, at that moment she would have just cried. Oprah says that is so interesting- when crying is so often perceived as the weak thing to do, why does Rosie say it would be braver? Because it would have been authentic, the true feeling . Rosie’s armour is to stand up and shout. She did go home and cried, alot. Kelly would say to her that she has to get her feelings under control. She is lucky that in her business she can express those emotions but sometimes she gets overwhelmed. Oprah asks how it healed her, the process. Rosie says you get to face yourself over and over, that you evolve and at some point the stories have to change. There are so many stories; by telling the same one over and over you define yourself in the past. What has healed Rosie is a willingness to step out of her history and into her present. Now she can live more authentically, she can speak without putting her guard up.

Rosie’s video blog has quite a following. That’s how she met Tracy- she wrote on the blog asking if she wanted to trade art. Rosie looked her up, she’s an artist and a single lesbian mom of 6 – 5 adopted from foster care and 1 she birthed with down syndrome. She’s a doula, surfer, gardener, recycler, works for gay foster care rights… Rosie wrote to her and asked if she was for real or a joke. She was the perfect match for Rosie’s wants. Her big heart appealed to Rosie. Rosie invited her to Miami, she didn’t even know if it was a date. They had never spoken, nor had she seen her. Tracy got out of the car and Rosie said zoinks, because she is absolutely gorgeous. They are moving to live together, they are going to blend the families. Rosie says her kids know her. When she told her oldest about Tracy, he said it sounds pretty perfect. Rosie is very happy, and it’s not that Kelly made her unhappy, it’s just that they wanted different things at different times.

Oprah asks her to reveal something that she’s never revealed. Rosie says that’s hard, that she tends to tell everything, almost too much- in her book she says she told how she used to self-injure as a child. That’s a tough thing to say, but a important one. She understands how you feel the need to make a physical pain to override the emotional pain. Right now, her secret, she is not wearing underpants.

Oprah asks if Rosie has healed some of the rage? Yes, but it took a long time and self acceptance and understanding that you can choose to see the glass as half empty or half full. Whenever she teaches that lesson to her kids, she relearns it for herself. Oprah advises every family to watch the family documentary on HBO on January 31st. Oprah and Rosie both have a radio series on Sirius FM; Rosie bought a Sirius radio or everyone in the audience. The audience go wild. Goodbye everybody.

WHAT WE LEARNED TODAY:

Menopausal hot-sweat discomfort for those with thick hair can be eased with the right haircut.

Fame corrupts. Fame is a toxic drug.

Family is forever, change is inevitable and you can always survive it, you can survive unexpected huge challenges

There is always something new in the future and you don’t know now what that might be, but it has the potential for tremendous joy, without the pain of the present.

Crying is not weak; it is brave, authentic and true.

A VERY QUICK SUMMARY:

What has healed Rosie is a willingness to step out of her history and into her present

Date: January 19th, 2010
File Under: Entertainment
1 comment

Episode 8: Big Breaks with Adam Lambert and Susan Boyle

Susan Boyle is on the wildest ride of her life. Last year she went from total obscurity- she worked as a volunteer in a church in Scotland- to become an international singing sensation, virtually overnight. In 2009, in three minutes on British TV, Susan reminded us to not judge a book by its cover. Raised in Blackburn, a small town in Scotland, Susan was deprived of oxygen at birth- her parents were told not to expect much from their youngest of nine children. She had a slight disability and found making friends hard. She couldn’t trust anyone and people made fun of her. Singing was her only solace. All she wanted to do was sing but when her mother died in 2007, Susan lost her will to sing. She said that she knew her mother wanted her to do something with her life, she just didn’t know it was the TV show until she saw it. Susan found the courage to interview for Britain’s Got Talent.

Simon Cowell said hitting the chorus changed Susan’s life forever. Piers Morgan was flabbergasted. They gave her three yesses. Her new album, I Dreamed a Dream has been on the number 1 spot for 6 weeks in a row. It is the biggest female debut of all time. A member of the audience, a British Susan, a 40+ lady cries. She says Susan inspires us to keep going, inspires all the the 40+ Susans to hit their best spots. Tera says she’s such a positive force, that when she hears Susan’s voice, her heart beats faster because it touches her so deeply. Susan comes onstage and sings a song off her new album. The crowd go wild, Oprah says it’s fantastic.

Oprah sits down with Susan Boyle. Oprah recounts the story of Susan’s success- 120 million hits on You Tube, the most watched video of 2009, her album has sold 8 million copies to date. January 21st 2009 was when she did the first audition. Before the audition, she had a mundane, routine life. But after she got recognised in the street, and she was taken more seriously as a professional singer. Oprah asks if she likes her new look better, now that she has people doing her hair and her makeup and her earings and someone steaming her dress earlier that day? Susan says she likes her new look, says she scrubs up well and looks more professional. Susan says she is an example that dreams can come true. When she didn’t win Britain’s Got Talent, there was a huge upset. Her friend says Susan couldn’t cope with the paparazzi, after she’d been the favorite to win for the entire season. Susan spent 3 days in The Priory. She hadn’t eaten or slept for over a week; she had total exhaustion. She says it’s a chapter in her life that is over now- she gets on with her life. She finds it amazing and humbling that so many people have taken the time and spent the money on her album. Susan does her little dance, her “Boyle wiggle”. She speaks of how she feels her mother’s presence right in the room. Her mother is the one that keeps her going. Oprah thanks Susan and tells us all to dream our dreams.

Please welcome Adam Lambert. He of course is going to sing later, but first- what a difference a year makes. Week after week, millions tuned in to American Idol to see Adam Lambert rocking unlike anything we had seen before. Growing up in San Diego, Adam learned that music was his speciality. Years of musical training set him up for professional success. Last May he came in second on American Idol, but you’d never know it. People magazine voted him the sexiest rocker of the year. He landed the cover of Rolling Stone where he confirmed that he is indeed gay.

In November a sexually charged performance on the American Music Awards sent shockwaves through the country, resulting in a cancellation of several TV appearances. Grabbing himself and kissing another man upset a lot of people. Adam says he would do the same again, but he would sing it better and do it in the dress rehearsal. He says he sat with it, and he understands why people took offence. The boys on the leashes was set, the kissing and grabbing was not planned. Oprah asked if something came over him and he decided to just kiss someone. He said he got taken over by the risky/ risque lyrics.

His life is surreal. A year ago he was doing musicals, singing in 8 shows a week. He was bored, he “kinda asked for something to happen” to change it. Oprah interrupts to ask about positive affirmation, about taking action and manifesting dreams, and asks who he asked for change. He says the universe. How did he ask? By positive projection. He didn’t expect it to be this huge- the universe came through for him. Oprah says she always says you dream the dream, you surrender it to God/ the universe and God can dream a bigger dream than you can dream, if you’re pure in the dream itself. She asks what he imagined. He says he asked for something to happen. He imagined it, visualised it. He auditioned for American Idol, but never thought he’d win. He got choked up when Simon called him a star. His biggest concern was that he was left of center- mixed with his theater background, he’s glad they took a chance on him.

He speaks about the media speculation about his sexuality. They wonder if there was ever any doubt? Adam says that photos of his ex and him kissing came out just before the show came out, and he was asked what he wanted to do by the American Idol staff. He said he wanted to own his behaviour but not be labelled by it. He didn’t want to be just the gay guy- which he says he is now. Oprah says he is known as the rocker Adam Lambert, not the gay part. Adam says he is often referred to as “Gay singer Adam Lambert” in the press. He hopes to be firstly the singer, not the gay part. The gay label does not define him. Oprah says that his openness should pave the way for others to be exactly as they are.

This time last year, most people had never heard the name Adam Lambert- here’s a glimpse inside his new life. Years before, he performed at Pantages in Hollywood in the musical ensemble in Wicked. The biggest change is the fact that he is recognized everywhere. He is financially stable and doing what he loves. He helped his mom out and rents a house, which he loves. He says he eats and shops, that’s his life. On Melrose Place he shops at a rocker store. The paparazzi are interesting- sometimes they are mellow, and sometimes very competitive which can be a little intense. The possibilities for his life are endless- maybe a film in the future, maybe more theater, more singing.

He had a realisation a couple of summers ago that he is living the life he is meant to live- he believes we are all meant to do something with our lives, and he is here to entertain us. Singing is what he does. He met Madonna for 5 minutes, he was super-starstruck, his heart was racing. He had a great conversation- his guitar player is Madonna’s guitar teacher. So he went over to the house, Madonna came in wearing yoga wear and no makeup. Adam had on a suit and tie. Madonna’s presence is very intense, she was checking him out. He says his first words were “Oh my God!” and then apologised and said he feels intimated because he loves her. Madonna asked if love for him equals intimidation. Oprah says that is very Madonna. They talked about celebrity- she said he should keep his eye on the prize and not be sidetracked. He should put his blinkers on.

His new year resolution is to live in the moment more and enjoy himself. Oprah asks if he’s experienced those moments where he feels lonely despite his success. He says yes, it can be lonely because his life is so hectic and crazy. When you’re finally alone, you really are alone. They agree that if they need to be “off”, they have to be at home. Oprah says she loves that he wants to be in the moment and enjoy it. He says there was a time when he was beating himself up about perfromanceas and appearances. But he has to have fun and live in the presence.

15 year old Jessica and her mom say they are Adam’s biggest fans. Filmed backstage last night, Adam says he has a big surprise for them. Upstairs, Sue and Jessica think they are here to be interviewed about their favorite star. During American Idol, they juggled 4 phones between them to vote for him. They start to sing one of his songs, and he comes up behind them singing the refrain. The mom leaps out her chair, they all hug. He has a suprise for them- 2 backstage passes for a private VIP soundcheck. Oprah says Adam is as delightful as she knew he would be. Sue and Jessica introduce Adam’s new song, Oprah and the crowd sing and dance. After the performance, Oprah hugs him and holds his hand.

Oprah asks what it feels like to perform like that- he says there is an adrenaline rush; it feels like everything is in synch. Oprah asks what he thinks of Simon’s resignation from American Idol. He says Simon will be missed- the honest criticism is essential. It makes people up their game. He believes Simon has excellent criticism generally, although he doesn’t like country music, for example. Adam believes ultimately we watch American Idol for the participants. They are both excited about Ellen, they will miss Paula, who brought the positive side to the show. Adam says that as a society we are obsessed by the negative, but as a performer the positive criticism is really important for your own growth and self-worth.

Thanks Adam, everyone in the audience is going home with Susan’s and Adam’s CD.

WHAT WE LEARNED TODAY:

Don’t judge a book by it’s cover

If you dream hard enough, your dreams will come true

Dream big and your possibilities are endless

Live in the moment and learn to enjoy it there

When you’re finally alone, you really are alone

A VERY QUICK SUMMARY:

Dream big, surrender your dream to God, he can dream bigger dreams for you, if your dreams are pure

Date: January 15th, 2010
File Under: Entertainment, Live your best life, Tragedy
1 comment

Episode 6: Oprah Fridays Live

Oprah is live in Chicago and is deeply saddened by the catastrophic loss in Haiti. CNN’s Anderson Cooper was one of the first journalists on the scene, he joins us now.

Anderson Cooper says that each day is its own kind of horror- there is desperation fear, frustration, and aftershocks- after which you hear people screaming and screaming. People can’t go back to their houses, so are crammed into public spaces like parks. Even seasoned journalists like Anderson Cooper have never seen anything like this. The hospitals and clinics are utterly overwhelmed- people are dying stupid unnecessary deaths which should not be happening. You can die of a broken leg with an open wound because there are no antibiotics which cost pennies. The cemetries are utterly overwhelmed, there is nowhere to put all the bodies. They are opening old crypts and shoving in bodies. The dead are just going to disappear, there are no photographs, no records. No one will know where there relatives are or where they can grieve.

Oprah says she heard a mass grave was dug for 7000 people; Anderson says he hadn’t seen that. He is trying to keep everything very factual, to only report what he or another CNN correspondent has actually seen as their is so much hysteria with so many rumors spreading. Oprah recounts some of the footage on the 360 show. He believes some people may still be trapped alive, and that every minute counts. There is essentially no government to rely on in Haiti- the international rescue workers are a remarkable sight. The heroes here are the Haitian people, everyone is banding together to dig through the rubble with their barehands. Oprah reiterates that this is unbelievable suffering for an already troubled people. The best thing to do is to step up and give to the Red Cross. Thanks to Anderson Cooper.

Last night Stedman and Oprah went to a movie theatre for the first time since Dances With Wolves. Wowee Kazowee, was Avatar the best thing. In four weeks Avatar is the highest grossing movie, after Titanic. Director James Cameron is the man behind the film, he is a visionary genius. Every second of this 3 hour film came from his own imagination. He had a team of 3000 people and 10000 computers. For four years they worked around the clock on this movie.

They say I see you in Na’vi. Oprah says this is a Sidney Poitier moment- when she was ten she saw him receive an Academy Award and Oprah thought if he can do that what can she do. She felt that way this morning. Oprah asks if he is spiritual and Cameron says he probably is. The environmental message and the sense that we are all connected is the basis for the film. Oprah says that all the energy and good karma of the film will come back to him- with lots of money- to do so much good in the world. This is the message Oprah sees over and over in her life; we all want to be seen, to be really seen, to be understood.

This movie connects with so many people, especially women – on opening night 78% of the audience were male; now it is split 50-50. The idea for the film came from his love of nature, which he has had since he was a child. As a scuba diver he became aware of nature’s imagination. The story communcicates with people, especially women. There’s a fine line between cliché and archetype. The writing came out in a gush. A botanist designed and labelled every plant, and a linguist made a language so that there is a common accent and a common language. Cameron only knows the lines in the movie, can’t say wowie kazowie in Na’vi.

Normally he can’t watch his movies, but with this one he can still marvel at the effects, the flying scenes, as he didn’t create them. Normally Oprah watches movies at Harpo studio, last night they actually went to a movie theatre. After doing this film, Cameron has a different view of trees. They both talk of mourning trees when they fall down. As the film makes money they will make a sequel. Oprah shows images of herself as an Avatar. She asks if he’s difficult to work with- he invites her to act in the next one and find out. He says he is intense and has energy- he only and works for 16-18 hours a day. He took a half day off with the swine flu. He did not nail cell phones to the wall, he says you have to use a screw gun otherwise it is too messy. His idea of fun is hanging out with the kids and playing lego, doing science projects, just hanging out with the family. Or going to the desert and playing on dirt bikes or going scuba diving. They are on cloud nine about the response to the film, it is a worldwide success. It may knock Titanic off the top spot. Oprah wishes him continued success and tells everyone to go see the movie.

Lady Gaga is the hottest thing in music. In 15 months: 8 million records sold, 6 Grammy nominations and the first artist in history to have 4 number 1 hits on her debut album. Here she is, Lady Gaga. Lady Gaga comes onstage with her troupe of dancers. The crowd stand and clap/ dance. The performance over, the crowd applaud. Born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, she had a strict Catholic upbringing, with a privileged NY background- Paris Hilton was her classmate. She likes being called Gaga. She can’t believe her life right now, she can’t believe all her fans, how lucky she is. She has always been a really creative visual person which not everyone knows. She wanted to paint herself blue but now Avatar came out. The name comes from Radio Gaga the Queen song. The first time she performed onstage, her father thought she was nuts. The shock art visual art performances have meaning, the VMA performance was about Diana and the media and Gaga’s relationship with Diana. Looking at her outfits she explains that they are all considered, they all have meaning; the Kermit dress speaks of how she doesn’t wear fur, meeting the Queen she wore a latex dress homage to the Queen.

She wakes up in the morning and spends the whole day planning creatively. Its all about being provocative, but being true to her vision. She spends the day arguing with the House of Gaga about what she wants to do. She says she should be able to bleed out on daytime TV if she wants. She says her work is about being true to herself and commenting on the crazy media-saturated world in which we live.
We see a backstage view of her life, her vision. All of the songs have an outfit to go with them. She show us the infamous disco bra she made herself. She says she dresses the same onstage and off. She is bossy and spends hours on the phone getting her dream show perfect. They do a prayer before the show which ends with “Joanne” her aunt who died whom she believes is on the stage with her every night.

Oprah says it looks like the most fun in the world but she was just talking to Gaga who was saying that her life is isolated, her friends are her fans. She is removed from the celebrity world. Gaga wants to say that there is Ghandi and there is Oprah, and Oprah is an amazing woman, and we really love her. We must remember that there is nothing more inportant than what is happening than Haiti. Gaga grew up in NY during 9/11 and always felt that people didn’t understand what young people were going through. All proceeds from the Monster Ball ticket sales on the 24th January and all merchandise sold on that day goes to help Haiti. Oprah’s job is to continue to talk about this in the coming weeks so we don’t forget the suffering.

Gaga is a secret foodie. Fried chicken this morning helped her find her soul, so she had a renewed soul to be on Oprah. Gaga wants people to free themselves, celebrate who they are and celebrate what they dislike about themselves. Be good to your parents, be good to yourself. she loves her fans and wants to look in their beautiful eyes. It’s about what makes you feel good. She has made some heartbeat headphones and everyone is going home with a pair of Lady Gaga headphones. Thanks everyone

WHAT WE LEARNED TODAY:

Every day since the earthquake in Haiti brings it’s own kind of horror

The heroes here are the people of Haiti

There is a fine line between cliché and archetype

Be provocative but true to your vision

Be good to your parents, be good to yourself, celebrate yourself

A VERY QUICK SUMMARY:

Be good to your parents, be good to yourself, celebrate yourself, go see Avatar