Oprah-related stories
Posted May 27th 2009 3:44PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: TV Squad Polls, Celebrities, Reality-Free
I'm not sure if people were given just a select group of celebrities to choose from or they were allowed to choose anyone they wanted, but a new
poll conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs says that more Americans would like to share a rental home with Kelly Ripa this summer than any other celebrity. After Ripa came the Obamas, then Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Oprah, Jon Stewart, and Stephen Colbert.
That would be a great reality show though:
Vacation Home. With those above guests? I'd watch that.
Posted May 25th 2009 5:03PM by Mike Moody
Filed under: Industry, Programming, Reality-Free
I know the Internet has been harsh on Twitter lately, what with Oprah signing up for an account and that stupid Ashton Kutcher vs. CNN thing. But it's time to prepare yourself for a whole new world of online Twitter bashing.
Why? Because
Twitter is coming to TV.
Creating a show based on the popular Web service isn't necessarily a bad idea. I'm sure someone could do something creative with it. But the people developing the upcoming Twitter TV show have other ideas. According to the AP, "The show would harness Twitter to put players on the trail of celebrities in an interactive, competitive format."
Ugh.
Really? Twitter is bringing us a celebrity stalking game show?
Continue reading Now Twitter has really jumped the shark
Posted May 11th 2009 11:03AM by Brad Trechak
Filed under: OpEd, Daytime, Celebrities, Talk Show, Reality-Free
It was a nice idea. Oprah
does a promotion for Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) involving their new grilled chicken offering. She mentions on her talk show that the chain is offering a free grilled chicken meal if you hand in a downloadable coupon available at
Oprah.com. Sadly, it
didn't turn out so well for the franchise.
Oprah's insane popularity caused about a bazillion people to download the free meal coupon. So many, in fact, that KFC wasn't ready to give out so much free grilled chicken and has now offered rainchecks for the existing coupons.
Continue reading KFC and the power of Oprah
Posted May 6th 2009 7:00PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Daytime, Celebrities, Talk Show, Reality-Free
First Facebook, then Twitter, now chicken. It's one of Oprah's favorite things!
Oprah is giving away a coupon to KFC. It's valid until May 19 (though you only have until the end of today to print it out*). You get a free 2 Piece Meal, which includes their new grilled chicken, two sides and a biscuit. What, nothing to wash it down with? Thanks a lot!
Continue reading Oprah: she does chicken right
Posted Apr 27th 2009 7:02PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Celebrities, Reality-Free
It seems that Oprah Winfrey is involved in everything these days, doesn't it? Books, dieting, world hunger, education, last year's election, makeovers, Twitter, Facebook, you name it. Now she's involved in a legal fight with an insurance company.
Mutual of Omaha, which TV fans might remember from their sponsorship of
Wild Kingdom oh so many years ago, is
suing the talk show giant because she is using the "A-ha moment" phase. Or maybe it's just "Aha." Anyway, the company says that it has been using the "Aha Moment" phrase since February and they want Oprah to stop using it too. To be honest, I wasn't aware that Mutual of Omaha was using it at all, and I only have a vague recollection that Oprah Winfrey was using it. Hasn't she been using it for a lot longer than the past couple of months?
The band A-ha could not be reached for comment.
Posted Apr 18th 2009 2:29PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Music and Variety, Celebrities, Reality-Free
Well, Andy Warhol said everyone gets 15 minutes of fame, but has Susan Boyle's quarter-hour already expired? That's the opinion of New York columnist Michael Musto, but I think his Rolex knock-off is running fast.
Musto thinks Boyle is done, but, you watch, Susan will be around for at least another week or two.
She was on
Larry King Live on Friday. There's rumors that she's going to appear on
Oprah, and I wouldn't put it past
American Idol and Simon Cowell to spring her on us, giving 20 million Americans a chance to be amazed by her sweet voice and reviled by her hairy eyebrows.
Continue reading Is Susan Boyle done already?
Posted Mar 19th 2009 8:25PM by Kona Gallagher
Filed under: TV Royalty, Daytime, Web, Celebrities, Reality-Free
I work at home now, which is how I've discovered the wonder and glory of daytime television. If you're at all like me, then you really need to go someplace other than your house and Target. Also, you watch
Ellen every day. On nearly every show lately, Ellen has been
campaigning to get on the cover of O Magazine.
Ellen has made it clear that she doesn't want to be on the cover alone-- with Ms. Winfrey would be perfectly acceptable. She has also made it clear that she will stop at nothing to achieve her goal. After snafus that included calling Harpo Studios to speak with Oprah and being left on hold for 11 minutes, only to be told that Oprah was in a meeting, it looks as though Ellen's dream may have finally come true.
DeGeneres posted the following on
her official Twitter feed: "
Oprah just asked me to be on the cover of O magazine!" Now, since it's Twitter, there's no further explanation or confirmation. I, however, choose to take it at face and congratulate Ellen on reaching her goal-- and beginning her takeover of Oprah's empire.
Posted Mar 9th 2009 6:01PM by Eliot Glazer
Filed under: OpEd, Daytime, Celebrities, Talk Show, Reality-Free
Bless
Oprah Winfrey's soul for all the good work she does in the name of bettering humanity. She gets people to read, she gives poor kids scholarships, she reaches out to victims of environmental disaster, and, of course, there was that time she gave a new car to everyone in her audience. She's a money fairy out to save the world, and we applaud her for it.
But then there are times when Oprah's weird side comes out, when that unique connection she so strongly maintains with her audience - both in the studio and viewers at home - is broken in favor of reminders that, oh yeah, Planet Oprah might not be such a crazy notion. The lady probably uses $100 bills to clean her teeth. And, in case you'd forgotten, she and buddies Gayle King and Tyler Perry will remind you, as they did while palling around on Friday's show, on which Oprah retold a super-nauseating story about Perry giving her the most incredibly unnecessary gift a media mogul could ever not hope for.
Continue reading Breaking news - Oprah and Tyler Perry are crazy rich! - VIDEO
Posted Jan 29th 2009 2:36PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: OpEd, Daytime, Celebrities, Talk Show, Reality-Free
We all need good news in these days of economic chaos and uncertainty, and here it is: not only is Dr. Phil not on the
list of favorite TV personalities,
ratings for his show are down a lot this season. Yay TV viewers!
Nielsen reports that ratings for
The Sick Exploitation Cavalcade with Dr. Phil, or whatever the damn show is called, have dropped 27% this season. And the female audience, which was once the "doctor's" biggest fans, has dropped about a third. Anymore news like this and McGraw might have to start to counsel himself. Though I don't even think that he'd go to himself if he had a problem. In other daytime news, ratings for Ellen DeGeneres's show are up. She came in second in that favorite personalities poll.
Of course, Oprah is the one who unleashed this festering cancer on the world. Her ratings are down 8%. But she's still the queen. I don't mind her show, but if we could get some more real talk shows and game shows to take over the spots currently held by
Dr. Phil and
Maury, I think it would be a better world.
Posted Jan 4th 2009 11:11AM by Jane Boursaw
Filed under: Programming, OpEd, Daytime, Reality-Free
I haven't watched Oprah for years, but I'll be tuning in this week and maybe even recording the shows to watch again later. Why? Because she's got a bunch of shows I can really use!
After admitting to the world that her weight has crept back up to 200 lbs. (although if a celebrity says they weigh 200 lbs., really they weigh at least 220 lbs. - trust me on this), she's getting back on that wagon and taking that fat bull by the horns.
Here's the rundown for her "Best Life Week," day by day:
Monday, Jan. 5: Your Weight. To get back on track, Oprah talks about her diet, workout plan, and ways to put yourself back on the priority list. Her workout guy Bob Greene stops by to help us all out of a rut. I just joined a gym, so I'm completely on-board with this one.
Continue reading Dear Oprah: Yes! I DO want to reclaim my "best life"!
Posted Dec 16th 2008 2:00PM by Hemal Jhaveri
Filed under: OpEd, Daytime, Talk Show
All it takes is
40 pounds to bring an icon down to our level. About a week ago, Oprah appeared on the front of her eponymous magazine talking about her recent weight gain. Media outlets picked up on the story with an acute fervor and more than a little bit of schadenfreude. Watching a celebrity, however generous and beloved, balloon to 200 pounds and drape themselves in purple sweats is just too good a story to pass up.
For regular viewers of her show and celebrity gossip hounds (I fall into the later category) Oprah's weight gain isn't shocking news. In fact, it has been gradual enough to escape too much notice. It's only on a slow news day that a story of her slowly expanding waist line seems to pop up. Oprah's weight has never been a private issue, but even with her love of full disclosure, appearing on the cover of
O to address the fat issue is a bold move.
Continue reading Weighing in on Oprah's extra 40
Posted Dec 6th 2008 11:03AM by Jane Boursaw
Filed under: Industry, OpEd, Daytime, Celebrities, Talk Show
I guess I'm not surprised to hear that Oprah Winfrey has been named the most powerful woman in entertainment. You can read the full list
here, in
The Hollywood Reporter's 17th annual "Women in Entertainment: Power 100" special issue.
OK, here's the thing about this. I really do get why
Oprah is powerful. She's in charge of her own show (remember years ago when she fought to gain control and fired a bunch of people?); she's launched a bunch of other shows, including
Rachel Ray, Dr. Phil, and maybe Dr. Oz coming up; she opened that school for girls in Africa; people read the books she recommends; they buy the stuff she likes; and she even had a hand in getting Obama into the White House.
Continue reading Dear Oprah: Power doesn't equal popularity
Posted Nov 22nd 2008 9:47AM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: TV Royalty, Daytime, Celebrities, Talk Show, Reality-Free
Every year, Oprah Winfrey has her "Favorite Things" episode around the holidays. This year's edition will air next Wednesday, November 26. This time though,
her gift suggestions will be a little more affordable.
Because of the hurting economy, Oprah has decided that her list of favorite things this year will showcase more affordable items, some that cost next to nothing (not sure what exactly "next to nothing" really means). In fact, Oprah is going to unveil one special gift that costs
zero dollars. Not sure what she means by that, but I'm guessing that gift will be something like a hug or good thoughts.
Continue reading Oprah's Favorite Things now cost around $2.99
Posted Nov 6th 2008 11:55PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: OpEd, 30 Rock, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S03E02) "I watched Boston Legal nine times before I realized it wasn't the new Star Trek." - Tracy Jordan
Tina Fey was on
The Oprah Winfrey Show today and mentioned that the day they filmed their scene together (a Saturday, a day they don't usually tape on but had to so Oprah could appear) was the same day that Fey first appeared as Sarah Palin on
Saturday Night Live.
That story has nothing to do with tonight's episode but I thought it was a cool piece of trivia. Fey also said she's never going to play Palin again.
Continue reading 30 Rock: Believe in the Stars
Posted Oct 13th 2008 4:35PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Industry, Programming, Video, 30 Rock, Reality-Free
Interesting piece in
The New York Times that asks the question:
where the hell is 30 Rock?
The third season of the show won't bow until October 30, but you would think that the show would want to launch a week or two earlier because of all of the attention that Tina Fey is getting for her Sarah Palin impersonation on
Saturday Night Live, her
Emmy win, and her new mega-million dollar
book deal. So how come the show hasn't premiered yet? They must have an episode or two done for the new season.
Continue reading Hey, how come 30 Rock hasn't premiered yet? - VIDEO
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