In spite of the gossip and rumors of separation, Oprah and Stedman have continued to blossom in their love and support of one another. In 2010 during an interview with Jenny McCarthy, Oprah rebuffed these claims stating, “We’ve never broken up once. They’re always lies,” said Oprah, adding, “I do regret ever mentioning him” in the press.

READ MORE ‘Black History In Love’: Make It Last Forever: Jay-Z And Beyonce

In the past few years, Oprah has opened up about her personal life, demonstrating that long-term couples can find happiness living non-traditional lives, without marriage and children.

Why She Loves Him: In her 2010 interview with Barbara Walters, Oprah stated of Stedman, “I don’t know of another man on this planet who could have lived this life with such dignity, such grace and such respect and humility in it and still hold his own and be his own.”  Despite Oprah’s significant fame, Stedman has maintained his own identity and remained by her side through it all.

During her appearance on the Piers Morgan Show, Oprah candidly discussed a family member selling her out to the tabloids for $20,000. In response to Stedman’s support at that traumatic time in her life, she said, “here is someone who is willing to stand in and stand up for you. And that is love.”

Why He Loves Her: Though the two rarely make public appearances together, Stedman surprised the audience by walking out on stage and paying tribute to Oprah during Part 2 of the ‘Surprise Oprah! A Farewell Spectacular.’ “It really does amaze me that I get to be around a woman who changes peoples’ lives every day and who also takes her own lunch to work,” Stedman said. “I cannot, honey, believe that a colored girl from the backwoods of Mississippi has done all that you have done … But you know what really is amazing? You have done this, sweetheart, through all of the sacrifices you have made and the humility that you have and through God’s amazing grace. I love you for making a difference in my life.”

READ: 5 Embarrassing Black Moments We Wished Never Happened

Why They Work: Again during her Piers Morgan appearance, Oprah said it best “the reason why this relationship has worked as well as it has is that we each got to define ourselves in it and not in a traditional form.”  In the early 2000s, Oprah and Stedman made a conscious effort to pull back on their public appearances together, stating that “every time we showed up in public… there’d be another exploitative story.” Maintaining their privacy and the integrity of their relationship has definitely been the keystone to their success as a couple.

Why We Love Them: Oprah and Stedman have battled it out with the media for the past 26 years, choosing to live outside of society’s norms and embracing their own definition of happiness.  Oprah once said about her relationship, “the truth of the matter is, had we gotten married we wouldn’t be together now, because in no way is this a traditional relationship.” Thus proving that happiness doesn’t have to be defined by a ring or a label.

Happy Birthday Oprah!

Check out our gallery of fabulous Oprah photos:

Oprah Winfrey Is Forbes’ Top-Earning Woman In Entertainment

Oprah Winfrey Will Finally Receive An Oscar

prah Reveals Her “Biggest Mistake” In Her Talk Show’s History

20.  Oprah Finally Says Goodbye
It was no surprise that the queen of daytime talk was finally going to step down from her post this year, but what was a surprise was just how over-the-top-Oprah-ish the farewell ceremony would be. A double-episode spectacular taped in Chicago’s United Center, Tom Hanks, Beyonce, Jamie Foxx, Jerry Seinfeld, Michael Jordan, Aretha Franklin, Madonna (and so many others we won’t name out of fear that this entry will dominate the entire list) showed up to bid Oprah goodbye.  But when the jaw-dropping spectacular two-day performance concluded, Oprah said her final tearful goodbyes solo on the set of the show that made her an unparalleled global icon.

19.  Kelly Rowland Got Her Sexy Back
For the last several years Kelly Rowland has flopped about the scene, spotted at various hang outs with her celebrity girlfriends, touring overseas and giving us a mediocre song or two. But in March 2011, Rowland dropped “Motivation” featuring Lil’ Wayne and motivated us all to give her a second look. Move over Beyonce! Well, at least slide down some; the second child of destiny is finally making the moves we want to see. In 2011, Rowland seemed to be everywhere looking better and sexier than ever.

18. Jennifer Hudson Is A Size 0?
Somehow Joy Behar “overheard” Jennifer Hudson while shopping (why were they in the same store again?) and said that the store clerk said she was a size 0. Behar thought it would be a good idea to retell this incident on “The View” setting ablaze a fire storm of speculation about Jennifer’s weight loss. Hudson never actually said what size she is but it doesn’t really matter, the before and after photos are TOTAL jaw-drop, gasp-worthy.

17.  Middle East Uprisings
In January, Tunisia sparked what may come to be known as the “year of the revolutions” in the Middle East with young people galvanizing their spirit and energy to topple established oppressive regimes in a quest for democracy. Social media played a particularly interesting role in the protests with many groups organizing their efforts via Facebook and sharing their stories around the world via Twitter. The success of these protests is yet to be determined as power continues to be shifting, but the spirit of 2011 in the Arab world will be remembered as one of determined optimism and civil unrest.

16.  Kanye West Premieres ‘DW’ Fashion Line
This doesn’t really require words.  As much as we LOVE Kanye, we just have absolutely no idea what he was going for here. See for yourself.

#blankstare.

15.  T.I. Gets Out-Goes Back-Gets Out of Jail
T.I., T.I.! Talk about someone who doesn’t want to be great. Our jaws hit the ground last year when T.I. and Tiny were caught driving around ATL with hard drugs in the car landing TIP another stint behind bars. But wait, just when we thought he couldn’t get any more jaw-droppingly dumb, T.I. decided to leave jail in August in a tricked out tour bus which was a violation of some random rule which landed him BACK in federal custody before he technically even got out. Mouths wide open at how good this guy is at staying in trouble. For sure, the G.O.A.T.

14. Amanda Knox Is Acquitted Of Murder In Italy
If you hadn’t been following the “Foxy Knoxy” scandal over the last several years, 2011 made it damn near impossible not to pay attention. When the American exchange student convicted of murdering her roommate went on trial to appeal her conviction late this summer, America was hooked. After serving four years in prison, Amanda pleaded her innocence in front of the Italian court resulting in her conviction being overturned on October 3, 2011.

13. Occupy Wall Street Becomes Occupy Any Street
America decided that it’s tired of corporate greed and the best way to make a statement in opposition is to camp out in parks all around the country. I don’t exactly understand why, if the organizers really wanted to effect the economy, no one decided to organize a relevant boycott, but hey, the movement caught on and people are excited about it.

READ: WHO ARE THE BLACK WOMEN OCCUPYING WALL STREET?

12.  Chris Brown Falls & Flies
Despite twitter beef, leaked pictures of his ‘johnson’, and a chair going through the “Good Morning America” windows earlier this year, Chris Brown’s 2011 is actually ending on a high-note. We didn’t think he was ever going to be forgiven for his past indiscretions, especially since he was running around with blond hair and getting new tattoos every other day, but somehow the powers-that-be let him back in the club to do what he does best…entertain. Check out his jaw-dropping performance at this year’s VMA’s where he literally flew above the rest. Talk about a redemption performance.

11. Charlie Sheen(in)
On March 1, 2011 ABC aired a 20/20 interview with Charlie Sheen that literally made our mouths hit the ground. After Sheen declared he had “tiger blood” and “Adonis DNA,” the bizarreness just kept going.  Sheen inspired the catch phrase “winning” and sparked thousands of spoofs, t-shirts and public speculation that he had completely lost his mind.  According to him, he wasn’t bi-polar, he was “bi-winning!”‘

10. Eddie Long’s Sex Scandal
“Prosperity-preaching, homosexual-loathing” Mega-Pastor Bishop Eddie Long wasn’t just dropping jaws this year when it came out that he had allegedly sexually molested several young men in his church this past September.  The pastor initially denied the allegations but over the past few months his reputation has been tarnished, his 25,000 member church has dwindled and just last week, his wife filed for divorce.  In a year that seems filled with sex scandals, we have to say this one really blew us.  No pun intended.

9. The Rise and Fall of Herman Cain
He came, he campaigned, he somehow gained some traction and then he got dropped off the side of a sexual harassment cliff. It happened quickly enough that if you missed the Herman Cain show, you won’t ever have to be bothered about knowing who he is. But in the fall of 2011 this Black republican Presidential hopeful did more than enough things to make us look on in shock and awe. Check out this jaw-dropping campaign commercial that we’re still trying to decipher the meaning of.

8.  Rihanna is a Good Girl Gone Wild
Oh Rih-Rih, what can we say? This year, the Bajan Diva has gone from good girl to “wild child” with her drinking, partying, stripper-groping and overall bad girl image turned reality (we’re fearing a Lindsay Lohan is on our hands).  Recently the singer has even been rumored to be on 24-hour surveillance after collapsing while on stage and cancelling several shows as she tours Europe. Even Queen Bouncy told Rihanna it may be time for a sit-down. Let’s hope she takes a listen.

7.  Ghadaffi’s Extremely Public Death Photos
Just wow.

6.  Kim Kardashian’s 72 Hour Day Long Marriage & Divorce
We can’t say we didn’t see this coming, especially since we are forced to watch almost every move the Kardashians make, but we were a bit shocked to find out newlyweds Kim Kardashian & Kris Humphries called it quits after a mere 72 days of their “fairytale marriage.” It happened so quickly that we were actually watching the wedding special the night before the announcement was made on Halloween of this year.  The photo below is a shot of Kim & Kris at their “Welcome to New York Party.” As far as we can see it from the latest episodes of Kourtney & Kim Take New York, it seems the city wasn’t particularly kind to the couple.

READ TOP 5 CONTEDERS TO BE KIM KARDASHIAN’S NEXT HUSBAND

5.  Beyonce’s Pregnant!
Because there was still one record she hadn’t broken yet in her life, Beyonce decided to set Twitter ablaze with a record setting 8,868 tweets per second on August 28 of this year when she announced her pregnancy while on stage performing at the MTV VMA’s. Who knows what else happened at the VMA’s (which were actually really good this year) because the ‘Bey is preggers’ chatter completely dominated the media following the show and hasn’t stopped since.  We’ll be hearing about Baby Carter until he (or she) makes a full-out public debut.

4. Heavy D. Passes
The overweight lover, music mogul and friend to the everyone in the business fell ill with pneumonia and died suddenly on November 9, 2011. Celebs and friends took to twitter immediately with an outpouring of condolences and heartfelt tributes. His funeral was a literal who’s-who of everyone in the entertainment business.  Al Sharpton gave the eulogy and even President Obama sent regards. 

3.  Barack Obama Was “Born In The U.S.A.”
After what seemed like months of poking from the end of Draco Malfoy – I mean Donald Trump’s imaginary wand – a Harry Potter-esque Barack Obama rose in the face of ridiculousness to produce the most coveted treasure hidden in America: his birth certificate. With one flick of his wand, the POTUS had the State of Hawaii produce the much sought-after document, erasing any hope The Donald had at a bid for a presidential nomination.  To add further insult to injury, the always cool, calm and collected President even mocked the whole incident at the White House Correspondents dinner (where Trump was in attendance).  By the time Seth Myers got up to pour salt in the wound, we felt like we were just waiting for those two final words, “FINISH HIM!”

2.  The Death of Osama Bin Laden
On Sunday May 1, 2011, as the nation sat with bated breath awaiting the Nene Leakes vs. Star Jones showdown on one of the final episodes of “Celebrity Apprentice” (maybe that was just us), the major networks interrupted programming with news of a “special report.” For about 45 minutes, we sat puzzled waiting for President Barack Obama to appear before us to announce that Osama Bin Laden had finally been found and killed. We knew that it had to be something really big to interrupt “Celebrity Apprentice,” but it was certainly one of this year’s most shocking moments.

1.

Disagree with our list? Tell us about it on twitter @hellobeautiful. Follow me @Leighdav

Enter to win HelloBeautiful’s 12 Days Of Christmas Sweepstakes

According to OWN president Erik Logan tells the Hollywood Reporter:
“Anytime you have a program that pops like Sweetie Pies did, you start looking at what drove it,” Logan tells Adweek. “And we saw that the African-American audience really had a connection with that show. . . . We’re going to look at ways to nurture and grow that.

We’re sure that Vh1′s complete market domination in cable with Basketball Wives, Love & Hip-Hop, Tiny & T.I. aren’t hurting their perspective on this one.  400, 000 thousands viewers are cute, 4 million viewers save a network.   This should be interesting, stay tuned.

Oprah Winfrey To Host Her Version Of “Cribs” On OWN Network!

Oprah To BFF Gayle King: “Please Don’t Leave Me”

Oprah Winfrey Will Finally Receive An Oscar

Kerry Washington wore a glittery black, high-collared dress while Chanel Iman’s neckline went the opposite way in a plunging, floral flowy frock. The host herself wore a stunning off-the-shoulder wrap dress in bright red.

Who looked best?

Other stars were spotted celebrating style this week, too: Solange, Iman, Gabby & More Look Fab Celebrating Fashion [PHOTOS]

The mogul recently revealed on Entertainment Tonight, that back in 1988, she had her biggest on-air regret. And that would be the moment she towed lard on stage to represent the 67 pounds of weight she’d just lost (and never ended up keeping off).

“The producers were like, ‘Oh my God, you’re gonna drag the wagon of fat?!’ I would’ve said ‘Don’t do it! It’s a great TV moment, but don’t do it!’ Big, big, big, big, big, big mistake. When I look at that show, I think it was one of the biggest ego trips of my life.”

She also reveals to ET what makes her angry and her biggest guilty pleasure:

Oprah’s Last Show Achieves Biggest Ratings Since 1994

Oprah’s Hairstylist Dishes On Kinky Hair, Argan Oil & Keratin Treatments

11 Female Celebs Whose Men Should Put A Ring On It! [PHOTOS]

Your motto is “Make peace with your hair,” but on hot, humid days, it can be more like full-on war.
It’s common sense, but you should know what your hair does best and not try to make it do something it wouldn’t naturally do. Fifteen years ago, Halle had shoulder-length hair that was hard to control because of its curly texture. I could straighten it and make it look great for her in the salon, but she couldn’t do anything with it at home. She wanted something easy that she could handle, so we came up with the short cut that’s now her signature look. I always recommend embracing your natural texture. Kinky hair can have limited styling options; that’s the only hair type that I suggest altering with professional relaxing.

From Brazilian to Japanese to keratin, there are a lot of in-salon relaxing and straightening options now, but some are controversial.
Yes. It’s not that all of the ingredients are bad—for example, keratin is great at repairing damaged cuticles and is found in hair naturally. But in order for these treatments to work, formaldehyde coats the hair and is then set with a flatiron. It acts like a cast on a broken arm to keep the strands straight. Breathing in the formaldehyde is what’s dangerous. If you experience strong chemical fumes or a burning sensation on your scalp, or if your eyes start to sting, chances are there are dangerous levels of formaldehyde and you should stop treatment.

What is the best way to transition from chemically straightened to natural hair?
A sodium hydroxide– or calcium hydroxide–based treatment is permanent, so it’s best to let hair grow four to six inches and then cut the straightened hair off; otherwise, it will eventually break. Using a moisturizing styling cream daily will keep new hair soft and manageable while preventing new damage. Brazilian and keratin smoothers, however, are temporary; the effects will wear off in three or four months, so it’s a good option during the transition phase. Just make sure the treatment isn’t a “straightener”—those are generally the ones that include harsher chemicals. Ask your stylist for “smoothing.” READ THE REST HERE!

Oprah Cuts Vacation Short To Work On OWN Network

Keratin Hair Treatment Review: Keratin Complex By Coppola

Hair Management With Natural And Inexpensive Ingredients

I saw this tweet from Lebron James’ girlfriend Savannah and it made me wonder why do women stay with men who just won’t commit?

Here are some famous couples that have been boo’d up, shacked up, have kids and never made it official:

“The vacation that I thought that I was going to have is over. I need to be there. I need to be engaged and involved,” she said at the National Cable & Telecommunications Association convention in Chicago.

“I have committed everything I have to this cable venture. I wouldn’t bet against me.”

Oprah Regrets Launching OWN Before Ending Talk Show

5 Things We Wouldn’t Know Without The “O”

Oprah’s Last Show Achieves Biggest Ratings Since 1994



Just a week earlier, she was averaging a 5.4 rating, meaning 7.345 million viewers. So, her finale practically attracted double her usual followers.

Her farewell show earned her best ratings in 17 years!

Who knew all she had to do was leave in order to regain viewers?

5 Things We Wouldn’t Know Without The “O”

Top 5 “Oprah” Talk Show Moments

There are plenty of people, self-empowerment exercises and catchphrases we would have never known had it not been for Oprah, but here are the Top 5 we thank her most for.

THE “AH-HA MOMENT”
It’s one of those things that has become so popular that it’s entered the national lexicon. An “a-ha moment” is that instance of clarity that people arrive at when they see a situation from all sides for the first time. It is a phrase that has become as associated with Winfrey as “Dy-no-mite” was once associated with J.J. on “Good Times.” Winfrey’s fan base embraced the term as they learned things on her show that allowed them to see a situation from a new perspective, and hopefully end their suffering or be able to forgive. While many of the principles “The Oprah Winfrey Show” held dear – forgiveness, service, validating others and treating them with kindness – are nothing new, the medium of television allowed them to become widespread in a way that transcended religious differences, racial backgrounds, socio-economic status and any of the usual things that divide people. Through allowing people to see themselves more clearly, Winfrey became a symbol of the myriad ways in which people can change themselves and their lives. Read the rest at Black America Web!

Top 5 Most Memorable Moments On “Oprah”

Beyonce, Alicia, Usher, Aretha “Surprise Oprah!” At Farewell Taping [PHOTOS]

Gaga Beats Oprah On Forbes Most Powerful Celebrities List

Tom Cruise Jumps On The Couch

This has to be on the most craziest moment in television history and it happened on Oprah’s couch.  Tom Cruise was on the show promoting a movie in 2005., when Oprah asked him about the woman (Katie Holmes) he was dating, Cruise jumped on the couch and professed his love for her and the rest is history. Cruise ended up marrying Katie Holmes a year later and  believe it or not, are still married!

Oprah Rolls Out Fat Wagon

Oprah dressed in skinny jeans and a long-sleeve dark top, wheeled a wagon loaded with fat onto the set of her show in 1988 to represent her 67-pound weight loss. Oprah has said that show was her “biggest, fattest” mistake.

Oprah’s 50th Birthday Bash

Oprah celebrated her 50th birthday on air in 2007 with a who’s who celebrity guest list. Oprah had no idea what the plan was for her on-air 50th birthday party—but Gayle did! Gayle served as co-host for the big day, which included surprise visits from celebrities like John Travolta, Tina Turner, Stevie Wonder and Jay Leno.

Oprah Has A Sister

One of the best kept secrets in Oprah’s life. Oprah announced to the world that she had a half sister in 2010. Oprah revealed her mother had given this girl up for adoption while she was living with her father. Oprah brought Patricia out to the world on her show and shared how Patricia never asked or exploited her when she found out that they were sisters.

Oprah’s Final Favorite Thing

For her last favorite things show ever, Oprah went out with a bang, as the lucky audience filled with heroes and Ultimate Viewers got the keys to their new 2012 Volkswagen Beetles!

Who will fill the void??

Tell us: What is your favorite Oprah show moment?

Oprah Reveals Dying 12-Year-Old Boy Told Her To End Her Talk Show

J.Hud Honors Oprah With “I’m Here” From “The Color Purple” [VIDEO]

Beyonce, Alicia, Usher, Aretha “Surprise Oprah!” At Farewell Taping [PHOTOS]

Oprah Gets Street Named After Her In Chicago [PHOTOS]

The list is broken up into 5 different categories: Money, TV/Radio, Press, Web, and Social. All are taken into consideration before giving the celeb their final ranking.

While Oprah holds the top spot in “Money” and “TV/Radio,” Lady Gaga wins over “Web” and “Social” (she has 32 million Facebook fans and 9.5 million Twitter followers.)

Overall though, plenty of our fave celebs made the cut: Oprah (#2), LeBron James (#10), Kobe Bryant ($14), Tyler Perry (#19), Beyonce (#29), Usher (#32), Jay-Z (#38), Jennifer Lopez (#50), Diddy (#52), Dwyane Wade (#57), Dwight Howard (#59), Will Smith (#65), Kanye West (#76), Serena Williams (#84), Lil’ Wayne (#85), and Venus Williams (#86).

See the full list and how much each celeb has made here!

Beyonce, Alicia, Usher, Aretha “Surprise Oprah!” At Farewell Taping [PHOTOS]

Oprah Regrets Launching OWN Before Ending Talk Show

Beyonce’s “Run The World (Girls)” [NEW VIDEO]

Beyonce opened with a performance of “Run The World (Girls).” Will Smith & Jada Pinkett-Smith acted as hosts. Alicia Keys accompanied Maya Angelou on piano as she recited a poem about Oprah. Stedman introduced Aretha Franklin who brought Oprah to tears with her rendition of “Amazing Grace.” Jamie Foxx sang “Isn’t She Lovely” with Stevie Wonder on piano. And Usher closed the evening with a medley of “OMG” and “Oh Happy Day,” bringing out a choir.

Also making appearances are Halle Berry, Tyler Perry, Queen Latifah, Patti LaBelle, Gayle King, Michael Jordan, Madonna, Tom Cruise and wife Katie Holmes, Simon Cowell, Jerry Seinfeld, Rosie O’ Donnell, Dakota Fanning, Maria Shriver and Oprah’s frequent guests Dr. Oz, Dr. Phil and Nate Berkus.

Tom Hanks hosted the event saying, “Now, Oprah, I know you do not like surprises. Let me see if I can put you at ease. There was an English playwright who said there’s no surprise more magical than the surprise of being loved, and that is what tonight is all about … pulling off this little show at the United Center has been the best-kept secret.”

The “Surprise Oprah!” two-part series airs May 23 and 24, before her final episode on May 25.

Beyonce Goes Hard At Oprah Finale Show Taping [VIDEO]

Oprah Gets Street Named After Her In Chicago [PHOTOS]

Oprah Regrets Launching OWN Before Ending Talk Show

A bevy of stars were spotted in and around the city and studio. According to RadarOnline, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson were seen having dinner on Monday night, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett checked into a downtown Chicago hotel and Usher is also in town and there’s word that stars such as Julia Roberts, Jen Aniston, Madonna, Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, Halle Berry, Rascal Flatts, Dakota Fanning, Tyler Perry, Dave Chappelle, U2 and John Travolta are all going to be a part of the show too.

Wearing a tuxedo leotard, the singer performed “Run the World (Girls)” with a stage full of backup dancers. Her performance was taped twice to get more angles of the performance to the delight of the crowd.Take a look at Beyonce’s going in hard at the rehearsal:

Beyonce’s “Run The World (Girls)” Video Gets Premiere Date!

Sneak Peek Inside Beyonce’s Billboard Magazine Shoot [PHOTOS]

Connect With Other Beyonce Fans Here!

During the ceremony yesterday, Oprah said, “That’s better than an Oscar or an Emmy. It is really just a full-circle miracle story that a little colored girl born in Kosciusko, Mississippi, on a red dirt road ends up with my name on a street in the greatest city in the world, Chicago. So, thank you.”

Oprah reminisced about first moving to the city that ended up being home to her talk show of 25 years. She came to audition for a hosting job on a show called AM Chicago.

“I thought, even if I don’t get the job, I’ll move into advertising in order to just be able to live in the city, which truly is the greatest city in the world. This place is my Tara. Scarlett O’Hara should have known about Chicago.”

Oprah Regrets Launching OWN Before Ending Talk Show

Oprah’s “O” Magazine Cover Goes Back In Time To 1986 [PHOTO]

She recently told Entertainment Weekly,

“I’ve thought maybe it would have been better to wait until [Oprah] completely ended and then literally use it as a launch pad. If I had it to do differently and had thought of that option, I might have considered that a priority. But I don’t spend a lot of time in the regret mode.”

“I feel like I have not begun to give anything to OWN. I was on the phone yesterday with the head of OWN probably for 20 minutes, and then I was on another phone call for an hour, so I probably gave OWN and hour and 20 minutes yesterday. Not enough. Not enough. And I hadn’t talked to anybody for two or three days there.

“Doing this right and ending [Oprah] is a full-time job. And the magazine is a full-time job, but that’s its own machine now. I don’t have to a lot with that anymore. But I still have to check in, approve things. I wouldn’t even say 10 percent of my time is on OWN right now. But it will be. [After the end of Oprah] I can start to give my attention to OWN that it deserves. It’s going to improve exponentially with the amount of time and service I can give to it.”

Oprah’s “O” Magazine Cover Goes Back In Time To 1986 [PHOTO]

Oprah To Charge $1 Million For Commercial On Show Finale

Oprah’s Secret Diaries Reveal She Wanted “To Die” Over Relationship

On the beginning: “The first few years when the staff was still less than 12 people, I used to hang out with them because we were doing live shows, and we’d be done by 10 a.m. We had four people in four chairs, and that was it. Those were the days where I’d be the one taking the lunch order. I would walk around asking, ‘Okay, is it gonna be Taco Bell today, or are we doing Wendy’s?’ And then we’d go out and party at night.”

On the end: “I genuinely feel appreciated and loved by this audience that has grown up with me. Which, for me, is a huge, huge, huge accomplishment. Because I grew up feeling the opposite of that. Feeling a void, as a little girl, feeling that really nobody loved me. So to be surrounded by this, that is what I’m going to feel. And when you see the tears on the last show, that’s what those tears will be about. Those tears will not be about sadness.”

On what she’s taking with her when she goes: “The one thing I’ll take is the statue of Sojourner Truth that Jamie Foxx gave me for my birthday last year…Even in my youth, she was the historical figure I most identified with. Because even though she was born a slave, she was able to speak. She could communicate with people from all different backgrounds. She could speak to the most disenfranchised groups, and she could also speak to Congress. She was invited to the White House by Lincoln. Jamie didn’t know that I’d been reciting her “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech my whole life, or that when I die, I want to go out like a comet in the sky, which is something she said about her own life. But he gave me that statue, and it will come with me when I go.”

Oprah To Charge $1 Million For Commercial On Show Finale

Oprah’s Secret Diaries Reveal She Wanted “To Die” Over Relationship

Here are a few of 2011′s TIME 100:

And check out last year’s list here: Who Made The Cut? TIME Names 100 Most Influential People (2010)

Beyonce & Michelle Obama Premiere Workout Routine [VIDEO]

Oprah To Charge $1 Million For Commercial On Show Finale

While the Superbowl remains the most expensive TV show to advertise on (it cost $3 million for a 30-second spot on the last Superbowl), among regularly-scheduled TV shows, the 2004 series finale of Friends is STILL the most expensive — it cost $2 million for a 30-second commercial.

Oprah is definitely going out with a bang!

Oprah’s Secret Diaries Reveal She Wanted “To Die” Over Relationship

Michelle Obama Honors Military Families On Oprah

While Oprah has been no stranger to revealing personal details on her show, these secret diaries are perhaps the most intimate view into her life that she has ever allowed the public.

A lot of the entries appear to focus on relationship struggles, and it appears that Oprah has had a lot of them. She refers to her twenties as “my 3-D years, when I was delusional, in denial and damaged.” Of one particular relationship from 1981, she writes, “I want to die… I wish for something to put an end to this madness.”

Thankfully though she never acted on her pain, and writes in O, “It’s a wonder that I’ve managed to be a successful human being considering how pathetic I appeared in many of my daily musings… It’s a testament to growth and grace that I’ve come this far… I used my journals as therapy. Oh, the time I wasted worrying about men and weight!”

Read more in the April issue of O.

Oprah’s Ex-Lover Calls Her “Cold As Ice”

Is Oprah Winfrey Angry At Aretha Franklin?

Family Member Says: “I Was Terrified Of Oprah”

Afterward, she sat down with the host for an interview:

Do you like singing, dancing or acting better?
I think I incorporate it in all that I’m doing because when you’re on the stage, you’re playing to the crowd; you’re acting toward the crowd. You’re giving them the face, so that they scream.

What’s an average day in your life like now?
I wake up, ballet class, school, come home [and] record.

Looking [from the outside] in, your life looks like a dream life, is it?
It’s a lot of work but it’s like 50 percent work and 102 percent fun.

You’re a fashionista now, Is it better to be on the best dressed list then the not so best dressed list?
It doesn’t make a difference.

Are you constantly taking things out of your closet and putting more in?
If I don’t wear something, I’ll donate it and clean out my closet.

Watch her performances and interview below!

Willow Smith Hosts Charitable Party For Fans At Skating Rink [PHOTOS]

Willow Smith Shows Off Her Style In Teen Vogue [PHOTOS]

Terry McMillan Apologizes For Claiming Smith Kids Are Being “Pimped” [UPDATE]

Serving as Oprah’s very special co-host, Willow will assist Oprah in the finale of “Oprah’s All Time Smartest Most Talented Kids”, a perfect show for the 10-year old superstar to co-host, right?

“21st-Century Girl”, Willow’s new single, will premiere on the Ryan Seacrest show on Monday morning before her appearance on the Oprah show later that afternoon, and then will be released on iTunes the very next day.

Check out a little sample of the song below, and be sure to watch the little superstar on the Oprah show this Monday afternoon!

Cutie!

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Police are not sure if the newborn was killed or died of natural causes.

“Yes, the girl gave birth to the baby at the school, but we can”t confirm what happened to it. A case of concealment of death is being investigated,” News quoted police captain Shado Mashobane as telling local daily The Times.

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A woman who believes “luck is preparation meeting opportunity,” Oprah Gail Winfrey has continuously shattered gender and racial barriers in America. Winfrey is the most successful talk show host in American TV history — male or female, Black or white — and the first female African-American billionaire. As one of the most influential women in the world, Winfrey continues to be a beacon that transcends racial and social barriers, much like Barack Obama. In 2006, Winfrey endorsed Obama for president, her first public political stance ever. She accompanied the Obamas on the campaign trail. But perhaps her greatest contribution to the ascendance of Barack Obama is how she prepared America for him through her show, as an African-American who won the hearts of women from all walks of life.

Winfrey was born on January 29, 1954 in Kosciusko, Mississippi to unwed teenage parents, Vernita Lee and Vernon Winfrey. Her parents sent her to live with her grandmother, where she learned to read by the age of three. Despite living in poverty, she excelled in school, later receiving a full-scholarship to Tennessee State University.

Winfrey’s career blossomed when she moved to Chicago in 1984 to host “AM Chicago,” a morning talk show at WLS-TV’s. It soon became the number one ranked talk show and was renamed “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” In 1988, she became the first African-American woman in the American entertainment industry to own her production company, Harpo Productions.

In addition to being a daytime TV pioneer, Winfrey is a generous philanthropist, often making significant contributions to those in need. She donated $10 million to help re-build the lives of Hurricane Katrina victims. Winfrey spent $40 million building the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa. She personally selected all of the girls from low-income families to attend the boarding school.

Throughout her success, Winfrey has used her influence to bring about change on various platforms. In 2007, Winfrey held a fundraiser for Obama at her estate, and went on to rally in the early primary states: South Carolina, New Hampshire and Iowa.

Her show continues to attract an estimated 14 million viewers daily in the U.S. and millions more in 141 other countries throughout the world. Winfrey’s resilience continues to shine as she sets an example of excellence and perseverance. But most of all, she has become daily staple for women across America, women who saw in Oprah someone they trusted, someone who was in many ways just like them. In so doing, she lifted Obama to the presidency, both directly and symbolically.

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Asked what moves her about our armed services, Michelle said, “Their strength. Their pride. Their courage. Their willingness to sacrifice without complaint.”

“That’s what moves me every time. Whenever I’m feeling bad, or feeling sorry for myself, I suck it up because of these families.”

As for why Michelle is speaking up, she says it’s because someone has to.

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Take a look:

Oprah’s Secret Revealed! She Has A Sister

Oprah To Make Shocking Announcement

Check out all the action below:

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Oprah To Make Shocking Announcement

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“I was given some news that literally shook me to my core. This time, I’m the one being reunited. I was keeping a family secret for months, and on Monday you’re going to hear it straight from me. I thought I’d seen it all. But this, my friends, is the miracle of all miracles.”

What do you think could be the source of Oprah’s shock? Will you be tuning in on Monday to hear all about it?

UPDATE: Oprah’s Secret Revealed, She Has A Sister!

BET’s Co-Founder Sheila Johnson Slams Oprah’s OWN Network

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