Big stars show up to laud Oprah in ‘Farewell Spectacular’
BY KARA SPAK Staff Reporter/kspak@suntimes.com May 17, 2011 11:32PM
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Updated: June 22, 2011 10:59AM
Since her first show in 1986, Oprah Winfrey gave her fans free cars, bra makeovers and five hours of weekly advice.
She gave celebrities a platform to promote movies, music and autism awareness.
She gave her staff generous benefits, salaries, Hawaiian vacations and Mediterranean cruises.
On Tuesday, in an event at the United Center packed with 20,000 fans, organized by her staff and filled with A-list celebrities, Winfrey got as good as she gave.
“Oprah Winfrey, you are surrounded by nothing but love,” said Tom Hanks, who joined a beaming Winfrey at the beginning of the first show. “We just want to say thank you for what ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ has meant in our lives.”
Or, as Jerry Seinfeld said during the second show’s taping, “What is this all about here? What are we doing here? We are trying to figure out how much one person can take.”
Winfrey and staff taped two episodes of her show, which will air on May 23 and May 24. In a United Center decorated with pictures of Winfrey and luminaries, star after star paraded out to laud Winfrey.
“Thank you for taking me to a place that feels beyond joyous,” Winfrey said after nearly four hours of taping. “It feels like the rapture.”
At the first show, Hanks introduced Tom Cruise, then introduced a “Wizard of Oz” medley, performed by young Jackie Evancho from America’s Got Talent, Josh Groban and Patti Labelle.
Madonna followed, telling Winfrey that though many dead women inspire her, Winfrey is the only woman alive who she is inspired by.
“She’s a self-made woman who’s been at the top of her game for 25 years,” Madonna said. “And she’s still kicking a--.”
Madonna said that she and Winfrey share the same passion to educate the girls of Africa.
“You inspire me to stay the course and keep going despite the resistance I encounter,” Madonna said, an apparent reference to management troubles at her “Raising Malawi” organization. “How thrilling it must be to see the results of empowering women everywhere.”
Dakota Fanning joined dozens of Winfrey’s “Youngest Ultimate Viewers” in lauding Winfrey for leading the way for young women.
“Every milestone, every first you are there,” Fanning said.
Sticking with the empowerment theme, Beyonce, wearing a tuxedo leotard and red high heels, led two dozen dancers in a high-energy rendition of her new single “Run The World (Girls).”
“I don’t know what Beyonce was recruiting for but I’m signing up,” Hanks said.
John Legend appeared via satellite from a Louisiana school to announce the dedication of 25 school libraries in Winfrey’s name. Diane Sawyer took the stage to tell Winfrey that she inspires like an oak tree.
“You with just a small seed and you never know what kind of infinite possibility there was,” Sawyer said before announcing 25,000 trees will be planted across America.
“You get a tree and you get a tree and you get a tree,” Winfrey told an audience, who were all in on her joke off the “you get a car” line from her famous audience car giveaway. “Everybody gets a tree!”
Halle Berry, Queen Latifah and Katie Holmes honored extraordinary Winfrey viewers, like an Illinois foster mother to 29 children.
It wasn’t all celebrity song and dance, though there was an audience sing-along with Rascal Flatts. Montages featured men and women speaking about how Winfrey helped them cope with the death of a child or a parent. American soldiers paid tribute from Iraq. An Afghan woman spoke of how Winfrey inspired her to be a talk show host there. A teacher spoke on how she used “The Oprah Winfrey Show” episodes to teach about achievement, compassion and drunk driving before prom.
In the second show, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith were the first stars to arrive, but the Chicago crowd gave their biggest roar since the Beyonce number for Michael Jordan.
“Men also love ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’,” Jordan told Winfrey before introducing Jamie Foxx. Foxx sang “Isn’t She Lovely” to a teary Winfrey. Stevie Wonder then joined in, and added a song he wrote for Winfrey.
Jerry Seinfeld was a less-fawning addition to the love fest.
“This is like a dream that a disoriented husband would tell to a Freudian shrink,” Seinfeld said about his night in the United Center.
There was also Simon Cowell introducing Rosie O’Donnell, who introduced Dr. Phil, Nate Berkus and Dr. Oz in a musical number. Maria Shriver and Gayle King introduced Tyler Perry, who led into Kristen Chenowith singing “For Good” from the musical “Wicked” while dozens of Morehouse College students walked in with lights.
“Break me down, y’all trying to break me down,” Oprah said. “All right, carry me out of here.”
Poet Maya Angelou and R&B singer Alicia Keys joined on stage where Angelou read a poem she wrote for Winfrey accompanied by Keys on the piano.
“She had the same smile for the haves as she had for the have-nots,” Angelou said.
Winfrey didn’t say much during the first show, at one point telling the audience she was just “trying to stay in body.” The second show, after the Angelou poem, she cried out “Amazing!”
Winfrey’s partner Stedman Graham made a rare public statement, telling Winfrey she is “so special.”
“I’m so proud of you . . . and who you have become, it’s amazing,” Graham said. “It really amazes me that I get to be around a woman who changes people’s lives every day and also takes her own lunch to work.”
Graham then introduced Aretha Franklin who sang “Amazing Grace” and turned the United Center in a short but enthusiastic gospel fest. Usher then led the crowd in a joyous celebration of the spiritual “Oh Happy Day!” as silver confetti flowed from the ceiling.
“I feel the love,” Winfrey said at the end of the first show. “And I thank you for it. Thank you for being a part of this great night, this celebration of what you have done for the Oprah Winfrey Show.”
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