Source From http://www.newsnet5.com
CHICAGO – The 13,000 Oprah fans who witnessed a star-studded show at the United Center in Chicago are no doubt going to be texting, talking and Facebook-ing about their experience Wednesday morning.
“I just kept thinking about how I couldn’t wait to get home and tell everybody about it,” Kellie Svendsen, of Macedonia, said after the show.
Kellie is just one of many Northeast Ohioans we met who managed to get tickets and made the trek to Chicago.
Lizette Montanez from Lorain and Elain Cutwright from Mentor went made together.
“It was great, amazing, fabulous, we had the best time!” they said.
The first guest was Tom Hanks, who basically ended up hosting the show, introducing the guests to Oprah’s surprise and delight. The guests included Tom Cruise, Beyonce, Michael Jordan, Aretha Franklin, Madonna, Stevie Wonder, Jerry Seinfeld and Maya Angelou. It was rapid-fire celebrity appearances all night.
The word I would use and the one I heard all night from fans was “surreal.”
These second and third to last shows will air on NewsChannel5 Monday, May 23 and Tuesday, May 24.
The content and location of the taping of the final episode of Oprah’s 25-year run remains a mystery, but Oprah herself tweeted before the United Center shows that she was still working on it.
Winfrey’s producers made good on their promise of the biggest stars of movies, music and television for “Surprise Oprah! A Farewell Spectacular.” The 13,000 fans who attended the event gave the talk show host a standing ovation.
Aretha Franklin sang “Amazing Grace.” Tom Hanks acted as host for the evening. Michael Jordan told Winfrey she inspires him. Tom Cruise, famous for his couch jumping on Winfrey’s show, was there. Jerry Seinfeld gave a comedy routine and Madonna said she is among the millions of people who are inspired by Winfrey.
“She fights for things she believes in, even if it makes her unpopular,” Madonna said.
Winfrey announced in November 2009 that she would end her popular talk show after 25 years. Tuesday’s taping will air May 23 and 24, before Winfrey’s final show on May 25.
“You always had the power, and that is the message you brought into our lives,” Cruise told Winfrey after walking in to the “Mission Impossible” music.
The show highlighted Winfrey’s charity efforts over the years. About 300 Morehouse College scholarship students walked along the United Center aisles as Kristen Chenoweth sang “For Good” from the musical “Wicked.” Grammy winner John Legend was beamed in from a New Orleans school and Winfrey’s book club was lauded for getting millions to read.
Josh Groban and Patti LaBelle sang “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” as Winfrey sat in a white chair onstage. Jamie Foxx and Stevie Wonder sang “Isn’t She Lovely” to Winfrey. Wonder followed with his own song, singing to her, “Oprah thank you for using your gifts to uplift so many hearts.” Simon Cowell made an appearance; Rosie O’Donnell sang a Broadway-style song.
Winfrey’s longtime partner Stedman Graham introduced Franklin after telling Winfrey he loved her and was proud of her.
“It really does amaze me that I get to be around a woman who changes people’s lives every day and who also takes her own lunch to work,” Graham told the crowd. “You know what really is amazing? You have done this, sweetheart, through all of the sacrifices you’ve made, humility you have and through God’s amazing grace.”
That’s when Franklin took the stage in a one-shouldered white gown to sing “Amazing Grace.” She later joined Usher for the show’s finale song, “Oh Happy Day,” as sparkly confetti filled the arena.
Maria Shriver, the TV journalist and Kennedy heiress, appeared on the same day it was revealed her husband, Arnold Schwarzenegger, fathered a child with a woman on his household staff more than a decade ago. Shriver did not mention her husband during the taping. Shriver was introduced with Winfrey’s best friend, Gayle King.
“You have given me love, support, wisdom and most of all the truth,” Shriver told Winfrey. “And I know I’m not alone in receiving those gifts from you.”
The taping of the second show began with Will Smith and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, who thanked Winfrey and told her she mothered millions and “that puts you in the status of a goddess.”
Actresses Halle Berry, Queen Latifah, Katie Holmes and Dakota Fanning all appeared, along with newswoman Diane Sawyer.
Beyonce sang her song “Run the World (Girls)” backed by dozens of dancers. Rascal …..
Flatts performed too.
“Oprah Winfrey because of you women everywhere have graduated to a new level of understanding of who we are, of what we are and most of all who we can be,” Beyonce said before starting her performance.
The stadium was decorated with pictures of Winfrey at seminal moments over the course of her talk show. Boxes of tissues were on scattered seats throughout the audience.
Harpo Productions received more than 154,000 ticket requests for seats to Tuesday’s event. Tickets were free and distributed to fans through a lottery.
Winfrey also received messages from some not-so-famous admirers. Female American soldiers gave a taped message from Iraq and three female fans from countries around the world came on stage. The show was interspersed with clips of Winfrey’s fans and flashbacks of previous episodes.
Fans started lining up outside hours before the taping started.
Cathy Deters, 52, of Cincinnati, drove to Chicago without a ticket, but someone outside the stadium gave her one.
“I don’t think anyone could replace Oprah Winfrey,” said Deters, an energy broker. “Not many people will have the chance to experience this.”
Celebrities such as Lisa Ling, Carson Kressley, Jessica Seinfeld, Ally Wentworth, Bob Greene and former Chicago Mayor Richard Daley sat in the audience.
