Tag Archives: Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey to Join Lady Gaga for Born This Way Foundation Launch Event

Lady Gaga and her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, announced that Oprah Winfrey will be joining them at Harvard University for the official launch of the Born This Way Foundation (BTWF) on Wednesday, February 29 th, 2012. Oprah will appear alongside Lady Gaga as she formally unveils BTWF before a crowd of policy makers, non-profit organizations, foundation leaders, students and youth at the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Askwith Forum.

Lady Gaga also will be joined by several renowned guests including prolific author and speaker Deepak Chopra, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, and Charles Ogletree, Harvard Law School’s Jesse Climenko Professor of Law and Director of the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice. The one-day event will be co-hosted by BTWF, Harvard’s Berkman Center for Internet & Society, the Harvard Graduate School of Education, the John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and The California Endowment. Highlights of the launch event will be featured in an upcoming episode of “Oprah’s Next Chapter” on OWN: OPRAH WINFREY NETWORK. 

BTWF has partnered with the John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The California Endowment and The Berkman Center at Harvard to explore the best ways to reach youth and create a new culture of kindness, bravery, acceptance and empowerment. BTWF, a non-profit charitable organization, will address issues like self-confidence, well-being, anti-bullying, mentoring and career development through research, education and advocacy. With a focus on digital mobilization to create positive change, BTWF will lead youth into a braver new society where each individual is accepted and loved as the person they were born to be.  

Additional details concerning the Born This Way Foundation launch will be announced closer to the event date, February 29 th, 2012. Please visit: www.BornThisWayFoundation.org to take the pledge and become part of the movement.

Photos from oprah.com and ladygaga.com

 

OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network Remembers Whitney Houston

In memory of Whitney Houston, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network will present a special two hour “Remembering Whitney: The Oprah Interview,” with the music legend’s last in-depth television interview from “The Oprah Winfrey Show” to air this Thursday, February 16 from 9-11 p.m. ET/PT on OWN. 

This special television event, what is arguably Houston’s most revealing and compelling interview of her career, will be rebroadcast as Winfrey reflects on her personal memories of the iconic superstar and shares with fans the magic of a musical icon who has gone too soon.

In September 2009 for the “The Oprah Winfrey Show” season 24 premiere, Winfrey sat down with Houston for a special one-on-one interview. After nearly seven years since the world heard the music icon’s voice, Houston gave an intimate and poignant performance of “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength.” She shared only with Winfrey the private struggles she tried to hide from public view and discussed openly about her marriage to R&B star Bobby Brown, her struggles with drug abuse and why she retreated from the spotlight.  Opening up to Winfrey like never before, Houston also spoke candidly of the day she left her husband, her sorrow over the death of Michael Jackson and her hopes for her future.

To Ms. O with love, Oprah’s Surprise Farewell

After 25 years on television Oprah Winfrey is calling it quits, but not before her producers could surprise her with a special night filled with celebrities and thank you’s from fans, friends and her loved ones.

The star studded event included appearances from Will and Jada Smith, Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Tyler Perry, Rosie O’Donnell, Queen Latifah, Jerry Seinfeld, Halle Berry, Tom Hanks, Michael Jordan, Maria Shriver, Diane Sawyer, Dakota Fanning, Dr. Oz, Nate Berkus and Dr. Phil.

Musical guests included Beyonce performing her new single “Run The World (Girls)”, Jamie Foxx, Stevie Wonder, Rascal Flatts, Patti LaBelle, Josh Groban, Kristin Chenoweth, Aretha Franklin. Dr. Maya Angelou recited a poem dedicated to Oprah and Alicia Keys accompanied her on the piano.

The Oprah Farewell was taped in one night on Tuesday, May 17th and will air on May 23 and 24th.

Photos by Barry Brecheisen

Oprah Inducted into Illinois Broadcasters Hall of Fame

The Illinois Broadcasters Association held a luncheon and Hall of Fame induction ceremony honoring media titian Oprah Winfrey on Tuesday, May 3, 2011 at the Palmer House in Chicago.

ABC 7 Anchor Cheryl Burton emceed the luncheon and ceremony and speakers included  the President/CEO of the Illinois Broadcasters Association (IBA), Dennis Lyle, Film critic and IBA Hall of Fame member (2006) Roger Ebert,  ABC 7 anchor Judy Hsu and WGN radio broadcaster and IBA Hall of Fame member (2005) Orion Samuelson.

Photo by Adam Bielawski

Athletes Against Drugs Event

Athletes Against Drugs (AAD), a non-profit organization dedicated to helping youth develop life skills for economic opportunities that will change their lives, held a pairing party June 6th at the Hotel Arista in Naperville.

The star studded guest list included AAD Founder and Chicago businessman Stedman Graham, Oprah Winfrey, singers Chaka Khan and Michelle Williams (Destiny’s Child),  actor Anthony Anderson, actresses Kellita Smith and Camille Winbush (Bernie Mac Show), basketball legend Charles Oakley and former NFL player Eddie George.  R&B singer Terisa Griffin performed. For more information on Athletes Against Drugs, visit www.athletesagainstdrugs.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos by Dan Locke