Apparently Oprah asked the Best Actress nominee to ride to the ceremony together, but Gabourey said, “I don’t want to show up with you. People will think we’re too cool.”

HOTT NEWS!

Best Actress nominee GABOUREY SIDIBE has one high-profile fan: talk show host OPRAH WINFREY, who has apparently been showering her with attention during this Oscars season. The actress told People.com, “Oprah called me and was like, ‘Hey girl, do you want to ride together?’ “

She added, “I was like, ‘I got it Oprah, calm down. I don’t want to show up with you. People will think we’re too cool.”

Even if they won’t be walking the red carpet together, Sidibe says the admiration is definitely mutual. She admitted, “She’s the only person that I’m continually star-struck by. When I meet people I get used to them very quickly because everyone seems like a friend because I watch them on TV. But Oprah is the only one I can’t get used to.”

Winfrey was a co-producer of the film that made Sidibe famous, Precious: Based on the Novel PUSH by Sapphire.

HOTT NEWS!

This young lady sure has come a long way! Bravo FANTASIA!

Fantansia’s interview with OPRAH [20 MIN]

Pitt added, “In this holiday season, many of us take for granted that we are surrounded by loving family members.“

HOTT NEWS!

Another heart-warming story.

ANGELINA JOLIE and BRAD PITT are truly giving back this holiday season.

The couple donated $100,000 to support the American SOS Children’s Villages for Christmas. The organization is dedicated to the long-term care of orphaned and abandoned children. The megastars adopted three of their six children. Maddox, 8, Zahara, 4, and Pax, 6, all spent time in orphanages overseas.

In a statement, Jolie said, “We have seen first-hand the remarkable job SOS does to raise orphaned and abandoned children and keep families together. No one ‘ages out’ of an SOS Village: vocational training, advanced education, living assistance and moral support are there forever.”

Pitt added, “In this holiday season, many of us take for granted that we are surrounded by loving family members. The poor outcomes for foster children indicate that we must do a much better job of supporting them.”

“I’m trying to proposition the networks right now. If you’re wanting a nice, black, exciting young male who wants to turn the TV world right up, get at me.

HOTT NEWS!

And who could be mad at him!

SNOOP DOGG wants to be the next Oprah Winfrey. The rapper claims he is the ideal candidate to take over when the talk show queen steps down in 2010. He’s got big shoes to fill, but already calls himself the “King of Show Business,” so maybe he’s on to something.

He said: “I’m trying to proposition the networks right now. If you’re wanting a nice, black, exciting young male who wants to turn the TV world right up, get at me. I heard Oprah Winfrey is leaving and there’s nobody who can do what Oprah did but, ahem – hello! Hello!”

Snoop would also make his talk show a family affair. He added: “I can bring my wife on so we can have the women and the men on there discussing things.”

Snoop’s previous TV experience started in 2002 with his MTV sketch show Doggy Fizzle Televizzle, and also includes his own reality show Snoop Dogg’s Fatherhood and appearances in movies including Old School and Starsky and Hutch.

The singer says that she lives for the moments when she sees “tears of gratitude or joy“ from those in the audience during performances.

HOTT NEWS!

Playing a social worker in the film “Precious“ really rubbed off!

MARIAH CAREY says that helping touch the lives of troubled teen fans is why she continues to create uplifting music. The “Hero” hitmaker stars in harrowing movie Precious — based on best-selling novel Push about an obese teenager who has two children through incestuous rape — and believes her music has helped girls in similar situations to the main character.

Carey says, “There are a lot of girls that I see at my shows that may fit the description of what people might think a Precious girl is. When I sing certain songs, you really see that it brings out emotions in them. I see tears of gratitude or joy because they relate to the message. So that’s why I continue to do songs that I feel will be uplifting.”

Mariah – who plays a social worker in the film – said she could relate to the plight of the characters in Push, but it also made her more aware of other people’s suffering.

She added to Parade magazine: “I guess the button that the story pushed in me would be just empathy. I mean your heart has to go out to Precious because she is going through so much. It touched me as a woman. It touched me just as a person. It’s like you think, ‘Maybe I’ve walked past someone who is a girl like this and not really focused on them or just totally ignored them.’”

Precious hits select theaters this weekend. There’s already Oscar buzz around the urban drama, with many saying it’s the movie to beat this year for Best Picture. You can see a trailer for the film below:

HOTT FASHION?

Maybe … NOT!

Precious very well may be the film to land Mariah Carey an Oscar (thus proving that not even the worst move in the world – Glitter – can really tank a career). See what the stars wore to support their beloved indie flick.

Mariah Carey sizzled in her sleek little Zac Posen gown. From what I hear of her performance, she has every reason to beam like that.

Mary J. Blige looks a little bored in her Emilio Pucci gown.

House star Lisa Edelstein looks lovely and chic in this belted skirt and top, accessorized with a great pair of peeptoe pumps.

Olivia Wilde always looks breathtaking on the red carpet. She wore a white RM by Roland Mouret dress, which she paired with nude accessories (see Olivia Wilde’s lookbook for more of her favorites).

I’m not loving the way this dress looks on Gabourey Sidibe, but I do love that she consistently wears beautiful, bright colors on the red carpet.

Paula Patton is a severe HOTT!!!-ie in this Bottega Veneta dress. Husband Robin Thicke is a very lucky man.

Paula Abdul looks a little too much like Prince in those leather pants.

The boxers come face-to-face again, 12 years after Mike bit a piece of Evander‘s ear off during their match. No blood this time.

HOTT NEWS!

Never though I’ll see the day!

It’s been 12 years since Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield have been in the same room together, and the last time it happened things got ugly: Mike bit off a hunk of his opponent’s ear during their boxing match in what is probably one of sports’ most memorable events. But, today, their reunion on Oprah was far less gruesome and savage — the two tough guys actually hugged it out and put the rivalry to rest. Leave it to Oprah.

Holyfield said he’d been over the whole incident for a while, though. He very graciously said on the show (according to OMG.com): “At that moment I was very angry, but eventually when it’s all over, you realize that you gain more than you lost. The most important thing was for me to forgive, and I forgave him. And I was ready to move on.”

We’re not sure if we’d forgive someone for ripping off part of our ear, but, hey, comes with the territory? Or something?

Tyson got a little sappy during the interview, too. He grabbed Holyfield’s arm and said: “This is a beautiful guy. I just want you to know it’s just been a pleasure … being acquainted with you.”

Awww. Both of the guys also agreed that the make-up should have happened long ago, but better late than never. They said their reunion should serve as an example to young people about moving on, and forgivness: “If we can come together, we know you can come together,” Holyfield said.

HOTT NEWS!

Yo Bobby! Give it up, Bro!

After his ex-wife WHITNEY HOUSTON gave a revealing new interview with Oprah Winfrey airing Monday, BOBBY BROWN opens up to “The Insider” about his former rocky relationship

Whitney’s first televised interview since 2002 will air on ‘Oprah’ next week. Oprah revealed that the tell-all “will leave you gasping.”

HOTT NEWS!

Bananas!

Soul singer WHITNEY HOUSTON made a shocking confession to Oprah Winfrey, admitting that she stayed in bed for months while addicted to crack. Speaking about the explosive segment that will air next week, Oprah said: “It will leave you gasping. She does not blame her ex-husband Bobby Brown and she takes full responsibility for her engagement in drugs. At one point she says, ‘I didn’t get out of my pajamas for seven months’. She talks about doing the drugs and sitting in the house and the two of them going, ‘What are we doing?’ “

The 46-year-old star also reveals her addiction began shortly after she starred in 1992 film The Bodyguard. Oprah revealed:

She said, ‘I want to tell my story, I want to tell the truth.’ She talks about when it started to go wrong after The Bodyguard — that was a long time ago.

The thing most shocking to me is that Whitney tried to make herself smaller to fit in a marriage so the man could be bigger. How many women have done that? I deeply felt for her. She was trying to be the good wife. She really, truly loved him. Whitney has not done a TV interview since 2002, when she denied taking drugs, saying: “I make too much money to smoke crack. Crack is whack.”

a damsel in distress … isn’t always at their best … undressed!

The sportscaster tells Oprah she was “shaking“ as she went to open her computer after the video was posted online. The interview is scheduled to air September 11.

HOTT SPORTS!

Wow-sers … as she is finally opening up!

ESPN personality ERIN ANDREWS talked to OPRAH WINFREY about the peephole tape that made her life a “nightmare” in an interview scheduled to air Friday, Sept. 11, 2009.

Andrews told Oprah she “opened up the computer (and) could feel my heart pounding,” after the blurry 5-minute tape was posted online. Andrews’ attorney has said the tape was shot at a hotel without her knowledge, and she is seeking to file suit against anyone posting or distributing the video.

Andrews’ interview appears on a show about summer headlines made to kick off the 24th season of the Oprah Winfrey Show. The sportscaster said she’s looking forward to getting back to work as football season picks up, saying “it’s really going to help me heal my wounds.”

Erin Andrews has worked for ESPN since 2004 and was named “sexiest sportscaster” by Playboy magazine in 2008 and 2009.

WHOA!

This is a very awkward interview! But I’m still laughing!

LOL!

From June 2008 to 2009, Angie’s earned $27 million and gained truly absurd amounts of media coverage, thanks to her relationship with Brad Pitt

All I can say about this year’s list – is bite me! But at least Kobe made the list! LOL!

Today Forbes magazine released its annual ‘Celebrity 100′ list, ranking STARS according to how much money they earned and the amount of press they received in the past year. Changeling actress ANGELINA JOLIE took the top spot, bumping OPRAH WINFREY out of the first place title she’s held for the past two years.

From June 2008 to 2009, Angie’s earned $27 million and gained truly absurd amounts of media coverage, thanks to her relationship with Brad Pitt (who ranked #9) and the birth of her twins. Check out the top 10 powerhouses below.

2. Oprah Winfrey
No surprises here. Winfrey has a $275 million salary and media empire that includes a magazine and Sirius satellite channel. The Oprah Winfrey Network is set to launch next year, partnering with Discovery Communications.

3. Madonna
The pop singer’s Hard Candy tour was the highest-grossing international tour of 2008, earning $280 million. On the personal front, she split from husband Guy Ritchie and has been linked to Yankee player A-Rod and model Jesus Luz, subjects the media loves to harp on.

4. Beyonce Knowles
In the past year, Beyonce has released a double album and two films, not to mention her performance at Obama’s inauguration. She also launched an international tour that will, without a doubt, make bank. Fashion and jewelry collections, a list of endorsement deals — we could go on, but it’s too exhausting.

5. Tiger Woods
This top golfer was injured for much of the year, so he started developing lucrative golf courses. Also, his sponsors are athletic giants like Nike and AT&T.

6. Bruce Springsteen
The Boss rolled out a huge tour this year, earning a whopping $166 million. He also performed at the Super Bowl halftime show.

7. Steven Spielberg
Duh. Spielberg started a new partnership with Disney, which now houses his DreamWorks studio, and he also launched the Indiana Jones movie. His cut this year? $150 million.

8. Jennifer Aniston
Sneaking in right in front of her ex, the Marley & Me star has the romantic comedy thing down pat. And audiences love seeing her in them so much that she earned $25 million this year. Her tumultuous romance with John Mayer didn’t hurt for tabloid coverage, either.

9. Brad Pitt
Angie’s other half was aided by the public’s obsession with this couple as much as she was. He received an Oscar nod for Benjamin Button and worked with Quentin Tarantino on Inglourious Basterds, all while helping rebuild New Orleans.

10. Kobe Bryant
This basket-baller had a big year last year, earning his first MVP award and an Olympic gold medal. Endorsement deals with brands like Nike and Vitamin Water keep him living large.

Winfrey asserts, “… it was crazy”

Either get with the times! Or get over it sista!

The talk show titan had a minor meltdown over the puff piece she wrote about new BFF Michelle Obama for Time mag’s “100 Most Influential People” ish.

“I had written the whole piece on my BlackBerry, and I was feeling really so great about it,” said WINFREY.

“I went to hit save and I hit another key-and it disappeared. I lost the whole thing! I just stared at the BlackBerry for about 30 minutes. I hit every single key to make it come back. I called the IT guy and then I sort of stared at my computer,” she recalled.

“I was panicked. It was an absolute deadline, so it was crazy.”

So what did the corpulent chatty do?

“I had to start all over,” Oprah said.

“This is not a weave. This is my hair” she said

Yikes! What’s more frightening the uncombed hair or the sight of her without makeup. LOL!

OPRAH WINFREY revealed two interesting tidbits of information on her show Friday.

1. She has no ghost writer for her Twitter account. The talk show host informed her “Tweeple” that when an update hits her Twitter feed, it’s her writing it.

“I Tweet myself. That’s why you haven’t seen that many Tweets. I can’t Tweet all day.”

2. She does not, contrary to much online speculation, wear a weave. And she has the frightening photos to prove it.

“

This is not a weave. This is my hair,” she said. Then a picture popped up on the screen showing her hair before it’s pressed. “This is what my hair looks like. This is me before it gets pressed and curled in the morning.”

The Queen of daytime television is jumping on the Twit-wagon, which means Twitter is totally like a mainstream thing now

Damn! I wish I could get this big one day!

OPRAH WINFREY became the latest celebrity to jump on the Twitter wagon today with a page that has reached (at the time of this writing) 49,915 followers before she’s even written her first tweet.

Oprah plans to make her first tweet on her show Friday, thus officially rendering Twitter a mainstream phenomenon. Twitter has grown by leaps and bounds lately, ranking as the fastest growing Web site in 2008 by Nielson, with a popularity driven by a mix of word-of-mouth and celebrity usage. While the company has been unavoidable in the news lately, Oprah’s account is the shove over the top that situates the Web site squarely in the mainstream zeitgeist.

Twitter co-founders Evan Williams and Biz Stone are both excited about the development. Evan (@ev) writes “Yes, the ‘big day’ tomorrow is due to @Oprah. Catch @aplusk [Ashton Kutcher] on the show (and follow him if you don’t already!) Oh: I’ll be there too! .”

But not everyone thinks turning Twitter into a massive celebrity-driven PR device is a good idea. Chalk it up to naysaying if you like, but PC Magazine’s Lance Ulanoff has a good argument for why this could be the beginning of the end for Twitter. Ulanoff says Twitter is so valuable because it provides a perfect format for the quick exchange of ideas, but it’s being taken over by celebs and businesses who do nothing by promote themselves. In response to Williams’ enthusiasm, Ulanoff writes:

“Doesn’t he know what Oprah fan interest will do to Twitter? First, the service will crash, over and over again. The Fail Whale will rule tomorrow. Then it will recover and get bigger than ever, but with more Twitter users like Ashton and Oprah, it will ultimately be hollow on the inside, just like a bubble. And we know what happens to them.”

“In spite of everything that’s happened, what keeps me”

Oprah! Oprah! Oprah! Child! When will you ever learn?

Johanesburg -–OPRAH WINFREY acknowledged in a newspaper interview published Saturday that she has made several mistakes at her elite South African school, but said she remains proud of its success.

The recent expulsion of four girls and suspension of three others was the second scandal to hit the Leadership Academy for Girls, which opened in 2007 to groom bright children from deprived backgrounds for a brilliant career. A dorm matron is currently on trial accused of abuse and sexual assault.

“I have made several mistakes and one of them was being overprotective of the girls, which has led to an impression that the school is isolating them from society,” Winfrey was quoted as saying in the Weekend Argus.

She said she had also underestimated the extent of homesickness among girls at the boarding school.

Last month, four students were expelled and three others suspended. South African media at the time said they were accused of trying to force students into relationships and to engage in sexual contact.

Winfrey herself hasn’t given details of the misconduct. But she said in the newspaper interview that it was “insulting” that the family of one of the expelled girls had complained to the press even though she had been warned before about her behavior.

“Those girls in their own testimony during the (disciplinary) hearing said they knew they were breaking the rules and that they deliberately broke the rules,” the talk show queen was quoted as saying.

The institution just outside Johannesburg opened with a blaze of publicity in January 2007 with about 150 girls in 7th and 8th grades. The Academy is expected to grow by one grade each year until it reaches full capacity in 2011, with approximately 450 girls in grades 7 through 12.

Winfrey poured $40 million into the 28-building campus, which is spread across 22 lush acres. It has computer and science labs, a library, theater and wellness center, all protected by strict privacy. Each girl lives in a two-bedroom suite — a far cry from their humble surroundings at home.

It’s the fulfillment of a promise Winfrey made to former South African President Nelson Mandela and aims to give poor girls a quality education and prepare them for leadership positions in a country where state schools are struggling to overcome the legacy of white-minority rule.

“The majority of girls are thriving, really fulfilling the dream and vision I had,” Winfrey told the newspaper. “They really have exceeded any expectations I had for them.”

“In spite of everything that’s happened, what keeps me inspired and hopeful is the heart of every girl, because they are wonderful, they are magnificent.”

Halliday stated. “We regard the incident as confidential”

It really hurts to her news like this!

OPRAH WINFREY’s school for girls rocked by 2nd sex abuse scandal in less than two years!

According to the Afrikaans on Sunday newspaper, seven students from the South Africa school were suspended for sexually harassing one of their class mates! A 15 year old was accused by school officials of preying on another girl and then forcing others to lie about it to the school staff.

Other girls were caught engaging in rampant acts of overt lesbianism and coercing other girls to join them.

Oprah’s PR flack, Lisa Halliday, confirmed the girls were suspended from the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy School for Girls.

“It is because they contravened the school’s code of conduct,” Halliday stated. “We regard the incident as confidential.”

The first incident of sexual abuse occurred when 15 girls reported they had been molested by the headmistress. The scandal devastated Winfrey as she confided previously she had been raped and molested by a cousin, uncle and family friend as a child.

Winfrey promptly fired the offender and announced she would give each of her students a cell phone with her number on speed dial — just in case.

It is unknown at this juncture whether any of the students reported these latest outrages to Oprah herself.

it’s a mere “teachable moment,” for young people.

“Love doesn’t hurt”

Talk show diva OPRAH warned RIHANNA on her show Friday that Chris Brown — who’s charged with two felonies for beating the singer last month – will do it again.

“Love doesn’t hurt,” Oprah said pointedly to the camera. “And if a man hits you once, he WILL hit you again.”

In her message to Rihanna — and to Brown-Oprah encouraged them both to take time to heal and to get counseling.

Preceding Oprah’s advice to the young couple that has reportedly reconciled since the horrific beating, Oprah’s best pal Gayle King read the laundry list of violent acts Brown perpetrated against Rihanna according to the police report, including hitting, biting, choking and threatening to kill her.

King called the incident “a teachable moment,” for young people. But Kelly Ripa’s husband, actor Mark Consuelos, thought better of using Rihanna, 21, and Brown, 19, as role models for kids.

“We can’t use celebrities or singers or actors to parent our kids. Or to give messages to our kids,” Consuelos said.

“She knew they weren’t having an affair, but it was as though Oprah wanted people to wonder”

Wow-sers! Why can’t we just all get along?

Sources over at “O” Magazine are claiming that First Lady MICHELLE OBAMA has had enough of talk show titan OPRAH WINFREY!

“Oprah marched into the White House with Gayle King in tow like she owned it,” an insider said when the chatty twosome arrived for an interview with Michelle.

“(Oprah) believes she played a major role in getting President Obama elected and expects to be treated like royalty when she calls on them.

“But Michelle had other ideas. She appreciates that Oprah endorsed her husband, but considers her role minor in getting him elected.”

Michelle, 44, is still annoyed by the way Oprah flirted with her husband Barack during the presidential campaign, says the insider.

“She knew they weren’t having an affair, but it was as though Oprah wanted people to wonder,” continued the insider. “Michelle wouldn’t mind if Oprah went back to doing her show and left the Obamas alone forever.”

The trouble began as soon as Oprah set foot in the White House to do an interview for O magazine. When she went to greet Michelle with a kiss on the cheek, Michelle stepped back and extended her hand, says the insider from “O”.

Then, when the interview began, Michelle focused her attention on 54-year-old Gayle.

“Oprah felt completely left out of the conversation. And it was obvious that was how Michelle intended for her to feel.”

“By the end of the interview, Oprah was seething!”

and just how crazy is this

Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich ditched his own impeachment trial to hit the talk show circuit this morning. And he says Oprah could “do good things for people.”

By John Charles Reedburg

It takes a bold man to upstage his own impeachment trial.

As the proceedings got underway today in Springfield, Ill., ROD BLAGOJEVICH ditched his own trial so he could work the talkshow circuit in New York. The Illinois governor accused of trying to sell off Barack Obama’s vacant senate seat went on The View and Good Morning America to tell them A: he’s innocent; B: Rahm Emanuel thinks so, too; and C: he considered appointing Oprah to the senate.

My thought was (here is) an African American woman who by herself probably has more influence than 100 senators. She was instrumental in the election of Barack Obama. She clearly could use her bully pulpit to do good things for people. The question was whether or not there was any chance at all that she’d be willing to do it…

How do you suggest something like that so it doesn’t look like it’s just a gimmick to get publicity at her expense. The answer is you don’t. If Blago had tried to put Oprah in the senate, everyone would have seen it as a bald-faced publicity stunt. It’s a publicity stunt to even mention it now.

Apparently, Blagojevich has given up on trying to win over the Illinois state legislature, so instead he’s trying to win over the American people. It looks like he’s hoping that makes a difference when he heads to real court where he’ll defend himself against federal corruption charges.

Blago complained that the impeachment was rigged because, unlike a real trial, hearsay is allowed, and he is not allowed to call witnesses to testify on his behalf.

Other politicians have worked at distancing themselves from the embattled governor, but Blagojevich seemed to be in name-dropping mode today, explaining that Rahm Emanuel and Valerie Jarrett could both attest to his innocence.

As he spoke to the gang on The View, the topic turned to his colorful speech.

After being warned by by Joy Behar to “watch the expletives because this is live,” Blago explained that hey, that’s how you talk when you grow up tough like him.
I was raised in a big city in a tough neighborhood, and when you’re a kid growing up in a neighborhood like that, you would never say words like that in front of your mother. But when you’re out there at the schoolyard, you’re playing basketball, or you’re out with the other guys, it’s just sort of the thing you do.

Unfortunately you try to get rid of some of those habits, you may have left the neighborhood, but part of the neighborhood never left you. What do you think? Is Blago for real? Is he being railroaded?