VIDEO: Roger Ebert speaks! Two thumbs up.

By GottaLaff

Via Daily Beast:

Roger Ebert's battle with thyroid cancer in 2006 has left the critic unable to speak in his own voice—until now. On Tuesday's Oprah, he showed off a new technology that uses archive recordings of his reviews to give Ebert a computerized voice shockingly close to his original. We give it two thumbs up!

I love reading Ebert's tweets on Twitter. I have so much admiration for him, and am thrilled to see him able to have a voice again.

Sarah the Journalister

By GottaLaff

Via Gryphen, we get wind of one of the most blatant lies that ever fell out of Barbie McLipSchmutz's lipschmutzed up mouth:

Here is what I found posted on Oprah.com. (I have not seen the show yet.)

"When I studied journalism, we learned all about the who, what, when, where and why of reporting. Just stating the facts," she says. "I'll engage in that, kind of ratcheting back down to the simplicity of what journalism should be about: just the basics and letting the people decide what their opinion will be."

Of course, the "basics" part is true, because she can only handle basics. No, on second thought, she can't.

As for being a simplistic journalist, she got that right. So she can tell the truth! But only this once.

That whole "stating the facts" thing? Ain't gonna happen. Never. Not ever. No how. No way.

President Obama still gets great TV ratings

By GottaLaff

He can't help himself. Whether you agree with him or not, he's smart and he's likable. That makes him watchable:

CBS' "60 Minutes," which was assisted by an NFL lead-in, drew a season high 16.24 million total viewers Sunday night [...]

Later that evening, Oprah hosted "Christmas at the White House" with President Obama and the First Lady at 10pmET. That show drew 11.8 million total viewers, the best number for ABC in that time-slot since the Adam Lambert AMA incident.

And Prez O didn't even have to go... there.

VIDEO- 60 Minutes Preview: Obama On Afghan Timetable

By GottaLaff


Watch CBS News Videos Online

And here's a snippet of his comments on Wall Street:

"I did not run for office to be helping out a bunch of fat cat bankers on Wall Street," Obama says. [...]

Could they be paying the money back just to be able to pay the bonuses? "I think that in some cases, [to be able to pay bonuses] was the motivation," he tells Kroft. "Which I think tells me that the people on Wall Street still don't get it…They're still puzzled why it is that people are mad at the banks. Well, let's see. You guys are drawing down 10, 20 million dollar bonuses after America went through the worst economic year…in decades and you guys caused the problem," says the president.

"What's really frustrating me right now is that you've got these same banks who benefited from taxpayer assistance who are fighting tooth and nail with their lobbyists …up on Capitol Hill, fighting against financial regulatory control," he tells Kroft.

Watch the rest tonight on 60 Minutes. Then later, he and the First Lady are interviewed by Oprah Winfrey.

Big Tee Vee night!

Oprah's Harpo Productions e-mails The Political Carnival: Promo Time!

By GottaLaff

Of course, we're one of many, but how nice that we're on Oprah's mailing list now. Just for that, it's promo time:

I am writing to you on behalf of Harpo Productions to let you know about Oprah's Primetime special airing this Sunday, December 13 on ABC
at 10:00 - 11:00PM CT.

Her special, Christmas at the White House: An Oprah Primetime Special, is an entertaining hour-long special that will include a one-on-one conversation with the President, marking the first time Oprah has interviewed him since he took office, as well as an exclusive sit-down interview with the First Couple. The special will showcase behind-the-scenes preparations as the White House gets ready for the holiday season.

(click on images to enlarge)

We at TPC are happy to accommodate Harpo Productions to advertise this event. However, if Oprah ever sits down with Sean Hannity or Glenn Beck, not so much.

Confirmed: Oprah and Obama, together again

By GottaLaff

I betcha Prez O doesn't laugh like this during his interview:

The reigning queen of daytime talk, Oprah Winfrey, will tape an interview with President Obama in the White House next week, White House sources confirmed.

I may actually watch Oprah for the first time to see this one.

VIDEO: On Oprah, Sarah Palin Admits To Being Naive, Loving Unprotected Sex, and Enjoying Porn

By GottaLaff

Oh this is good. I heard the audio on the Stephanie Miller Show, but didn't realize there was a video to go with it:



Whoever edited this should get a Special Oscar.

H/t: Lizz Winstead and Alicia!

BREAKING: Oprah is canceling her show in two years

By GottaLaff

Via Twitter, FishbowlDC is reporting:

Oprah is canceling her show in two years

More soon.

UPDATE: ABC News is reporting it too:

Oprah Winfrey to Announce Decision to End Her Television Show in Sept. 2011

UPDATE #2:

The media mogul Oprah Winfrey will end her iconic daytime talk show, “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” in 2011 as she prepares to start a cable channel of her own.

A spokeswoman for Ms. Winfrey’s production company confirmed Thursday evening that Ms. Winfrey will make the announcement on her program on Friday. [...]

“The sun will set on the Oprah show as its 25th season draws to a close on September 9, 2011,” WABC said.

It's all about The Cables.

Sarah Palin to appear on Oprah

By GottaLaff

The question is, will she cancel?

Andhowyoubetchamoreoveralsotoo:

Sarah Palin will sit with Oraph Winfrey next month for the first interview from the former Alaska governor since she stepped down from office.

It's all about her new (comic) book. You know the one. It sells for $9. NewsMax better buy up a ton or she'll never be able to afford her new house add-ons! Yeah, it'll be awfully tough to earn enough money for extravagances like airplane hangars, unless both of her Linked In accounts come through for her.

Think Oprah will add Barbie McLipSchmutz's little tome to her rec list?

Neither do I.

H/t: MicCheckRadio (Christy Harvey)

Video- Michelle Obama, Oprah Arrive For Lunch With Danish Royalty

What, no royal greeting for Oprah?

Justice Oprah?

You want empathy?

We don't know whether she's on President Obama's short list, but nearly one in four Democrats thinks television personality Oprah Winfrey would make a good Supreme Court justice.

So says Fox News, which surveyed 900 registered voters on May 12-13 on a variety of subjects, including the Supreme Court vacancy. Overall, 16 percent of respondents thought Winfrey would do well on the high court -- and 23 percent of Democrats and 10 percent of Republicans.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton did better among both groups, as did former Vice President Al Gore. But could either of those two get a book club going inside the reclusive court? Or shower the audiences at oral arguments with new cars?

Must note, it's a Fox poll.

FEC: No Law Violated by Obama’s Oprah Appearance

By GottaLaff

Roll Call is a subscription only site, so here is all I could grab:

President Barack Obama’s appearance on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” during last year’s Democratic presidential primary did not violate campaign finance laws, according to a Federal Election Commission decision made public on Monday.

Now back to the racist tea parties already in progress...

Oprah share magazine cover for the first time

They look like a bowl of sherbet. Excerpts of the interview here.

Oprah and Michelle: How Malia and Sasha know Dad is home.

By GottaLaff

My first post of the day is a Happy Michelle Post:

For the first time, Oprah Winfrey shares the cover of her April "O" magazine, with First Lady Michelle Obama. [...]

How Malia and Sasha now know dad's home:

"Once someone on my staff e-mailed to tell me that the president was on his way. But you could already hear the helicopter, so it was like, well, no kidding."

"The girls don't move. I'm like, 'You want to see Daddy landing in the helicopter?' 'No, that's okay. We already saw it.'"

I think we can safely say that our own memories of Daddy coming home don't include a helicopter.

[T]he pair talk about everything from the joys of White House pie to Obama's decorating philosophy and how she hopes to use "one of the best jobs in the world" to help women transform their lives. [...]

[S]ays Oprah: "[R]ight now nothing-and I mean nothing-is fresher than the family that moved into the White House in January, sparking a national spirit of renewal the likes of which I've never seen."

And for those who are into this kind of thing:

Fashion facts: Michelle Obama wears a Michael Kors dress and Dear Cashmere cardigan. Oprah wears a dress by Rachel Roy New York.

Here are a few excerpts of Oprah's interview with the First Lady. My favorite: "Everything must be fort-worthy":

On her first weekend in the White House after the inauguration:

"Well, we still had family here, so it was almost like a wedding. A huge, very complicated wedding. The last visitors didn't leave until Sunday. And then the first Monday was kind of weird. You know: Now we live here, and Barack is getting up and going to work, and it's just us. This is our home now."

On her decorating philosophy:

"It will reflect our family. I want comfortable sofas, I want art that reflects contemporary and traditional, I want to bring in new American artisans," she adds, "and you've got to be able to make a fort with the sofa pillows! Everything must be fort-worthy."

On her vision for the White House:

"It's a beautiful home. When you go out and come back, especially at night, with all the white lights on--it's just beautiful. We feel privileged, and we feel a responsibility to make it feel like the people's house. We have the good fortune of being able to sleep here, but this house belongs to America"

On What She Knows For Sure:

"I know that all I can do is be the best me that I can. And live life with some gusto. Giving back is a big part of that. How am I going to share this experience with the American people? I'm always thinking about that."

On keeping up with friends:

That's the thing about being the First Lady: You try to catch your friends up on what's happening in your life, and they're like, 'We know - we read it in the paper."

Could she be any cooler? She is the most genuine, unpretentious First Lady, someone we can truly relate to, who talks to us, not at us. Beautiful, inside and out.

Oprah interviews Michelle

By GottaLaff

Just FYI:

A few weeks ago Oprah Winfrey talked to First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House; her interview with Michelle will be broadcast on her Friday show.

Oprah not looking for an Obama post

By GottaLaff

Where do these rumors start? It's not as if Oprah doesn't have a million obligations, much less the inclination to switch careers:

Although Oprah Winfrey worked hard on Barack Obama's presidential election campaign, she never considered going to work for the president-elect's administration, the talk show host said Friday.

"I have a few full-time jobs already and a few full-time commitments, you know _ contractual commitments that say I have to be where I am," Winfrey told AP Television. "So, it never ever occurred to me, not even occurred to me."

Winfrey said she would stay put, even if the president-elect came calling.

"Even if I was offered, I still have contractual commitments and what could I do?" Winfrey said. "I do what I do best on TV every day."

I guess that means Secretary of Most Influential Woman in the World Winfrey is no longer an option.

Has Palin snubbed Oprah?

By GottaLaff

The ultimate sin:

Did Sarah Palin snub Oprah Winfrey? [...]

"I said I would be happy to talk to Sarah Palin when the election was over… I went and tried to talk to Sarah Palin and instead she talked to Greta [Van Susteren]. She talked to Matt [Lauer]. She talked to Larry [King]. But she didn't talk to me.”

Winfrey’s comments came in response to rumors she refused to invite the former vice presidential candidate on her popular daytime show.

Remember the Winfrey-Letterman feud? This would be potentially, exponentially more non-vice-presidentially entertaining. Palin doesn't stand a chance.

Oprah Show coming to D.C. for swearing-in

Oooh Clancy!!! You could take Mrs C to a taping of "Oprah".

Oprah Winfrey, who gave President-elect Barack Obama a crucial boost during the early primaries, is celebrating his Inauguration by bringing her powerhouse television show to Washington for the week.

"See you there,” Winfrey told “Access Hollywood” in an interview. “That's the place to be."

Winfrey said she has rented out the Opera House at the Kennedy Center to film the show, “Access Hollywood” reported.

Florida Republican women's group to boycott Oprah

By GottaLaff

This started with yet another lie by Republicans:

The Florida Federation of Republican Women made the decision to boycott the Oprah Winfrey Show Saturday, after the media mogul refused to have Gov. Sarah Palin as a guest on her show until after the election wraps up.

"Women in Florida helped build Oprah into the icon she is today," Linda Ivell, President of the FFRW said in a statement. "We are deeply disappointed in Ms. Winfrey's decision to sit out the greatest political moment in the history of women since suffrage."

The talk show host denied accusations Friday, that she was even considering the vice presidential nominee as a guest.

"At the beginning of this presidential campaign when I decided that I was going to take my first public stance in support of a candidate, I made the decision not to use my show as a plat for any of the candidates," Winfrey wrote in a statement, responding to a story from The Drudge report claiming her staff was "sharply divided" on whether they should book the Alaska Governor. [...]

The Florida Federation of Republican Women, the "largest political organization in Florida," celebrating the groups 58 year anniversary is also encouraging members to cancel subscriptions to O Magazine, Ivell said.

Oh, but it's only temporary. They're just angry for now. It's just a pretend boycott:

Ivell did not say the Florida Republicans would be tuning out indefinitely, but at least until 'after the election.' Adding, she and her members respect the decision to support Obama, "as every American is entitled to their personal opinion and vote."

So it's okay with them if Oprah decides not to invite Obama or McCain, but if she turns SledDog Sarah down, she has somehow betrayed them. Yeah, that makes sense.