300 ‘Ecstatic’ Oprah Audience Members Land in Australia
300 joyful Oprah Winfrey audience members arrived in Australia from the U.S. on Tuesday to begin their trip of a lifetime as winners of the talk show queen’s ultimate giveaway – an eight-day journey across the land Down Under, according to Popeater.com and wire services.
The audience members, who ranged in age from 18 to 75, were met by swarms of photographers and journalists as they stepped off the plane. The media jostled for position, screaming questions at Oprah’s audience as if they were visiting rock stars!
Later, the audience will be divided into smaller groups and swept away on a Grand tour of the the glittering Great Barrier Reef, the crocodile-infested rainforests of northern Oz, and the famous red monolith called Uluru, located in the remote and dusty Outback.
Winfrey kicked off her 25th and final season of ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ in September by surprising her shrieking, jumping and sobbing fans with what she’s billed as the trip of a lifetime. The hand-picked audience was made up of some of who the program called its most loyal viewers over the years.
“It’s an unbelievable experience, and I just want to soak in every bit of it,” said Jocelyn Kelley, from Boston, who was traveling with her mother, Gloria. “To be in that audience, to be a part of something so big, is just amazing.”
Oprah, who will be arriving later on a private jet, had a special date with U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington D.C. yesterday.
She was one of 5 Kennedy Center Honorees. Oprah’s arrival down under is being kept a closely guarded secret — as was her audience’s itinerary — which they learned upon their arrival. It is believed Oprah will touch down sometime on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Oprah will film 2 episodes in Australia at the Opera House which is being renamed the ‘Oprah’ House. The bill for the $4 million trip will be split between Australia’s federal and state governments. Officials say that’s a small price to pay for the many millions of dollars of tourism advertising the show will bring.
“Oprah is a household name, not just in the United States but in the 145 countries where the show is broadcast,” Federal Tourism Minister Martin Ferguson said in a statement. “That Oprah has chosen Australia as her Ultimate Adventure destination sends a powerful message to her millions of fans around the world.”
“I would have never thought little bitty ol’ me would ever have this opportunity,” said Orlando Bogins of Detroit. “It came at such a very hard time in my life – my mom had nine hours (of) surgery, I was laid off from my job and my house had been broken into. So we had all of that happen, and then I got notification that I was selected to go on the Oprah show.”
About 30 blacks (out of 300 mostly white giveaway winners) made the trip to Australia.
The man who donated $700K to buy Alicia Keys’ life back
According to TMZ.com, pharmaceutical mogul Steve Rahr donated up to $700,000 today to buy back the lives of Alicia Keys, Kim Kardashian, Lady Gaga, Usher and other narcissistic celebrities on social networking websites.
Celebs such as Ryan Seacrest, Khloe K. and La La Vazquez participated in the ‘Dead Celebrities’ campaign by taking ghoulish portraits lying in open caskets.
The stars logged offline on Tuesday, Nov. 30, and vowed not to sign back on until $1 million had been raised for the ‘Keep A Child Alive’ cause. Keys and the other stars hoped that their fans deemed them worthy enough to cough up the cash within 24 hours.
But 18 hours postmortem, Alicia Keys arose from the dead to leave a tweet on her Twitter account nudging her followers to go donate. Her followers responded with anger and complaints that Keys had broken her vow to stay offline.
By this morning, the donations reached the $200,000 mark and appeared to stall there until Rahr’s generous donation.
If Lil Kim and The Notorious BIG Had a Daughter…
When I first heard someone mention Miss Teary Man Made’s name, I thought they were referring to chris brown — not a female rapper with a glandular problem.
If the late, great Notorious BIG and rapper Lil Kim ever had a daughter, she would probably be as talented as Miss Teary Man Made.
Miss Made comes closer to rapping like Biggie and Lil Kim than any rapper I’ve ever heard. Why isn’t she signed yet?
Here’s a sample of Miss Teary Man Made’s lyrics:
I’ma dangerous b*tch, you in danger b*tch
red lights spinning, you’d better slow up your sh*t
Or I’ma crash, smash, land on your rooftop
It’s Santa Claus b*tches! Knock Knock!
Blame it on Miss Jia
Music Video: T.I. No Mercy featuring The Dream
Music video for the title track off T.I.’s album No Mercy featuring The Dream. No Mercy is in stores tomorrow, Dec. 7!
Check back tomorrow for details on how you can enter to win a Toys”R”Us shopping spree for your little one! He or she can be your child, brother, sister, cousin, it doesn’t matter!
10 children will be taken on a *shopping spree at Toys”R”Us, courtesy of T.I., Young Dro, Grand Hustle and Atlantic Records!
Make sure you buy the album tomorrow for your chance to win!
*Contest is open to Sandrarose.com readers in the Atlanta or surrounding areas. If your child wins, he or she must be present at the Toys”R”Us location to go on the shopping spree (more on that tomorrow).
Celebs Out & About: Khloe and Lamar, Christina Milian, Willow Smith, Jennifer Hudson, Halle Berry
Khloe Kardashian and her husband Lamar Odom Kardashian were seen leaving the Supperclub in Hollywood, CA last night. Lamar couldn’t keep his hands off his wife, who is considered the most beautiful – and least dysfunctional – of the famous Kardashian clan.
Precocious singer, actress and mini-socialite, Willow Smith, whipped her candy cane colored extensions from side to side as she performed live at the LA Christmas lights turn on event at the downtown LA Nokia theatre. Willow performed her hit song “Whip My Hair”. Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith’s daughter also wowed the crowd with her signature dance moves which were a bit mature for a 10-year-old. But we’re not shocked any more.
Photos: Splash News Online
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Keri Hilson struggles with being a single lady
Singer Keri Hilson, who appeared on VH1′s “Divas Salute to the Troops” over the weekend, opened up to singer Cee Lo Green recently about struggling with single life.
“My breaking point … I mean, there are many,” she said. “We, as women, are such hopeless romantics, and I know I’m one of them and I tolerate a bit more than I should just wanting to make a relationship work….”
Keri also admitted that her ex-boyfriend stepped out on her and skeeted up into another woman:
“If we’re in a committed relationship, not only do you step out and cheat, you had unprotected sex and had a baby out of the situation … That is like the ultimate. ‘OK, you cheated? Maybe we can work it out.’ … So, a child is born of this side relationship you had, and I just probably could not do that.”
Who knew that Keri and her longtime boyfriend had broken up? Maybe that explains these pics of Keri in the club the other night?
Speaking of which, Keri, who hosted a party at the Gold Room last Thursday, pulled several photographers to the side and grilled them to determine which one sent those photos of Keri to the blogs.
According to my spy, Keri had a “hurt expression” on her face. Why do celebrities think they’re safe when they put their business in the streets?
That’s like Kanye’s beard, Selita Ebanks and her new man acting like complete fools the other night at the Velvet Room when the club’s photographer tried to snap a few flicks of them. I would have posted the flicks were it not for the hands blocking the lens in all the shots.
Note to Selita: Nobody believes you’re dating Kanye, honey. We all know you’re being bent over and banged out regularly by a hot blooded 100% real man whose name is not Kanye.
Photos by Kevin Winter/Getty Images North America
Nicki Minaj and Kate Perry Perform “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” On VH1 Divas Salute to the Troops
More proof that rapper Nicki Minaj has zero stage presence: Nicki performed the Cyndi Lauper classic hit “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” with singer Katy Perry during the “VH1 Divas Salute to the Troops” special. Nicki comes off wooden and stiff during the performance — which Katy stole by the way.
While Katy was animated and clearly having fun, Nicki was more concerned with keeping her wig on straight. The show aired yesterday (Nov. 5) on VH1.
Watch the video after the break!
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