Tag: oprah

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Meghan Sussex Oprah Prince Harry royals

Oprah: The Sussexes relocated their duck family to my lake & chaos ensued

oprah:-the-sussexes-relocated-their-duck-family-to-my-lake-&-chaos-ensued

On Easter Sunday this year, the Duchess of Sussex posted an adorable IG video of a mother duck and her ducklings crossing the driveway of Harry and Meghan’s Montecito home. In the video, Meghan was waiting by some bushes and when the ducks stepped into frame, Meghan stepped out too, in awe of the mama duck and her babies. It was really sweet and Easter-themed, so of course the British and Australian tabloids ran hundreds of stories about how the duck video was MADE OF LIES! All of that analysis and they missed the most significant lie of all: the video was probably days or weeks old! We know that now because Oprah told a story about Harry calling her on Easter Saturday. Harry asked Oprah if they could relocate their ducks to her property, because she has a lake and they only have a stream (they also have a koi pond and a waterfall, but that’s neither here nor there). Here’s Oprah telling the story of how chaos ensued:

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Oprah, Prince Harry, Duchess Meghan & The Ducks! ???? pic.twitter.com/KGnMj8pNd9

— Nelly (@ValleyGirl629) July 16, 2025

As you can hear, Oprah does her own impression of Harry, who called her and said, “Sorry to bother you, O, but we have a duck problem here.” Harry explained the situation, that “A duck had come into their yard and laid their eggs and had these chicks. And he said, ‘Our pond is a stream, we don’t have a pond, so can we bring the ducks over to your pond?’” Oprah said Gayle King’s grandkids were there and she wanted the kids to see the ducks, but Harry was like, no, we need to do the duck transfer immediately, we’re coming over now.

Harry and Meghan then drove the duck fam over to Oprah’s property and as soon as the car door opened, Mama Duck took off like a bat out of hell: “As he opens the door, the mama duck flies out. And he’s got all the baby ducks in a box. We’re chasing the mama duck who is in the front yard and has flown to the other side. We’ve got her ducks. Harry’s running after, Meghan gets out, she’s running after, chasing the mom and trying to get her to come back to her ducks. And for like half an hour, we’re running around with the ducks in a box. We have video. It’s the funniest thing I’ve ever seen.” I love this story. I love the image of Harry and Meghan chasing after a duck on Oprah’s massive property while Oprah filmed it. It’s always fun when the Calamity Sussexes are around!

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Meghan’s IG, CBS/Harpo screengrabs.

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Oprah

Oprah: ‘Thin people’ don’t have more willpower, they just don’t have ‘food noise’

oprah:-‘thin-people’-don’t-have-more-willpower,-they-just-don’t-have-‘food-noise’

In 2023, Oprah made some somewhat controversial statements and decisions about weight loss. It all started when she took part in a larger conversation about weight loss drugs (like Ozempic) and whether they’re “the easy way out” for people who want to lose weight. She framed the conversation as “weight loss is a matter of willpower.” Then, in true Oprah fashion, she educated herself and changed her mind. In late 2023, she revealed that she had begun taking one of those weight-loss drugs – she never identified which one – and that she felt like the experiment was wildly successful for her. Now, after more than a year on the drug, she spoke this week about what she’s learned about weight loss and the “willpower” conversation.

Oprah Winfrey said taking weight-loss drugs, like Ozempic and Wegovy, helped her realize the truth about ‘thin people.’ In 2023, the media mogul, 70, finally admitted to using an undisclosed GLP-1 — a type 2 diabetes medication that can also aid in weight loss — to shed nearly 50 pounds after decades of yo-yo dieting. The admission came as a shock to fans as Oprah had previously denied using meds to slim down and even went as far as to slam the method as an ‘easy way out.’ But now, having nearly reached her goal weight of 160 pounds, Winfrey is sharing her experience taking a GLP-1 and what it has taught her about ‘thin people.’ She did so while discussing the function and safety of these types of drugs with Dr. Ania Jastreboff on the latest episode of her podcast.

‘One of the things that I realized the very first time I took a GLP-1 was that all these years I thought that thin people had more willpower,’ Winfrey confessed. ‘They ate better foods. They were able to stick to it longer. They never had a potato chip.’

But once she started on a GLP-1, Winfrey realized that what she initially perceived as ‘willpower’ was actually an absence of intrusive hunger thoughts — often referred to as ‘food noise.’ Ozempic, Wegovy and other GLP-1 medications can help eradicate food noise — which often leads to overeating and weight gain — by reducing cravings and slowing down digestion.

‘And then I realized the very first time I took the GLP-1 that, they’re not even thinking about it,’ the billionaire said. ‘They’re eating when they’re hungry and they’re stopping when they’re full.’

Winfrey explained that that way of eating ‘doesn’t work’ if you struggle with obesity, which is a disease.

[From The Daily Mail]

I’ve always admired Oprah’s openness in discussing her weight, her diets, her failed attempts at weight loss and all of it. I’m glad that the weight-loss drug has given her a new peace and a new perspective on this one piece of her life’s work. Personally, I don’t think it’s solely about willpower or food noise – genetics play such a huge role, as do learned behaviors around food and consumption. The willpower vs. food noise conversation is much more complicated, you know?

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

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Kamala Harris Lady Gaga Oprah politics

Hollywood insiders are planning to cook & doomscroll on Election Night

hollywood-insiders-are-planning-to-cook-&-doomscroll-on-election-night

Here are some photos from Kamala Harris’s Philadelphia rally last night. She staged the rally on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, made famous by Rocky. Thousands of Philadelphians packed Benjamin Franklin Parkway to hear VP Harris speak and to watch the star-studded final rally before Election Day. Ricky Martin, Lady Gaga, The Roots, Fat Joe and Oprah were all there. The Harris-Walz campaign has had a lot of celebrity involvement and it hasn’t been a big criticism at all. I’ve said this all along – the Republicans can’t slam Democrats for being “too Hollywood” because Republicans worship a degenerate reality star. Plus, the degenerate reality star is sick with jealousy that Democrats have all the “good celebrities.” Speaking of, the Hollywood Reporter took the temperature in Hollywood for Election Day and Election Night:

There’s a common refrain running through Hollywood regarding election night plans: Put the champagne on ice. Celebratory and star-packed shindigs of years past — basically anything prior to 2016 — are just that, history, and have been replaced by casual, more intimate and anxiety-filled gatherings. The reason? It’s complicated, and best explained by one of the industry’s most politically active producers.

“The biggest change for me personally is the understanding that we most likely will not have a confirmed outcome by the end of election night. We’ve now seen major swings with vote-by-mail being counted later than in-person voting, so the idea of doing a ‘party’ on election night doesn’t make sense due to that uncertainty, and others probably feel the same way,” explains Jamie Patricof, founder of Hunting Lane, an auteur-driven film, TV and documentary production company and a longtime political activist. “The 2016 election was also traumatizing for a lot of people, and the fact that 2020 extended until that Saturday has changed the course of election night plans. For me, it’s now more important to be with friends, family and people who have poured their hearts, time and effort into getting candidates elected that are critical to the policies and issues important to them and us. There are plenty of other days and nights to have parties.”

Another one of Hollywood’s most politically active producers reports that they will be “pacing” on the set of their new movie while watching results trickle in. A well-placed communications executive will be playing poker with friends as a distraction. Couch surfing with remote in hand for more than a handful who were asked to share plans. “People are honestly too scared to jinx anything,” one said. Pizza and cable news is on the menu for a veteran manager. Kelli McNeil-Yellen, writer, producer and founder of KLA Media, will be focusing on a different menu by tackling a challenging recipe from Julia Child.

“My husband [director/cinematographer Alexander Yellen] and I got a mid-priced bottle of pinot noir to accompany the meal — nothing in the celebratory price range but also nothing cheap — and are tackling the original Julia Child boeuf bourguignon recipe from scratch for two reasons: One, it’s going to take hours to make and hopefully keep our minds off things, and secondly, we’re going to need some comfort food and we can’t think of anything that sticks to your ribs better than an OG Julia Child recipe,” said McNeil-Yellen.

As for Patricof, he plans to be stuck like glue “to all the pundits I’ve spent every day and night with for the last few years.” He continued: “This is like my Super Bowl. I can’t wait for the Steve Kornacki cam [on NBC]. I totally envy and respect anyone who can play Monopoly Deal and enjoy Tuesday night by taking their mind off the election. I will definitely be taking advantage of watching four windows at once on YouTube TV.”

[From THR]

I make no qualms about it, I’m going to be watching MCNBC and scrolling Twitter. I’m not sure we’ll know who won tonight, but I actually think we’ll know by Wednesday evening. The situation in 2020, where it took four days to count votes in Michigan, Philly and Georgia…I just feel like people are more prepared overall. But yeah, I’m all for people being cautious and not expecting a huge celebration tonight. The Harris campaign knows what they’re doing and they’re preparing people to tuck in because it could take a few days.

FULL VIDEO: Lady Gaga performing “The Edge of Glory” at the final Kamala Harris rally in Philadelphia.pic.twitter.com/gteiPlNRo9

— Lady Gaga Now (@ladygaganownet) November 5, 2024

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

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Megyn Kelly Oprah

Megyn Kelly: ‘I miss fat Oprah,’ Oprah lost her authenticity when she lost weight

megyn-kelly:-‘i-miss-fat-oprah,’-oprah-lost-her-authenticity-when-she-lost-weight

A year ago, Oprah stepped out looking svelte. People gossiped that she was the latest Ozempic convert. Then in December, Oprah spoke about all of it – she has gone on one of the weight-loss drugs in consultation with her doctors, and she put her decision in context. She’s 70 years old and concerned about her health and longevity, so she’s using the weight-loss drug in addition to being more active and still watching what she eats. Oprah’s weight fluctuations have been well-documented for decades and that’s part of Oprah’s appeal to many women: she, like millions of women, struggles with her weight and tries fad diets and loses weight and then back slides. One of the most disgusting things you can say to a woman who has been open about her weight struggles for decades is: I liked you more when you were fat. That is what Megyn Kelly just said this week about Oprah.

Megyn Kelly says she misses the “fat” Oprah Winfrey of old, claiming the iconic TV host has lost her heart, “along with the pounds,” as she’s recently opted to take a weight loss drug. Kelly, the 53-year-old former Fox News anchor, told podcast listeners Friday that she finds Winfrey, 70, less trustworthy since she began taking a weight loss medication.

“I miss fat Oprah, she was just genuine,” Kelly said on the The Megyn Kelly Show. “Now this thin Ozempic Oprah has lost—along with the pounds, her heart—her sense of authenticity.”

Kelly’s lashing out came the morning after Winfrey appeared alongside Kamala Harris for a town hall in Michigan—an event that clearly irked Kelly, a very public supporter of Donald Trump. Winfrey’s full-throated support of Harris appears to have gotten under Kelly’s skin, with the Fox News veteran asserting she no longer considers herself a fan.

“I used to love Oprah, like most of us who grew up when we did,” Kelly said. “And only now did I realize I’ve been getting spoon-fed propaganda from this woman for years.”

Perhaps the most memorable moment from Harris’ interview last week came when the vice president claimed she wouldn’t hesitate to shoot a home intruder.

“If somebody breaks into my house, they’re getting shot, sorry,” she said to a raucous applause. “Probably should not have said that, but my staff will deal with that later.”

Eliciting that comment wasn’t enough for Kelly, however. She said she’d like to have seen Winfrey push Harris harder on her gun control policies, claiming the “debacle” of an interview was “the ultimate culmination of her journalistic fails.”

[From The Daily Beast]

“And only now did I realize I’ve been getting spoon-fed propaganda from this woman for years.” Megyn Kelly is years older than me, and I remember a time when Oprah was so politically important, she had to make a point of interviewing both presidential candidates on her show and it was a big deal to see which candidate performed better. I still remember when George W. Bush turned on the charm and Oprah and her audience were impressed by him in 2000. Oprah shifted in 2008 when she decided to endorse Barack Obama early on, and she’s worn her political allegiances on her sleeve ever since. It was a big deal that Oprah made a point of going to Michigan, staging the event like her old talk show, and bringing back “the Oprah interview” style for Kamala Harris. Megyn knows how significant that was too, which is why she’s making nasty fat jokes at Oprah’s expense.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Cover Images and Instagram.

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Al Roker Oprah

Oprah on turning 70: ‘A sense of knowing that there isn’t as much time left’

oprah-on-turning-70:-‘a-sense-of-knowing-that-there-isn’t-as-much-time-left’

Al Roker just turned 70 years old, and Oprah Winfrey turned 70 back in January. Oprah tends to have huge realizations around her biggest birthdays, and we have to go through it all with her. I still remember how mad she was when she turned 50 (she hated that birthday). Well, Al Roker is more easy-going but even had to pause for his 70th. He asked Oprah if she would do an interview for the Today Show on aging and the wisdom that comes with age. The interview was actually really good! She really opens up to people she’s known for years.

What she felt on her 70th birthday: “There is a sense of knowing that there isn’t as much time left and I am at peace with that knowing. There’s a sense of urgency for me about living well.”

Her 2021 knee surgery: “I had been becoming more and more debilitated to the point where it was hard to walk down even two steps just to get into the car. You know that pain. When I finally went to the knee doctor and I said, ‘I don’t know, is it time?’ He goes, ‘It’s time if you want to continue walking. You like walking? It’s time.’ I’d never been through surgery, was intimidated by it. The best thing I’ve ever done. I really felt like I’ve had a new opportunity to live inside my body in a way that I hadn’t been able to for years because being overweight, and being overweight causing the knees to be even worse.”

Whether her edges have softened over time: “I think I have just aged into a form of myself that is wiser, that is certainly stronger, that is more vibrant and aware and conscious than I’ve ever been. I don’t feel that my edges are softening.”

Her biggest regret: “I would not have taken on the responsibility of trying to build a network [OWN] while still ending the show. That is my one regret. I should have handled all of that differently, I think. I should have completed one thing, taken a year to do nothing, and then decided what was the next thing for me to do. I’d made a decision that it was time for the show to end, I don’t regret that. What I do regret is trying to do multiple things at the same time. I would have done the thing that I tell everybody else to do: ‘When you don’t know what to do, do nothing. Get still with yourself and do nothing.’ I would have given myself that time.”

She loves rainy days: “If it’s a rainy day, I’m in love with life. You know why? No expectations. Nobody expects you to go out on a rainy day. If it’s bright sun everybody’s like, ‘Come on, let’s do that that that.’ I love myself a rainy day. Rainy day, a fireplace, a blanket, and a dog at your foot and a great book? That’s it. That’s it for me.”

[From People Magazine]

In recent weeks, I feel like the universe is trying to tell me to get my bad knee looked at by a doctor instead of just ignoring it and saying “that’s my bad knee.” As for Oprah’s sense of peace and urgency with her 70th birthday… I hope she genuinely feels some sense of peace, but I doubt it. I think she’s still got a long list of sh-t she wants to do and it probably drives her a little bit crazy to think that she won’t have time to get to it. But maybe that’s a great way to live too, always yearning and striving and doing. And yeah, she probably should have held off on launching OWN for a few years. I remember the chaos of that launch too.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

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Oprah politics

Oprah made a ‘childless cat lady’ reference at her surprise DNC appearance

oprah-made-a-‘childless-cat-lady’-reference-at-her-surprise-dnc-appearance

Embed from Getty Images

Real talk: it didn’t even occur to me that Oprah Winfrey could or would show up at the DNC in Chicago. Oprah lived in Chicago for decades and her eponymous talk show filmed in Chicago. She’s more closely associated with Chicago than most of Chicago’s politicians. Oprah also has a history of political endorsements, especially since 2008. She had not given her endorsement in this election year, but she decided to fly to Chicago this week. She was added, at the last minute, to the primetime DNC schedule and she spoke after Bill Clinton. She endorsed Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, obviously.

Oprah’s whole thing (nowadays) is that she’s a registered Independent and she’s encouraging her fellow independent voters to GOTV for Harris-Walz. She quoted Congressman John Lewis (and likely Rev. Martin Luther King Jr): “No matter what ship our ancestors arrived on, we are all in the same boat now.” Healing divisions, the same divisions Donald Trump seeks to enforce. She said: “Values and character matter most of all. In leadership and in life. And more than anything, you know this is true, decency and respect are on the ballot in 2024.” While I think this is a good line and it’s important to remind people that Trump is indecent, vile, grotesque, racist, misogynistic and disrespectful, as we’ve seen for years now, that’s why his supporters like him.

Her best line was mocking JD Vance though: “When a house is on fire, we don’t ask about someone’s race or religion, or who their partner is… We try our best to save them. And if the house belongs to a childless cat lady, well, we’ll try to get that cat out, too.”

Embed from Getty Images

Photos courtesy of Getty.

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Oprah

Oprah is stepping down from Weight Watchers’ board after she went on a weight-loss drug

oprah-is-stepping-down-from-weight-watchers’-board-after-she-went-on-a-weight-loss-drug

Last December, Oprah Winfrey stepped out to promote The Color Purple and she looked dramatically different and much slimmer. We soon learned how and why – Oprah appeared on the cover of People and she spoke about how she started taking a weight loss drug last fall. She did so after thinking it over for months and consulting with her doctors, and she sounded very happy with her decision and with her weight loss. She spoke about how it wasn’t just about the weight-loss drug either, that she was trying to be more active and, as always, watching what she eats. At the time, Oprah was still on the board of directors of Weight Watchers and I guess she got some pushback on that, which is strange. You can take weight loss drugs AND use WW’s point-system and methods. They are compatible, it’s not either/or, and WW has even started selling Ozempic. But I guess people didn’t think so, and now Oprah is stepping down from WW’s board.

Oprah Winfrey is leaving the board of WeightWatchers, ending a nearly decade-long stint as a director of the beleaguered company that has faced sudden competition from Ozempic. Winfrey notified the company of her decision earlier this week, telling them she won’t be standing for re-election at its annual shareholder meeting coming up in May. A reason wasn’t revealed, but a WeightWatchers regulatory statement said that her “decision was not the result of any disagreement” or “any matter relating to the company’s operations, policies or practices.”

“Oprah is an inspiring presence and passionate advocate both for our members and for society at large, in elevating the conversation around weight health,” said Sima Sistani, CEO of WeightWatchers, on a call with investors this week. “While I and the rest of our directors will certainly miss her in our board meetings following the end of her current term, she remains a strong strategic voice and collaborator with WeightWatchers.”

Winfrey will also be selling off her sizeable stake in the company: She said in a statement that she’s donating all of her stock to National Museum of African American History and Culture.

WeightWatchers shares (WW) plunged as much as 25% in premarket trading Thursday and are down nearly 70%. Winfrey’s exit is a year earlier than expected, with the media mogul in 2019 signing an extension until 2025.

“I look forward to continuing to advise and collaborate with WeightWatchers and CEO Sima Sistani in elevating the conversation around recognizing obesity as a chronic condition, working to reduce stigma, and advocating for health equity,” Winfrey said in a statement.

Winfrey joined the board in 2015 and bought a 10% stake, immediately giving the beleaguered company relevance as more people shifted to easier diets rather than counting points.

[From CNN]

Okay, this sounds less like Oprah is stepping down because of the (asinine) backlash against her use of weight-loss drugs and it sounds more like Oprah is kind of done with WW. She’s moved on, she wasn’t pushed out.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.