Oprah's Long Goodbye Begins With Tears

By PopEater Staff Posted Nov 20th 2009 03:58PM

With her eyes welling with tears, Oprah Winfrey looked directly at her viewers on Friday to explain why she will be ending her show in 2011 after a quarter-century on the air. It was prayer and careful thought that helped her decide, she said. "I love this show. This show has been my life. And I know when it's time to say goodbye."

"Twenty-five years feels right in my bones and feels right in my spirit."

Winfrey offered no specifics about her plans for the future, except to say that she intended to produce the best possible shows during her last 18 months on the air.

"Over this holiday break, my team and I will be brainstorming new ways that we can entertain you and inform you and uplift you when we return here in January," she said. "And then, season 25 - we are going to knock your socks off."

Winfrey talked about being nervous when the 'The Oprah Winfrey Show' began in 1986 and thanked audiences who had invited her into their homes and lives over the past two decades.

"I certainly never could have imagined the yellow brick road of blessings that have led me to this moment," she said.

In a statement released Thursday afternoon by Harpo, Inc. -- Winfrey's production company behind her massive empire -- the company announced that the talk show queen would tell her audience and the world of her show's end on Friday. "The sun will set on the "Oprah" show as its 25th season draws to a close on September 9, 2011," the statement published by WIVB.com says of Winfrey's impending bombshell.

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Oprah Winfrey Pics

Oprah Winfrey is seen here with Sarah Palin and family during a taping of her show in which the former vice presidential candidate appeared. Click for More Oprah Pics >>>

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Heidi and Spencer Snapshots

©BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt leave the Alexa Chung Show at the MTV Studios in Mid Town Manhattan, where the promotional pair share a kiss... again. NON-EXCLUSIVE November 16, 2009 Job: 91117Z1 New York, New York www.bauergriffin.com www.bauergriffinonline.com

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NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 16: Heidi Montag (L) and Spencer Pratt promote "How to be Famous" at Borders Books & Music, Columbus Circle on November 16, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Will Ragozzino/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Heidi Montag;Spencer Pratt

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NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 16: Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt promote "How to be Famous" at Borders Books & Music, Columbus Circle on November 16, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Will Ragozzino/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Heidi Montag;Spencer Pratt

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NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 16: Spencer Pratt promotes "How to be Famous" at Borders Books & Music, Columbus Circle on November 16, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Will Ragozzino/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Spencer Pratt

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For weeks, rumors of a change in Oprah's show -- namely buzz that Winfrey would be taking her show off of syndicated public television and onto her own cable network -- grew at a frenzied pace. There had been little communication from Oprah or Harpo until this bombshell announcement.

In a report earlier this month, Deadline Hollywood Daily blogger Nikki Finke reported that Winfrey would be taking her show to her cable network OWN (The Oprah Winfrey Network) and that there was a good deal of behind-the-scenes tension between Winfrey, CBS and Discovery Communications over the decision. Finke's reporting seems to be dead-on, as the Nov. 5 post stated: "in several weeks, Oprah will tell the public that she's ending her syndicated Chicago-based daytime talk show when her current deal runs out and moving it to OWN headquarters in Los Angeles probably as soon as mid-2011."

According to the New York Times, both CBS and ABC stand to lose millions from her departure.

CBS owns syndication rights to Oprah's show, while ABC airs the program -- which generates high ratings and leads into the network's local news.

Tags: oprah, oprah winfrey, OprahWinfrey

Comments

(205)

Friday 20 November

By Gary

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

I wish I had her money.

By BK

You know, If I had been the one so feverently working to get the disaster of a man we now call our President elected in the first place...I would call it a day NOW...not wait until 2011. Apparently her rating are in the hole if she has to annouce that far in advance that she is calling it quits on the show. Anything to drum up some ratings and viewers. I USED to like this woman and respect her....until she became a mouthpiece for Obama. She should do something with all her power and wealth to help America that she claims to love so much.

Sunday 22 November

By slap that

Vote down Vote up Report this

me to

Monday 23 November

By M.Florence

Wasn't Oprah recently invited to the White House...
Yes, that's what the news media confirmed. Perhaps Obama, has offered Oprah a position in the White House. Otherwise, why would she let such a successful show go. Feels right....humm. We'll see.

By Molly

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

I wish people who are starving and sick had her money

By Tom

Why do we have to wait till 2011?

By Ken

Check out something different and new that is not using people to make a buck.... the money she has spent out of the country and for Obamas election could have taken care of a lot of AMERICANS... IF YOU AN AMERICAN.... TAKE CARE OF THE PEOPLE HERE FIRST and THEN if you have any left over .... then help them.... there is no reason AMERICANS to be suffering as much or more than those in other counties... KEEP AMERICAN MONEY IN AMERICA !!!!

Saturday 21 November

By ed baggett

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

If you do not watch it, why should you care ? Try to find something useful to do..how about visiting sick people in the hospital or at their home.

By caleneg

Agreed... Bye bye.. don't let the door hit ya!

By Souette

That's exactly what I was thinking.

By Tee

You don't have to wait. Change the channel!

By judy

I agree. Almost 2 years away and she is crying now? LOL

By Mike

Amen.

By lmw

LOL!!!!! To funny! And I agree with to many evil touches as her show proceeded. I believe to her fame over all these years, she has been exposed to some far-out loonies who apparently have had that kind of influence on her. She has claimed to be a believer of God. I think she wants it both ways so she will fit into this new age. To bad for her..can't have it both ways.

By MarkF

Yeah, 2011 gives her too much time to "discover" another quack like "Dr. Phil". I'll never forgive her for bring this wind bag into our lives. His nickname is Doctor Obvious because he nevers has any real advice.

I fullt expected her to support Obama. She would have supported him regardless of party, etc. becuase of his skin color.