Oprah Winfrey Opens Up About Jennifer Hudson Drama: 'Everybody Was Mad'

By Christine Fenno Posted May 7th 2011 10:07AM

With the Harpo team in Chicago hurtling toward the The Oprah Winfrey Show finale on May 25, the talk-show queen is in a talkative mood.

As Winfrey launches one behemoth (the OWN network) while ending another (the 25th and final season of her daytime show), she essentially confessed to what fans already adore her for: She's only human.

"I feel like I have not begun to give anything to OWN," she told EW.com in a revealing interview. "Its going to improve exponentially with the amount of time and service I can give." She added candidly, "It's not where I want it to be."

When discussing OWN's reality show 'Oprah Behind the Scenes,' she brought up the Jennifer Hudson episode. The slimmed-down singer had attended an Oprah Show soundcheck during a week of severe snowfall, then quietly flew to Texas for a gig; her delay returning to Chicago the next morning for her final Oprah appearance upset both staff and host, and made for intense 'BTS' footage.

"That was a lot of high drama because we've never been stood up before," Winfrey said, hinting that tactful editing went into what otherwise might have been a bleep-filled episode. "Everybody was mad. I wanted to make sure that there was not one single thing in that episode that had anything to do with us being mad or upset in that moment. It was dramatic. Nobody has ever not shown up, ever. Especially if they were here the night before."

And Winfrey laughed about her own willingness to be herself on camera for the 'Behind the Scenes' series.

"I've taken that to an all-time low, Oh my god," she said. "Jesus, I need a little vanity....The camping trip was an all-time low for makeup and pajamas. I do think I could have had nicer pajamas. The reason why it doesn't completely make me feel like, God I should improve myself, is that people have seen me. They know I can pull it together. And in real life, people don't have coordinated outfits. I don't have coordinated outfits!"

Tags: Jennifer Hudson, oprah winfrey, Oprah Winfrey Network, Oprah Winfrey Show

Comments

(113)

Saturday 07 May

By stu

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DIVA!!

Monday 09 May

By BTDT

"during a week of severe snowfall,"

Oprah Almighty should have fixed the weather if she wanted Jennifer to appear.

By jeff

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"...she essentially confessed to what fans already adore her for..."

maybe Christine Fenno adores her a little too much!

By Marisa

She's just so full of herself it's not funn!

By Joe

Never been stood up before on her show...NCER?!?!?! Well, poor thing! Life can be sooo cruel huh!!! This female is one that will NEVER get over herself, way to many people out there who actually BELIEVE she is something other than what she is...human! A good dose of people "not showing up" on her show is EXACTLY what people like her deserve and NEED!!!

Wednesday 11 May

By mrbluesays

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With false straight hair BW are not going out in the rain or snow! BW look better with her own curl.

By the_fool

The Oprah monster must have been scarier than all the scary movies out there.

Sunday 08 May

By Shirley

Oprah is definitely an ugly woman with or without makeup.

Wednesday 25 May

By Jackie

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Hey, you may take offense, but that's why she's made a success. You can't mix business with friends and family, it doesn't mix. It's strictley business. You may love someone so much, but if you let people mess up your business, you will have no business. Some folks priorities are not in order. That's is why there business has failed. If it's not God Almighty, I will not let a family member or friend make by business fail!

By Jim

Jennifer Hudson whose mother and nephew were brutally murdered? Oprah had a moment? Oprah really is full of herself. Too bad.

By betsy

So, because you had a bad hand dealt in your life its ok to be disrepectful of peoples time and hard work? You people are nuts!

By brian

that didn't happen that night, that was over a year ago. Hudson went to texas to sing at a private party for some rich family that was paying her big bucks and she felw on a private plane. they didn't say anything because her people felt it was non of oprahs business ansd they'd be back in plenty of time - not counting on the snow storm. It was disrespectful and having personally worked for over 15 years in the business I would have lost my mind and blacklisted Hudson. Angry would be the understatement. Oprahs was pretaping 3 shows that day. For the behind the camera team it was a HUGE deal and she was right to be angry. leno wouyld be, Letterman, Stewart, Kimmel, the today show GMA ... you won't find a producer who would disagree. and yes, word traveled FAST. The business is a very small world.

By Toni

Do you know how to put on a successful show? Any idea? Please, most of you brats out there think that kissing a singers butt, who btw won't last as long as a mogal like Windfrey, is what the norm is. Well let me tell you that Hudson broke trend, not Windfrey. Besides, what production person would want a star that makes them go overbudget just because they are a star? Winfrey owns a network now. Hudson will be the beggar after she screws enough production people. You and others like you who hate blindly instead of getting real facts and experience will remain jealous - you have no choice.

By syl1969

Really Toni - after 25 years on her show, good deeds done all over the world, and her appearances at mega functions - I would think you should know how to spell her name! Obviously you don't pay attention, so why post?

Monday 16 May

By squashpatch

Yes, Jennifer has had a hard time. She got ripped off on idol, then her family was murdered. I don't know how she keeps it together. She looks wonderful and I am very proud of her.

I hope this young woman keeps getting better and better. She doesn't act like a person who would be late just to make an entrance. Oprah needs to get out of the business entirely. We have had enough of her.
Why didn't she help the black children in the US instead of trecking off to Africa. They need help just as bad.

Sunday 22 May

By Dee

As tragic as that incident was, it was 2 or 3 years ago...and had nothing to do, what so ever, with Oprah's show. Jennifer and her "people" showed a simple disregard in her responsiblities to a show she was scheduled to do....plain and simple.

Weather forecasters usually do a 50/50 jb at predicting the weather...but it shouldn't have taken a rocket scientist to figure out....that just maybe, especially during the bad winter we had...it would pay to check and see how the weather may be adding up.

By katie

I believe her brother was murdered also. That is three people she lost!! so sad for Jennifer.OMG

By Nonnie

I think the name 'Monroe' isn't bad ... unusual, but not bad. But Moroccan? That just makes no sense! Even if it were Morocco I would like it better. I have an unusual name and I've spent what seems like my whole life either pronouncing it or spelling it for people. It gets old!

By ED

Hey Stu-pid what's up !!

By California Granny

Well, that goes to show that no matter how big a star one is, there is always someone who doesn't care. Jennifer apparently is not impressed with Oprah and does as he damn well pleases. It must of been a slap in the face for Oprah. I watched her show and one could not see anything amiss. Oprah WAS carefull not to show her true feelings. Of course that would reflect bad on the "sister". What bunk. Seems Jennifer needs to be taken down a notch or two for been a "Diva". She has lot to learn yet.

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