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Oprah's weight-loss backflip: "I'm done with the shame"

Oprah Winfrey has become one of the first A-list celebrities to openly admit that she has resorted to using weight loss medication after months of speculation, according to Page Six. “I now use it as I feel I need it, as a tool to manage not yo-yoing,” she told People Magazine. “The fact that there’s a medically approved prescription for managing weight and staying healthier, in my lifetime, feels like relief, like redemption, like a gift, and not something to hide behind and once again be ridiculed for.” The 69-year-old added, “I’m absolutely done with the shaming from other people and particularly myself.” This reversal comes after the actress rocked a <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/body/slimmed-down-oprah-addresses-ozempic-rumours" target="_blank" rel="noopener">slimmed down look</a> at the premiere for the reboot of The Color Purple last week. She had previously denied using weight loss drugs in an episode of Oprah Daily’s The Life You Want: The State of Weight, where she said turning to weight loss medication is "the easy way out.” Although she did not disclose exactly which drug she took, or whether it was the celebrity favourite Type II diabetes medication Ozempic, the media mogul revealed the reason why she had a change of heart. She told People Magazine that she became more open to using a pharmaceutical after conducting a panel discussion with medical experts in July. “I had the biggest ‘aha’ along with many people in that audience,” she said. “I realised I’d been blaming myself all these years for being overweight, and I have a predisposition that no amount of willpower is going to control.” She also shared the success she has had with the unnamed medication, claiming that she gained only half a pound “instead of gaining eight pounds like [she] did last year,” after Thanksgiving. Winfrey added that ultimately it wasn't about the number on the scale but “it was a second shot for me to live a more vital and vibrant life.” The O Magazine founder also said that the medication were just a larger part of her health and fitness regimen, which includes hiking. “I know everybody thought I was on it, but I worked so damn hard. I know that if I’m not also working out and vigilant about all the other things, it doesn’t work for me.” Images: Arturo Holmes/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images

Body

Oprah reveals measly salary from The Color Purple

Oprah Winfrey has shared the shockingly low salary she received for starring in the 1985 film The Color Purple. Ahead of the release of the reimagined movie musical, Oprah opened up about the experience making the original film, and the measly salary she received for her role. She revealed that “they were only offering $35,000 (A$55,500) to be in this film,” but she deemed it “the best $35,000 [she] ever earned.” “It changed everything and taught me so much,” she said. “It is God moving through my life.” The film was a global sensation, grossing nearly $100 million in 1985 dollars (the equivalent of $286 million when adjusted for inflation) and earning 11 Academy Award nominations, including Best Supporting Actress for Winfrey. In an interview with Essence conducted between Winfrey, who is an executive producer on the upcoming film adaptation, and some members of the new cast before the SAG-AFTRA strike, Winfrey said that she couldn’t “even begin to tell [them] what it means to [her]” that they chose to take on this project. “A person who wanted nothing more in my life than to be in The Color Purple,” she continued. “God taught me to surrender — that was the big lesson for me.” During the interview, Danielle Brooks, who is taking on Winfrey’s iconic role of Sofia in the adaptation, thanked Winfrey for “laying the blueprint for Sofia.” “Because I know that she’s changed your life, and I can feel that mine is about to shift, too,” she added. “Thank you for leaving space for me but also being there, to hold my hand and answer that phone call when I needed you. You have been such a light, such a beautiful soul.” Image credits: Getty Images

Movies

Meghan Markle denies lying to Oprah

Meghan Markle's half-sister Samantha has proceeded with legal action over what she claims are "false and malicious lies" about Meghan's fairytale "rags-to-royalty" story – in particular a comment the Duchess made in her infamous Oprah Winfrey interview that she "grew up as an only child". A defamation court has now heard that Meghan Markle has denied this comment constitutes a lie, insisting instead that it was a subjective statement regarding her feelings, rather than any kind of “objective fact” . Samantha is suing Meghan over both the TV interview special with Winfrey and the Finding Freedom biography, claiming that she was subjected to "humiliation, shame and hatred on a worldwide scale". She is seeking $75,000 ($108,000 AUD) in damages. Meanwhile, Meghan's legal team has moved to dismiss the case, stating: "Plaintiff [Samantha] first asserts that she can disprove that Meghan 'grew up as an only child'. "But this perception is inherently unfalsifiable. It is hard to imagine a more personal and subjective feeling than how one views their own childhood. "Moreover, Plaintiff's opposition completely ignores the context of the statement, where Ms Winfrey asked Meghan about her 'relationship' with Plaintiff (to whom Ms Winfrey referred as her 'half-sister on her father's side'). "Meghan's response to that question that she 'grew up as an only child' was obviously not meant to be a statement of objective fact that she had no genetic siblings or half-siblings.” "Rather, it was a textbook example of a subjective statement about how a person feels about her childhood." Further, they argue that Meghan can't be sued over contents of the book Finding Freedom because she did not write it. The duchess's legal team is calling for the case to be dismissed and for "attorneys' fees, costs and other relief" to be paid. Image: Getty

Legal

Oprah shares personal heartbreak

Oprah Winfrey’s father Vernon has died on July 8 at the age of 89 following a battle with cancer. The TV personality shared the heartbreaking news on Instagram along with a beautiful video during Vernon’s final days where he was honoured. “Yesterday with family surrounding his bedside I had the sacred honour of witnessing the man responsible for my life, take his last breath,” she wrote. “We could feel Peace enter the room at his passing. “That Peace still abides. All is well. Thank you for your prayers and good thoughts.” Oprah spent Vernon’s final days with him in Nashville, as well as organising a “Vernon Winfrey Appreciation Celebration” backyard BBQ. During the party, Vernon was seated on a barber chair in honour of his dedicated worklife as Oprah’s friend and gospel singer Wintley Phipps saluted him with song. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CfzEN6Qj5nG/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CfzEN6Qj5nG/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Oprah (@oprah)</a> </div> </blockquote> “He FELT the love and reveled in it until he could no longer speak,” she said. In a clip, Oprah can be heard saying to Vernon: “Thank you for being the kind of father who has brought honour to your life and honour to my life.” A few weeks earlier on Father’s Day in the US, Oprah honoured her father and reflected on the lessons he taught her. “If it were not for him, I doubt that anybody in the world would know my name,” she said. “I know firsthand how the trajectory of life can change by the positive influence of a good father.” Image: Getty

Family & Pets

"As fake as they come": Oprah blasted by fellow Hollywood star

The talk show queen has come under fire by fellow Hollywood star, Rose McGowan, who claims her “fake” persona hides the “ugly truth”. Oprah was well-known for her top-rating talk show but now she’s become famous for being able to get all the biggest names to talk to her about how they really feel – including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. But now she’s being accused of faking her support of the #MeToo movement by activist and actress Rose McGowan. Known for her roles in major movies and the TV series Charmed, McGowan posted a scathing tweet about the talk show queen, describing her as “as fake as they come”. “I am glad more are seeing the ugly truth of @Oprah,” McGowan tweeted, along with an old photo of Winfrey, now 67, virtually kissing convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein. “I wish she were real, but she isn’t.” tweets McGowan. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> I am glad more are seeing the ugly truth of <a href="https://twitter.com/Oprah?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Oprah</a>. I wish she were real, but she isn’t. From being pals with Weinstein to abandoning & destroying Russell Simmon’s victims, she is about supporting a sick power structure for personal gain, she is as fake as they come. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/lizard?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#lizard</a> <a href="https://t.co/RCuXNpWCU0">pic.twitter.com/RCuXNpWCU0</a> — Rose 🌊McGowan (@rosemcgowan) <a href="https://twitter.com/rosemcgowan/status/1432065449903153157?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2021</a></blockquote> Herself an outspoken survivor of sexual assault, McGowan continues: “From being pals with Weinstein to abandoning & destroying Russell Simmon’s [sic] victims, she is about supporting a sick power structure for personal gain, she is as fake as they come. #lizard.” Weinstein’s long list of alleged sexual assaults dating back to the 1970s was the catalyst for the #MeToo movement in October 2017, with McGowan being one of the first of dozens of women to accuse him of rape. The disgraced film producer, who has denied having “any non-consensual sex,” was found guilty of two felonies in February 2020 and is currently serving time in Wende Correctional Facility. Meanwhile, Russell Simmons has also been accused of rape and sexual misconduct by 20 women. The music executive, 63, has denied the accusations and kept a low profile in recent years, though he resurfaced in the Hamptons earlier this month. McGowan’s tweet refers to an earlier documentary It appears McGowan’s tweet refers to an earlier documentary which Oprah was going to be involved with. This 2020 documentary titled On The Record was centred around Simmons’ alleged sexual misconduct. While she was originally on board to executive-produce the project, she ended up backing out, citing differences with the film’s directors. In a statement, Winfrey said: “I have decided that I will no longer be executive producer on the untitled Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering documentary, and it will not air on Apple TV+,” Winfrey said in a statement to the Hollywood Reporter in January 2020. “I want it to be known that I unequivocally believe and support the women. Their stories deserve to be told and heard. In my opinion, there is more work to be done on the film to illuminate the full scope of what the victims endured, and it has become clear that the filmmakers and I are not aligned in that creative vision.” Not the first time McGowan has accused a celebrity of ‘faking’ it This is not the first time McGowan has publicly accused a high-profile figure of faking their support of the #MeToo movement. Last year, she hit out at her Charmed co-star Alyssa Milano, calling her a #MeToo “fraud”. The ugly Twitter spat occurred when Milano expressed her support for then-Presidential candidate Joe Biden and the Democratic Party. McGowan has long been opposed to Biden after claims he had sexually assaulted Tara Reade, leading her to label Milano a fraud and a liar. Image: Twitter

Awkward Ellen’s uncomfortable Oprah Winfrey interview

Following the announcement that <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/ellen-sensationally-quits">Ellen DeGeneres will quit her talk show</a> after 18 months of scandal, a question from Oprah Winfrey left her speechless. Appearing on The Ellen DeGeneres show, Oprah mostly avoided bombshell questions, instead asking questions like “How are you actually feeling? How are you really feeling?” of her friend of over 25 years. Winfrey also ignored the many allegations of bullying, misconduct, and a toxic workplace environment that have plagued The Ellen Show recently. It wasn’t until Oprah brought up one topic that the very real differences between the two stars was revealed. Ellen appeared visibly uncomfortable as Oprah spoke about the guilt she felt finishing The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2011 after 25 seasons and the knowledge that the decision would affect the huge team of employees that had “built their financial life” on the show continuing. “When you have a large staff as you do, as I did, that staff becomes your family. These are your tribe; these are your people. You would not be who you are without those people doing the work that a lot of people don’t recognise is going on behind the scenes,” Oprah said. “You often don’t think, as I often didn’t think, when you’re looking at people: Car insurance, mortgages, college educations being paid … for everybody on that staff, they have built their financial life, their family life, based on this show,” she continued. “For me that was hard too.” Ellen couldn’t hide her discomfort by that point, looking off camera and fidgeting with her hands. Staying silent, Oprah moved the conversation along and the show soon went to a commercial break. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.53846153846155px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841216/ellen.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/6d1acee106b24fc5869c4b2c48707b0a" /> At another point in the interview, Oprah told her friend she expected she would “miss the camaraderie of the audience” once The Ellen Show wraps up next year, and asked Ellen what it had been like telling the crew. “It was hard,” Ellen said. “There were tears … It was really hard.” “I DO love everyone here, we DO have a relationship … I wanted to give them a year to celebrate with me and stay with me.” But just hours after Ellen’s announcement, former producer Hedda Muskat slammed the host in an <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/she-was-not-holding-back-former-ellen-producer-s-parting-shot">explosive interview with Sunrise</a>. Muskat was one of the first producers hired during the show’s debut season and claimed viewers had finally “woken up” to Ellen’s true nature. “The viewers have spoken. Her ratings have been in the toilet for a long time now. Her show has not been fun, it has not been interesting, and she’s not really ‘stepping down’ - the viewers fired her,” she said. When asked what she thought DeGeneres should do after her show comes to an end, Muskat said her former employer should “work on a farm with all of the animals and the pets and the dogs and the cows and the pigs because she can relate to animals far more than she does with people.” Image credits: YouTube

Prince Charles “deeply hurt” and seeking comfort in Camilla

Prince Charles is said to be “deeply hurt” by his youngest son and his wife over their sit-down Oprah interview. However not all hope is lost, as reports say the heir is keen on mending his broken relationship with Prince Harry. The world tuned in when Meghan and Harry sat down with Oprah to share their experiences in being a part of the royal family. In the two hour interview, Prince Harry revealed his father stopped taking his calls when they decided to step down from their roles as senior royals and also claimed his brother and dad are“trapped” in the institution. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840300/chrle-harry.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/e1ca4277b469422e986818818ea85484" /> Image: Getty Despite what was painted as a fractured relationship, reports have stated that Prince Charles has plans to contact his son in the coming weeks to try and smooth things over. “You are looking at a father who is deeply hurt by where he finds his relationship with his son,” a friend told the Daily Mail. “But, after much reflection, he also realises that nothing good will come of prolonging the fight. “He feels it is time to heal. Now is the time to mend a broken relationship.” The prince is reportedly being comforted by his wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, who "just wants it fixed". Reports stated last week that Prince Charles was “in despair” over the interview where Meghan and Harry said they were cut off financially, Archie’s skin colour was made a concern before his birth, and the pressures and control the couple felt while working for The Firm. Meghan was also candid about her mental health, admitting to Oprah that there were days where she “just wanted to die”.

Relationships

"Whole family saddened": Queen responds to Oprah interview

The Queen has made a statement addressing Harry and Meghan’s groundbreaking interview with Oprah, saying the whole family is “saddened”. Buckingham Palace released the brief statement on Wednesday morning. "The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan," she says. "The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. Whilst some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately. "Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved family members." Interestingly enough, the short statement did not mention any trace of Harry and Meghan’s claims that they sought treatment for her mental health struggles. “I went to the institution, and I said that I needed to go somewhere to get help. I said that I’d never felt this way before, and I need to go somewhere. And I was told that I couldn’t, that it wouldn’t be good for the institution," the Duchess said during the interview. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CMNsu_FjttZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CMNsu_FjttZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Keefa Bronson (@thiccslayer2765)</a> </div> </blockquote> Oprah went on to ask: “So, the institution is never a person. Or is it a series of people?” “No, it’s a person. It’s several people, but I went to one of the most senior people to get help,” Meghan responded. “So I went to human resources. And I said, ‘I just really need help.’ Because in my old job there was a union, and they’d protect me. And I remember this conversation like it was yesterday, because they said, ‘My heart goes out to you, because I see how bad it is. But there’s nothing we can do to protect you, because you’re not a paid employee of the institution.’ <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CMNsjymjOds/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CMNsjymjOds/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by @manny_a_r_c</a> </div> </blockquote> “This wasn’t a choice. This was emails, and begging for help, saying very specifically, ‘I am concerned for my mental welfare.’ And people going, ‘Oh yes, yes, it’s disproportionately terrible, we see out there, compared to anyone else.’ “But nothing was ever done. So we had to find a solution.”

News

Who made the Archie skin colour comments?

Oprah Winfrey gave an intriguing new insight into her shocking interview with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on CBS. The TV host revealed that she still did not know the identity of the royal who the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said raised concerns about Archie skin colour before his birth. However, she said Prince Harry wanted to make it very clear it was neither the Queen nor Prince Philip who made those comments. The American TV star revealed that even she was surprised that Meghan and Prince Harry told her about the comment. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840185/meghan-harry-interview-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/a5cd2367f1864e9db0c90970d8dccd4b" /> Image: Supplied “[Harry] did not share the identity with me but he wanted to make sure that I knew and if I had an opportunity to share it that it was not his grandmother [the Queen] nor his grandfather [Prince Philip] that were a part of those conversations,” she said as she appeared on CBS This Morning just a day after the sensational interview. “He did not tell me who were a part of those conversations,” she added, admitting that she tried to get more details both on camera and off. Meghan also revealed that the Palace did not want her and Harry’s son, Archie, to have a royal title or security detail. Prince Harry also later said that the Queen had invited him and Meghan to Sandringham to talk and stay overnight after their decision to leave as working royals in January 2020. However he said the invite was suddenly retracted and he was told the monarch was “too busy”. She said the stories about the Queen being “blindsided” by their exit were “very damaging to them and also very hurtful” because there had been “months and months of preparation” before they moved to Canada. She noted that the Queen even said this in a January 2020 statement. “There are people surrounding the family who are advisers to the family who have been there a long time and that’s part of the hierarchal structure and those people have a lot of influence and input,” she said. Harry said that after the Queen invited the couple to Norfolk, her secretary quickly got in contact to say she was “busy all week”. “I didn’t want to push because I kind of knew what was going on,” he said. “Doesn’t the Queen get to do what the Queen wants to do?” Oprah asked. “No, when you are head of The Firm there’s people around you that give you advice and what has also made me really sad is that some of that advice has been really bad,” Harry replied. In another clip just aired with CBS, Oprah asked Harry if he left the UK because of racism. “It was a large part of it,” Harry said. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> "'I just need you to tell me. And if you tell me the truth, we can help.' And he wasn't able to do that." — Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, on a conversation she had with her father regarding tabloids <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OprahMeghanHarry?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OprahMeghanHarry</a> <a href="https://t.co/XhPwGM0Uvl">pic.twitter.com/XhPwGM0Uvl</a> — CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSThisMorning/status/1368920074917191690?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2021</a></blockquote> He revealed that a media insider at a fundraising dinner for his Sentebale charity had told him: “Please don’t do this with the media, they will destroy your life. You need to understand the UK is very bigoted.” “I stopped and I said, ‘The UK’s not bigoted, the UK press is bigoted, specifically the tabloids, is that what you mean?’” Harry said he asked. “And he goes, ‘No the UK’s bigoted’. And I said, ‘I completely disagree’, but unfortunately if the source of information is inherently corrupt or racist or biased then that filters out into the rest of society.” Oprah revealed she had sat down with the couple before the interview to speak about their intention for the chat. “I think they agreed to do it, wanted to do it, were ready to do I because when you have been lied about for a series of years, I think anybody you can understand this if in your own office or in your own family, somebody is saying things about you that are not true and how hurtful that is. or if you’re online and you read the comments from something that somebody has said about you and you continue to see those comments, how hurtful that is. “Imagine that over a period of months and years, and you know that it isn’t true.” Oprah said they wanted “not to be intruded upon,” when asked about the couple’s desire for privacy. The talk-show host, who is a neighbour of the couple in Montecito, California, clarified on CBS that no one wants people outside their home filming their child. Prince Harry said that “sadly” no one in the royal family had apologised for the fact that he and Meghan, 39, felt they had to leave. “The feeling was that this is our decision therefore the consequences are on us. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Does your father think it's a toxic environment or relationship? — <a href="https://twitter.com/Oprah?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Oprah</a> "No, I think he's had to make peace with it." — Prince Harry <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OprahMeghanHarry?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OprahMeghanHarry</a> <a href="https://t.co/FH9YrLMDYh">pic.twitter.com/FH9YrLMDYh</a> — CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSThisMorning/status/1368913037617475585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2021</a></blockquote> “And despite three years of asking or help and seeing or visualising how this might end, it was … it’s been really hard because … I am part of the system with them, I always have been. “But I guess, I’m very aware of this, my brother can’t leave the system, but I have.” Asked if Prince William wanted to leave, Harry said he did not know. “But with that relationship and that control and that fear from the UK tabloids … it’s a toxic environment.” Oprah asked: “Does your father think it’s a toxic environment or relationship?” Harry replied: “No, I think he’s had to make peace with it.” The Duke of Sussex said he “will always be there” for his brother and his family.

Oprah Winfrey tumbles while preaching about balance

Media mogul Oprah Winfrey took a fall during her most recent Oprah’s 2020 VIsion: Your Life on Focus tour. She was holding her second-last event at The Forum in Los Angeles and fell to the floor while talking about wellness and balance. "Wellness to me means all things in balance, and balance doesn’t mean all things are equal or at peace at all times," she says in a video captured and posted on Twitter, before she takes a step and falls to the ground. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Oprah took a tumble today during a speaking tour in Los Angeles. Thankfully she’s okay! <a href="https://t.co/UUPuufBoXi">pic.twitter.com/UUPuufBoXi</a> — Pop Crave (@PopCrave) <a href="https://twitter.com/PopCrave/status/1233842455541354496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 29, 2020</a></blockquote> "Wrong shoes," she jokingly added. She addressed the incident during an Instagram video that was taken backstage at the event. "I didn't even think 'embarrassing,'" she said in the video. "I just thought 'Okay I fell, everybody knows what falling is.' You would prefer not to fall, but now I've fallen." "I thought this was a great day in spite of the fall, which now becomes a meme, I know," she said in a later video. "But I picked myself up I don't know if it was something on the floor or my foot twisted or what. I had the indication I was gonna fall before, and then it is what it is, it was a great, great day." Luckily, the event went on without a hitch with singer Jennifer Lopez attending as her special guest. The nine-stop tour has featured other special guests, including Lady Gaga, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Michelle Obama. "How do you take this energy of inspiration and people feeling triumphant in their lives? How do you use that to something that's a greater good than just my front porch?" she asked. "And that's how this idea came about. I'll try to spread that word around the country." "The hardest thing I've ever done is to ask all of these people to come on tour," she said, adding that she was glad they all accepted her invitation.

Oprah Winfrey has already picked out a gift for Baby Sussex

<div> <div class="replay"> <div class="reply_body body linkify"> <div class="reply_body"> <div class="body_text "> Although there’s no sighting of Baby Sussex (yet!), that hasn’t stopped those close to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex from getting their gift sorted early. Oprah Winfrey has already picked out her present for Baby Sussex, which she shared with <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.accessonline.com/videos/oprah-winfrey-reveals-her-amazing-gift-for-prince-harry-meghan-markles-royal-baby" target="_blank">Access Hollywood.</a> “I have a standard gift that I do for people that I really care about,” Winfrey said. “So I don’t know the baby’s name or the baby’s gender, but this baby will have enough books to last a lifetime!” She was referring to the personalised, hand-carved bookcases she’s gifted friends previously, such as former A Wrinkle in Time cast-mate Mindy Kaling. Kaling explained in an interview with <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2018/02/26/mindy-kaling-confirms-oprah-gives-most-insane-baby-gifts-ever/372095002/" target="_blank">USA Today</a> just how extravagant the bookcase is. "They [the delivery men] arrived with a hand-carved bookcase, prettier than any professional dollhouse you had ever seen, that contained a hundred of the classic essential books in children's literature," Kaling explained. As Kaling’s child is named Katherine, Oprah made sure to include a special detail. "Each book has 'Katherine's Book Club' on it,” said Kaling. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw745jUnT6D/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw745jUnT6D/" target="_blank">A post shared by Meghan & Harry 💝 (@meghan.and.harry)</a> on May 1, 2019 at 2:55pm PDT </div> </blockquote> Winfrey also revealed in another recent interview with <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.etonline.com/oprah-winfrey-says-shes-so-proud-of-meghan-markle-exclusive-124364" target="_blank">Entertainment Tonight</a> that she is proud of the Duchess for her decision to keep her pregnancy and birth private. “Oh my God! I'm so proud of her decisions," Oprah said. "To be able to stand up and say this is what I really want for my baby and my family and now I'm going to do it a different way when it's been done that way for a thousand years? I'm just so proud of her.” Oprah continued to express her praise for Duchess Meghan, saying: "Who is ready to walk out and stand before the world and put that face on, you know, a day after you've had a baby? So I think for her and him – I'm sure it was a mutual decision for the two of them – I think it's a great thing." </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

"I've never seen such leadership": Oprah Winfrey praises Jacinda Ardern in stunning speech

Oprah Winfrey has praised Jacinda Ardern for her response to the Christchurch terror attacks. In a keynote speech at the 10th annual Women in the World summit on Thursday, Winfrey said the New Zealand Prime Minister’s handlings of the massacre that killed 50 people last month were a display of leadership that she has “never seen”. “I’ve never seen such leadership,” Winfrey said. “The prime minister is a woman who has such courage in her convictions and has set a global standard for leadership with her response.” Ardern’s response to the March 15 attacks has been widely lauded as <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2019/03/18/new-zealands-prime-minister-wins-worldwide-praise-her-response-mosque-shootings/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.919ed278b725">“extraordinary” and “strong”</a>. Hours after a gunman opened fire at two mosques in Christchurch, Ardern appeared before the nation to condemn the shootings, saying that they could “only be described as a terrorist attack” and that the arrested suspect had “extremist views that have absolutely no place in New Zealand and, in fact, no place in the world”. The following day, the 37-year-old leader visited members of the Muslim community and reportedly told them that the country was “united in grief”. During the visit, she donned a Muslim-style headscarf known as a hijab. “People were quite surprised,” Ahmed Khan, a survivor of the attack, told <a rel="noopener" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2019/03/19/asia/jacinda-ardern-new-zealand-christchurch-intl/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a>. “I saw people’s faces when she was wearing the hijab – there were smiles on their faces.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> New Zealand PM Jacinda Adern wearing a hijab met the vctims of yesterday's attack. Plus she told Donald Trump: Send love to Muslims after mosque shooting. It really show how peaceful and welcoming country New Zealand is.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NewzealandMosqueAttack?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NewzealandMosqueAttack</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZKOG3c6gD2">pic.twitter.com/ZKOG3c6gD2</a> — Hanzla Ali (@iamhanzla1) <a href="https://twitter.com/iamhanzla1/status/1106905428519251970?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2019</a></blockquote> Winfrey told the summit, “Women across the country then showed their solidarity by wearing headscarves to emulate the hijab that Ms Ardern chose to mourn in. “Fifty murders that could have brought even more destruction instead lead to a portrait of the Prime Minister displayed across Dubai’s tallest building with the word ‘peace’ shining above it, in English as well as in Arabic.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> New Zealand today fell silent in honour of the mosque attacks' martyrs. Thank you PM <a href="https://twitter.com/jacindaardern?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jacindaardern</a> and New Zealand for your sincere empathy and support that has won the respect of 1.5 billion Muslims after the terrorist attack that shook the Muslim community around the world. <a href="https://t.co/9LDvH0ybhD">pic.twitter.com/9LDvH0ybhD</a> — HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) <a href="https://twitter.com/HHShkMohd/status/1109124817888915461?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2019</a></blockquote> Speaking of the display of Jacinda Ardern’s image on Dubai’s Burj Khalifa skyscraper, Winfrey said, “Jacinda Ardern projected peace and goodness, and the Arab world projected it right back for all of us to take in. And suddenly we saw that the other didn't seem that much different from us. “So here, women in the world, we have to make the choice every single day to channel our own inner Jacindas.”

News

Prince Harry and Oprah Winfrey's "secret meetings"

Prince Harry has teamed up with Oprah Winfrey to create a new documentary series on mental health. The multi-part series, which is set to air on Apple’s upcoming streaming service Apple TV+ in 2020, is co-created and produced by the Duke of Sussex and the popular TV personality. “I am incredibly proud to be working alongside Oprah on this vital series, which we have been developing together for several months,” the Prince confirmed in a statement. “Our hope is that this series will be positive, enlightening and inclusive – sharing global stories of unparalleled human spirit … and the opportunity for us to understand ourselves and those around us better.” <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BwEiIvzhD0J/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BwEiIvzhD0J/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">We are excited to announce that The Duke of Sussex and Oprah Winfrey are partners, co-creators and executive producers on their forthcoming mental health series launching on Apple in 2020. The pair have been developing the series for several months and are looking forward to sharing such an important project on this global platform. The dynamic multi-part documentary series will focus on both mental illness and mental wellness, inspiring viewers to have an honest conversation about the challenges each of us faces, and how to equip ourselves with the tools to not simply survive, but to thrive. This commitment builds on The Duke of Sussex’s long-standing work on issues and initiatives regarding mental health, where he has candidly shared personal experience and advocated for those who silently suffer, empowering them to get the help and support they deserve. His Royal Highness has spent many years working with communities throughout the UK and young people across the Commonwealth to break the stigma surrounding mental illness and broaden the conversation of mental wellness to accelerate change for a more compassionate, connected and positive society. Quote from HRH: “I truly believe that good mental health - mental fitness - is the key to powerful leadership, productive communities and a purpose-driven self. It is a huge responsibility to get this right as we bring you the facts, the science and the awareness of a subject that is so relevant during these times. Our hope is that this series will be positive, enlightening and inclusive - sharing global stories of unparalleled human spirit fighting back from the darkest places, and the opportunity for us to understand ourselves and those around us better. I am incredibly proud to be working alongside Oprah on this vital series.”</a> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/sussexroyal/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank"> The Duke and Duchess of Sussex</a> (@sussexroyal) on Apr 10, 2019 at 2:58am PDT </div> </blockquote> In an appearance on CBS’s This Morning, Winfrey said she and the Prince had “secret meetings” in London to develop the project. “I’ve flown there with the crew, sitting in sessions talking about the directions we’re going to take [with the series],” she said. “Our hope is that it will have an impact to reduce the stigma and help people to know they’re not alone, allowing people to speak up about it and identify it for themselves and their friends.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"> Prince Harry and <a href="https://twitter.com/Oprah?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Oprah</a> are launching an Apple TV docu-series tackling mental health. "Our hope is it will have an impact on reducing the stigma and allowing people to know that they are not alone." -- <a href="https://twitter.com/Oprah?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Oprah</a> Winfrey <a href="https://t.co/KsEyn1d9DA">pic.twitter.com/KsEyn1d9DA</a> — CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSThisMorning/status/1115968827110588416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2019</a></blockquote> She revealed that the collaboration came about when she was having a conversation with the Prince and asked him what the most important issues facing the world were. “He said there were two,” she said. “He said climate change and he said mental wellness, mental fitness.” She added, “As you know, he’s spoken about his own issues and what he went through after his mother died and how being able to talk about it has benefited him. “And I was telling him about this Apple platform and he said at the end of the conversation, ‘If there’s anything I can do to help.’ And I go, ‘As a matter of fact…’” In June 2018, Apple announced that it has signed a multi-year partnership with Winfrey to create original programs for the tech company. The upcoming docu-series is Prince Harry’s latest project that focuses on mental health. He has previously launched the mental health initiative Heads Together with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to raise awareness and tackle the stigma surrounding the subject.

“It’s much bigger than just Michael Jackson”: Why you need to watch Oprah’s After Neverland special

Oprah has publicly acknowledged Leaving Neverland director Dan Reed for his efforts in raising awareness of a topic that she tried to illuminate for 25 years on The Oprah Winfrey Show, in the hopes to get the public to understand the complicated subject. The TV special, After Neverland acts as a companion to Reed’s body of work, with Winfrey saying that a child sexual abuse reckoning must “transcend Michael Jackson”. Winfrey, who is a victim of child assault herself, says the term “abuse” is misleading when discussing the experiences she and other children have faced. Here are a few things to know: <ul> <li>During Jackson’s adult life, he kept a number of young boys around him, none of who he was related to. These children were regularly photographed accompanying him throughout the '80s and '90s and would stay with him at his Neverland home.</li> <li>So far, five boys – Jordan Chandler and Jason Francia in 1993, Gavin Arvizo in 2003 and Wade Robson and James Safechuck in 2013 – have placed allegations against the musician for sexually abusing them. The first case was resolved out of court, the second Jackson was acquitted for. The latest accusations come after Jackson’s death, with Robson and Safechuck providing harrowing details of the crime in Reed’s four-hour documentary Leaving Neverland.</li> </ul> Despite having five people accusing Jackson of the same crime, his loyal fan base refuse to accept that their pop idol could have committed such a monstrous act – passion that wasn’t shown to other men in similar situations such as Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey and R. Kelly, all three who have been accused during the #MeToo era. The King of Pop’s fans almost consider him as a Christ-like figure, meaning if they choose to accept the allegations, they must come to terms with their hero having an extremely dark side. One thing is for certain, many of these people will never come close to watching Leaving Neverland, which highlights Robson and Safechuck’s trauma as children in immense detail. But if you’re someone who has already seen it, and want further information on the incident, then Winfrey’s one-hour special After Neverland should be next on your list of things to watch. The 65-year-old sits down with Robson, Safechuck and Reed, with a studio audience consisting of over 100 sexual abuse survivors and their supporters. The talk show legend makes a clear statement from the very beginning on where she stands: She believes both of them. But despite the ongoing support, Winfrey makes sure to ask the tough questions that everyone is thinking, such as their true motivations, the reason they chose to tell their story now and whether their parents are to blame for allowing the abuse to happen. Winfrey, who has experienced sexual assault as a child herself, has dedicated a large part of her career to spreading awareness on the misunderstood topic. “Here’s the reason why I’m here,” Winfrey says on the segment. “In 25 years of The Oprah Show, I taped 217 episodes on sexual abuse. I tried and tried to get the message across to people that sexual abuse was not just the abuse, it was sexual seduction.” She then praised Reed for being “able to illustrate in these four hours what I tried to explain in 217”. And Reed deserves the accolades, as Leaving Neverland highlights the manipulative behaviour predators use to groom children, to the point that their innocent subjects don’t realise they are being abused until years later. The documentary goes into detail about how Jackson garnered the trust of Robson and Safechuck’s families, shedding light on the exact tactics used by paedophiles. “Child sexual abuse; even the word ‘abuse’ lacks accuracy. I’ve been saying this for years,” says Winfrey. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu8sG11nGCq/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu8sG11nGCq/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Amanda Lenox (@amandalenoxlmhc)</a> on Mar 13, 2019 at 5:20am PDT </div> </blockquote> “As young boys, these two men did not feel it was abuse until much later. When you’re a child – this is the message I want every parent to hear – you don’t have the language to explain what is happening to you, because you’ve been seduced and entrapped.” Robson then went on to explain why it took him this long to reveal what had happened to him. “I had no understanding that what Michael did to me was abuse. From night one of the sexual stuff that Michael did to me, he told me it was love, and that God brought us together. I was this little boy from the other side of the world, and Michael was God to me. Now, he was telling me, ‘I love you. God brought us together.’ This, this sexual stuff, this is how we show our love.” While the victim’s stories are unique in their own right, the abuse they suffered was not, with one in five girls and one in 20 boys being a victim of child sexual abuse. “For me, this moment transcends Michael Jackson. It’s much bigger than any one person. It’s a moment in time that allows us to see this societal corruption, this scourge on humanity. It’s happening right now in families, in churches, in schools and in sports teams everywhere,” says Winfrey. “If it gets you to see how it happens, then some good will have come of it.” Oprah’s full After Neverland special is up on YouTube and her website. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JIiq4Jnmam8" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> Have you watched Leaving Neverland? What did you think of it? Let us know in the comments below.

Music

How the world has turned against Michael Jackson after Leaving Neverland documentary

As the controversial new documentary Leaving Neverland hit Australian televisions late last week, the documentary has already had a ripple effect all around the globe. The film documents the experiences of two men who claim that they were sexually abused by Jackson when they were young. The documentary is four hours in total and goes into explicit detail about the Neverland Ranch, as well as the experiences of the two men and what treatment Jackson inflicted upon them. The reactions around the world have divided people into two camps. One camp is saying that they can no longer support Jackson and are questioning why this was allowed to go on for so long. Others have said that since Jackson is unable to defend himself due to his death, this is unfair and tarnishes the star’s name. No matter what you believe, many celebrities around the world, as well as prolific TV shows and radio stations, are removing Michael Jackson from their brand, lineup and playlists. The Simpsons have cut an iconic episode that used Jackson’s voice The producers of The Simpsons have felt that they have no other choice after the airing of the documentary. The episode “Stark Raving Dad” was aired in 1991 and featured a mental patient that was voiced by Jackson who meets Homer Simpson in a mental institution. The episode will be removed from streaming services and from future DVD sets. The executive producer of the show, James L. Brooks, stands by his choice. “It feels like the only choice to make” Brooks told <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/simpsons-episode-featuring-michael-jacksons-voice-to-be-pulled-11552007802">The Wall Street Journal</a>. Radio stations pull Michael Jackson songs Radio stations across the world have responded to the documentary. In Australia, Smooth and Nova have decided not to play any Jackson songs. Nova Entertainment group program director Paul Jackson explained to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/aussie-radio-station-pulls-michael-jackson-songs-due-to-leaving-neverland-20190307-p512d6.html" target="_blank">News Corp their decision</a>: “The decisions we make about the music we play on any of our stations are dependent on the relevance to the audience and the current context,” he said in a statement. “In light of what is happening at the moment, smoothfm is not currently playing any Michael Jackson songs.” Oprah believes Jackson accusers Celebrity talk show host Oprah Winfrey hosted an hour-long interview with the men, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who say that Jackson abused them as minors. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BueBlRQgiZA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BueBlRQgiZA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">@Oprah reveals the reason she wanted to film #AfterNeverland. Tune in to the two-part @HBO doc #LeavingNeverland on HBO March 3 & 4th - then watch #AfterNeverland, a one-hour special Monday at 10 pm.</a> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/owntv/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank"> Oprah Winfrey Network</a> (@owntv) on Mar 1, 2019 at 6:37am PST </div> </blockquote> Winfrey calls sexual abuse “a scourge on humanity” and has said that “this moment transcends Michael Jackson. It’s much bigger than any one person”. Robson, now 36, explains his side: “He told me it was love, “He told me that he loved me and that God brought us together. Michael was God to me.” Safechuck, 41, also had the same kind of experience. “[Jackson] would cry for you, or he would cry because he’s so lonely. You want to be there for him.” Jackson’s walk of fame star under strict watch Police are monitoring Jackson’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles amid fears it could be vandalised. Police in LA <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tmz.com/2019/03/05/michael-jackson-hollywood-walk-of-fame-star-leaving-neverland/" target="_blank">told TMZ</a> they are doing extra patrols of the area after the airing of the documentary. Cory Feldman can’t back Jackson anymore In an interview <a rel="noopener" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2019/03/05/entertainment/corey-feldman-michael-jackson/index.html" target="_blank">with CNN</a>, Feldman said he can no longer defend Jackson from sex abuse allegations. “I don’t want to be perceived as I’m here to defend Michael because I can no longer do that. “I cannot in good consciousness defend anyone who’s being accused of such horrendous crimes, but at the same time, I’m also not here to judge him because he did not do those things to me and that was not my experience.” Feldman also explained that his experience with Jackson didn’t match up with the documentary. “As I’m watching it, I’m going, 'This doesn’t make sense to me, this isn’t the guy that I knew,'” Feldman said. “But look, I’m a guy that at 14 years old was molested, did have a paedophile completely lie to me about who he was. “I trusted him. I believed in him as a friend, and I thought he was a good person and then he molested me. It all proves that I’m not the best judge and that’s why I shouldn’t be the judge in this situation.”

Music

Oprah Winfrey reveals her greatest joy: "They’re the daughters I did not have"

Oprah Winfrey is incredibly proud of her Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa that she founded. The students at the school even affectionately refer to the legendary TV star as ‘Mom O’. The school opened in 2007 and has been Winfrey’s greatest joy ever since. As the school is a boarding school with fantastic facilities, the opportunities that students are given there are second to none. Ninety per cent of the students enrol in universities like Harvard and Oxford, which is remarkable in a country where 20 per cent of students attend university. “They are my greatest, deepest joy,” says Winfrey. “When the girls started calling me Mom O, I did not want their mothers or their legal guardians to think that I was stepping in and trying to take over the role their mom holds in their lives,” she explained. “I’m very much aware of who I am and what my role is for them.” Winfrey sees a part of herself in the students that go through the school. After all, they’ve grown up in deep poverty and Winfrey went through the same experience when she was growing up in Mississippi during the Jim Crow era. “[The girls] have been in the heart and heat of poverty. Poverty itself is a traumatic event, just trying to be able to have food on your table every day. “Most girls have lost one or another really close relative, sometimes both mother and father.” <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7823009/oprah-winfrey-school.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/47c7a53e404f459cb9bb54717eaa7a76" /> The girls celebrating their 7th graduation at Oprah Winfrey's Leadership Academy for Girls As Winfrey reflects on all she’s been able to accomplish with the school, she’s come to a unique understanding about her place in their lives. “They’re the daughters I did not have,” Winfrey says. “I never thought that that mothering instinct was something for me. I like babies, but I like them like, ‘Hi baby, OK, now go over there.’ I like children when they can actually speak to me and tell what is the problem. “This is how having children was supposed to manifest for me."

Movies

Inside Oprah Winfrey’s new $11 million hideaway mansion

Billionaire Oprah Winfrey has splashed out on a waterfront property in the United States, on Washington's secluded Orcas Island. Located between Seattle and Vancouver, it's one of the four largest islands that comprise the San Juan Islands archipelago. It's not exactly a well-known location and for a mega-celeb like her, that's probably the point. The twice Oscar-nominated actress and global philanthropist already owns three stately homes – in Hawaii, California and Colorado – but what's another cool $11 million if it buys you a little privacy? Previously known as the Madroneagle estate, Winfrey's new property consists of two waterfront titles combined into a total area of 17.4 hectares, which includes 914 metres of private shoreline, <a href="https://variety.com/2018/dirt/real-estalker/oprah-winfrey-san-juan-islands-compound-1202830035/" target="_blank">reported Variety.</a> The main dwelling is a plush 678 square metre lodge-style home with four bedrooms, three bathrooms, powder room, soaring exposed beam ceilings in the living areas, kitchen with full-size pizza oven, a games room, library nook with floor to ceiling bookcases, and a wine cellar and tasting room. It's basically the ultimate retreat with everything the media mogul and her entourage could need to relax. Finished internally with rare reclaimed woods, hand-forged iron work and wooden floorboards reclaimed from the old Sears' building in Chicago, the home has a luxurious cabin feel. Additional to the primary home is a contemporary 273 square metre guesthouse with four more bedrooms and three bedrooms. Dubbed "the gallery house", it's not difficult to understand the moniker when you consider its position high on the cliff overlooking the private beach. But wait, there's more. The property also holds an enclosed "tea house" out in the garden, set overlooking the water, plus a large barn that houses a yoga studio and gym downstairs, and a woodworking studio upstairs. According to marketing materials, the property also features a sauna, Asian-style garden, private hiking trails, a pond and a stream. Scroll through the gallery above to get a sneak peek inside Oprah Winfrey’s new estate. Written by Anabela Rea. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz.</a>

International Travel

Oprah Winfrey opens up about secret meeting with Meghan Markle’s mum

When it was revealed in the lead-up to Prince Harry and Meghan’s wedding that the bride’s mother, Doria Ragland, had met up with TV queen Oprah Winfrey at her mansion in California, the rumour mill went into overdrive. Was it research for a tell-all interview? That’s what most assumed. However, Oprah has opened up about the intriguing catch-up which took place in April to set the record straight. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, whilst attending the premiere of her new TV series Love Is in Los Angeles, the host and actress revealed that she and Doria spent the afternoon at her home doing yoga, eating cumquats from her garden and bonding. Furthermore, the US television mogul was quick to shut down reports that she had armed Doria with gifts. Oprah told ET, “The story was that Meghan’s mom had come to my house and she left laden with gifts.” <img width="500" height="334" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7819125/screen-shot-2018-06-13-at-42605-pm_500x334.jpg" alt="Screen Shot 2018-06-13 At 4.26.05 Pm"/> She added, “You know what the gifts were? First of all, she’s great at yoga, so I said, ‘Bring your yoga mat and your sneakers in case we just want to do yoga on the lawn.’ “So, one of the bags was a yoga mat and the other was lunch.” Oprah also shared that the two women enjoyed a dessert made from cumquats freshly picked from her garden. “’[Doria] said, ‘I love cumquats,’ and I said, ‘I have a cumquat tree!’” The TV queen also squashed reports that she was charming Doria into doing an interview to talk about her daughter and her new royal son-in-law’s relationship and marriage. “For all the people who said I am getting her gifts and I’m trying to bribe her for an interview – they were cumquats,” Oprah exclaimed. “If cumquats can get you an interview, I’m all for it!”

News

What’s next for Meghan Markle’s mother?

It wasn’t only Meghan Markle who had billions of eyes watching her every move on May 19 – Doria Ragland, the mother-of-the-bride, was also a standout star at the royal wedding at Windsor Castle. Witnessing her daughter marry into one of the oldest institutions in the world, the British Royal Family, Meghan’s wedding day was more than likely one of the most intense days of Doria’s life. However, Doria remained calm and poised, representing the bride’s side as the sole family member and sitting on her own at St George’s Chapel, with tears of happiness and joy streaming down her face. It has been well-documented that Meghan has an extremely close relationship with her 61-year-old mother, who is a yoga instructor and social worker, and has been an incredible source of support, stability and strength for her 36-year-old daughter. Meghan, speaking candidly about her mother, has shared in the past, “For me to watch this level of lifelong sensitivity to nurturing and caregiving, but at the same time my mum has always been a free spirit. “She’s got dreadlocks and a nose ring. She just ran the LA Marathon. We can just have so much fun together, and yet, I’ll still find so much solace in her support,” the new Duchess of Sussex proudly declared. <img width="500" height="334" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7818631/screen-shot-2018-05-24-at-25732-pm_500x334.jpg" alt="Screen Shot 2018-05-24 At 2.57.32 Pm"/> Her new son-in-law is also a big fan of Doria, announcing “her mum’s amazing”, during his engagement interview with Meghan in November. Harry and Doria ensured they spent a lot of time together to get to know one another in the leadup to the couple’s big announcement. So, now that she’s on the world stage as the mother and mother-in-law of the newly anointed Duke and Duchess of Sussex, what’s next for Meghan’s beloved mother, Doria Ragland? While it might have appeared odd that TV queen Oprah Winfrey was invited to the royal wedding, there’s possibly a very good reason she was in attendance. Oprah is reportedly in talks to film a tell-all interview with Doria, and to share her story on the incessant racial abuse she has suffered since Meghan’s romance with Prince Harry was confirmed by Kensington Palace. Doria has been seen at the talk-show star’s sprawling Santa Barbara property in preparation for the so-called sit-down, and insiders say the tell-all interview may be filmed this week while both women are still in London. “The plan is for Doria to film part of her interview while Oprah is in London,” an insider told The Sun. “That’s why she was invited to the wedding." “There’s huge secrecy about what the interview will involve and when it will air,” the insider added. “But both Doria and Meghan felt it was critical for Oprah to be at the wedding to really understand.” Regardless of whether the sit-down interview takes place or not, you can rest assured it won’t be without the permission and blessing of the palace first, and will no doubt be a well thought-out, respectful and tasteful production.

News

Oprah reveals detail about her bathroom that stuns everyone

When it comes to bath time, former talk show queen Oprah Winfrey has revealed that she doesn’t mess around by any stretch of the imagination. In a recent appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden Show, Winfrey told the audience that she has a marble bathtub that has been hand-carved to the contours and lines of her body. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Flatelateshowcbs%2Fvideos%2F2142631242420226%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> Winfrey has let her love of bathtubs slip before, telling Vouge in an earlier interview, "I major in bathtubs. I spend my time looking for the best possible bathtub a woman can buy.” That said, talk show hose James Corden had quite some difficulty envisioning the situation. "In my head, Oprah's bath is like a Roman bath that only you go in yourself, and there are just general people around," he said. "I do have a hand-carved tub... (carved) out of marble and onyx,” Winfrey confirms. “You could fit a couple in there. However… however – it was carved to the shape of my body.” What are your thoughts? Would you like this kind of bathtub?

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Oprah's weight-loss backflip: "I'm done with the shame"