News Round-Up: September 5, 2017

(via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed:

• Fitness model Lony Pizarro on Labor Day (above). Can we go back to then? :)

• A leaked excerpt from Hillary Clinton's upcoming memoir, What Happened, includes a passage about Bernie Sanders supporters ("Bernie Bros") and the long-lasting effects of their attacks on social media during the 2016 presidential campaign.

• Freddie Mercury, of QUEEN fame, would have been 71 years-old today. Check out the first look at Rami Malek as "Freddie" in the Bryan Singer-directed Bohemian Rhapsody due in theaters December 25, 2018.

• Barbra Streisand, Beyonce, Oprah and Blake Shelton will host a one-hour telethon to benefit the victims of Hurricane Harvey September 12 at 8 PM ET. The event will air on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and CMT.

• A new Morning Consult/Politico poll shows 58% of Americans say Dreamers should be allowed to stay in the country and become citizens if they meet certain requirements. Additionally, 68% of respondents said Dreamers should be granted legal work permits.

• Cher announced via Twitter that she intends to help DACA folks after Trump rescinded the program. But when a Twitter troll came calling, she slapped right back.

Oprah Winfrey Endorses Hillary Clinton For President

Speaking to ET's Nancy O'Dell last night, media mogul Oprah Winfrey intoned Hillary Clinton's campaign slogan "I'm with her" to endorse the Democratic presidential contender:

"Regardless of your politics, it’s a seminal moment for women," she continued. "What this says is, there is no ceiling, that ceiling just went boom! It says anything is possible when you can be leader of the free world."

"I'm with her," Oprah added, touting Clinton's campaign slogan and effectively endorsing the former Secretary of State. Clinton, the presumptive Democratic Party nominee for president, was also recently endorsed by President Barack Obama, who declined to back any candidate until the primaries had ended.

Former "Who's The Boss?" Star Danny Pintauro Comes Out As HIV+

Former "Who's The Boss?" star Danny Pintauro shared with the TV audience of "Oprah: Where Are They Now?" that he was diagnosed with HIV in 2003.

Via EXTRA:

"I wanted to tell you this a long time ago, but I wasn't ready — I'm ready now — that I'm HIV positive," Pintauro told Oprah. He was diagnosed 12 years ago but feared admitting the truth because, "It's just a big deal."

Pintauro said he wants to be open about his status to help others. ""I missed the opportunity to be a beacon of light for gay kids who were going through what I was going through because I was outed — it wasn't by choice."

Pentauro also acknowledged that he became a crystal meth user (he no longer uses the drug) during a period of time after the end of a two-year relationship. He said he began experimenting with the drug the same year he was diagnosed with HIV.

"I had just come out of a two-year relationship and I discovered in that relationship that there was more I wanted to explore… sexually. Crystal meth takes away your inhibitions, you have no limits."

Pintauro came out in 1997 when a tabloid reporter called him back then saying the paper was going to out him whether he cooperated or not.

Judith Light, his former "Who's the Boss?" co-star, urged Pintauro to take the lead in breaking the story as a way of controlling the message. "It was the best thing," Pintauro says now. "'They can't misquote you,' she said. 'And as long as you give really responsible and mature answers, it can't be a bad article.'"

In an interview on Monday, Light told Good Day New York, 'I am so proud of him. He's talking about being HIV positive. He is being incredibly proactive. He now has a wonderful husband named Wil.

'He's giving a different face to what is still a disease that has not been handled.'

Michael Sam Sits Down With Oprah Winfrey

For the first time since being cut by the St. Louis Rams, Michael Sam sat down for an interview last night.

This time was with the "queen of the interview," Oprah Winfrey.

During the chat, Oprah asked about the infamous "cake kiss" that aired on ESPN after Sam was drafted to the St. Louis Rams late in the seventh round of the NFL draft, and whether or not the kiss was staged for the cameras that were present.

Oprah asks, "Was the Cake Kiss too much for the country?"

Oprah later asks Sam why he isn't currently on an NFL team - not good enough or because he's gay?

More clips from the interview and documentary at the Oprah Winfrey Network.

Michael Sam to Oprah: Gay NFL Players Reached Out To Me

In tonight's interview with Oprah Winfrey, Michael Sam says several gay NFL players have reached out to him after he was drafted:

Sam: “Very few reached out to me and pretty much just told me their gratitude and how thankful they were that I had the courage. They wished that they had the courage to come out.”

Oprah: “Gay men in the NFL reached out to you and called you?”

Sam: "Yes. They just showed their respect and admired my courage. It was very good.”

Oprah: “You’re using the plural. ‘Men.’ Not ‘man.’”

Sam: “Men. There’s a lot of us out there. I’m not the only one. I’m just the only one who’s open.”

The special episode of “Oprah Prime” airs tonight, Saturday, Dec. 27, at 10:30 p.m. ET, after the debut of the 90 minute documentary "Michael Sam" on the Oprah Winfrey Network.

Michael Sam docu-series on OWN postponed

The Oprah Winfrey Network docu-series planned to chronicle Michael Sam's journey as the first gay player in the NFL has been put on hold.

From The Hollywood Reporter:

“After careful consideration and discussion with the St. Louis Rams, the untitled Michael Sam project has been postponed, allowing Michael the best opportunity to achieve his dream of making the team,” said Erik Logan, president of OWN. “OWN is about elevating and empowering people to achieve their best. It’s clear that we, along with the world, recognize the important opportunity that Michael now has in this moment. We will continue to support him in his journey to earn a spot playing for the Rams.”

“After today’s meeting with the Rams, we collectively feel it is best to postpone the project,” said Sam’s agent Cameron Weiss. “This will allow for Michael to have a total focus on football and will ensure no distractions to his teammates. Everybody involved remains committed to this project and understands its historical importance as well as its positive message.”

To be honest, I agree with the decision. I've seen reality series shoot, and it's very time-consuming. What is most important right now is that Michael devote 100% of his focus and energy to being the best defensive end for the St. Louis Rams.

All the other things can come later.

Oprah and Starbucks invite you to treat your mom on Mother's Day

Well, this is sweet.  Starbucks includes a lesbian couple of two moms in their new campaign - with voiceover by none other than Oprah herself.

Apparently, if you head to Starbucks on Mother's Day, when you buy yourself an Oprah Chai Tea latte, mom gets one for free.

From Starbucks:

No one has done more for you than she has.  This Mother's Day, give her the thoughtful treat of time with you.

When you bring your mom to a participating Starbucks® store on Sunday, May 11, and buy a Teavana® Oprah Chai Tea latte, hers is on us.

Oprah considers Broadway debut opposite 5-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald

Oprah Winfrey (L) and Audra McDonald (R)

Ok. If you REALLY want to sell out the run of a play, you need to get a big star.

Even better - TWO big stars.

Two BIG stars.

And that just may happen.

The New York Times has the story:

Oprah Winfrey is in talks to make her Broadway debut in a revival of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play “’night, Mother,” starring opposite Tony-Award winner Audra McDonald as a mother struggling to stop her daughter from killing herself, according to two theater executives familiar with the plans.

The Tony winner George C. Wolfe (“Lucky Guy”) would direct the production, which is being aimed for the 2015-16 Broadway season.

Read more at the New York Times.

Chicago: WGN Morning News hangs up on Oprah

So, maybe not the best way to ensure that Oprah will call in again some day.

The blooper-prone WGN Morning News team had Oprah on their Tuesday morning broadcast for a phone interview, but the conversation was abruptly cut short when the call was disconnected.

When Oprah was back on the line shortly thereafter, the talk show queen confirmed she had not been responsible for the hangup.

"I'm just sitting her on the phone talking and all of a sudden music comes in and I'm like, 'OK, I guess that's my cue,'" Oprah said. "It's like you're standing at an award show and the music starts. Oh, OK, that's my cue to shut up."

Sorry for the auto-play...

(h/t HuffPost)

THE BUTLER becomes first film of 2013 to win at box office for three consecutive weeks

Lee Daniels' The Butler came out on top this week with box office of $20 million, making it the first film of 2013 to win the box office battle for three consecutive weekends as Hollywood rings out a record summer and Labor Day Weekend:

The Butler grossed $20 million for the four-day holiday, pushing its domestic total to a $79.3 million. The film's outstanding run is a testament, at least in part, to Oprah Winfrey's standing.

Winfrey stars opposite Forest Whitaker, who plays a White House Butler working through eight presidential administrations. The film -- a likely awards contender -- is certain to gross north of $100 million.

"The audience continues to broaden out and get younger," says TWC distribution chief Erik Lomis.

Oprah Winfrey gives commencement speech to Harvard Class of 2013

"You will find true success and happiness if you have only one goal: To fulfill the highest, most truthful expression of yourself as a human being. You want to max out your humanity by using your energy to lift yourself up, your family, and the people around you." - Oprah Winfrey, Harvard Commencement Speech

Oprah Winfrey, who has used her success as a talk show host and media entrepreneur to promote education, civic engagement, and charitable works, addresses graduates at Harvard's 362nd Commencement on May 30, 2013 at Tercentenary Theatre.

Oprah Super Soul Sunday

Gay marriage was the topic Sunday on Super Soul Sunday: The Bigger Picture, the Oprah Winfrey Networks's roundtable panel hosted by Oprah Winfrey herself.

Oprah hosts three guests and discusses the "dominance of marriage equality" and what it could mean for marriage in America.

Oprah's guests included Los Angeles episcopal priest, Reverend Ed Bacon, Elizabeth Lesser, founder of the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies in New York and author of Broken Open, and poet/philosopher Mark Nepo.

We need to see more intelligent people having these discussions. THIS helps society.

(h/t OnTop)

Trailer: "The Butler"

Last September Oprah published the above photo to her Instagram account from the set of The Butler, which she was filming at the time. With her are the film's director Lee Daniels (Precious), Jane Fonda as Nancy Reagan, and Alan Rickman as Ronald Reagan.  The cast also includes Cuba Gooding Jr, John Cusack, Robin Williams, and more huge stars.

The film is based on the life of Eugene Allen who served eight presidents as the head butler at the White House from 1952-1986.

Just take a look at the trailer. This is clearly something I will not be missing... :)



(via david mixner)

Video: Teaser clip from Oprah's upcoming interview with Jason Collins

Oprah still gets the interviews that folks want to see.

Check out the teaser clip for Oprah's 90-minute interview with newly "out" pro NBA-er Jason Collins.

Airs Sunday at 7:30PM on OWN.

Lance Armstrong confesses to Oprah

This interview has so much news around it.

Basically - "Yes, I doped, and it wasn't humanly possible to win seven Tour de France titles without it."

No matter how you approach it, you can't help but feel sad. Every question Lance Armstrong answers - and they're all "yes" here - kind of diminishes the spirit of achievement that we all want to see in our athletic heroes.

And - as a cancer survivor myself - the voice and visibility Lance has brought to the cancer discussion has been so important. I think his sense of invincibility inspired so many. And I really don't want that lost somehow.

Livestrong released a statement after Armstrong's confession:

“We at the Livestrong Foundation are disappointed by the news that Lance Armstrong misled people during and after his cycling career, including us," the statement posted to its website began.

"We accepted his apology in order to move on and chart a strong, independent course," Livestrong continued. "We look forward to devoting our full energy to our mission of helping people not only fight and survive cancer, but also thrive in life after cancer."

The Rosie Show cancelled after one season

The Rosie Show, Rosie O'Donnell's talk series, has been canceled by OWN after one season with the final episode scheduled to air on March 30, reports Deadline.

“I thank Rosie from the bottom of my heart for joining me on this journey. She has been an incredible partner, working to deliver the best possible show every single day,” Oprah Winfrey says in a statement. “As I have learned in the last 15 months, a new network launch is always a challenge and ratings grow over time as you continue to gather an audience. I’m grateful to Rosie and the dedicated Rosie Show team for giving it their all.”

The series, which premiered last October, frequently covered LGBT issues, including the recent Kirk Cameron controversy, but struggled in the ratings.

“I loved working with Oprah in the amazing city of Chicago,” O’Donnell says. “I was welcomed with open arms and will never forget the kindness of all I encountered. It was a great year for me – I wish the show was able to attract more viewers – but it did not. So I am headed back to my home in New York – with gratitude. On we go!”

Oprah Winfrey to return to television with new show

After only a few months of "retirement" from hosting TV, Oprah is poised to return with a new show in an effort to resuscitate her troubled network.

The 57-year-old television personality’s next small screen venture will involve her leaving the studio and visiting celebs at their homes.

"After 25 years I got myself out of the studio chairs. I moved into the next chapter, and I am having more fun than ever - moving around the country and the world talking to people I’m really interested in getting to know and I think viewers will be, too," Oprah said in a statement.

Oprah's first episode will air January 1, and apparently feature a visit with Steven Tyler at his home on Lake Sunapee, NH.

Oprah to become CEO and Chief Creative Officer at OWN

Oprah Winfrey will become the chief executive of OWN this fall, according to The Wall Street Journal.

She’ll also become chief creative officer, expanding on her previous role as chairman of the network.

The station has struggled since it launched this spring, bringing in fewer viewers than the Discovery Health channel that it replaced.

The channel fired its original chief executive Christina Norman in May, after ratings at the four-month-old cable channel fell below the expectations of its backers.

The channel has been a disappointment to Discovery. The company had spent $216 million on the channel through March 31, according to filings. Norman failed to deliver the ratings Discovery CEO David Zaslav wanted.