So I missed my "things on Tuesday" this week for a very good reason... Oprah! I was one of the lucky 12,000 to be inside the United Center for Oprah's Surprise Spectacular taping!! I have read that over 150,000 applied and that is insane!!! Selika and I thought maybe we could hit the Oprah Store on the way to the show - but they were closed since all the staff was at the show, duh! Anyhoo, it gave us a great opportunity to take some cheesy photos in front of the studio before heading over to the United Center.
Upon arriving at the United Center it was complete chaos! Lines at every gate and no one really knowing where they were supposed to be. We hopped in line and enjoyed the view - the people watching was outstanding! The outfits ranged from jeans and tees to feathered hats and sparkly stilettos! The Satorialist would have had a field day with his camera with this crowd! Oh and the ladies in line with us were a hoot! We had a ball, despite the cold and long wait to get into the show.
We made our way to our seats in the nosebleed section and found out goodie bag - LED finger lights (for part of the show), Oprah Magazine and a book (also for the show). That was the extent of the giveaways, but I consider the free ticket to the show the best giveaway! Considering people in line were trying to sell theirs for thousands.... idiots!
The show was amazing!!! Stars at every turn, serious tear jerker moments, testimonials to the great things Oprah has done for people around the world and lots of music!
Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes, Josh Grobin, Patti LaBelle, Madonna, Dakota Fanning, Beyonce (finger lights!), John Legend, Diane Sawyer, Rascal Flats (and yes, I even sang to a country song - only for Oprah!), Halle Barry, Queen Latifah, Michael Jordan (who brought down the house), Jamie Foxx (Selika about fell on the folks in front of us she was so excited to see him), Steive Wonder, Will & Jada Smith, Kristin Chenoweth, Jerry Seinfeld, Simon Cowell, Rosie, Dr. Phill, Dr. Oz, Nate, Gayle, Maria Shriver, Tyler Perry (who introduced a bunch of Oprah scholarship graduates from Morehouse college that totally brought Oprah to tears), Maya Angelou (who wrote a poem special for Oprah), Alicia Keys, Usher and Aretha Franklin.
Wow that was a lot to type out ... they just seemed to keep coming, the stars did. I have to say that Oprah Show staff really knows how to put on a concert! To think that they could pull off such an event (set up/sound check/rehearsal) in just a day and a half is nothing short of a miracle I would imagine! I think my favorite part was Jamie Foxx and Stevie Wonder. Oh how I would love to be serenaded by those two men....
I feel so lucky to have been a part of such a momentous occasion. It was my first Oprah Show and I am so thankful to have been able to get in just under the wire.