UNbelievable! Oprah Tweets Support for Microsoft Surface....from an iPad (Shade?)

During the all-important holiday season, an endorsement from Oprah Winfrey is better than a big old gift-wrapped box from Santa. You would think that Oprah endorsing a new product like the Microsoft Surface tablet would be a huge boon to the product, already struggling against tough and established competition from Apple, Google, and Amazon.

Oprah recently tweeted her love for the Surface, saying that she already purchased it for 12 people, and that it was one of her "favorite things" (aka, buy it for your loved ones).

What Oprah (or whoever may tweet for it, although I like to think its her) didn't realize was that her followers could see what program she used to tweet. That program was Twitter, for iPad.

Ooops!

It's kind of hilarious, if you think about it. Oprah praising a product using its direct competition. It's either a genuine lapse in judgement, or the delicious shade I have ever witnessed.

Hey, it's the holiday season, so let's just give her the benefit of the doubt.

FYI: The iPad was a part of Oprah's Favorite Things list when it came it too! Boop!

The Legacy of The Oprah Winfrey Show

Oprah said goodbye to The Oprah Winfrey Show after twenty-five years on the air

Today, at approximately 4:55pm EST, Oprah Winfrey officially said goodbye to The Oprah Winfrey Show after a spectacular 25 years on the air.

I can remember being five years old, sitting in my grandmother's living room, being forced to watch Oprah instead of my favorite cartoons. Even back then, even when I was annoyed that I wasn't watching    Doug or Dragon Ball Z, I knew how important Oprah was.

Watching Oprah recall her show's greatest moments and lessons really brought home a truth about what she has meant to not only me, but America as a whole. Her program, one of the most successful in television history, was the country's conscience. Oprah herself is the true personification of the American dream, that if you work hard, that anything is possible.

The Oprah Winfrey Show has systematically opened America's eyes to the issues and people that have been conveniently swept under the rug for too long. She took on racists, homophobes, rapists, child molesters, abusers, and general idiots with both fearlessness and grace. She shined a light on the secrets and troubles that millions suffered through in silence, such as all kinds of abuse, ultimately absolving them of their shame and inspiring others. There are numerous accounts of people claiming how their lives were changed, if not saved, by watching Oprah. She helped people take control and responsibility of their own lives. As she said on today's finale, even with all of the celebrity appearances and the wacky stunts, her show was really about the distribution of the "golden rule": do onto others as you would have them do onto you. Oprah's show was also about helping people improve their lives through their own means. She didn't force anyone to buy a book, or donate millions to charity, or be inspired to start a project that would impact the lives of others. Yet, millions across the country, of all races and genders and thought processes did so. Why?

They did so because Oprah Winfrey is what every person who ever heard the concept of the American dream wants to be. Born in the backwoods of Mississippi, poor, from a broken home, Oprah persevered through it all. She disciplined herself and slowly, but surely, climbed her way to the absolute zenith of wealth and success in a country where it has gotten increasingly difficult to do so, especially for a person of color. For African-Americans, she serves as the blueprint for what genuine hard work can achieve, a blueprint our culture should pay a lot more attention to. For the average person, she was a shining example that anything could be achieved if you fought for it.

Even as she became ingrained within the American consciousness, she still continued to grow as a human being before our eyes. She inspired millions with her unbelievable philanthropy, not just by giving money, but by how she gave it, making deserving people's dreams come true. She shared her harrowing stories of struggle and survival, like her molestation or her weight problems. Quickly, and solidly, she gained the trust of the country, so much so that she nearly brought down the cattle industry in 1998, and helped make Obama's campaign a decade later. What's even more remarkable is that in her quarter century of pop culture dominance, she never betrayed that trust. Instead, she pushed and challenged it to improve how we all interacted with each other. Not everyone agreed with her methods and ideas, but there was heavy sense of respect for her nonetheless. Simply put, she was an inspiration.

Oprah Winfrey is as much the soul of America as a talk show host could be. But then again, she is much more than that. In her twenty-five years of syndication, she has become a media magnate, a 21st century political figure, as Phil Donahue once put it, and a spiritual leader, and a legend of popular culture.

But most of all, and this was most obvious in her final moments on air, she was a teacher to a country who sorely needed it. She taught us all, directly and indirectly, the importance of living life the best way you can, whatever that meant to the individual. It is an overarching lesson that is valued much higher than her economic net worth.

It is a lesson that will be the ultimate legacy of both her and her show.

Jennifer Hudson Performs at Kennedy Center Honors

Jennifer Hudson has had an amazing year, and to end it right, she performed at Kennedy Center Honors, aired last night on CBS.

The Oscar and Grammy-winning diva performed "I'm Here" from the musical The Color Purple. The performance was in tribute to talk show icon Oprah Winfrey, one of the honorees for the night. Oprah was clearly moved by Jennifer's powerhouse vocals, reaching behind to grasp Stedman's hands for support.

Jennifer has performed many times since her time on American Idol. This here might just be her best ever. Powerful, but with more control than she's ever exhibited before, Jennifer has shown so much growth since those days in front of Cowell's table. It's so heartwarming to know that someone deserving of success has made her dreams come true.

Congratulations Jennifer, and here's hoping that 2011 treats you the same way as 2010 has.

"He Spit On Me": Whitney's Shocking Tales to Oprah

Anyone who saw the infamous 2002 interview with Diane Sawyer was probably surprised by how forthcoming Whitney Houston was with Oprah.

After seven years of silence, it seems that Whitney is ready to tell, everything. In only the first hour of the show, Whitney dropped bombshells that blew the roof off of what the public knew and imagined.

We learned that the drugs actually began before 1992, in light forms. The usage intensified after the release of The Bodyguard, the film and soundtrack that launched Whitney into the pop stratosphere. She revealed her drug choice, marijiuana laced with rock cocaine, and even went into detail as how to do it. Elaborating on her legendary "crack is wack" statement in 2002, Whitney explained that she and Bobby spent serious money on drugs and weren't buying the $20 bags (she joked that someone was making good money off of her).

Another huge topic discussed was her marriage to Bobby Brown, which ended in 2007. Whitney admitted that Bobby was an emotionally abusive, jealous husband, although adding he had a sweet side. Whitney stunned Oprah by admitting that she lowered herself to make Bobby bigger in the eyes of the world, almost losing herself in the process. It was almost cathartic hearing Whtney finally address something so obvious to everyone. What was shocking was one tidbit about a fight the two were having, where Bobby spit in Whitney's face, with their daughter Bobbi Kristina watching. And of course, there was the story of Whitney's mother Cissy with a court injunction to get Whitney back on track.

It is clear from Whitney's disclosure that this is more than a promotional appearance for her show. Instead, it's a way of finally releasing the demons of her past so she can move forward.

I can't wait to see what other demons are revealed in today's episode.

Introducing...Filipina Divas Regine Velasquez and Charice Pempengco

It's almost shocking the wide musical divide between the Eastern and Western hemispheres. It's the only reason why this woman is not a worldwide superstar. In fact, she may be the industry's best kept secret.

Regine Velasquez is a Filipino singer who is insanely huge in Asia. It wasn't until I saw (much like my discovery of Leona Lewis) a video of her singing a Celine song on YouTube that I learned who she was. It's easy to see why she's a star, because her voice is out of this world. Vocally, she is a masterclass unto herself. There is not one performance I have seen where she is the least bit out of tune, which is all the more shocking when you realize she's been singing for 22 years. I can't believe I am saying this, but when you compare Regine and Mariah, both the same age, Regine can definitely hold her own, if not outsing her (these days).

Here is, in my opinion, her best performance, performing "I Don't Want A Miss A Thing":

Seriously, someone needs to bring her to America, NOW!!

The next girl you may know of, if you've watched Oprah or Ellen fairly recently. Her name is Charice Pempengco, she is 16 years old, and has a voice that blows her American contemporaries out of the water (she shits on EVERY Disney singer!). I'm not kidding, her voice is absolutely unbelievable. She hits those power notes with so much ease, it's pretty scary, especially considering she's a relatively small girl. Her voice is so distinctive that you almost instantly know its her singing. Then, there is her stage presence. She's been performing since she was four, and it shows because she has the confidence of a 30-year old pop diva. If there is any justice in the industry, she will be.

Here she is performing on Oprah a few months ago:

If there are more singers like these in the Phillipines, than PLEASE come to the US! We need you!

Tom Cruise on Oprah: I Wouldn't Take The Couch-Jumping Back!

Actor Tom Cruise revealed on Friday's Oprah that he probably wouldn't take back the infamous "couch incident" of 2005.

During their first interview since the aforementioned episode, Tom Cruise told Oprah that he "got" the implications of his shocking, career-changing outbursts. He also explained that the couch-jumping incident was "a moment" and was "real", and that he probably wouldn't take it back.

For those asleep during 2005, Tom Cruise went on Oprah and officially declared himself insane when he began acting like a man possessed. He jumped around, kneeled many times, grabbed Oprah's hands and began pushing her, all leading up to him jumping onto the couch. All of the actions were an attempt to explain his new-found feelings for Batman Begins star Katie Holmes.

Three years later, the couple are married with a daughter, Suri Cruise. They, alongside Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, are the most discussed Hollywood couple, with rampant speculation about their lives and how his Scientologist beliefs affect that.

Check out the video below:

You HAVE To Be Kidding Me!: Tom Cruise Returns to The Couch!

It was THE television event of 2005.

It was also the moment people knew for sure Tom Cruise officially lost his goddamn mind!

He's BACK!

Three years after the infamous couch-jumping incident, crazy ass Scientologist actor Tom Cruise will be appearing on Oprah next month to celebrate his 25 year anniversary in films. The episode will air on May 5th, and will reportedly be taped at Tom Cruise's compound home in Colorado next Friday. Considering May is a sweeps month, this will surely provide a ratings boost. Who knows? Maybe Tom will swing from the chandeliers and throw Baby Suri (who has been seen publicly in months, BTW) up in the air!

I actually am (kinda) a fan of Tom Cruise, but I seriously think he has some problems. Regardless, it will definitely be some must-see TV!