October 2008 Archives

Talk show maven Oprah Winfrey was among one of the estimated 1 million people who took part in early voting in Illinois.

Winfrey cast her early ballot Thursday, waiting in line for over an hour.

The talk show queen didn't admit who she voted for, but it's no secret Winfrey has been a strong backer of local Barack Obama, even stumping with him on the campaign trail.

"'I know who she's voting for, I'm voting for the same guy,'" Winfrey remarked one woman said when she arrived at the Polling Place.

Winfrey -- who voted for the first time using touch-screen technology -- described the experience as "emotional."

"I understand wanting to wait until Tuesday because it's gonna feel like a big party," Winfrey said.

Winfrey -- who decided to take part in early voting because she is taping shows Tuesday and was afraid she'd get stuck at the polls -- did a little dance as a group of polling workers called her name at once when it was her turn to vote.

Sun-Times columnist Dr. Laura Berman talks sex with Oprah Winfrey during Monday's show when she stops by to chat about her new book.

"Real Sex for Real Women: A Complete Guide to Intimacy, Pleasure and Sexual Wellbeing," is Berman's fourth book on finding sex and intimacy at any age.

Berman is a leading expert on sex, from making time to have it to communication differences, sexual dysfunction and self esteem.

Click here to read Berman's columns in the Sun-Times or here to listen to her podcasts.

Former Olympic champion Marion Jones leaves Jan. 11 after being sentenced in White Plains, N.Y. (AP file)

Oprah's spotlighting another Olympic athlete this week -- but this one's not such a happy tale.

On Wednesday, track star Marion Jones will appear on the program -- giving her first interview since her release from federal prison after completing most of her six-month sentence for lying about steroid use.

A Louisiana man has filed a lawsuit against Oprah Winfrey, claiming she and an attorney made false statements that led the FBI to arrest him on charges that he tried to extort the talk-show host.

Keifer Bonvillain, who had the charges dismissed, seeks damages of $180 million from Winfrey, her attorney and the FBI in the federal lawsuit filed Tuesday.

Sun-Times political correspondent Lynn Sweet has further thoughts and info about Oprah's chances of being an ambassador in an Obama administration (not very likely!), as well as news that Obama will not tape his 30-minute Oct. 29 infomercial at Harpo.

Oprah Winfrey has offered to produce the half-hour advertisement Barack Obama will air Oct. 29 on primetime television, according to reports.

"She's been begging Obama to let her help," a source told the Drudge Report in an exclusive story.

According to Drudge, the Obama campaign denies that Winfrey will be involved in the ad being produced.

The Drudge source says Winfrey has even offered studio space for Obama to use.

CBS, NBC and FOX will air the advertisement.

''The Oprah Winfrey Show'' is becoming bilingual.

Chicago-based Harpo Productions says the show is being made available in Spanish through Secondary Audio Programming and closed captioning.

Oprah Winfrey arrives for a party in June in central London's Hyde Park. Will she be living there soon -- working for President Obama? (AP file)

Oprah is, of course, a flash point for wild, unsubstantiated rumors of every stripe, and we try not to report the truly out-there stuff. But when a rumor reaches the level of a Financial Times of London correspondent, well, we'll give it some respect. Like this one ...