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OPRAH WINFREY'S LEGENDS BALL (TV)

Summary

This special program looks at Oprah Winfrey's Legends Ball, a three-day celebration honoring twenty-five African-American women of distinction. The program begins with Winfrey on her massive front lawn discussing why she was inspired to create the celebration, which occurred exactly one year earlier. Winfrey starts with "How It All Began," detailing the time she forgot to invite actress Cicely Tyson to her birthday party and wanted to make it up to her. Then, Winfrey decided to also invite actress Ruby Dee, which led to her inviting another twenty-three women that had inspired her over the years, her "legends." Winfrey reflects on some of the other women she invited, such as poet Maya Angelou, singers Diana Ross and Tina Turner, television star Diahann Carroll, and civil rights activists Coretta Scott King and Rosa Parks, among others. Then, with event planner Colin Cowie, Winfrey began organizing the celebration. Winfrey also invited "young'uns" -- younger African-American stars such as Angela Bassett, Halle Berry, Alfre Woodard, Tyra Banks, and Mariah Carey. Then, Art Smith, Winfrey's personal chef, began preparations on the luncheon meal, to be held at Winfrey's home. After a year of meticulous planning, with just twenty-four hours until the event, Winfrey and staff scrambled to finish their tasks. Then, on the day of the event, Winfrey had one glass of champagne before her guests began filing in. Young'uns Alicia Keys and Ashanti talk about how excited they were to see the legends. Then, the women boarded a trolley, which Winfrey brought to her estate for the occasion, that traveled across the sprawling grounds. At the "end of the line," the women disembarked and posed for a group photograph. Next, the women crossed a bridge on Winfrey's estate for a luncheon in a specially constructed gazebo. There, Winfrey welcomed the women and saluted the legends. Phylicia Rashad discusses how wonderful the meal tasted. Then, John Legend performed his hit song "Ordinary People." Next, author Pearl Cleage and some young'uns read a poem which Cleage wrote in honor of the weekend, "We Speak Your Name." Afterward, Angelou offered some advice to the young'uns. Then, Winfrey discusses how she decided on an apt "parting gift" for all the women, ultimately deciding on extravagant diamond drop earrings for the legends and diamond hoop earrings for the young'uns. Then, footage shows Winfrey and Cowie preparing for the evening ball at the Bacara hotel in Santa Barbara. Winfrey sampled all the food and wine selections as Cowie transformed the entire ballroom with a 1940s art deco look. Eight hours before the show, Winfrey's friend Gayle King helped finalize the seating arrangements. Then, the white-tie event began, with guests including Sidney Poitier, Tom Cruise, Senator Barack Obama, Spike Lee, Barbara Walters, Diane Sawyer, Lionel Richie, Usher, and John Travolta. Then, the young'uns read Cleage's poem again, as many of the legends ended up teary-eyed. Next, the partying continued with a performance by Michael McDonald in which he sang many of the legends' hit songs. The next morning was a Sunday gospel brunch on Winfrey's grounds. There, the legends explained their trials and tribulations over the decades, which paved the way for the young'uns. At the brunch, BeBe Winans and DeNetria Champ sang gospel before impromptu performances broke out featuring Shirley Caesar, Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick, and Chaka Khan, among others. Winfrey was amused by "white people's" response to the gospel jam session. Janet Jackson and Tyler Perry discuss how impressed they were with the festivities. Finally, Winfrey offers some final thoughts on the event. After the credits, tribute is paid to Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King, both of whom passed away since the event took place. Includes commercials.

Details

  • NETWORK: ABC
  • DATE: May 22, 2006 Monday 8:00 PM
  • RUNNING TIME: 0:58:56
  • COLOR/B&W: Color
  • CATALOG ID: T:89580
  • GENRE: Specials
  • SUBJECT HEADING: African Americans; Entertainers; African-American Collection - News/Talk
  • SERIES RUN: ABC - TV, 2006
  • COMMERCIALS:
    • TV - Commercials - "Cars" motion picture
    • TV - Commercials - "Cheaper by the Dozen 2" home video
    • TV - Commercials - "Over the Hedge" motion picture
    • TV - Commercials - "The Devil Wears Prada" motion picture
    • TV - Commercials - "The Lake House" motion picture
    • TV - Commercials - 1-866-SPEAK-UP weapons threat reporting
    • TV - Commercials - 7Up soft drinks
    • TV - Commercials - Aquafresh toothpaste
    • TV - Commercials - Beano anti-gas aid
    • TV - Commercials - Chili's restaurants
    • TV - Commercials - Cingular wireless
    • TV - Commercials - Colgate toothpaste
    • TV - Commercials - Comcast cable
    • TV - Commercials - Daisy sour cream
    • TV - Commercials - Dymo label writer
    • TV - Commercials - Ford automobiles
    • TV - Commercials - Hellmann's mayonaise
    • TV - Commercials - Honda automobiles
    • TV - Commercials - Hot Pocket biscuits
    • TV - Commercials - Jergens moisturizer
    • TV - Commercials - KFC restaurants
    • TV - Commercials - McDonald's restaurants
    • TV - Commercials - Nasonex nasal spray
    • TV - Commercials - Optix contact lenses
    • TV - Commercials - Pizza Hut restaurants
    • TV - Commercials - Playtex bras
    • TV - Commercials - The Library of Congress
    • TV - Commercials - Wachovia financial security
    • TV - Commercials - Wal-Mart stores
    • TV - Commercials - Wish Bone salad dressing
    • TV - Promos - "2006 Scripps National Spelling Bee"
    • TV - Promos - "Alias"
    • TV - Promos - "How To Get the Guy"
    • TV - Promos - "Lost"
    • TV - Promos - "Primetime"
    • TV - Promos - "Stephen King's Desperation"
    • TV - Promos - "The Alma Awards 2006"

CREDITS

  • Oprah Winfrey … Executive Producer
  • Ellen Rakieten … Executive Producer
  • Annie Price … Senior Producer
  • Lisa Erspamer … Supervising Producer
  • Molly O'Connor … Producer
  • Julie Simpson … Producer
  • Joan Roebuck-Carter … Associate Producer
  • Harriet Seitler … Production (Misc.), Managing Producer
  • Andrea Wishom … Production (Misc.), Coordinating Senior Producer
  • Bob Bates … Production (Misc.), Field Producer
  • Patrick Riley … Production (Misc.), Field Producer
  • Rita Thompson … Production (Misc.), Field Producer
  • Melinda Morrison … Production (Misc.), Field Producer
  • Studio 51 … Music by
  • Oprah Winfrey … Host
  • Maya Angelou
  • Ashanti
  • Tyra Banks
  • Angela Bassett
  • Halle Berry
  • Shirley Caesar
  • Mariah Carey
  • Diahann Carroll
  • DeNetria Champ
  • Pearl Cleage
  • Colin Cowie
  • Tom Cruise
  • Ruby Dee
  • Janet Jackson
  • Alicia Keys
  • Chaka Khan
  • Coretta Scott King
  • Gayle King
  • Gladys Knight
  • Patti LaBelle
  • Spike Lee
  • John Legend
  • Michael McDonald
  • Barack Obama
  • Rosa Parks
  • Tyler Perry
  • Sidney Poitier
  • Phylicia Rashad
  • Lionel Richie
  • Diana Ross
  • Diane Sawyer
  • Art Smith
  • John Travolta
  • Cicely Tyson
  • Tina Turner
  • Usher
  • Barbara Walters
  • Dionne Warwick
  • BeBe Winans
  • Alfre Woodard