Interview: Oprah's 50th birthday bash; friends
and family celebrate Oprah's 50th birthday
29 January 2004
The Oprah Winfrey Show
HOST: Oprah Winfrey
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Ellen Rakieten
OPRAH'S 50TH BIRTHDAY PARTY
Announcer: January 29, 2004. Live from Harpo
Studios in Chicago, it's Oprah's star-studded 50th birthday extravaganza. So
top secret, Oprah has no idea what's in store. You're invited. Ladies and
gentlemen, the party of the year starts now. Please welcome special guest host,
Gayle King.
GAYLE KING (Guest Host): Hi, everybody. I am so
excited to be here, the big day has arrived, and believe it or not, Oprah has
no clue, I mean, no clue what we have planned. She has been kept out of the
studio for the last 24 hours so we could smuggle in all our party stuff. Our
audience is filled with Oprah's closest friends and family here to celebrate
this very special day.
Hello, Stedman Graham. Hello. Very special day,
very special man. So let's get this party started. It was 50 years ago today in
Kosciusko, Mississippi, that she was born. It is my honor to welcome our
birthday girl, my very best friend, Oprah Winfrey.
(Audio of "It's Your Birthday," by 50
Cent)
OPRAH WINFREY, host:
Hi! Whoo!
KING: That's good. That's good. That's good. I
don't know if you could hear--I don't know if you could hear, but you walked
out to 50 Cent song "It's Your Birthday."
WINFREY: It's your birthday...
KING: We gonna party...
WINFREY and KING: (In unison) ...like it's your
birthday.
Drink Bacardi like it's your birthday. Thank you.
KING: To quote your niece, Krishanda, you look
O-mazing.
WINFREY: Oh, thank you.
KING: O-mazing.
WINFREY: Thank you. Thank you. OK, OK. I--I'm
feeling a little out of sorts, because I have no control. I don't know what's
going to happen.
KING: And you really--you have no idea who's
here. Don't know how it's going to work.
WINFREY: No, I don't know what's going on.
KING: But I can tell you this.
WINFREY: Yeah?
KING: We've got truckloads of birthday gifts.
They've been pouring in all week for you.
WINFREY: OK.
KING: And I hear--I hear--I know that we have a
very special gift that arrived special delivery moments ago. And we think
you're really going to like this one. Joe, music, please.
WINFREY: Aaaaaah!
JOHN TRAVOLTA (Guest Host): Happy birthday, honey.
WINFREY: OK. Hi, sweetie. You're here!
TRAVOLTA: I'm here.
WINFREY: OK.
KING: All right.
WINFREY: OK.
KING: I told you, John. I told you.
WINFREY: OK, OK.
KING: I told you. Well, because this is...
WINFREY: Hi.
TRAVOLTA: Hi again.
KING: You--Do you know John Travolta? John
Travolta, Oprah Winfrey.
TRAVOLTA: Yes. How do you do?
KING: Because this is her day, John, and I have
taken over as host of your show so you can sit down and enjoy the party.
TRAVOLTA: That's right.
KING: That's the game plan today. For the past
month, the staff here at Harpo has been sneaking around planning this thing,
the birthday bash for Oprah, and we wanted you to see some of the things...
WINFREY: It's you.
KING: Can you pay attention for a sec? We wanted
you to see some of the things that have been going on behind your back if
you'll turn around...
WINFREY: OK. OK.
KING: ...for a taped presentation.
WINFREY: Thank you.
(Excerpts from videotape)
KING: Twelve producers, 17 floral designers and a
crew of over 100 people have secretly spent weeks preparing for your 50th
birthday extravaganza.
Oprah, your people are really on it. They've got
signs everywhere. I love this one: `If your name is Oprah, stay out!'
It all started with the invitations, created by
celebrity invitation designer Marc Friedland, mini scrapbooks bound in
beautiful shantung silk imported from India and embroidered with an O.
Mr. MARC FRIEDLAND (Celebrity Invitation
Designer): It really tracks some key moments in the chapters of Oprah's life.
KING: Three hundred of these individually
handmade invites were sent out to your personal friends and family. Next, we
snuck in one of your favorite floral designers, Oprah, none other than--You
know--Preston Bailey, to help transform the studio into a birthday fantasyland.
Mr. PRESTON BAILEY (Celebrity Floral Designer): I
want her to walk in and faint.
KING: Preston turned your childhood photos into
works of art, framing them with orchids, Ecuadoran roses, African berries and
crystals. It took over 2,000 roses for Preston's team to create this gorgeous
floral O. Nothing but the best for you. Event planner Debbie Lily helped
Preston pull all the details together.
Our friends at Sean Beck and Expo Design Center
spent days handcrafting these stunning chandeliers with thousands of crystals
to make the studio sparkle.
We felt one party just wasn't enough, so right
behind these doors, Preston created another spectacular area with 30,000 exotic
flowers. We enlisted celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck to cook up a top-secret menu
of your favorite foods.
Chef WOLFGANG PUCK: For Oprah, everything has to
be only the best, like the lobsters have to be live. You know, we're not gonna
take any day-old lobsters. They were still in the ocean yesterday.
KING: Oh, this is going to be served at Oprah's
birthday party.
TRAVOLTA: So we get to do it again.
KING: Yeah.
Surprise celebrity guests were flown in on the
sly from around the world to help make your 50th birthday a day you will never
forget.
TRAVOLTA: I'm so excited. This is going to be so
cool.
KING: In the final 24 hours, the countdown began.
We banned you from the building, and all the last-minute details were put into
place.
Happy birthday, Oprah.
(End of excerpts)
WINFREY: OK.
TRAVOLTA: OK. So in honor of your birthday, I
want to make a toast.
WINFREY: OK.
TRAVOLTA: Now I'm nervous, so bear with me.
WINFREY: Oh, you're nervous!
TRAVOLTA: Now we--we--we need champagne to make a
toast.
KING: Yes, champagne would be good.
WINFREY: OK.
TRAVOLTA: So Cristal rose--your favorite is
Cristal rose, right?
WINFREY: Yeah, it--it is, yeah.
TRAVOLTA: OK. Well, they--they--your friends over
there sent over some champagne. So here we go.
WINFREY: OK. OK.
TRAVOLTA: There we go.
WINFREY: You're drinking champagne?
KING: Yes. For your birthday, yes.
TRAVOLTA: OK.
WINFREY: She never drinks champagne. OK.
TRAVOLTA: So here's a toast.
WINFREY: Yes.
TRAVOLTA: To the most wonderful person in the
world...
WINFREY: Oh.
TRAVOLTA: ...Oprah Winfrey, our friend. And it's
not just because you went out of your way to make sure that 50,000
underprivileged children in South Africa had their first Christmas gift or that
you want to put schools throughout that country, but also because you inject
the spirit into our society of life. You care. Your intelligence, your
inspiration, and you do it all without judging, and because you treat everyone
equally important, and this makes you a great American hero.
WINFREY: Thank you.
TRAVOLTA: You--you represent the best of our
country and what's possible in our country. But more importantly, you are a
citizen of the world, and you are a hero to mankind. So we are better for--for
knowing you, Oprah. We are. And to boot, you are beautiful. You are sexy.
KING: Yes. She looks hot! You look hot! You look
hot!
TRAVOLTA: You're talented. And we--we love you so
much, we can't take it.
WINFREY: Cheers.
KING: Very nice, John.
TRAVOLTA: To Oprah!
WINFREY: Cheers.
KING: Very nice. Oprah, John, of course, is not
your only famous friend. Many of your other famous friends wanted to give you a
little--a lot of your other famous friends wanted to give you a little birthday
shout-out. Do you know what a shout-out is?
WINFREY: I do know what a shout-out is.
KING: OK. Just checking. Just checking.
WINFREY: Yeah.
KING: So we're going to start this evening with
Tom Cruise.
WINFREY: Oh! Good!
Mr. TOM CRUISE (Actor): Happy birthday, Oprah. I
just want you to know that the world is definitely a better place because you
are in it. And I hope you have a great, great day and a wonderful celebration.
Love you.
Ms. JULIA ROBERTS (Actress): Happy birthday,
Oprah. My best friend, Oprah. How exciting to get to participate in celebrating
you, which I feel like I do in some tiny way every day. You are a gift to the
world. Absolutely just the biggest heart. Such a bright, shining light for all
of us to learn from and benefit from, and you're just a treasure. I love you.
Happy birthday.
WINFREY: Thank you.
TRAVOLTA: All right. Guess what? Champagne for
everybody. Yeah!
Announcer: Coming up, Jennifer Aniston, Chris
Rock and Jennifer Lopez, and a surprise for Oprah you won't want to miss.
(Announcements)
Ms. JENNIFER LOPEZ (Singer): Happy birthday,
Oprah. I have no advice for you. What I need to ask you is, do you have any
advice for me, in the 30s here? Happy birthday. I wish you the happiest,
biggest birthday cake ever. What can I say? You're an inspiration to women
everywhere, but also to every human being on the planet, just helping people
see that they can have the best life that they can have and to not settle for
anything less. That's an important life, and I think you're wonderful, and I
thank you.
Ms. JENNIFER ANISTON (Actress): Hi, Oprah. Happy,
happy birthday. What can I say? This is going to sound corny, but, you know,
that's me. The world just became a better place when you were born. I grew up
with you, and I worship you. You just help so many people every day, and I feel
honored to know you. Happy 50th. I hope I look as good as you do at 50. OK.
Love you. Thanks.
Mr. CHRIS ROCK (Comedian): I just want to say
happy 30th birthday to Oprah Winfrey. You look great for 30. You wear it well.
When they told me you were turning 30, I was like really? How old is she?
Fifty? Get the (censored) out of here. She's not 50. Oprah is not 50. Kiss my
ass.
KING: That's great. That's great. It really
is--it really is Oprah's 50th birthday, Chris Rock. And the party and the
surprises are going to keep on coming. John and I are guest-hosting today, a
big surprise to Oprah, because we told--we told Oprah that you couldn't make it
because of movie commitments. So it was a shock to see him.
WINFREY: John Travolta is here!
TRAVOLTA: All right.
KING: So--but we want you...
WINFREY: John Travolta is here!
KING: We want you to sit back and enjoy your own
show today.
TRAVOLTA: Now--now--now...
WINFREY: OK. I'm having an out-of-body
experience. OK.
TRAVOLTA: OK. Now this next surprise and gift
flew all the way in from Switzerland...
WINFREY: Switzerland.
TRAVOLTA: ...to tell you something, that you are
simply the best.
WINFREY: Oh, no!
(Tina Turner performs)
WINFREY: Whoo, whoo!
KING: We'll be right back with more of Oprah's
birthday party. Be right back.
(Announcements)
Mr. TOM HANKS (Actor): (Singing) Happy birthday
to you. Happy birthday, Oprah Winfrey. Happy birthday, turning 50. Happy
birthday, Oprah Winfrey.
Mr. JIM CARREY (Actor): Happy 50th birthday,
Oprah. Let's see if the second half can be a little bit more constructive. Try
to make a difference. Fifty, huh? If I were 10 years younger, I'd show you a
thing or two.
KING: He's crazy. Today is Oprah's 50th birthday
party, and we are live from Harpo Studios. Live! Live! The audience is filled
with Oprah's friends and family here to celebrate along with her today.
TRAVOLTA: And I have a little song to sing for
you, and I'll--I'll try my best, and we'll see what happens.
KING: Yeah.
TRAVOLTA: But, Stedman, you--you--you have to
forgive me for singing a romantic song. But is that OK? Do I get your
permission? OK. Let me try.
(John Travolta sings)
WINFREY: All right, John!
TRAVOLTA: I want to tell you something.
WINFREY: Yeah, what? Yeah.
TRAVOLTA: There's someone that I know that can do
a much better job of singing his song.
WINFREY: No. No. No. That--that song?
Mr. STEVIE WONDER (Singer): Oprah. Gotcha!
(Stevie Wonder performs)
WINFREY: That's my favorite song. That's my
favorite song of all time.
(Stevie Wonder performs)
KING: Thank you, Stevie Wonder. Thank you. We'll
be right back.
(Announcements)
Ms. CELINE DION (Singer): Hey, birthday girl.
First of all, I don't believe it. No way can you be 50 and look as good as you
do. Hmm-mm. Well, my friend, I just want to say how proud I am to be able to
wish you happy birthday on this very, very special day. You are grace. You are
beautiful. And you're definitely one of a kind. Have a really wonderful birthday,
Oprah.
Mr. WILL SMITH (Actor): Yeah, I remember when our
little Oprah was first born. Remember--You remember? Remember? And then the
doctor handed her to me, and I--and I said, `Ooo do do dooo. Boop, boop boo do
do. And then I said, `The o--the only thing greater than yourself.' Remember I
said that?
Ms. JADA PINKETT SMITH (Actress): Happy birthday,
Oprah. Keep shining, girl. We love you.
WINFREY: OK.
TRAVOLTA: All right. We're celebrating Oprah's
50th birthday today.
KING: Yes, we are. But, you know, it can't be a
birthday without cake. Take a look at the one that was made just for you.
(Excerpt from videotape)
TRAVOLTA: Celebrity cake designer Sam Godfrey
from Perfect Endings in Napa Valley sent his birthday wishes to Oprah by flying
this elaborate and elegant 400-pound cake. Sam used his grandmother's luscious
banana cake recipe for this special creation. He and his team of 10 mixed 23
pounds of chocolate, 200 pounds of sugar, 530 organic eggs and 98 pounds of
bananas. Executive pastry chef Michael Martin put the final touches on this
sweet masterpiece, decorating it with edible hand-painted portraits of Oprah.
The bouquet on top of Oprah's cake is hand-sculptured from sugar. Gorgeous. Bon
appetit, birthday girl.
(End of excerpt)
TRAVOLTA: Bring out the cake!
KING: Bring out the cake!
WINFREY: Whoo! OK.
KING: Are you surprised?
WINFREY: I--I...
KING: Are you surprised?
WINFREY: Hi, Jay.
Mr. JAY LENO (Host, "The Tonight
Show"): Hi, baby girl.
WINFREY: Hi, Jay.
Mr. LENO: I did my show last night; I have a show
today. But you--besides my wife, you're the only woman I would fly eight hours
to spend five minutes with. So happy birthday, baby girl.
WINFREY: Oh, my God. Oh, my God. That's so good.
Mr. LENO: There you go. It's 400 pounds! I got a
hernia pushing it here from LA.
WINFREY: That is so ama--I--I--I...
KING: Isn't it beautiful?
WINFREY: It's beautiful. Thank you.
Mr. LENO: Oh, sure, baby girl.
WINFREY: Thank you. Thank you.
TRAVOLTA: Jay, did you bring enough for
everybody?
Mr. LENO: There's four--we have cake for
every--you all want some cake?
TRAVOLTA: They want some cake.
KING: Yeah.
WINFREY: Look at that. These are edible flowers.
These are edible flowers. Cool. Thank you. So you're going to turn around and
go back now?
Mr. LENO: I've got to go back in 10 minutes.
WINFREY: Back in 10 minutes.
KING: Jay, you're going back now? That was so
nice of you.
TRAVOLTA: Nice of you.
WINFREY: Cake for everyone.
KING: We'll be right back. As we go to break, two
Oscar-winning actresses send their regards, starting with Ms. Catwoman, Halle
Berry.
Mr. LENO: Oh, my God.
Unidentified Man: What does Oprah mean to me? I'm
going to tell you...
WINFREY: Oh, man. This is amazing.
KING: I thought we had already gone to break.
WINFREY: Wait till you taste this cake. Wait till
you taste...
(Announcements)
Ms. MARIA SHRIVER (Journalist): I'm so proud of
our 25 years of friendship. I'm so proud that you're one of those great
girlfriends that I know I can call at any time, day or night, and I have. I
know that you'll always have a wise word for me and that you'll always be there
for me. You look beautiful. You're beautiful inside and out. Love you. Happy
birthday.
Ms. DIANE SAWYER (Journalist): So, Oprah, you're
here, and I'm your personal guide to life in your 50s. I just want to say a few
things. Whatever you do, buy more of these. Drink more of this. And as Demi
Moore might say to us, find yourself somebody, you know, kind of a young boy
toy making you feel great. I've been canvassing around, and I've got mine. And
remember, if God didn't love women in their 50s, he wouldn't have invented the
dimmer switch. Come over the hill, babe. It's great. There's a lot of joy here.
And here's my motto: If you're over the hill, just pick up speed.
KING: We love Diane. Love--we're live from Chicago,
it's Oprah's 50th birthday bash.
TRAVOLTA: And guess what, Oprah? We're so lucky,
we get to see Tina Turner again.
WINFREY: Oh, my God.
(Tina Turner performs)
WINFREY: Yes! Yes!
Mr. QUINCY JONES (Producer): There is nothing
that I wouldn't do for you. I have never loved a human being as much as I love
you. And in addition to loving you, I like you, and I really respect you. And
it doesn't get any better than that.
Mr. STEVE SPIELBERG (Director): Hi, Oprah, and
happy birthday. And also I apologize for the gross amount of makeup I put on
your face in 1985 when we made "The Color Purple" to make you look
like what I thought people looked like when they turn 50. If you just take a
look at yourself right now and then flash a picture of yourself as Sofia right
next to it, you'll see how I got that wrong and how during your entire life,
you got it right.
(Announcements)
Ms. SARAH JESSICA PARKER ("Sex and the
City"): We're here to secretly wish Oprah a happy 21st birthday. Happy
21st birthday.
Ms. KRISTIN DAVIS ("Sex and the City"):
Happy birthday, Oprah.
Ms. KIM CATTRALL ("Sex and the City"):
Happy 21st birthday, Oprah.
Ms. CYNTHIA NIXON ("Sex and the City"):
You don't look a day over 15.
Mr. MICHAEL DOUGLAS (Actor): Welcome to the big
5-0, but don't feel bad. You don't look anymore than 4-0, and that's a fact.
Thank you for making the world a better place. Catherine and the kids join me
in wishing you the best birthday ever.
TRAVOLTA: So, Oprah, some of your young friends
wanted to also send their birthday wishes.
WINFREY: My young friends?
TRAVOLTA: Yes, your young friends.
WINFREY: OK.
KING: Your young people.
MATTIE STEPANEK (Poet): Oprah, I just want to
wish you the happiest, happiest birthday anyone could ever wish upon a friend.
I would like to thank you for 50 years of nothing but love being given. I love
you so much, and I'm proud to be your guy.
Unidentified Child #1: Happy birthday, Mama
Oprah. My best wishes. I love you very much.
Unidentified Child #2: Happy birthday, Mama
Oprah. I want to say that I love you and thank you for everything that you've
done to me, and--and God bless you and God bless your family.
Unidentified Child #3: Happy birthday, Mama
Oprah. I hope you enjoy your day. Thank you for everything you have done for
me, and God bless you.
Group of Children: Happy birthday, Mama Oprah.
KING: Well, we want to keep the party going.
Happy birthday, Mama Oprah. But every party, as we know, needs a good party
favor. And nobody loves a party favor more than you. Come on up. We have
special party favors today for the audience. Custom-made T-shirts, Oprah's 50th
birthday party. And on the back. Everybody knows how much Oprah loves--you look
beautiful. Everybody knows how much Oprah loves pajamas, so we went to pajama
princess, of course, Karen Neuberger, who made special pajamas for Oprah's 50th
birthday, along with journals and booties.
WINFREY: That's so cute.
KING: And to take all your party haul--stuff home
today, embroidered silk tote bags.
John, do you think we should give it to the
audience?
TRAVOLTA: Yes. Party favors for all.
WINFREY: They got a camera to South Africa. How
did they do that?
KING: Because they're good.
WINFREY: They're good. How do they get a camera
to New York...
KING: Be right back. Be right back.
WINFREY: ...(Unintelligible).
KING: I know. I told you it was...
(Announcements)
Mr. NELSON MANDELA (Former President, South
Africa): Oprah, you are one of the most remarkable young ladies in the world.
Very few have achieved as much as you have. You have become an icon because of your
total commitment to the welfare of the poor. You have been an inspiration to
young people throughout the world. Congratulations on your 50th birthday.
Mr. SIDNEY POITIER (Actor): You are an
inspiration wherever mankind gathers to conquer the complexities of life.
Wherever they struggle to shape their existence from inhospitable experiences,
wherever they are spending themselves in trying to hold back the darkness as
hope flickers weakly at the brink of extinction, you are there, in strength and
perseverance, in remembrance of the light inside themselves. These words are
sent on their behalf and mine as well. For all who have been led by you to that
light inside themselves, happy birthday, and thanks for being all that you are.
WINFREY: I love him.
TRAVOLTA: OK. Oprah, it's the grand finale. And
I'm sorry, but we need Stevie Wonder.
KING: Yes, we do.
WINFREY: Yes, we do.
KING: Yes, we do.
(Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner and John Travolta
perform)
Ms. HALLE BERRY (Actress): Hello, Oprah. It's
Catwoman. I know tonight you're at your 50th birthday party. I'm sorry I
couldn't whip down to be with you, because I'd love to give you 50 licks and
tell you thank you for proving that one woman who's sexy, powerful, beautiful,
smart, could have such a wonderful impact on the world. Happy birthday, Oprah.
I love you. Meow.
Ms. NICOLE KIDMAN (Actresss): Oprah Winfrey, one
of the true great women in this world, happy 50th birthday. Take a moment to
look back at what you have and what you've accomplished, because you've given
so much to so many people. And you deserve an enormous hug and an enormous
tribute. I'll never forget you called me in June or July after you saw
"The Hours," and you said, `Baby, you're going to win the Oscar.' I
don't know how you knew, but you knew. We love you. Happy birthday.
(Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner and John Travolta
perform)
(Announcements)
KING: We are live at Harpo Studios for Oprah's
50th birthday party. We tried to surprise her. I think we did OK with the
surprises today, Ms. Winfrey.
WINFREY: I am out--I got a surprise headache. I
got a surprise headache. You know, I--I--I--I'm not handling this well.
KING: For somebody who doesn't like surprises...
WINFREY: I don't like surprises, but y'all did
pretty good.
Mr. WONDER: Hey, we stayed up all night writing
the words for your song.
WINFREY: Stevie Wonder, thank you so much for
coming here. Tina--Tina--Tina Turner, I--I--I--I--thanks for bringing out
your...
Ms. TINA TURNER (Singer): Happy birthday.
WINFREY: Yeah, your bionic boots for me.
TRAVOLTA: All right. Now the show's over, but the
party's just getting started. Let's go out into the next room.
WINFREY: We're going to the next room?
TRAVOLTA: More surprises.
KING: There's another step to the celebration.
It's your birthday, it's your birthday, it's your birthday.
WINFREY: Oh, my goodness. They told me you were
in India.
