Oprah Invites Ellen To Share O Magazine Cover (VIDEO)

Oprah shocked Ellen on Friday's show with a surprise appearance via Skype and an invitation to appear on the cover of O magazine.

Ellen has been campaigning for Oprah to share the cover with her, speaking regularly about it on her show, Photoshopping her picture onto preexisting O covers, and even creating an Oprah-style "O Yes I Can" vision board.

Oprah shared her magazine cover for the first time with Michelle Obama in the April 2009 issue.

On Friday's show, Oprah appeared via Skype to invite Ellen to share the magazine cover.

"When I first heard about this," Oprah said, "I thought it was such a fantastic idea. I was only sorry that I did not think of it myself. So I am calling to officially invite you on the cover of O."

"Are you serious?!" Ellen said before jumping up to run and kiss the camera. "I gotta go do a photo shoot. When do we do it? What happens?"

"This is what I need to know," Oprah said. "I heard that of course you want to wear pants, because I saw you in that prom dress and we don't want to do that again."

Oprah also confirmed that this was not a hoax.

"I'm serious about this!" she said. "In order to set a goal for yourself, a goal has to be something that's really big. I've watched the whole thing, and I believe that when you dream it and conceive it, you can have it and achieve it. And that's what's gonna happen."

"I can't believe you are serious about this, I am freaking out right now!" Ellen said. "Now my goal is gonna be for this to be the biggest selling issue you've ever had," she added.

Watch (via E!):

Comments

[harriettubman]

BTW, what is the "yes I can" campaign? I don't follow Ellen.

[harriettubman]

Like all other media, sales of "O" are way down. This should sell some magazines. I often wondered why Oprah only wanted herself on the cover of her magazine?

[toocoldout]

Actually sales for O magazine are way up:

http://www.wwd.com/media-news/fashion-memopad/amis-new-deal-boosting-sales-1961835?navSection=media-news&toc_preselected=65#/article/media-news/fashion-memopad/amis-new-deal-boosting-sales-1961835?page=1

[harriettubman]

It states it was boosted in January. Most magazine sales are low right now. That's why you see the Obama's on every thing.

[lilkunta]

I dont think O shoulda put Ellen on the cover. IT HAD MEANING that the 1st AfrAm 1sy Lady, lawyer Michelle Robinson Obama was on the cover with the 1st AfrAm self made billionaire.

What is the pwer in having Ellen on O? Just 2 sell mags?

Honestly Ellen just wants to sell more copies & she hasnt hidden this fact.

So now it will be counted.
Do AfrAm show more support by buying more of the mag?
or
Do omosexuals show more support by buying more of the mag?

[toocoldout]

Ellen's the first openly gay TV star so she has historical significance in her own right. Also, Oprah & Ellen go way back. Oprah played the therapist who Ellen came out of the closet to back on Ellen's groundbreaking coming out show in the mid 1990s. This brought Oprah some of the worst hate mail of her career. Ellen wanted Oprah to be therapist that she came out to because Oprah invented confession culture when she was the first to discuss her weight & sexual abuse in the mid 1980s & because Oprah & Donahue were the first people to regularly put gays on TV. According to a Yale study, the tabloid talk show genre Oprah popularized in the 1980s did more to make gays mainstream than any other development of the 20th century, so it makes sense for Ellen to be on Oprah's cover.

[harriettubman]

And?

[jimthefireman]

Good on them both! I have watched Oprah over decades and loved that she is not just a seeker of truth for herself, but keen on making the lot of others better when there is nothing in it for herself except the knowlege that she has helped.
I don't know Ellen so well, beyond loving her energy and enthusiasm. I believe the USA can be proud that two such diverse people can help each other to even greater success while helping many many more to achieve things they never thought possible.

[lilkunta]

jimfireman: If the US is proud of such diversity why r ladies underpaid & homsexual denied universal rights?

[Arriane Alexander]

Yah for Oprah...love that she continues to help make people's dreams come true...it's a huge honor for Ellen to share the cover, and so cool that Oprah is not worried about competition with her..she is bringing her in and embracing what she does. No jealousy. We need more of this embracing and uplifting of each other, especially women.

[demlover1]

I used to like Oprah, but I realized over the years that she is a narcissist and although she does some good stuff, I think her overall influence on the country may be in fact more negative than positive. I've never seen someone promote materialism more than Oprah with her disgusting "My Favorite Things" shows. I've always thought it weird that she's on the cover every week. If it was someone else, they'd make fun of her, but few would dare touch Oprah. I do like Ellen though, who doesn't seem as full of herself.

[Dupree]

To: demlover1:

When did this revelation came to you...was it during the election cycle of last year?

[ToniaB]

My thoughts exactly!!!

[lilkunta]

demlovers: On 1 show a year O promtes alot of crap 2 pay her bills. The other 364 days she is promoting men's health, ladies' heatlh, keeping kids safe, financial knowledge.

I think u need 2 be more in the know.. Dont hate O 4 just 1 ep.

[toocoldout]

I think her influence has been very positive. If you read the book FREAKS TALK BACK by Yale sociologist Joshua Gamson it argues that the tabloid talk show genre Oprah turned into a huge indurstry in the 1980s did more to make gays mainstream than any other development of the 20th century. In the mid 1990s she reinvented herself a a more wholesome host & did more to make literature accessible to the masses than virtually anyone & her focus on secular spirituality got people to question religious fundamentalism. And let's not forget that had it not been for Oprah, we never would have got a black president. 2 economists proved that Oprah's endorsement decided the close Democratic primary by adding more than 1 million votes to her candidate. And Oprah's constantly preaching how money & things don't bring happiness, even if she likes to give free stuff out at Christmas.

[wingnutgator]

I have always found it interesting that America is supposed to be a racist homophobic country, yet the two most popular daytime talk shows star a black woman and a lesbian. I think people are a lot more accepting and open minded than we are given credit for by the liberal establishment.

[superstition]

Homophobia disproportionately affects gay men because of the worship of masculinity in patriarchal society, as well as the fact that heterosexual men often fantasize about pseudo-lesbianism and much more rarely about men together.

Consider the way there's nothing condemning lesbian sex in so many cultural areas where male-male sex is condemned, somewhat, or wholly. There is an attitude that female sexuality is less serious, and it's reflected in "straight" porn that routinely features pseudo-lesbianism, and cultural situations in which women are supposed to be the audience for scantily clad women - as if that's normal.

A radio host recently lost his job because he was told his voice is to "effeminate". There is little tolerance of variation in male behavior, but tom boy women are generally considered less threatening. However, in the Islamic world, being a lesbian is considered almost as bad as being a gay man because it represents women asserting their independence. So that's why Dubai has recently started a PR campaign warning people about the dangers of "manly women".

[toocoldout]

Actually if you go by ratings, the two most popular talk show hosts on daytime TV are Oprah & Dr. Phil.

[daisydem]

This is so cool. Two of the most wonderful, most giving, most significant and influential women in the world, also most loving, goofing around together and making a deal. I love it. Will be looking forward to that issue.

[annis]

This is a hoot and a half.

[wellingtonian]

Go Ellen!
Laugh, Dance, Make the cover of O!

[klondiker]

For everyone critcizing Oprah for always being on the cover herself, relax! This is purely a marketing issue. Oprah is the brand, and that's what she's selling. Without her on the cover, the magazine is just another regular lifestyle magazine that has to compete with dozens of other lifestyle magazines.

This is just like Martha Stewart's magazine or Rachael Ray's - I believe both of them are on their covers all the time too. Again, because they ARE the brand.

[darkday]

Oprah's amazing. Everyone thought Dr. Phil would be the next Oprah. He didn't live up to the hype. Then Tyra Banaks, and Ellen, but they didn't live up to the hype. Then O*b*ama was supposed to be the next Oprah, and he hasn't lived up to the hype. There will never be another Oprah. Enjoy her while she lasts.

[Marilynleigh34]

I'm so tired of her. I'd like her to go away now.....

[toocoldout]

No one's forcing you to watch her or read articles about her, but if other people want to watch her, why would you have a problem with it? This is a free country, and a black looking black woman is allowed to be rich and influential for as long as she can find an audience.

[Dupree]

To: Marilynleigh34:

I find it ironic that most people adored Oprah...until she came out for Obama...co­incidence.­..yeah? I betcha.

[ToniaB]

We'd prefer if you went away... We're tired of you too...

[vasta]

I think it would be a good idea for Oprah to share her covers from now on. I like the idea of diversity.

[myklwain]

good idea. how often does the magazine print? is it weekly?

[sherrzinpa]

Nah, it's a monthly mag.

[LollieDotCom]

To every hateful commenter, if you could do as much good for others in your whole life as either of these women does every day she's on tv, you wouldn't be so ugly. So step away from your keyboards and go do something good for others. See if it doesn't sweeten your nasty temperments. Good grief.

[kolorkin]

I love that both Ellen and Portia are vegans. Come on Momma-O, you can do it!!!

[vickskat]

Oprah is apart of the GRITS club, and we don't subcribe to veganism as we were raised on GOOD food.

GRITS = Girls Raised in the South

But i do believe in eating healthy, like you, but that's going just a little too far for me.

[SlithyTove]

"GOOD food" is whatever you were raised on, however disgusting anyone of good taste might find it. Good food in the south is pork chop sandwiches on Wonder bread, chicken fried in motor oil, circus peanuts, seven-layer salad and vegetables cooked to well beyond the grave in a vat of fatback.

Good food in Liguria is tomatoes fresh off the vine, olive oil from two groves down, bufalo mozzarella, garlic and a soupcon of basil with Altamura bread fresh out of Luca's oven...the sort of slow food movement that kicked McDonald's out of town:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/12/international/europe/12italy.html