On the third-to-last episode of 'The Oprah Winfrey Show,' there seemed to be somewhat of a disconnect between the two parties that were always connected over the last 25 years: The host and her guests.
The several thousand guests in Chicago's United Center appeared to be in an evangelical fervor, as if sitting in the very presence of the Holy Ghost. Or as though Harold Camping's end-time predictions might to come true when the final episode of Oprah's show airs today. These were Oprah devotees, the ones who may compare the experience of being in the studio audience for this countdown show with childbirth or a 50th birthday milestone and who will probably cry when they realize they'll have to find something else to watch weekdays at 4 p.m.
Oprah, meanwhile, was poised for a send-off that perhaps she not only dreamed about having, but also, expected to have. She was not only the host, she was the guest of honor.
This is the woman who once screamed at the top of her lungs, "You get a car! And you get a car!" Now, in front of an audience so large it could be mistaken for a crowd attending a Chicago Bulls playoff game, Oprah was somewhat subdued. She tried to act surprised when Tom Hanks and Tom Cruise came out to show love. When Madonna was introduced simply as a "mother of four from New York City," Oprah tried to act like her producers totally fooled her. However, just as she has made the famous more famous by inviting them on her show, Oprah knew it was time for everyone she invited to return the favor.
Yes, she put on her best performance, trying to appear grateful at the outpouring of love, but the guest of honor was hardly shocked by anything. As she took her front row aisle seat with Cruise by her side, Oprah's eyes began to tear up. She was praised by past guests whose lives she positively affected and young girls who inspired her. There wasn't much waterworks, but enough for her to dab her eyes with the box of tissue stationed underneath her seat and supplied by Kleenex, one of the shows main sponsors.
At least the performances were noteworthy. 'America's Got Talent' runner-up Jackie Evancho and Patti LaBelle performed a rousing rendition of 'Over The Rainbow' that floored the audience, if not Oprah. Later in the episode, Beyoncé took over and delivered a roof-raising rendition of her female-empowerment anthem, 'Run The World (Girls),'. The performance was the show's highlight with crisp choreography by the dozens of backup dancers she had in tow and some crowd participation in the form of glowing lights they raised in the air with their hands. Even Oprah seemed surprised by what she saw, even though she probably knew it was coming all along.
And today, it all comes to an end with Oprah standing alone in the spotlight, because, while she already tapped all the celebrities that matter, the one that matters the most is her.