“Happiness is having something to look forward to,” Oprah tells us. That is the quote that Oprah is feeling today…”freedom is on the way.” Oprah is beaming from the light that she sees at the end of the tunnel…and the rest of us are trying to block the brightness from our eyes, not wanting to see it. But…it’s coming.
From the Monday morning meeting, Sheri tells us that this week, Sarah Ferguson is on the show. “Officially now, I am a friend of Sarah Ferguson’s. We email enough and my definition of friend is that I have real contact with you, real conversation, I’ve been to your house or you’ve been to my house…” Oprah says. Jack Mori is back to produce this show – his final show for The Oprah Winfrey Show. Amazing story for an hour with the Dutchess of York. We also have the very final final FINAL Oprah show makeover…FINALLY. While we all like a good makeover…it’s just time to be done with the makeover. Our favorite Harpo couple, Jenna K. and Brian P. are enjoying one last show for the books.
Our favorite Jack starts his LAST OSM (Oprah Show Meeting) with this. “Can I say something about that before we get started,” Jack asks Oprah. “So, obviously I want to thank you profoundly for 15 years and not just for the work that we’ve done and the lives that we’ve changed and saved and letting me be a part of that but for who I’ve became. Here, for15 years. is where my soul went to graduate school,” Jack says. “I became a better father, a better husband and a better man for having worked here.” If you didn’t ABSOLUTELY LOVE Jack Mori before…you MUST LOVE JACK now. This is the kind of person that we all want around us…someone just like Jack.
As teams prep for Sarah and the Makeovers, we see the hustle of all the producers and staff working to end these final few shows strong. The girl talk in Jenna’s office of the Grizzly man and the “ohhhh, he was soooo cute, ” was in itself sooooo cute. As Jenna challenges herself to make this NOT JUST ANOTHER makeover show, I wonder how she’s going to do it. Here we go… I wonder how FAST the producers can take notes in these meetings. How exciting…how crazy. “I’ve been here for 14 years and I feel like I learn something new every day I walk through these doors,” Jenna says. I’ve been watching for 25 years…and I know I learn something every time I watch. Even the BTS shows….I’m still a student.
As Sarah Ferguson, Dutchess of York arrives at Harpo, the journey is more than just getting to the Harpo Studios. Jack’s final show…then taking time off…it’s a big thing. I think he’s going to make me cry. As Oprah invites Jack to ride down in her elevator with her…a first in 183 shows he’s produced. “It’s a moment that I will cherish after being here for 15 years,” he shares. As Oprah welcomes Sarah, she notes that she wants Sarah to succeed in becoming a real person, not just a royal. This is her way of helping that process along. As Jack finishes his last show, he shares his bittersweet moment. “Working onthe Oprah Show is not just a job…it’s who we are, it’s our passion, it’s formulated who we are as people,” Jack says. And while Oprah wants to go there too with the emotions, always the professional, she reminds us that she can’t. “In a couple of hours, I have another show to do…”
As the makeovers are in the works, the whole audience is getting made-better. Color, haircut, clothes, makeup – the WORKS. It’s the Harpo Salon for a Day. Welcome…come in…change your life…it’s gonna be fun! So, what would a week be without a little drama? No green rooms for the MAJOR designers coming to the show – Michael Kors (plus his REALLY GOODLOOKING model guy), Bobbi Brown, Orlando Pita, Diana Von Furstenberg, Ken Paves, Collier Strong…oh the drama. Fifteen minutes before the show, Jenna goes in for the prep as Oprah dances for her LAST makeover show. She’s ready for the pretty people.
Finally, Oprah is singing happy as she wraps up her last ever makeover discussion…and the audience has been put through SO MUCH that they are feeling a little tired. Maybe there should have been some Starbucks and snacks! “They were sleepy after lunch,” Brian says so Jenna and Brian come out to shake up and wake up the audience. And the good news, the Grizzly man…Diane Von Furstenberg and Michael Kors loved his look…either way…a cute mountain man…YES, sooooooooooooo cute!
As Brian and Jenna hug it out…the tears and all of the feelings are starting to open at Harpo. This is really happening. This is ending. “For every person, you are thinking of your journey here,” Oprah says. “I can’t let myself go there…I have too many more shows to do…tomorrow is another day.”