When you're the queen of all media, you're bound to be the target of people who want a piece of the pie--and the pie in this case is worth billions. Talk show host and entrepreneur Oprah Winfrey, considered by some to be the most powerful person in the entertainment business, is on the business end of two lawsuits--one recently filed and one that's been brewing for a while.
Onetime Oprah fan Orit Greenberg is suing Winfrey for $50,000--which can easily be found in the ashtray of Oprah's Bentley--after being roughed up by the audience at a taping of The Oprah Winfrey Show. According to The Associated Press, the lawsuit claims that Greenberg was shoved down a flight of stairs in a mad scramble for seats by the Oprah-obsessed crowd.
Crew members allegedly told the waiting audience that they could sit anywhere they wanted to (oops!), which sparked a ministampede among the Oprah faithful. Greenberg is claiming "severe and permanent injuries" as a result of the accident and says it could have been avoided had there been appropriate security to keep Oprah's followers in check.
In separate ongoing legal action, Darlene Tracy has taken her legal battle with Oprah to the next level, filing an appeal and hiring lawyers over a case that began in 2006, says New York's Daily News. Tracy says that Oprah and her Harpo Productions company stole the idea for Oprah's Big Give from her.
Tracy pitched a show called The Philanthropist--a reality show where people help the needy--to Oprah in 2005, was asked for more details by producers, and later told her they were passing on the project. But when Oprah announced Big Give in 2006, the details of which sounded awfully similar to The Philanthropist, fur started flying and Tracy brought the case to court.
The pending case has caused a bit of trouble for side promotions for the Big Give, including freezing a few book deals.
People are stupid how are they going to win a case againest the big OPRAH WINFREY and her billions of dollars??? But even if she does it's not like it's gonna hurt Oprah I mean she's already has all that money!!!
she may be getting sued twice but its not as though it won't add up to more than a week's earnings for her.
Not sure if she did steal that idea or not. There been probly over a dozen people who have thought of this show and think there been a few movies about giving away a bunch of money and you get more money when you finished giving it away. one closest example is the movie Brewster's Millions (1985)staring Richard Pryor. And it may not be her money she is giving away. Ain't there a bunch of shows out there that gives away money for the winner....Who wants to be a millionare.....Deal or no deal..... Survivor and the list goes on and on
i hate oprah, she is a ghetto hood rat in nice clothes.millionaire steals some lowly writers idea? jerk of the year.
i her that and the free stuff she gives away is not out of her pocket
I like the caption under her photo, but who really cares about this? Oprah is in love with herself, she sees herself as something she is not - likeable.
Will the Oprah prevail? Tune in next week. See the mobs stampede, see layers drool, see......ah ur right, who cares?
You get trampled upon because you're greedy for free stuff and you want to sue the person who's giving free stuff? I don't get it.
renobryce, FUNNY, I completely agree. Why would you tell a thousand fans to sit wherever they want. I hope he gets the money.
We live in a lawsuit society, its the fastest cheapest way to get money!And not JUST money, LOTS of it!
Go Oprah
To quote the great Jerry Seinfeld:Yada Yada Yada... Who cares?
hahaha whaat? i guess you can sue anyone for anything now!
It sounds to me 'sit anywhere' was a lazy and nonsmart move on the crew's fault. I agree there.
As for <i>The Philanthropist</i>, I couldn't know. I just wasn't at the pitch-meeting.
I dont really care about oprah. I just think its funny how ppl sue others, cause they want their money.. heres a thought.. yeah oprah is rich.. good luck 2 her.. if you want money of your own work for it. It just bugs me how others try and blame other ppl for the most stupid things...
Oprah must be stopped at all costs.
Go Oprah! One of the most real reality shows on tv!
There is always someone sueing someone else for something!
It's about time she gets what she deserves
blah blah blah. Who cares?