Oprah Winfrey shows up at Baltimore-D.C. Emmy event
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Former WJZ newsman Richard Sher's lifetime achievement honor at the area Emmy Awards dinner in Washington Saturday night brought a surprise visitor: Oprah Winfrey.
Winfrey, who once worked at WJZ-TV in Baltimore as co-host with Sher of a local talk show, arrived at Washington's Ritz-Carlton Hotel Saturday night to help present the award to Sher.
Here's how Sher described the moment in an e-mail Monday: "David, since it's a lifetime achievement award and working with and being good friends with Oprah is certainly one of my lifetime achievements, I asked Oprah if she'd like to fly to DC to surprise the crowd and present the Emmy to me."
Sher's e-mail continues: "She said she'd love to ... postponed a trip to Africa so she could do this for me ... only a few had to know in advance... Another close friend, Jennifer Gilbert, from Fox 45, one of the hosts, read something about the Ted Yates Award, then talked about me for a few minutes, then introduced a DVD about me. At the end of it, which included stuff about Oprah and me, Oprah came out of a side curtain ... and the place erupted."
Photo of Oprah Winfrey and Richard Sher on the set of "People Are Talking" in the 1970s from Sun Files; Photo of Winfrey and Sher on Saturday by Joel Eagle
Comments
I love Oprah
Posted by: Jad | June 8, 2009 10:09 AM
Here is a stupid question: D.C. and Baltimore have two separate media markets. Why do we share a local Emmy Awards? Richard Sher just picked up a local television lifetime achievement award in a city that has never heard of him.
Oh, I think the TV industry folks in DC know who Sher is. And if they don't, they not only had a nice dinner Saturday night, they also received a much needed bit of education. I like the multi-market system, which we also have for some print awards, it makes the awards more competitive and, thus, more prestigious. Thanks. Z
Posted by: silly | June 8, 2009 10:53 AM
I remember an episode of Oprah many years ago where she had a cardboard cut out of Sher placed on the stage (I don't think she was in on it) and got excited to see his image.
I had no idea they were still friends though.
I always figured that Baltimore was a dark spot in her career (I mean who fires Oprah?) and cut ties with everybody.
Isn't there a rumor that she is paying some local DJ a lot of money each year to keep a secret for her?
It is also interesting how every new luxury condo project gets a rumor that "Oprah already bought the best unit." Based on those rumors, the woman must own 50 condos in the Baltimore area by now.
Posted by: Jesse | June 8, 2009 7:41 PM
DC is a suburb of Baltimore. If you don't know Richard Sher, you are not from this area.
Posted by: Carl | June 9, 2009 3:52 PM
Oprah owns 2 Ritz Carlton condo/townhouses in Baltimore, I believe they are or will be connected as a single unit. It was even in The Baltimore Sun.
AFAIK... Oprah has never considered Baltimore as a dark spot in her career, in fact the exact opposite!
She did make it clear once in an interview that she did not like Jerry Turner and some WJZ management at the time, but she didn't name him by name which I think was classy since he's been dead for so long, but it was still obvious who she meant.
In addition, Oprah once visited Baltimore and visited WJZ-TV and NOT WBAL-TV, the station that carries her show. It made the news in fact. I'm sure the folks at WBAL were kinda ticked off, but, hey, she's Oprah and that lead-in is what helps WBAL's news be #1 so I doubt they'd have the nerve to even complain. So, obviously, she's still friends with Richard Sher or why else would she cancel a trip to Africa and come here? DUH
And Oprah wasn't fired either from WJZ!
She got stolen away by WGN Chicago initially after the limited syndicated success by Westinghouse of the WJZ talk show People are Talking, which was syndicated to several markets for a brief period of time, including Salisbury, MD.
Posted by: JoeFab | June 10, 2009 3:23 AM
I really like that picture of Oprah watching Richard give a speech.
I remember watching People are Talking when I went to school in Towson. I remember also years ago when Oprah had Richard Sher as a guest on her show.
It's wonderful to see her show up and agree to be there when he received his award.
Class act.
Posted by: Bert | June 10, 2009 11:05 AM
Emmy's are done by region. This is the National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter and includes stations in Maryland, Virginia and DC - Baltimore to Roanoke. Here's the link to member stations:
http://www.capitalemmys.tv/_member_stations/member_stations_main.php
Posted by: VP | June 10, 2009 4:47 PM
@ carl: DC IS NOT a suburb of balimore! Both cities are not suburbs!
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Posted by: Carl | June 9, 2009 3:52 PM
DC is a suburb of Baltimore. If you don't know Richard Sher, you are not from this area.
Posted by: lilkunta ( reply to carl ) | December 29, 2009 11:29 AM