Associated Press
Thousands of Oprah Winfrey‘s fans gathered on Michigan Avenue to help the talk show celebrate the 24th season of her show with a public taping on Tuesday that was to include the Black Eyed Peas and Rascal Flatts.
Diane Stimson lined up at 5:30 a.m., nearly 12 hours before the taping was set to begin, and by the afternoon the 43-year-old Chicagoan was dancing behind a metal barrier as she waited. She called Winfrey an inspiration.
“She worked her way to the top, and she made it,” Stimson said. “She gives us all hope.”
Winfrey’s production company, Harpo Productions, has said it expects “thousands” of people to attend the event, which will also feature Jennifer Hudson, James Taylor and magician Criss Angel. The company said it would cover all costs for police, paramedics and sanitation at the outdoor taping. “The Oprah Winfrey Show” normally is taped at the Harpo studios on Chicago’s near west side. More…