Oprah Winfrey
Orpah Gail Winfrey (born January 29, 1954) commonly known as Oprah Winfrey, is an American television host, actress, producer, and philanthropist, best known for her self-titled, multi-award winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011. She has been ranked the richest African American of the 20th century, the greatest black philanthropist in American history, and was for a time the world's only black billionaire. She is also, according to some assessments, the most influential woman in the world.
Winfrey was born into poverty in rural Mississippi to a teenage single mother and later raised in an inner-city Milwaukee neighborhood. She experienced considerable hardship during her childhood, claiming to be raped at age nine and becoming pregnant at 14; her son died in infancy. Sent to live with the man she calls her father, a barber in Tennessee, Winfrey landed a job in radio while still in high school and began co-anchoring the local evening news at the age of 19. Her emotional ad-lib delivery eventually got her transferred to the daytime talk show arena, and after boosting a third-rated local Chicago talk show to first place she launched her own production company and became internationally syndicated.
Credited with creating a more intimate confessional form of media communication, she is thought to have popularized and revolutionized the tabloid talk show genre pioneered by Phil Donahue, which a Yale study claims broke 20th century taboos and allowed LGBT people to enter the mainstream. By the mid 1990s, she had reinvented her show with a focus on literature, self-improvement, and spirituality. Though criticized for unleashing confession culture, promoting controversial self-help ideas, and an emotion-centered approach she is often praised for overcoming adversity to become a benefactor to others. From 2006 to 2008, her support of Barack Obama, by one estimate, delivered over a million votes in the close 2008 Democratic primary race.
Winfrey was born into poverty in rural Mississippi to a teenage single mother and later raised in an inner-city Milwaukee neighborhood. She experienced considerable hardship during her childhood, claiming to be raped at age nine and becoming pregnant at 14; her son died in infancy. Sent to live with the man she calls her father, a barber in Tennessee, Winfrey landed a job in radio while still in high school and began co-anchoring the local evening news at the age of 19. Her emotional ad-lib delivery eventually got her transferred to the daytime talk show arena, and after boosting a third-rated local Chicago talk show to first place she launched her own production company and became internationally syndicated.
Credited with creating a more intimate confessional form of media communication, she is thought to have popularized and revolutionized the tabloid talk show genre pioneered by Phil Donahue, which a Yale study claims broke 20th century taboos and allowed LGBT people to enter the mainstream. By the mid 1990s, she had reinvented her show with a focus on literature, self-improvement, and spirituality. Though criticized for unleashing confession culture, promoting controversial self-help ideas, and an emotion-centered approach she is often praised for overcoming adversity to become a benefactor to others. From 2006 to 2008, her support of Barack Obama, by one estimate, delivered over a million votes in the close 2008 Democratic primary race.
Alec Mazo
Alec Mazo (born April 5, 1978) is a Russian-born American professional ballroom dancer based in San Francisco. He became known for his participation in the American edition of the reality television series Dancing with the Stars, the first season of which he won with partner Kelly Monaco. He has one brother, Genya, who's also a ballroom dancer and has performed on the Dancing with the Stars tour. Alec Mazo is married to Dancing With The Stars costar and professional dancer Edyta Sliwinska. Mazo appeared in the 1998 movie Dance With Me.
Alec's previous DWTSGame partners include: Angelina Jolie (finalists), Jill Biden, Natalie Morales, and Amy Adams (quarter-finalists).
Alec's previous DWTSGame partners include: Angelina Jolie (finalists), Jill Biden, Natalie Morales, and Amy Adams (quarter-finalists).
Oprah Winfrey & Alec Mazo
Week 2: Waltz: What A Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong: 23
Week 3: Tango: The Big Date - Mark Shaiman: 22
Week 4: Rumba: Follow Me - Uncle Kracker: 22
Week 3: Tango: The Big Date - Mark Shaiman: 22
Week 4: Rumba: Follow Me - Uncle Kracker: 22
Oprah's Journey
Although she had her fan base, many viewers believed that Oprah would not live up to expectations. Winfrey admitted training was tough, but thinks she'll prevail.
In Week 2, Oprah and Alec danced a Waltz to "What A Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong. The judges were less than amused by Winfrey's efforts; Bruno Tonioli explained he was very dissapointed. The dance only got 23 out of 40, landing Oprah and Alec in last place on the judges leaderboard for the night.
Week 3 was just as bad for Oprah. Oprah and Alec danced a Tango to "The Big Date" by Mark Shaiman. The dance was basically panned by the judges, and scored a small 22 points, landing Oprah and Alec in seventeenth place for the night. The public backing was almost thin enough to make Oprah go home that week, landing her in the bottom-three that week. She was saved, however, as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Curtis Stone were sent home.
In Week 4, Oprah and Alec danced a Rumba to "Follow Me" by Uncle Kracker. The judges, again, had nothing good to say about the performance, Bruno told Oprah her moves were stale. This upset Oprah to the point of telling Bruno off and bluntly walking off-stage to the celebriquarium. The dance score 22 points and landed Oprah and Alec in last place. Oprah and the DWTSGame gladly parted ways during the results show when Oprah and Alec were the fifth couple eliminated.
In Week 2, Oprah and Alec danced a Waltz to "What A Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong. The judges were less than amused by Winfrey's efforts; Bruno Tonioli explained he was very dissapointed. The dance only got 23 out of 40, landing Oprah and Alec in last place on the judges leaderboard for the night.
Week 3 was just as bad for Oprah. Oprah and Alec danced a Tango to "The Big Date" by Mark Shaiman. The dance was basically panned by the judges, and scored a small 22 points, landing Oprah and Alec in seventeenth place for the night. The public backing was almost thin enough to make Oprah go home that week, landing her in the bottom-three that week. She was saved, however, as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Curtis Stone were sent home.
In Week 4, Oprah and Alec danced a Rumba to "Follow Me" by Uncle Kracker. The judges, again, had nothing good to say about the performance, Bruno told Oprah her moves were stale. This upset Oprah to the point of telling Bruno off and bluntly walking off-stage to the celebriquarium. The dance score 22 points and landed Oprah and Alec in last place. Oprah and the DWTSGame gladly parted ways during the results show when Oprah and Alec were the fifth couple eliminated.
Total & Average
TOTAL POINTS: 67
AVERAGE: 22.3
AVERAGE: 22.3