Madonna also embraced the moment. (AP)
CHICAGO — She’s positively messianic. Oprah, I mean.
And since every messiah needs a madonna, even blond Madonna showed up last night — as did dozens of the biggest stars in the world — for “Oprah’s Surprise Spectacular” at the United Center in Chicago.
It was not Oprah’s final show that taped last night. That show, next Wednesday, is shrouded in secrecy. This was to be her next-to-last show, the beginning of the blessed end.
More important than Madonna were the 20,000 women who stood in line for five and six hours in the cold wearing strapless gowns and summer dresses.
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And they were given a show of a lifetime with stars like Tom Hanks, who emceed, Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, and spectacular performances by Beyoncé who brought the house down, little Jackie Evanko, who was joined onstage by Josh Groban, and Pattie LaBelle, looking 19 and gorgeous for starters.
But it was Oprah they came to see. When she came out looking spectacular in a plum-colored gown, slick and perfect ponytail, with her arms spread like a prophet, the place went crazy, with thousands of fans even breaking out in spontaneous line dancing. Who knew line dancing could ever even be spontaneous? And it happened dozens of times.
Between the laughs and cheers were tears. Of course. That’s why there were boxes of tissues under every seat.
For example, because of Oprah’s efforts to rebuild libraries destroyed by natural disasters, John Legend announced that Target will rebuild 25 libraries all around the United States. Huge crying.
And then Diane Sawyer canonized the living saint Oprah by not just saying her fans were her apostles, and that “you bless them” when she talked of kids whom she’s touched.
Others who made everyone cry while officially anointing the woman were Halle Berry, Katie Holmes, and Queen Latifah, each of whom introduced American viewers who were in the audience who have done spectacular things around the country and the world.
Each one got what they dreamed of: a big hug from Oprah — or, as Sawyer would say, “a blessing.” The show came to a spectacular end when Tom and Katie introduced Rascal Flats, and 20,000 LED finger-lights — every audience member got one — lit up as they sang the big tear-jerker, “I Won’t Let Go.” If you’ve never seen a 20,000-person group hug, you will next Monday when the show airs to open Oprah’s final week.
Like Oprah said as she closed the show, “I feel the love.” It was impossible not to.