Oprah Winfrey admits to "bumps" at upstart network (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – Oprah Winfrey admitted on Thursday that if she had to do the launch of OWN all over again: "I'd probably do it differently."

Speaking at the National Cable & Telecommunications Association's annual Cable Show in Chicago, Winfrey conceded that there have been "bumps" in the run-up and launch of OWN, her joint venture with Discovery Communications. But she says now that her talk show has wrapped after a 25-year run, she is 100 percent "committed" to growing OWN.

"This is the moment I've been waiting for the past two years," she said. "I need to be there. I need to be engaged and involved."

The network launched January 1 to healthy ratings as the curious tuned in after a full-court media blitz by Winfrey. But the network's ratings quickly came down to Earth and have failed to meet expectations amid ballooning programing costs.

"I told people I was having a network and so my audience came thinking it's all there," said Winfrey during a Q&A with Investigation Discovery's Paula Zahn.

The launch of the channel was twice delayed amid a revolving door of executives. Then last month, Christina Norman, who came from MTV to launch OWN, was ousted as CEO with Discovery COO Peter Liguori stepping in as interim CEO.

Winfrey said her intention is to "serve the viewer" and she "lets other people worry about ratings." She admitted that she does not even open emails her staff sends her about coverage of the network's troubles. She admitted it is difficult for her to delegate and relinquish some control after 25 years of micromanaging her talk show. And she said she had to be convinced to focus all of her energies on OWN.

"One of the things (Discovery president and CEO David Zaslav) said to me was. 'We need you to be all in. It's all in or nothing. And if you choose not to be all in we will both go our separate ways and wish you well,'" recalled Winfrey. "And I had to think about that."

"The truth of the matter is," she added, "I was all in with one foot out the door while finishing the final season (of The Oprah Winfrey Show)."

One of the criticisms of the channel, was that there was not enough of Winfrey on it. In January she'll launch her new OWN interview show, "Oprah's Next Chapter." Asked who her "dream" guests are, Winfrey said O.J. Simpson and Susan Smith, who is serving a life sentence in South Carolina for murdering her two sons. Winfrey had tried to get both Smith and Simpson on her talk show. She said she wants to ask Smith why she fabricated a story that a black man stole her car with her children inside. As for Simpson, said Winfrey: "I have a dream of O.J. Simpson confessing to me. And I am going to make that happen, people!"

Winfrey is in the process of relocating from Chicago, where her talk show taped, to Los Angeles where OWN is headquartered. She said much of her staff at Chicago-based Harpo will remain to work on Rosie O'Donnell's OWN talker -- which launches this fall -- as well as repackaging the 25-year library of her syndicated show, which will also begin airing on OWN this fall.

(To read more about our entertainment news, visit our blog "Fan Fare" online at http://blogs.reuters.com/fanfare/)

Yahoo! News

Dylan admits past heroin addiction in 1966 interview (AFP)

LONDON (AFP) – Music legend Bob Dylan has revealed that he was once addicted to heroin, in an interview taped in 1966 and only released for the first time on Monday.

"I kicked a heroin habit in New York City," the singer-songwriter confessed to his friend Robert Shelton in a March 1966 interview.

"I got very, very strung out for a while, I mean really, very strung out. And I kicked the habit. I had about a $25-a-day habit and I kicked it."

It is thought to be the only time that Dylan, dubbed the "voice of a generation" for anthems like "The Times They Are a-Changin'" and the poet laureate of folk for "Hey Mr. Tambourine Man" and others, admitted the habit.

The two-hour interview, broadcast by BBC radio, was conducted on Dylan's private plane while he was touring the United States. He and Shelton, the critic who helped launch his career, were flying from Lincoln, Nebraska to Denver.

Elsewhere in the interview tapes, Dylan, then aged 24, reveals that he thought about killing himself.

"Death to me is nothing... death to me means nothing as long as I can die fast. Many times I've known I could have been able to die fast, and I could have easily gone over and done it," he said.

"I'll admit to having this suicidal thing... but I came through this time."

Asked about his writing, Dylan said he took his work "less seriously than anybody" and said "it's not going to make me happy. You can't be happy by doing something groovy".

Returning to the theme of suicide, he says: "I'm not the kind of cat (guy) that's going to cut off an ear if I can't do something. I'm the kind of cat that would just commit suicide.

"I'd shoot myself in the brain if things got bad. I'd jump from a window... man, I would shoot myself. You know I can think about death, man, openly."

The tapes were uncovered during research for a revised edition of Shelton's biography, "No Direction Home", which first came out in 1986. The new edition coincides with Dylan's 70th birthday on Tuesday.

Yahoo! News

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Schwarzenegger admits lovechild triggered split (AFP)

LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Film star turned politician Arnold Schwarzenegger admitted to fathering a lovechild with a staff member which he kept secret for a decade, until its disclosure torpedoed his marriage.

The former bodybuilder's estranged wife Maria Shriver, a daughter of the Kennedy political dynasty, reacted by asking for privacy during a "painful and heartbreaking time," while their children rallied round the family.

A power couple married for 25 years, Schwarzenegger and Shriver announced their separation last week, four months after the former "Terminator" star left office as California governor in January.

They gave no reason for the split at the time, but on Tuesday Arnie revealed he had told his wife about the child he had fathered with another woman, a long-term member of the couple's household staff.

"After leaving the governor's office I told my wife about this event, which occurred over a decade ago," said Schwarzenegger, 63, "I understand and deserve the feelings of anger and disappointment among my friends and family.

"There are no excuses and I take full responsibility for the hurt I have caused. I have apologized to Maria, my children and my family. I am truly sorry," he said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times.

Shriver, 55, who moved out of the couple's Brentwood mansion earlier this year, appealed for privacy.

"This is a painful and heartbreaking time. As a mother my concern is for the children. I ask for compassion, respect and privacy as my children and I try to rebuild our lives and heal," said the 55-year-old.

The Times did not give the name of the woman or her child to protect their privacy, but said she retired in January of this year after working for the couple for 20 years.

She received a severance payment and "left on good terms" with the couple, the paper said. Other online media were quickly on the hunt for the woman and child, who one report said was an 11-year-old boy who resembles Schwarzenegger.

It was not known how the Austrian-born actor managed to keep the child secret, while the woman remained on their joint staff -- and while he continued to support the child financially, according to the LA Times.

In announcing their separation last week, Schwarzenegger and Shriver said they were taking time to "work on the future."

A few days later Schwarzenegger said they still loved each other, and were taking "one day at a time," hinting at possible reunion -- but reports suggest Shriver is determined to move on.

"We're very fortunate that we have extraordinary children. We're taking one day at a time," he added, in comments late Tuesday at a ceremony to receive an Israeli honor.

It is not the first time the marriage has been strained by Schwarzenegger's relations with other women: it came under the spotlight notably during the 2003 election which he won, amid reports of his history of groping women.

Shriver, a former TV journalist, defended him at the time, and has stood by his side during his seven years at the helm of the Golden State, a term that ended when Jerry Brown succeeded him four months ago.

The couple, who met in 1977 and married in 1986, have four children, aged between 14 and 21.

Patrick Schwarzenegger, 17, tweeted Tuesday: "Some days you feel like shit, some days you want to quit and just be normal for a bit, yet i love my family till death do us apart."

Since January Schwarzenegger has started to return to show business, unveiling plans for a "Governator" comic book and animated TV show, and reportedly signing for a new film in the "Terminator" series.

But his latest bombshell revelation has prompted reaction among at least one gubernatorial peer.

Former Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm tweeted: "Another guy guv admits 2 cheating on his wife. Maybe we need more women governors.

"Guys: keep ur pants zipped, for Pete's sake."

Yahoo! News

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Arnie admits lovechild triggered marriage split (AFP)

LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Movie megastar and former US governor Arnold Schwarzenegger admitted Tuesday to fathering a lovechild with a member of his household staff, triggering the breakup of his 25-year marriage.

His wife Maria Shriver, a member of the Kennedy political dynasty, reacted by asking for privacy during a "painful and heartbreaking time."

Schwarzenegger and Shriver announced their separation last week, four months after the former champion bodybuilder and "Terminator" star left office as California governor.

"After leaving the governor's office I told my wife about this event, which occurred over a decade ago," Schwarzenegger, 63, said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times.

"I understand and deserve the feelings of anger and disappointment among my friends and family. There are no excuses and I take full responsibility for the hurt I have caused.

"I have apologized to Maria, my children and my family. I am truly sorry."

After initially declining to comment to the newspaper on her husband's announcement, Shriver issued a statement asking for privacy.

"This is a painful and heartbreaking time. As a mother, my concern is for the children. I ask for compassion, respect and privacy as my children and I try to rebuild our lives and heal," she said.

The 55-year-old, a daughter of the storied Kennedy clan, moved out of the couple's Brentwood mansion earlier this year after Schwarzenegger admitted paternity.

The Times did not give the name of the woman or her child to protect their privacy, but said she retired in January of this year after working for the couple for 20 years.

"I wanted to achieve my 20 years, then I asked to retire," the paper quoted her as saying, adding that she received a severance payment and "left on good terms" with Schwarzenegger and Shriver.

The newspaper quoted a source as saying that Schwarzenegger had taken financial responsibility from the start and was still supporting the child.

He and Shriver said earlier this month that they were separating after 25 years of marriage to take time to "work on the future" of their relationship.

The couple, who met in 1977 and married in 1986, have four children, aged between 14 and 21.

Their marriage had come under the spotlight through the years, notably amid reports of his history of groping women during campaigning for the 2003 recall election which Schwarzenegger won, the LA Times reported.

Shriver, a former TV journalist, defended him at the time, and has stood by his side during his seven years at the helm of the Golden State, a term that ended when Jerry Brown succeeded him four months ago.

Austrian-born Schwarzenegger, star of the "Terminator" blockbusters, had started to return to show business since he stepped down as governor, with plans for a "Governator" comic book and animated TV show.

He has vowed to pursue his political passions -- notably on the environment -- fueling rumors than he could even run to be the next president of the European Union.

In his statement, Schwarzenegger too called for privacy, asking the media to "respect my wife and children through this extremely difficult time."

"While I deserve your attention and criticism, my family does not," he said.

Schwarzenegger's bombshell revelation has prompted reaction among at least one gubernatorial peer.

Former Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm, the state's first woman governor who now teaches in California, posted a message Tuesday on Twitter blasting Schwarzenegger for his infidelity.

"Another guy guv admits 2 cheating on his wife. Maybe we need more women governors," she tweeted.

"Guys: keep ur pants zipped, for Pete's sake."

Yahoo! News

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.