Original Air Date:

Monday, September 13, 2010

Guests:

Oprah welcomed special guest John Travolta and was surprised by her staff with an appearance by Don Johnson and a performance by Paul Simon. The audience was filled with ultimate viewers and special fan stories were featured throughout.

Show Summary:

Oprah kicked off her 25th and final season premiere with a number of huge surprises balanced with special moments to remember that this would be her last time starting a new year of The Oprah Winfrey Show.

The theme of the episode was celebrating loyal viewers and the audience was filled with 300 of Oprah's ultimate fans. While people in the audience shared stories of how Oprah's show has changed their life or been a huge part of the last 24 years, Oprah also surprised viewers with an all-time favorite guest, John Travolta.

The staff also turned the tables around on Oprah and surprised her with Don Johnson and Paul Simon. The biggest surprise of the episode and possibly of the entire season, was Oprah announcing that she would be taking everyone in the audience on an adventure to Australia with her for the show!

Special Highlights:

This episode featured the following highlights:

• John Travolta escorted Oprah onto the stage to open the episode and danced with her for possibly the last time on the show.
  
  
• Looking back at the first syndicated episode, Oprah wanted to have Don Johnson, but he declined and kept her bribe of rhinestone sunglasses which she said she would like to have back -- as a surprise he walked onto the stage to return the glasses she had sent him over 20 years ago!
  
  

• 7 viewers shared their stories of why Oprah's show has been important in their lives.
  
  
• Oprah announced that after taking the audience to Philadelphia in 1994, she needed to make the surprise bigger, so she is taking all 300 with her to Australia for the show!
  
  
• Paul Simon surprised Oprah with a performance of the song he wrote for the 10th season with a few changes for the 25th, bringing the host to tears.

What to Take Away from the Show:

Early in the show while Oprah was talking to John Travolta about a viewer who had seen his toast for her 50th birthday and decided that she wanted to make her mark in the world, she shared the idea from the episode that viewers could take away after watching: you never know the moment when something will resonate with you or impact you in a way that can change your life. For many viewers it is a simple statement or idea that flips a switch and makes them see things differently. Will there be a moment this season that could change your life?