PHOTO! Here is a picture of Orpah’s Montecito Mansion, a stunning home north of Los Angeles. Oprah’s Montecito Santa Barbara home is among the reasons for her end for her 25 year run says some insiders. As LALATE has been reporting for weeks, corporate offices for OWN, Oprah’s cable channel, have opened in Los Angeles, not Chicago.

Oprah adores her Montecito home and according to reports dislikes her inability to enjoy it more often. Winfrey recently told her staff, claims NY Mag, “I have a .. [home] in Montecito that I haven’t been able to enjoy.”

In November 2008, Oprah’s Montecito home was threatened by the spreading Santa Barbara fires. Over 100 homes near Oprah were lost, 1000 people evacuated, 13 injured, and 3,000 acres burned.

Montecito is home to the mega rich that includes residents Michael Douglas and Rob Lowe among the celebrities. The area is predominately Spanish colonial homes. Winfrey’s home is 42 acres. Oprah’s home was confirmed fine, along with homes with the above celebrities.

Oprah issued the following letter to staff this week:

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Over the past several weeks, my team and I have had conversations with many of you to help address your questions about the future of “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” Of course, the one question we couldn’t answer was the one that only Oprah could. And tomorrow, she will do just that.

But before she speaks to her loyal viewers, we wanted to share her decision first with you – our valued partners for more than two decades.

Tomorrow, Oprah will announce live on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” that she has decided to end what is arguably one of the most popular, influential and enduring programs in television history. The sun will set on the “Oprah” show as its 25th season draws to a close on September 9, 2011.

We welcome you to share this news this evening with your colleagues and viewers. As we all know, Oprah’s personal comments about this on tomorrow’s live show will mark an historic television moment that we will all be talking about for years to come.

We want to thank you for the partnership and friendship we have shared over the years. Your invaluable support has helped us to create the phenomenon of the “Oprah Show” that we’ve all been so proud to be a part of for the last 24 years. My staff and I will be calling all of you directly tonight and tomorrow. We look forward to speaking with you.

And, if you think the last quarter century has been something, then “don’t touch that dial” as together we plan to make history in the next 20 months…and beyond.

Yours sincerely,

Tim Bennett
President, Harpo, Inc.

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VIDEO! Watch youtube video of Beyonce’s crowd surf. Beyonce crowd surfing in heels? Beyonce’s London fall Sunday night during the song Halo resulted in an unlikely moment.

Rather than stop the song, Beyonce didn’t miss a note and continued to crowd surf until the song was over. The crowd went crazy!

After, Solange twittered:

“Sorry, on my Kanye Sis rant AGAIN but SHES just BAD-SS! How many Pop stars do YOU know CROWD SURF IN in HEELS & STILL hitting PERFECT notes?”

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO

Online reaction has included the following:

Hey! Hey!!! I never said it wasn’t great, in fact I would go as far to say it was sensational! Totally crazy, unique for a star of her calibre and style. No problem here, I like the? gal and she is brilliant at what she does, but it was pure theater and staged, but as you said Sasha, it was great and her incredible surf delighted thousands of her fans who saw it live. I wish I was there to see it. Amazing, and mighty effective!

Unreal!?

If she did? that near me she wouldnt have made it back on stage, hell I would probably be in jail right now

i? wouldve grabbed her …..

Be? be is doing it!

WTH!!!! This totally shocked me? when she did this! I know her secruity was freakin out!……….THAT WAS DEFINITELY SASHA!!! LoL

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VIDEO! Catch video of the final Oprah show - Oprah Winfrey’s final talk show episode. Oprah’s final show will air September 9, 2011. That year will be the 25th broadcast year for Oprah’s talker.

Moments ago, Winfrey told her staff that next season will be her last. Oprah will make the formal announcement to viewers tomorrow, Friday.

Are you sad to see it come to an end? Do you remember the first Oprah episode you watched? And which episode was your favorite?

Coupled with previous reports on LALATE, the timing may not come as a surprise to insiders. Winfrey has opened up shop here in Santa Monica, not Chicago, as the headquarters of her new cable network.

Oprah issued the following letter to staff:

Over the past several weeks, my team and I have had conversations with many of you to help address your questions about the future of “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” Of course, the one question we couldn’t answer was the one that only Oprah could. And tomorrow, she will do just that.

But before she speaks to her loyal viewers, we wanted to share her decision first with you – our valued partners for more than two decades.

Tomorrow, Oprah will announce live on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” that she has decided to end what is arguably one of the most popular, influential and enduring programs in television history. The sun will set on the “Oprah” show as its 25th season draws to a close on September 9, 2011.

We welcome you to share this news this evening with your colleagues and viewers. As we all know, Oprah’s personal comments about this on tomorrow’s live show will mark an historic television moment that we will all be talking about for years to come.

We want to thank you for the partnership and friendship we have shared over the years. Your invaluable support has helped us to create the phenomenon of the “Oprah Show” that we’ve all been so proud to be a part of for the last 24 years. My staff and I will be calling all of you directly tonight and tomorrow. We look forward to speaking with you.

And, if you think the last quarter century has been something, then “don’t touch that dial” as together we plan to make history in the next 20 months…and beyond.

Yours sincerely,

Tim Bennett
President, Harpo, Inc.

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Gonzaga Basketball almost did the unthinkable - defeat Michigan State tonight. Final score on Gonzaga vs Michigan State was 71-75.

Gonzaga vs Michigan State was down the final moments with the unranked Gonzaga almost defeating the number 2 ranked college basketball team in the nation!

Gonzaga vs Michigan State was decided in the final 7 seconds. Gonzaga was behind 70-73 with 7 seconds to go. A foul on Draymond Green brought Demetri Goodson to the foul line. Goodson missed the first shot; then Goodson made the second free throw. Score was 71-73.

Michigan State took a full timeout. Then a foul on Vilarino brought Durrell Summers to the free throw line; he hit both shots. Score was 71-75.

With three seconds left, Goodson had the ball, took the three pointer, and missed.

For continuing coverage of College Basketball’s season opener on LALATE, click here: http://news.lalate.com/category/college-basketball.

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VIDEO! Catch the Music Video premiere of Video Phone on MTV Tuesday. Beyonce’s Video Phone with Lady GaGa is online at MTV.com, VH1.com, and all MTV websites starting 12 am EST Tuesday for free. Video Phone will premiere on TV on MTV later Tuesday afternoon.

The Beyonce GaGa collaboration is off of I Am … Sasha Fierce Delux Edition. The track’s complete title is Video Phone Extended Remix and joins one other bonus track featured with five number one hits. The album drops November 23.

That same day, Beyonce drops the DVD I Am … Yours - An Intimate Performance at the Wynn Las Vegas. The DVD was recorded August this year and features 30 tracks.

Catch Video Phone tomorrow!

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Get the Britney Spears APP It’s Britney for iPhone and iPod Touch! Britney Spears APP It’s Britney launched for iPhone and iPod Touch devices Monday.

The APP is an extension of Britney’s digital presence. The APP runs you only $1.99 and features everything from exclusive messages from Britney to tour images and 100+ images of Britney over the years.

Britney issued a statement Monday:

” “Britney Spears, launches her own iPhone and iPod Touch app. The app, exclusive to the artist, is named “It’s Britney!” and is currently available worldwide at the iTunes App Store for $1.99. With the “It’s Britney!!” app, fans get to the front of the line with all things officially Britney. After purchasing the app, fans will receive official news first hand, get exclusive messages from Britney herself, be able to create and share images of themselves and friends on stage with Britney, have access to updated photo galleries which include real time photos, exclusive tour images as well as a photo gallery of over 100+ iconic images of Britney over the years. Additionally, the app features a “Shake Shake Shake” feature in which Britney says “It’s Britney Bitch!” every time the user shakes their iPhone or iPod Touch.”

To get the APP click HERE

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Here again are the Pacquiao vs. Cotto results, round by round highlights. The Manny Pacquiao Miguel Cotto boxing fight yielded a shift in results following a 6th round eye damage suffered by Cotto.

In Round 6, the boxing match changed. Eye puffing set in fast for Cotto while up against the ropes. 10-9 Pacquiao.

Cotto had come out strong in rounds 1 through 6. Miguel clearly won the first round with consistent body jabs. In round 2, Manny came to the plate, picking up the speed while Cotto stuck with the jab. Round 2 was 10-9 Pacquiao.

In Round 3 and 4, Cotto went down each time, loosing 10-8 to Pacquiao who used uppercuts with combos. In round 5, Cotto started to weaken, Manny going to combos, Manuel loosing strength, but points on the round to Cotto.

With Pacquiao dominating on points, in Round 7 and 8, Cotto’s eye damage worsened, Cotto loosing more stream, both rounds scoring 10-9 Pacquiao.

Finally, in Round 9, the match was effectively over, but Cotto’s corner would never end it. Cotto was up against the ropes, eye problems, receiving consistent jabs of Pacquiao. 10-9 Pacquiao.

By the 10th, Cotto’s face is a mess, Manny still has the speed. 10-9 Pacquiao.

By the 11th, the fight clearly should be stopped but wasn’t. Cotto’s wife and son left the arena. Blood was flying. Cotto was no longer fighting, he was just trying to last. 10-9 Pacquiao.

Cotto’s corner should have stopped it at the end of the 11th. Finally referee Kenny Bayless stopped it in the 12th.

Next up … Pacquiao vs. Mayweather?

For continuing boxing coverage on LALATE, click here: http://news.lalate.com/category/boxing.

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