David Cook on Oprah

It's all about Oprah right now. The first news is that Oprah will tape her big Olympic special in Chicago on Wednesday with all the Olympians. "American Idol" winner David Cook is going to be the only musical performer on the show, which airs Sept. 8 and kicks off Oprah’s new season.

So here’s the Oprah-Olympian story: she’s got 175 athletes set for Wednesday's show, which will be taped at the Pritzker Pavilion in Chicago’s Millennium Park.

The list includes Michael Phelps, Nastia Luikin, Shawn Johnson, Dara Torres, Dwyane Wade, Lisa Leslie, Misty May-Treanor, Kerri Walsh, Jennie Finch and Kobe Bryant, who’s really a mega-star anyway.

It’s the kind of thing Oprah does best, and I can’t wait to see the results next Monday. Here’s hoping the 23rd season (there are two more to go) of this great show will get back to basics this season after a few lofty trips to other planets.

Via