Standing ovation for Oprah's chair auction: R218k raised for SA school

18 December 2018 - 12:32 By Zola Zingithwa
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US chat show host Oprah Winfrey poses during the European premiere of 'A Wrinkle in Time' in London on March 13 2018.
US chat show host Oprah Winfrey poses during the European premiere of 'A Wrinkle in Time' in London on March 13 2018.
Image: Anthony HARVEY/AFP

Screenbid recently hosted an Oprah Chair-ity Auction. The queen of talk shows auctioned off studio chairs used during the taping of the Oprah Winfrey Show raising a total of $15,250 (about R218,109) for the mogul’s South African-based school.

A total of 46 chairs out of the 213 used on the set of what Essence calls “one of the highest-rated talk shows in American television history”, went under the hammer. Sadly this didn't include the famous couch Tom Cruise jumped on while declaring his love for Katie Holmes. Nonetheless each chair is still a piece of talk show history and came with a commemorative plaque of the show’s insignia to prove it.

The starting bid for each chair was $100 (around R1,430), but all of them sold for more. The most expensive went for $650 (about R9,306).

The proceeds raised from the auction will go towards the Oprah Winfrey’s Leadership Academy Foundation. The foundation supports the Oprah Winfrey’s Leadership Academy for Girls based in Gauteng, as well as the girls’ continued studies after matriculating.


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