Oprah Winfrey is opening her talk show's 24th season with a flourish. One week of programs include a Chicago block party with the Black Eyed Peas, an exclusive Whitney Houston interview, her first Dr.

Is it an exaggeration to say that Oprah (why did anyone ever bother giving her a last name?) is the biggest star in TV history? Certainly no one has ever done so much with the power of a camera, a ...