Date Of Final Oprah Winfrey Show Episode Announced

After 25 years of everything from exaggerated speech patterns to under-the-seat prize winnings, the end of Oprah Winfrey’s phenomenally successful show is nigh. Oprah’s production company revealed that the show, which originally premiered in 1986 and currently airs in 145 countries worldwide, will air its final episode on May 25, 2011. Winfrey said she feels “energized” as she approaches the finale and turns her full attention to her OWN Network. No word yet on the mind-blowing gifts that are likely to be showered upon lucky series finale attendees. [Digital Spy]

Kirstie Alley doesn’t want George Lopez’s apology. Via Twitter: “@georgelopez I don’t need or want ur apology…I want your kidney dude,” Alley tweeted, referencing Lopez’s divorce from the woman who gave him her kidneys. “On behalf of ur X and all the women uv insulted…give it back.” [OMG]

Ryan Seacrest is giving Rebecca Black a shot at the big time by plucking her from complete and total obscurity and helping her sign a deal with music manager Debra Baum at DB Entertainment. Thank God someone, anyone was there to push her into the spotlight. Black was dangerously close to feeling ignored. [TMZ]

• Will Ferrell may indeed be replacing Steve Carell on The Office. Or he may not be. Or he may be, because there’s a video clip which probably means he is? (But then again, maybe not). [E!]
• Leelee Sobieski purchased both of Renee Zellweger’s Upper East Side apartments for a grand total of $8.95 million. [US]
• Lady Gaga released a country version of “Born This Way”. [Extra]
• Simon Cowell says Nicki Minaj may be the next X Factor judge due to her overwhelming inability to be “ignored”. [Digital Spy]
• Bill Clinton used a state of the art “condom-like” seat protector to battle bed bugs. [Washington Post]
• Germany, Austria, and Switzerland will be editing out any “unsuitable” nuclear power plant jokes from current or future episodes of The Simpsons. [ONTD]
• Amy Poehler takes you on a photographic journey through the Parks and Recreation set (and its many “politically incorrect” murals). [ONTD]
• Gossip Girl is set to venture out west to Los Angeles. The upcoming episode will presumably feature a series of montages designed to compare the vast differences between the coasts. [ONTD]
• Barefoot Contessa host Ina Garten was “too busy” to cook a meal with a 6-year-old cancer patient. [TMZ]
• Stevens helping Stevens! During his recent performance on American Idol, Stevie Wonder sang a song for fellow Steven, Steven Tyler. If there had been a way to work Stevie Nicks into the evening, I would’ve enjoyed this story a lot more. [Perez Hilton]
• RIP former Houdini stage partner Dorothy Young. [Washington Post]