Oprah supports 2016 Olympic bid
by Zobia Chunara

Oprah interviews the Black Eyed Peas at her block party. Photo courtesy of chicagonow.com

Talk show host Oprah Winfrey celebrated the arrival of her show’s season premiere on Michigan Avenue with a block party on September 8. Michigan Avenue, otherwise known as the Magnificent Mile, was closed on that Tuesday. Taping for the “Oprah” episode began at 5:00 p.m., with attendees being admitted at 12:00 p.m. About 21,000 people attended the party.

Winfrey hoped to catch the attention of the International Olympic Party. The block party was held in part to display her support for the Chicago bid for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games.

“What I’m hoping,” Winfrey said, “is that the spirit and energy of what these athletes bring when they all come together, all of their, you know, discipline and triumph and the victory, that the energy of that will come across that screen and the Olympic committee will say ‘What were we thinking? Chicago, that’s the only city.’”

Winfrey has been noted for her support of Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Games. In 2008, Winfrey featured Olympic athletes on her show.

The Black Eyes Peas also performed a variation of their single “I Gotta Feelin’”, titled “Oprah Feelin,’” to reflect the block party’s celebration of the season premiere of “Oprah,” as reported by www.oprah.com.  The performance was accompanied with a choreographed dance by both trained dancers and the crowd. Winfrey interviewed the Black Eyed Peas on stage afterwards.

Other musical acts at the block party included James Taylor, who performed “How Sweet It Is” and “You’ve Got a Friend.” Jennifer Hudson performed renditions of “Best of My Life” and “I’m Every Woman” as well as a single from her debut album entitled “Spotlight.”

“Really, it feels like so amazing to be home,” Hudson said in a post-party interview according to www.oprah.com. “It’s just so ecstatic, like you can just feel the energy – it’s just amazing.”

Rascal Flats served as the last musical act of the block party, performing “Summer Nights” and “Life is a Highway.” Illusionist Criss Angel also made an appearance at the block party. According to ABC 7, Mayor Daley commented at Millennium Park where a taping of the Oprah show would also be a showcase for Chicago’s 2016 Olympic bid.

“It does make a difference,” Mayor Daley said according to www. huffingtonpost.com, “in a sense that you show the outpouring of people who really want the Olympics and the Paralympics for 2016 in Chicago. They want it not only here in Chicago but in America. I think America is waiting for them to come back in 2016.”

The effectiveness of Winfrey’s party, however, remains to be seen. According to CBS 2 Chicago, Daley has stated that tax payers will not have to support the Olympics financially, though many believe that the Olympics will go well over the budget for hosting the games.

Atlanta’s cost was about $2.4 billion to host the Summer Olympics of 1996.

“They should just make sure there is not so much of a cost over run,” Mr. Robert Berry, English department, said. “I think Daley had said that he’s got private people lined up to provide insurance. If that really [is] going to happen, that makes me feel a little bit better, but right now it’s pretty cautious…. All else being equal, I’d rather not run the risk of bankrupting the city just for a three week fun time.”

Many believe that the number of people who attended the “Oprah” show block party does not accurately represent Chicago’s preparedness to host the 2016 Olympic Games.

“This was just Oprah fest,” Mr. Berry said. “And Olympics are – just, I don’t see a link. I don’t think it [the block party] pushes it [Chicago’s chance] either way.”

There is no shortage of tourists and shoppers on Michigan Avenue. According to Mr. Berry, the block party could have been a possible economic boost for Michigan stores with the inconvenience of transportation and moving around.

“I do not support them [the Olympics] coming to Chicago,” Marcos Alcozer, technology department, said. “While I like the idea of [the] Olympics and a place to showcase the athletic ability, I fear that the money that’s going to go towards the Olympics, it’s going to go to just that and not programs that could use [the money] far more.”

According to www.gamebids.com, in 2008 a settlement was reached to buy the Michael Reese Hospital property for $86 million for remediation for the Olympics. It was a place that needed restoration; however, there was no consideration to use that money for other programs and turn it into a facility for the area.

While there are plus points about the Chicago Olympic bid, communities are being placed under strains to support the bid financially and politically, as well as with the media. On October 1, 2009 Obama will take a trip to Copenhagen to show his support of Chicago’s 2016 Olympic Bid in front of the International Olympic Committee.