A few weeks ago I was contacted by "The Oprah Winfrey Show." The representative did not want to talk to me about one of my stories; the person only wanted to get rights to a photograph that appeared in an article I wrote in 2004.

Usually, I am responsive to other media colleagues who need Vegas information, and usually they are polite when asking. But the Oprah representative's note had a certain voice of command rather than a request. So I didn't reply to the note at all. I don't work for Oprah Winfrey, and her show deadlines mean nothing to me. Besides, there was another issue; I had no memory of how the photography got into a story from four years ago. So there was really no way, even if they had been polite, that I could help Oprah without abandoning my own work to make a bunch of calls to track people down I have not spoken to in years.

A few hours later I got a frantic contact from the current editor of the publication I wrote that story for in 2004. Oprah's people had gotten in touch with her, and she desperately wanted to please them. Sorry, there was nothing I could do to help. And I felt good saying that. If there is one place on Earth that Oprah Winfrey should not matter, it is Las Vegas. Nothing against her, but what does she have to do with gambling, partying and doing things that are bad for you and wasting your money in degenerate ways? Nothing. Or so I thought.

The power of Oprah turns out to be even in Vegas too mighty to be ignored.

This weekend the hottest ticket in town turns out to be a taping of Winfrey's television show at Caesars Palace. This is crucial Vegas, because being interviewed is soon-to-open headliner Cher discussing her show. Interesting too is that the other guest at Oprah's taping is Tina Turner.

The last time Winfrey did a Vegas taping was in 2003, also at Caesars Palace with Celine Dion before her show, "A New Day," opened there. So Cher makes perfect sense. But I am fascinated to know why Turner is on the bill? It seems extremely unlikely that Turner could be planning a Vegas show.

 

Anyway. Having just ignored their request of me, I have unsurprisingly totally belly-flopped in my attempt to get a ticket to the Oprah taping at Caesars.

I feel like James Frey.

Oh, mighty Oprah people, forgive me!  I promise, next time one of your minions needs to know how a publication I once wrote for got a photo in 2004 on a few hours' notice, I will understand this is the most important task in my life.