12/6/10 -- Michelle Rhee, Michael Jackson, Jonathan Franzen

With this, I will be officially caught up, and I intend to avoid getting behind again, because this has been annoying. Tomorrow's episode is new, Friday's is not, and then it appears we will have all new episodes next week. I'm sure we'll get all repeaty again the following week, since it ends with Christmas, but no matter.

So, let me take you back to Monday's episode. Oprah appeared on screen, and Katie immediately said, "What are you wearing? The insides of a fish?" Not a bad guess if you ask me.

I swear pausing it in a way that makes Oprah actually look like a fish was a total accident. A happy accident, but an accident nonetheless.



Before we got to the main part of the episode, which was mostly about Michael Jackson, Oprah had some "breaking news" to report. You heard it there first, folks. Remember Michelle Rhee, the former chancellor of D.C. public schools? Oprah had her on the show back during the "Waiting for Superman" episode. Everyone has been talking about what Rhee's next job might be, so she came on Oprah to announce that she's not taking any offers, and is instead starting a group called "Students First." The goal is to raise a billion dollars to "start a revolution" in the education system in this country. If you're interested in helping the cause, you can head over to the new website and get on board.

For 25 years, Michael Jackson maintained a secret relationship with a New Jersey family. He met the patriarch of this family at a hotel in Jersey, and eventually started going to the house, hanging out with the kids, playing piano, and just living a normal family life. A few years ago, he used the family's makeshift basement studio to record a bunch of songs that one of the kids (who was in his mid to late 20s at the time) wrote, and now they're being released as a new Michael Jackson album. There was a bit of controversy when some people didn't believe that the voice was actually Jackson's, but six producers and engineers have verified the authenticity. The album comes out December 14.

And...that's it. I seriously don't know how that took so long to discuss. Yes, it's weird that the media never figured out this story, and Oprah herself seemed rather skeptical (or at least incredulous) for most of the episode, but still. It was not worth 20 minutes or whatever it took.

The final part of the episode was devoted to Jonathan Franzen. Way back when, Oprah picked Franzen's new book, Freedom, to be a book club selection. Even further back when, Franzen had suggested that his other book, The Corrections, being selected for the book club might scare away male readers. This caused a bit of controversy, and Oprah ended up saying that Franzen didn't have to come on the show, though the book would remain part of the club.

This time, Oprah and Franzen discussed that little spat. Franzen didn't really address much of it, but essentially went on a little bit of a diatribe against the fast-paced media, and how it can take any little quote and make it into a huge deal. While not untrue, it felt a little bit like passing the buck. Franzen did seem like a nice guy, though, and I'm trying not to blame him for the fact that I absolutely hated The Corrections. I mean, I don't know who else I would blame other than the author, so I guess what I'm saying is that I'm trying not to let my feelings about that book keep me from reading Freedom. People really seem to like this one. Of course, they really liked The Corrections, too, so I don't know what to think.

Franzen stuck around for a book discussion with the audience after the show, so if you're interested, head over to Oprah's website, and I'm sure you can find it there.

Finally, Oprah announced book club selection #65. Apparently Penguin, the publisher, released a special edition of both A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations just for Oprah, who has never read any Dickens at all. The first is one of my favorite books of all time, and I'm now tempted to read it again, though I hate to do anything just because Oprah says so. The audience got a copy of the two-in-one book, and, just because Oprah likes her e-books as much as she likes the real thing, a new Kindle 3G. Well, good for them.


Thursday: Dr. William Petit discusses the home invasion that claimed the lives of his wife and daughters. That will not be easy.