Oprah Pays Tribute To Her Heroines At Swanky Weekend Bash

Media queen Oprah Winfrey paid a special tribute to the African-American women who have helped to shape her career from afar over the weekend (13-15MAY05), with a little help from her famous friends.

The talk show host and magazine owner staged her own LEGENDS BALL in California, and invited pals like John Travolta, Tom Cruise, Halle Berry and Tyra Banks to join her and her special guests.

Winfrey honoured Diana Ross, Tina Turner, Patti Labelle, Maya Angelou and Diahann Carroll among others for being her own African-American role models.

Oprah admits it was a very special weekend: "When you put that kind of energy in one place... there's a force field and energy field that works, and when you get all of that energy in one place, it's killer.

"These women, who have been meaningful to so many of us over the years, are legends who have been magnificent in their pioneering and advancing of African-American women."

The weekend began on Friday (13MAY05) with a private luncheon and came to a close with a gospel brunch on Sunday (15MAY05).