Farewell, Oprah

Yesterday afternoon, the very last episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show aired. You probably know this, since you couldn't go anywhere in the past month without hearing about it, and we understand if you're feeling a bit of Oprah fatigue (and perhaps coupled with a wicked case of Lady Gaga fatigue, you might have found it particularly hard to even make it out of bed today). Regardless, the icon -- who has been on the air for 25 years -- went out with grace and her final show, which featured just her on an almost empty stage sharing a few last thoughts and bits of wisdom, was everything it should have been: smart, bittersweet (though she claims it was "all sweet" for her), and emotional.

After a fairly lackluster two-day celebration earlier this week which included every celebrity not currently in rehab or jail singing Oprah's praises (quite literally in many cases), Oprah's last show felt exactly right: an hour without surprises or giveaways or any hoopla -- just the woman that many of us have come to know as someone who has told us the truth, who has cried in front of us, who has made us laugh, standing before us and showing her gratitude for the opportunity she has been given.

At the very end of the show, Oprah thanked her viewers for tuning in during the past 25 years and even gave a shout out to those who watched with "their partners -- gay and otherwise." A small moment in a big show, but a moment just the same and a touching one at that.

Despite the rumors that have dogged her about her own sexuality, especially in regards to her relationship with her best friend Gayle King, Oprah has always been on our side and never shied away from giving her support to LGBT people and we're thankful for that. Using her visibility to raise and honor us, which more often than not that consisted of merely depicting and relating to us as "normal" people who are as worthy of respect and love as anyone else, has made us love her and we will miss spending our afternoons with her.

If you want to say thanks to Oprah, you can now reach her at her new personal email address [email protected].

Previously > The Reviews Are In: Lady Gaga's Born This Way