Behind the Scenes
![Kobe Bryant and Dara Torres Kobe Bryant and Dara Torres](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://images.oprah.com/images/tows/200809/20080912/20080912_tows_bts1_350x263.jpg)
Backstage at Chicago's magnificent Millennium Park, basketball all-star Kobe Bryant poses for photos with silver-medal swimmer Dara Torres after the show Welcome Home Team USA's Olympic Stars .
![Members of the women's rowing team Members of the women's rowing team](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://images.oprah.com/images/tows/200809/20080912/20080912_tows_bts2_350x263.jpg)
Members of the gold-medal women's rowing team turn their cameras on the crowds gathered to cheer them on.
![Patriotic audience members Patriotic audience members](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://images.oprah.com/images/tows/200809/20080912/20080912_tows_bts3_350x263.jpg)
Spirited audience members show their support of Team USA™!
![Oprah greets fans. Oprah greets fans.](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://images.oprah.com/images/tows/200809/20080912/20080912_tows_bts4_350x263.jpg)
Oprah greets some of the thousands of fans who gathered in Millennium Park to welcome America's best athletes home.
![Women's water polo team Women's water polo team](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://images.oprah.com/images/tows/200809/20080912/20080912_tows_bts5_350x263.jpg)
The women's water polo team wore special T-shirts for Oprah's 23rd season premiere.
![Oprah Oprah](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://images.oprah.com/images/tows/200809/20080912/20080912_tows_bts6_350x263.jpg)
Before starting the show The Most Talented Girl in the World , Oprah shows the audience why her high heels work better as "sitting down" shoes.
![Charice Pempengco Charice Pempengco](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://images.oprah.com/images/tows/200809/20080912/20080912_tows_bts7_350x263.jpg)
Charice Pempengco, the 16-year-old singer who blew Oprah away, prepares for her performance of Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On." Legendary producer David Foster accompanies her on the piano.
![Dean, Elizabeth Smart and Oprah Dean, Elizabeth Smart and Oprah](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://images.oprah.com/images/tows/200809/20080912/20080912_tows_bts8_350x263.jpg)
Dean, Oprah's stage manager, preps Elizabeth Smart and Oprah for the show Elizabeth Smart, John Ramsey: The Stories T hat Captured the Nation .
![Oprah and Debra Oprah and Debra](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://images.oprah.com/images/tows/200809/20080912/20080912_tows_bts10_350x263.jpg)
After the show, Oprah congratulates Debra, a woman who walked from Cape Coral, Florida, to Chicago—a total of 1,600 miles—to see The Oprah Show and lose weight along the way. Since June 2007, she says she's gone from a size 22 to a size 12.
![Tatum O'Neal Tatum O'Neal](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://images.oprah.com/images/tows/200809/20080912/20080912_tows_bts11_350x263.jpg)
Oscar® winner Tatum O'Neal prepares to reveal all during the show Tatum O'Neal Speaks Out About Her Drug Bust .
Want to see more from this week's shows? Check out full coverage!
Want to see more from this week's shows? Check out full coverage!
Published 09/12/2008