Aussie Ultimate Viewer Surprises
Oprah first met Megan Castran, a Melbourne, Australia, jewelry designer, a few years ago while vacationing in Hawaii. At the time, Oprah says she told this mother of two that if she ever made it to the Land Down Under, she'd stop by for a visit. Megan added a photo of Oprah to her vision board in hopes that one day she'd arrive—and that day is here.
Every week, Megan and her husband Paul invite friends and family over for taco night, but they never expected a surprise guest. When the doorbell rings, there stands Oprah!
Oprah, Megan, Paul and the other guests party the night away with tacos and tunes.
Get Megan's taco recipe
Every week, Megan and her husband Paul invite friends and family over for taco night, but they never expected a surprise guest. When the doorbell rings, there stands Oprah!
Oprah, Megan, Paul and the other guests party the night away with tacos and tunes.
Get Megan's taco recipe
After dinner, Oprah sits down with her new Aussie friends to learn more about the country's general attitude about everything from careers to sex.
Watch Oprah's conversation about Aussie attitudes.
John, one of Megan and Paul's friends, says Australians and Americans have different attitudes about work. "I think [Americans] really live to work, and I think in Australia, we work to live," he says. "That's a really really big difference."
"Boy," Oprah says. "I think that sums it up." Another guest describes the Australian dream as, "To own your own home, a quarter-acre block, ... to have a picket fence, an outdoor barbecue."
"If you work to achieve things and you've got lifestyle balance, well, you've won," adds another guest. "We have a massive lifestyle component attached to our dreams ... things are things, but unless you can enjoy them with the people you love, you've lost. It's a big Australian thing."
Before Oprah heads off, she gives away party favors to her new friends: tickets to see The Oprah Show at the Sydney Opera House! "That was as good as it can ever get," Oprah says, reflecting on the evening. "The entire experience for me was coming to see how Aussies lived and loved and shared their lives with each other and partied. ... I got to meet real people in a real family setting."
Watch Oprah's conversation about Aussie attitudes.
John, one of Megan and Paul's friends, says Australians and Americans have different attitudes about work. "I think [Americans] really live to work, and I think in Australia, we work to live," he says. "That's a really really big difference."
"Boy," Oprah says. "I think that sums it up." Another guest describes the Australian dream as, "To own your own home, a quarter-acre block, ... to have a picket fence, an outdoor barbecue."
"If you work to achieve things and you've got lifestyle balance, well, you've won," adds another guest. "We have a massive lifestyle component attached to our dreams ... things are things, but unless you can enjoy them with the people you love, you've lost. It's a big Australian thing."
Before Oprah heads off, she gives away party favors to her new friends: tickets to see The Oprah Show at the Sydney Opera House! "That was as good as it can ever get," Oprah says, reflecting on the evening. "The entire experience for me was coming to see how Aussies lived and loved and shared their lives with each other and partied. ... I got to meet real people in a real family setting."
The Stephens sisters—Leah, Diane, Bronwyn and Catherine—say they've been watching The Oprah Show since they were teenagers. "My sisters and I are all fans of Oprah," Diane says. "But, you know, Catherine is the Ultimate Viewer."
The sisters were thrilled when they discovered Oprah was coming Down Under, but there's just one problem: Catherine is nine months pregnant. "We were devastated when we found out that Oprah's taping was the day before Catherine was due to have her Cesarean," Leah says. "[Catherine] was prepared to put off her Cesarean with the hope that she might be able to get tickets ... [we said,] 'It's not happening.'"
Instead, the sisters set out to get Oprah to come to them. Producers read an email the sisters sent, and together, they hatched a plan to surprise Catherine.
The sisters were thrilled when they discovered Oprah was coming Down Under, but there's just one problem: Catherine is nine months pregnant. "We were devastated when we found out that Oprah's taping was the day before Catherine was due to have her Cesarean," Leah says. "[Catherine] was prepared to put off her Cesarean with the hope that she might be able to get tickets ... [we said,] 'It's not happening.'"
Instead, the sisters set out to get Oprah to come to them. Producers read an email the sisters sent, and together, they hatched a plan to surprise Catherine.
The sisters planned a fake shopping trip with Catherine to a chic Melbourne baby boutique, Bébé, where Oprah waits in the back, ready for the big reveal! The shop's owners Kelly and Carey are in on the secret and hidden cameras capture the surprise.
When Oprah walks out to "assist" the sisters with their shopping, Catherine is speechless. The surprise gets even better when Oprah reveals a baby shower in the back of the store.
The boutique was transformed into a pink-themed party, complete with flowers, candies and desserts. Special guests, including Catherine's husband Glenn and her best friend Melinda, make the party picture-perfect. When it comes time to open gifts, Oprah presents Catherine with items for a new nursery, including a crib, changing table and toys, as well as a new high chair and stroller.
"I can't believe the timing of this," Catherine says. "We've waited so long to have another child and to have it happen just when you arrive..."
"But things work out," Oprah says.
Catherine and Glenn welcomed their daughter Olivia just four days later. Mom, Dad, big sister Natalie and Olivia are happy and healthy.
When Oprah walks out to "assist" the sisters with their shopping, Catherine is speechless. The surprise gets even better when Oprah reveals a baby shower in the back of the store.
The boutique was transformed into a pink-themed party, complete with flowers, candies and desserts. Special guests, including Catherine's husband Glenn and her best friend Melinda, make the party picture-perfect. When it comes time to open gifts, Oprah presents Catherine with items for a new nursery, including a crib, changing table and toys, as well as a new high chair and stroller.
"I can't believe the timing of this," Catherine says. "We've waited so long to have another child and to have it happen just when you arrive..."
"But things work out," Oprah says.
Catherine and Glenn welcomed their daughter Olivia just four days later. Mom, Dad, big sister Natalie and Olivia are happy and healthy.
When Lezette sat in The Oprah Show audience in 2008, she invited Oprah to visit her in Sydney, Australia. "Oh, you have to come. We'd love to have you," she said. "You can come over to my house. I'll cook you anything you want."
Oprah asked stage manager Dean to get her number. "When I show up in Australia and I come to your door, don't act like, 'Oh, I didn't have anything ready,'" Oprah said. Little did Lezette know, Oprah would be stopping by two years later for Lezette's family "barbie."
Oprah asked stage manager Dean to get her number. "When I show up in Australia and I come to your door, don't act like, 'Oh, I didn't have anything ready,'" Oprah said. Little did Lezette know, Oprah would be stopping by two years later for Lezette's family "barbie."
Lezette, who is 34 weeks pregnant, is shocked when Oprah arrives at her Sydney home, carrying a baby gift. "I can't believe you are here," she says. "You are just in time [for dinner]."
While at the party, Oprah tries some rice and chicken, but she's not really there for the food. "I came by just to tell you that you all, all the adults, are invited to The Oprah Show!" she says.
"It is impossible that I have two dreams in one lifetime: Coming on to your show and now doing it again," a teary-eyed Lezette says. "Oh my God, God is great."
More from Australia
See another Aussie baby surprise
Go inside Oprah's "welcome to Sydney" party
Get the Ultimate Viewers' complete travel itineraries
While at the party, Oprah tries some rice and chicken, but she's not really there for the food. "I came by just to tell you that you all, all the adults, are invited to The Oprah Show!" she says.
"It is impossible that I have two dreams in one lifetime: Coming on to your show and now doing it again," a teary-eyed Lezette says. "Oh my God, God is great."
More from Australia
See another Aussie baby surprise
Go inside Oprah's "welcome to Sydney" party
Get the Ultimate Viewers' complete travel itineraries
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