January 25, 2008
Count on Oprah Winfrey to call in some star power. When Oprah’s Big Give premieres on March 2, celebrities like Jennifer Aniston, John Travolta, Natalie Cole, Donald Trump and Jada Pinkett-Smith will pitch in and pop up on the unique reality show that follows 10 people as they travel around the country to give away money and help others without knowledge of any personal reward. While the contestant list has yet to be announced, the guest stars — which also includes athletes Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf, Tony Hawk and Danica Patrick — will make special appearances as the show moves from city to city.
Unlike other reality shows where contestants compete for their own gain, Oprah’s Big Give, which will be hosted by The Oprah Winfrey Show and O, The Oprah Magazine contributor Nate Berkus, finds competitors working to change strangers’ lives through their good deeds.
“Who wouldn’t want to be a part of a show whose entire premise is what you can do for other people? I think it’s fantastic,” Berkus says.
Still, they’ll be judged (by a panel including chef Jamie Oliver, NFL star Tony Gonzalez and philanthropist Malaak Compton-Rock) over the course of eight weeks to determine who is the biggest giver — besides Oprah, of course!
