Celebrating Oprah

Oprah Winfrey: 10 Moments That Made an Icon

From sharing her toughest struggles to her greatest triumphs, here's how the host became the Queen of Talk

Updated: Monday May 23, 2011 | 04:00 PM EDT

'YOU GET A CAR'

On the season 19 premiere, Winfrey made "wildest dreams" come true when she gave away 276 cars to her audience. In a scene that has been repeated in her "Favorite Things" episodes and when she recently invited her studio audience to Australia, people fell into hysterics, jumping, crying and gasping for air with excitement. Whether she did it out of generosity or for ratings, it's become iconic – it's even been spoofed on Saturday Night Live.