On the Stand

Oprah on Trial

Talk-show host goes to Philly for defamation case.

The Queen of Talk is taking the stand: Oprah Winfrey is due to spend two weeks defending herself in a Philadelphia court after a federal judge refused to throw out defamation charges stemming from sex-abuse charges at her girls school in South Africa. The former headmistress of the school, Nomvuyo Mzamane, is suing Oprah for making her appear “culpable” for the abuse, which was carried out by a dormitory matron, in statements Oprah made—for example, "I'm going to find a new head of the academy for the school. ... Dorm parents are gone, (Mzamane) is gone." Oprah has rearranged her TV-production schedule so she can appear and is expected to be called on as a witness.