Thousands of spectators cheered Olympic medallists Michael Phelps, Dara Torres and Kobe Bryant as the city of Chicago got a high-profile boost to its bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Oprah Winfrey was taping the season premiere for The Oprah Winfrey Show at a downtown park on Wednesday, and she invited 150 US Olympic athletes to join her. The athletes were introduced under a shower of red, white and blue confetti.
Winfrey intends the show to be both a welcome home for athletes who competed in Beijing and a chance to showcase Chicago as the city bids for the 2016 Games, said Harpo Productions.
Hundreds of fans stood in line for hours outside Winfrey's Chicago studio last weekend to wait for tickets. Some camped out in lawn chairs. For those who couldn't get passes for the 2,000 seats, about 7,000 lawn spots were made available.
An additional 2,000 seats were set aside for the Olympians' family and friends. Tickets for Winfrey's Chicago tapings are usually available only by phone and are nearly impossible to get.
The 23rd season premiere of Winfrey's talk show will air on Monday in the US.
Chicago is a finalist for the 2016 Games along with Tokyo; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and Madrid, Spain. The International Olympic Committee will choose the 2016 host next year.
