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Lawsuit Claims Oprah Winfrey Producers Lifted Idea for "Big Give" Reality Show. Boston Woman Claims She Pitched Idea to Producers in 2005.

March 22, 2008 by editor  (View Source

(nydn) Oprah Winfrey is giving away millions on her new hit, "Oprah's Big Give." But the talk queen refuses to share a dime with a Boston mom who claims she gave Winfrey the idea for the show. Darlene Tracy, a mother of four with no experience in TV producing, claims that, way back in February 2005, she hatched the concept for a reality show called "The Philanthropist," in which contestants are challenged to help the needy. Tracy claims she sent her pitch to Ellen Rakieten, executive producer of Winfrey's talk show, and that Rakieten and another producer, Jennifer Thornton, wrote back to ask for more details. Tracy contends she shipped off a fine-tuned business proposal on March 1, 2005. Four months later, Thornton allegedly told Tracy that Oprah's company, Harpo Productions, was going to pass. Then, in November 2006, Winfrey announced on her show that she was giving money to audience members so they could help their communities. The following month, she and ABC announced they were teaming up for "Big Give." Tracy, representing herself, promptly filed a complaint in U.S. District Court in Boston seeking to stop "Big Give" from airing.


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