Oprah Winfrey scores a ratings bonanza with her exclusive interview with Lance Armstrong (left).

According to the source Nestor U. Torre, when decided to conclude the long run of her daily TV talk and interview show and put up interview show and put up her own TV network, many piper were caught by surprise but thought that, given her experience and vast popularity, she would easily make a of it. Alas, things have turned differently, with some of the new shows Oprah initiative not rating well, forcing her to make major adjustments along the way. Launching an entire TV network isn’t easy as pie after all-even if you’re Oprah Winfrey.

Oprah took the time to analyze why some of her productions weren’t coming up roses. She concluded that there was something to what other analysts had surmised, that viewers loved Oprah, not necessarily everything she did and produced. And, even more to the point, they missed seeing her often on the tube. So, starting last year, she came up with occasional special interviews with celebrities, particularly those who had been involved in a big controversy that threatened to rock their very core. The fact that a big star was involved and the controversial nature of the debacle meant top ratings for the specials and the network, so it ended up as a win-win situation all around.

Letterman similarly benefited from the true confessions nature of the interview, because it finally cleared the air, enabled him to publicly own up to his sins and eat humble pie, and his popularity, or at least some of it, was restored. Other controversies that the queen of talk can insight fully and profitably feature include Arnold Scharzeneger own fall for grace and the feisty exchange of bitchy barbs between. American Idol cohost Mariah Carey and Nichi Minaj.