Oprah Winfrey Announces 'Your OWN Show' Contestants
Dec. 30, 2010 — -- For those wondering who can replace Oprah Winfrey, she's got an answer. Ten answers, actually.
Today, the media mogul who's launching the Oprah Winfrey Network on Jan. 1, 2011, announced the 10 contestants competing on "Your OWN Show: Oprah's Search for the Next TV Star."
The finalists were chosen from close to 10,000 online audition videos and thousands more hopefuls at open casting calls, according to the Oprah Winfrey Network. More than 143 million votes were submitted online.
The winner will get a show airing on Winfrey's cable channel. Judges will include Winfrey's closest colleagues, such as Dr. Phil McGraw and Gayle King. Famed reality TV creator Mark Burnett serves as producer.
"Your OWN Show" came under fire earlier this year after allegations that Winfrey had rigged voting for the "American Idol"-style series. It turned out spam blogs were to blame for skewed votes in the competition between disabled contestant Zach Anner and schoolteacher Phyllis Tucker-Wicks.
Below, take a look at the 10 contestants who made the cut and check out one of the contest's most popular audition videos.
Elizabeth Espinosa, a TV news reporter from Los Angeles who wants to share what she's learned in helping raise a younger brother who has learning disabilities.
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