Jono, Ben & Megan - The Podcast - BONUS: The Kiwi Lady Who Met Oprah!

Episode Date: October 31, 2022

We chat to Sarah a Kiwi lady who met Oprah and had a very special moment.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Hits, the Jono and Ben podcast. And joining us on the show right now is Sarah. Good morning. Good, how are you? We're doing well. Ben, how are you? Yeah, I'm doing great. I'm very excited about this because we understand that you've met Oprah Winfrey.

Yes, she was like my childhood dream. And so when I got to meet her in 2015, I literally was just like, it was like such a bucket list moment. Oh, I bet. Is she everything? Like, I've never just like, it was like such a bucket list moment. Oh, I bet. Is she everything? Like, I've never met Oprah, but I want her to be everything I imagine her to be. Did she live up to expectations?

Everything. Yeah. Everything you imagine, she's like genuine, humble, kind, like really present. That's what I actually thought I took away from it. I thought probably the busiest woman on the planet, but she's so present. And when she's really with you, she's really engaged,

and I see why she'd be such a good talk show host and send to people because she's really there in the moment. What was that? Sorry, I was just clearing some emails. So what was Sarah going on about there? Sorry about being present in the moment. That's incredible, and that's why you look at her and you go well that's the core of her success, she's interested in people. Yeah exactly and she was amazing and so

just genuinely interested when she came here she was here for just a one night show so I had actually already bought, I think I bought the cheapest ticket, just the general admission one and then my dear husband he knew how much she meant to me because I'd like watched her all my like childhood. I loved her.

And so he went and like surprised me and bought me like the meet and greet ticket, which was like, yeah. And he was just like, no, I just really think you deserve this moment to go meet her. And I was just like, I don't know. Like I was just so excited. I didn't even know what to expect.

And they send you out this like email with all the like rules of how to meet her, and I was just like, I don't know. Like, I was just so excited. I didn't even know what to expect. And they send you out this, like, email with all the, like, rules of how to meet her, and they're like, you know, don't, you know, you can't really do this and that. You can't bring things for her or whatever. You know, and if you have a question for her, you send it to us and we ask her. Oh, it's all sanctioned. Sanctioned.

This is how Ben likes to meet people as well. Yeah. It was really, like, intense. I didn't even think I would get to ask her a question. Like, I genuinely thought I was just, like, soaked to be in the same room, breathing the same air, to be honest. Pre-COVID, pre-COVID.

Yeah, and so then she comes up and says, she's wearing this green gown, and, like, the moment she, like, steps out, I'm right in the front row in this, like, room that they set up at the venue, the Vector Arena. And literally she just walked out and I just could not stop smiling. Like, I was just, like, grinning like this Cheshire cat.

And she just, like, got people to pass around mics and you could just ask her a question yourself. Her poor behind the scenes team are like we've got a system. We're trying to be protective. Yeah, exactly. That's quite a call. Yeah. And then so she said anyone, you know, just ask me anything kind of thing.

And I didn't even know what I was going to ask. I just put my hands up like yeah, I don't even know what I was thinking I was going to ask but I just wanted to thank her because when I was growing up, I didn't have a very good home life. And I guess for me watching her, like she would talk about real things. And for me watching this like amazing woman and, you know, I just had this real like connection with her. And so I just wanted to say thank you. And I just told her that, really.

And she came over and then she said, oh, well, I want to tell you a story. And she said, when I had my Chicago studio, my makeup room was on another, you know, level. And every day I would catch the elevator down to the studio. And every single day I would literally pray the same prayer. She said, I would just pray that God would use me to like, you know, impact people's lives. And she said, so

today here I am 30 something years later and I'm in New Zealand and you're telling me how you were impacted by me and I just feel honoured that I get to hear how that prayer really, you know, manifests. Wow. That is amazing.

And producer Bee Humps has just sent through a photo. You're there with her, and she's got her arms wrapped around you, full embrace. It was everything, I imagine. She was amazing. Does she hug? I imagine she'd be a good hugger too, Oprah. She was like one of those really good types of hugs.

Yeah, yeah. You do notice, like, I hug Ben, it's like hugging a bloody... A garden rake or something. No, that's not Oprah. She's real cuddly. Yeah, great. Oh, Sarah, that is incredible, mate. Well done on sharing your meet and greet.

We are going to send you off to Friday Jams. You got two tickets to Friday Jams. Oh, thank you so much. And a meet and greet with Shaggy as well. Shaggy. I hope he's as good as Oprah. He will be. Just stay away from the bathroom floor.

Yeah. Thank you so much, guys. It's amazing. Oh, thank you for sharing that amazing story with us. Oh, you're welcome.