Oprah Winfrey broke down in tears to parents of her $40 million girls’ school in South Africa Sunday, apologizing for the recent alleged allegations of physical and sexual abuse there.

“I’ve disappointed you. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry,” Winfrey, 53, said in the emergency meeting at the school in Henley-on-Klip, south of Johannesburg, according to the nation’s new site News24.com.

A father of one of the students comforted the talk show host, telling her, “It’s not your fault. We don’t blame you.”

Last week, it was reported Winfrey — who was abused as a child — had flown to the school twice in less than ten days (canceling an October 12 appearance honoring pal Julia Roberts in Beverly Hills) following alleged allegations of physical and sexual abuse.

A matron was accused of fondling at least one girl; one student also claimed the same instructor grabbed her by the throat and threw her against a wall, according to reports. Other students alleged the matron cursed and screamed at them.

The allegations came to light after one student reportedly ran away because the abuse had become so bad.

At Sunday’s meeting, Winfrey handed out her phone number and email and mailing addresses, assuring parents she could be reached at all times, according to the report.

The principal and at least one other matron were put on leave about two weeks ago.

Winfrey has also hired her own investigators, in addition to the South African police and the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offenses Unit who are on the case.

“It is all in the hands of the investigators,” a school spokesperson told the Sunday Times of Africa October 23. “They will have to determine if criminal charges will follow.”

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Jessica Seinfeld Gifts Oprah With 21 Shoes

Jerry Seinfeld’s wife Jessica sent Oprah Winfrey a $18,000 thank you note worth for having her appear on the show to talk about her new cookbook. She sent the shoe-loving talk show host 21 pairs of shoes, mostly Christian Louboutin’s which retail for $800-$1200 a pair.

I caught that episode of Oprah and it looked like a great cookbook I am going to have to buy it so I can sneak more veggies in my kids food. If you didn’t catch the show check out Jessica’s new cookbook Deceptively Delicious with great recipes and ways to sneak vegetables into everyday cooking without your kids ever knowing.

Jessica, if you are out there reading this I am here to help do you need your house cleaned, windows washed or leaves raked? I don’t need 21 pairs of shoes I would settle for just a few.

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Who in the world turns down an appearance on Oprah? Rosie O’Donnell did just that this past week. Oprah invited Rosie to appear on her show in order to permote her new book “Celebrity Detox” in which she bashes a lot of her celebrity “friends”, but Rosie declined to appear with Diane Sawyer instead. Rosie’s rep said: O’Donnell’s rep said, “Rosie has always been booked with Diane. We gracefully declined Oprah’s offer. I’m sure Rosie will do Oprah’s show another time.” I’m thinking Oprah isn’t the type to ask twice.

From TMZ:

Perky talk show host Rachael Ray made disparaging racial remarks about the woman who gave Ray her big shot at daytime TV — none other than Oprah Winfrey, according to TMZ sources. It’s a shocking account of a dinner that occurred during the period that the show was being sold.

Rewind to December 3, 2005. Ray was at the Century City Shopping Mall in Los Angeles for a book signing. Reps from King World, the production company that was syndicating the show, were shooting the event for its sales presentation.

At around 7:00 PM, Ray, along with seven others, went to Houston’s Restaurant in the mall. They sat in a booth in the far right rear of the restaurant. Ray ordered fish and complained to the table it was dry.

She was also drinking red wine and lots of it — one source says a minimum of four big glasses.

We’re told Ray became “extremely loud and aggressive,” and began dissing Oprah. Sources say she told the group about a portrait of Oprah that sits in the lobby of Harpo Productions in Chicago. It’s from the movie “Beloved” and shows Winfrey’s back, enhanced with scars. She’s also wearing a skirt from the slavery era.

Back at the table, sources say Ray launched into attack mode: “Why is she wearing slave drag? She obviously has problems being black.”

But Oprah wasn’t Ray’s only target. Sources say she told the group how much she liked Jennifer Aniston.

Brad’s a “pussy boy.” Angelina is a “skanky, backdoor c**t.”

And then called Brad Pitt a “pussy boy.” But her harshest comments were reserved for Angelina Jolie, calling her “a skanky, backdoor c**t.”

TMZ contacted the Director of Publicity for Rachael Ray, Charlie Dougiello, who said, “Rachael did attend the dinner referenced and enjoyed wine and good conversation with friends and colleagues. She denies making any of the comments referenced. In fact, there are several words that are attributed to Rachael that she has never uttered in her life.”

Dougiello added, “Neither in public nor in private has Rachael made a disparaging or cruel remark about her friend and mentor, Oprah, nor a celebrity couple she has never even met.”

Dougiello also said, “There were several associates of Rachael’s at that table who, unprompted, agreed that Rachael never made any of the comments she is being accused of making… and it seems very convenient that these accusations are being levied at a time when Rachael’s success has focused the public eye on her.”

Oprah Winfrey was shattered when a relative revealed in 1990 that she’d had a baby at 14, she says in the new issue of her magazine.

The February issue of O, The Oprah Magazine, has the theme, “My first” – and Winfrey writes about her first betrayal: A family member’s revelation to the National Enquirer that Winfrey gave birth as a teen to a baby who died in the hospital weeks later.

Winfrey writes that the relative, whom she doesn’t name but whom the Associated Press identifies as her half-sister, Patricia Lloyd, “sat in a room, told them the story of my hidden shame and left their offices $19,000 richer.”

When she found out, Winfrey writes, according to the New York Post, “I took to my bed and cried for three days. I felt devastated. Wounded. Betrayed. How could this person do this to me?”

Before the article came out, she says, “Only my family and closest friends knew. I would tell no one until I felt safe enough to share my dark past: the years I was sexually abused, from age 10 to 14, my resulting promiscuity as a teenager, and finally, at 14, my becoming pregnant.”

She worried that if anyone found out about the pregnancy, it would damage her career: “I imagined that every person on the street was going to point their finger at me and scream, ‘Pregnant at 14, you wicked girl … expelled!’ ”

But in fact, she says, “No one said a word … not strangers, not even people I knew. I was shocked. Nobody treated me differently. For 20 years, I had been expecting a reaction that never came.

“And I soon realized that having the secret out was liberating. … What I learned for sure was that holding the shame was the greatest burden of all.”

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