‘Surprise!’ Oprah Winfrey crashes 80th birthday in Brisbane
The local dance teacher was celebrating her milestone birthday when an unlikely guest spotted her sign outside the venue and decided to crash.
She has made people crave Bills’ famous ricotta pancakes, inspired others to go on coastal hikes, and has turned the Tim Tam slam into a trend again.
Now, Australia’s unofficial walking tourism ad (aka Oprah Winfrey) has continued her tour Down Under with a quick pit stop at a woman’s 80th birthday celebrations, proving she has truly fallen in love with everyday Aussies.
The American talk show Queen, who arrived in Brisbane on the weekend for the next leg of her Oprah In Conversation speaking tour, took a moment after touching down in the sunny state to catch up with some unsuspecting locals at the CBD Hotel.
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The occasion? The 80th birthday celebrations of a much-loved dance teacher, Clarissa Hill.
After seeing the sign outside the venue, Oprah decided to surprise the birthday girl by walking in with the birthday cake while guests sang Happy Birthday.
“First stop in Brisbane? Crashing Ms. Hill’s 80th birthday… after seeing a sign outside for her birthday party!” Oprah, 71, shared on Instagram, along with a video of the iconic moment.
“She’s a beloved dance teacher in South Brisbane who’s shaped generations. And those students came together to celebrate this milestone. What a joyful start to my visit.”
The moment caught Clarissa completely off guard, leaving her momentarily searching for the right words as Oprah opened the conversation.
“How do you feel on this milestone day? Can you believe it?” the US star asked.
Once Clarissa found her voice, she expressed heartfelt gratitude for a woman she admired.
“That was wonderful,” she was heard saying. “Thank you so much.”
Oprah then left her with a poignant final message, saying: “I honour you on this day. I hope that at this time in your life, you take the opportunity to sit with your friends, your family and your former students, and truly feast on your life.”
The party took a moment to take photos with the celebrity guest, where Clarissa, who once owned a popular dance studio in Brisbane, showed off a few of her own graceful dance moves.
Back in Australia for the first time in 10 years, Oprah really hit the ground running visiting places recommended by pal Hugh Jackman and other locals along the way.
In between shows, she has dined at local hotspots including Bills and Fred’s in Sydney - where she boasted about feasting on the “best bread of her life”.
She has also enjoyed many hikes including the scenic track between Wattamolla and Eagle Rock in Sydney’s south and Adelaide’s Waterfall Gully.
Following Brisbane, Oprah moves down to Melbourne before eventually concluding her talking tour in New Zealand.
Originally published as ‘Surprise!’ Oprah Winfrey crashes 80th birthday in Brisbane
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