Oprah Winfrey: 'I'm Not a Lesbian'

The rumors have been around for years. She even made light about them recently. But Oprah Winfrey has once again stated flatly: "I'm not a lesbian."

"I'm not even kind of a lesbian," the talk-show queen, 56, tells Barbara Walters in tonight's interview on ABC. "And the reason why [the rumor] irritates me is because it means that somebody must think I'm lying. That's number one. Number two ... why would you want to hide it? That is not the way I run my life."

The rumors have focused on Winfrey's friend Gayle King. But Winfrey says that relationship is extremely close in a whole different way.

"She is ... the mother I never had. She is ... the sister everybody would want. She is the friend that everybody deserves. I don't know a better person. I don't know a better person," Winfrey says while choking up.

"It's making me cry because I'm thinking about ... how much ... I probably have never told her that. Tissue, please. I now need tissue. I've never told her that."

The occasion for the interview, airing tonight at 9:00 pm (ET) on ABC, is the end of Winfrey's syndicated show next May and the beginning of her new cable network – OWN, The Oprah Winfrey Network.

On that subject, Winfrey admits to having been afraid of how daunting the new project is. "I was very scared," she says. "I would wake up in the middle of the night literally like clutching my chest, like, 'What have I done? What have I done?'"

Barbara Walters Reveals Her 2010 Picks for 'Most Fascinating People'

From the queen of Hollywood to a princess in waiting, Barbara Walters has revealed eight of the 10 names on her 2010 Most Fascinating People list.

Sandra Bullock and Kate Middleton are joined on the list by Justin Bieber, Betty White, LeBron James, Sarah Palin, new American Idol judge Jennifer Lopez and the cast of Jersey Shore.

As usual, Walters won't divulge the final names – or the overall Most Fascinating Person – until the special airs December 9th at 10:00 pm (ET).

Middleton was a prescient choice, having reportedly been selected for the list before word of her engagement to Prince William broke this month.

Palin, meanwhile, makes a return appearance, having been featured on Walters's 2009 list as well.

Walters has chosen a woman as her overall Most Interesting Person in each of the past five years: Michelle Obama (2009), Tina Fey (2008), J.K. Rowling (2007), Nancy Pelosi (2006) and Camilla Parker Bowles (2005).

Will Lady Gaga make the cut? Or will she go with the cast of Glee? Who is your top guess for 2010?

Barbara Walters Worries She Ruined Ricky Martin's Career

Barbara Walters is stepping down from her duties as Oscar interview queen after her final Academy Awards special Sunday, and while she's had an incredibly successful 29-year run, she has one regret.

"In 2000, I pushed Ricky Martin very hard to admit if he was gay or not, and the way he refused to do it made everyone decide that he was," she told the Toronto Star in a recent interview. "A lot of people say that destroyed his career, and when I think back on it now I feel it was an inappropriate question."

In her final special Sunday night, Barbara aired the clip, showing Ricky Martin holding a tight-lipped smile as Barbara presses him on the matter. When she asks how he's handling the rumors that he's gay, he answers ambiguously. "I think that sexuality is something that each individual should deal with in their own way and that's all I have to say about that," he says.

Barbara didn't let it stop there and the segment ends when Ricky says he could address the rumors, but "for some reason I just don't feel like it."

This isn't the first time Barbara has expressed regret about her Ricky Martin interview. In an episode of The View, she talked about lessons she's learned from her interviews. After airing the Ricky Martin clip, she said the lesson she learned was, "Unless someone is openly gay, and happy to talk about it, it's nobody's business -- including mine..."

Barbara Walters Kisses Oscar Specials Goodbye

One of the longest lasting relationships in Hollywood is over.

Barbara Walters said on The View on Monday her Academy Awards specials will be a thing of the past after this year.

"ABC has asked me to keep doing these specials as they have been so successful – and I’m thrilled we have such great stars and have such a wonderful show," Walters said. "But to be honest, I feel like I’ve ‘been there, done that.’"

Walters will exit with fanfare. This year, she’ll sit down with best actress frontrunner Sandra Bullock and best supporting actress nominee Mo’Nique, according to ABC News.

"This special has been a labor of love for 29 years. I will always remember when Hugh Jackman gave me a private lap dance or sitting down with the legendary Bette Davis or being taught to tango by Al Pacino," she said.

"It's those priceless moments that have made this special the Oscar tradition that it has become, but I truly feel enough is enough."

Adam Lambert to Return to ABC

It looks like Adam Lambert and ABC are ready to kiss and make up.

The Idol runner-up will join the ladies of The View this Thursday to discuss his wild year.

After the singer's sexually-charged performance on the American Music Awards, the network canceled his scheduled New Year's Eve appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live and his performance on Good Morning America.

The View episode will air the morning after Barbara Walters's primetime special featuring the year's Most Fascinating People, which includes Lambert.

Lambert's appearance on The View has been pre-taped – preventing any unexpected on-air surprises.

Barbara Walter's Most Fascinating People of 2009

Barbara Walters sits down with 2009 music stars Lady Gaga and Adam Lambert as part of her special Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2009.

Gaga and Adam were chosen as two of the most prominent names in entertainment, sports, politics and pop culture and will have Barbara’s interviews with them aired next Wednesday, December 9th at 10:00 pm (ET) on ABC.

Despite recent controversy over his American Music Awards performance, Adam doesn’t seem to mind.

“Don’t worry friends: I’m still gonna be me. Always. W/o appologies [sic],” he tweeted. “Just gonna experiment differently w/ how I present myself.”

Also rumored to be on Barbara’s list are Kate Gosselin, Sarah Palin, Tyler Perry and Glenn Beck.