Columnist Kate Maddox: Romance of Oprah, Stedman gets very unsteady

Kate Maddox

Friday, Oct. 15, 1999 | 9:16 a.m.

Kate Maddox's column appears Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, only in the Las Vegam To subscribe to the Las Vegas Sun, call 383-0400.

Sources close to Oprah Winfrey are whispering that the talk queen's relationship with longtime steady, Stedman Graham, is not long for this world.

Gail King, Oprah's best friend -- the two have recently been sporting matching diamond rings on their pinkie fingers, in honor of being best friends for so many years -- has been talking very quietly and to a select few about the fate of her friend's romance. It seems that Oprah and the man she has called "her rock" are no longer romantically involved.

Together since 1986, Winfrey and Graham never married and, although they did announce their "engagement" in 1992, no trip down the aisle followed. Oprah, 45, has said publicly that she has no real desire to marry and have children. She used to tell friends how content she was to lead an independent life and how lucky she was to have a man who supported her in that way. He has stuck by her through thick and thin.

Currently Oprah and Stedman have no plans to publicly announce their split. An insider tells me that "this is something that they want to announce at the right time, which will probably be weeks to months down the road."

Why all the hush-hush about the breakup? My very insider Chicago connection has admitted that there may be a new man waiting patiently for Oprah to amicably end things with Graham, so as not to upset her beloved fans (the same fans who have been wondering about Oprah's recent weight gain and why she doesn't mention Stedman's name on her show as frequently as she used to). Actor Danny Glover is rumored to be Oprah's new love interest. Glover, 52, starred with Winfrey in "The Color Purple" and more recently in "Beloved," which, although critically acclaimed, bombed at the box office.

Glover himself has quietly gotten a divorce from his wife of 25 years, San Francisco gallery owner Asake Bomani. The Glovers announced their separation a few months ago.

Good friends of Gail King and folks on the inside at Harpo -- Oprah's production company -- have confirmed that something is buzzing around the office and around the Chicago social circuit regarding Oprah, Stedman and the handsome Mr. Glover. Stay tuned.

"Partridge Family" fans will want to make a stop at the Green Valley Library on Saturday afternoon. Dave Madden, a k a Reuben Kinkaid, will be making an appearance to talk to writers about "rejection and how to deal with it." The announcement posted at the library advertises the opportunity to talk to the "former manager of The Partridge Family," as though the position and the family were real and not a Hollywood creation. Those interested should be there at 2 p.m., 2797 Green Valley Parkway.

Mia Farrow, the actress and beleagured ex of filmmaker Woody Allen, was soothing her nerves at Bellagio earlier this week. Farrow popped into the lavish Bellagio Spa to take advantage of its fabulous massage therapy program.

Attention Nevada filmmakers: The CineVegas International Film Festival is now accepting film submissions for the December 1999 festival.

Features, shorts and documentaries are all being accepted and reviewed. Films selected by the review panel will be shown during the "Nevada Filmmakers Showcase" portion of the six-day event.

The CineVegas festival promises to be a very exciting event and will be held Dec. 6-11 at Paris Las Vegas. Celebrities, directors, producers and other Hollywood types will be in attendance and this would be a great opportunity for local filmmaker hopefuls to get their shot at the big time. Contact Amie Williams at 702-477-7530 for applications and information.

Former "Saved by the Bell" star Mario Lopez celebrated his birthday at Mandalay Bay last week. Lopez, currently starring in "Pacific Blue," and his girlfriend Aly Landry -- you know her as the "Doritos Girl" -- spent a few fun-filled days here in honor of Lopez turning the big 26. Lopez and Landry, who was 1996 Miss USA and one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People," looked very much in love.

Concerts in cyberspace are all the rage. Following last week's popular NetAid event, which was broadcast live on the Internet, other bands are riding the wave.

British rockers The Who are set to play at "iBash '99" along with other bands here at the MGM Grand on Oct. 29. The Who will reunite especially for this event, which will advertise the launch of pixelon.com, an online broadcast network.

Locals can catch the acts live at the MGM, and the rest of the world can take the Information Superhighway.