Columnist John Katsilometes: A woman who looks like Oprah, but who has no talk show

Sunday, Oct. 23, 2005 | 9:27 a.m.

Fabulous Las Vegas runs Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday in the Las Vegas Sun. Reach John Katsilometes at 259-2327 or 812-9812, or by e-mail at kats@lasvegassun.com

It was an otherwise uneventful episode of "Oprah," which aired on a weekday afternoon in September 2004. Oprah Winfey conversed casually with guest Tatum O'Neal -- the discussion dovetailed into world peace and how we should all love thy neighbor -- when Winfrey said it was time to close the show.

"Wait," a guest said as she stood from her seat. "Have you met Caroline?" With that, Caroline Hodge rose and was greeted with applause. "Is that your twin?" O'Neal whispered to Winfrey, who quickly said, "No" but whose eyes were wide with amazement.

"Girl, you gotta curl your hair," Winfrey said to Hodge, drawing laughter. But aside from the hair and a five-inch different in height (Winfrey is 5-foot-7; Hodge is 5-foot-2), the two are remarkably similar in appearance. They are close in age, too: Winfrey turns 52 on Jan. 29; Hodge turns 53 on Dec. 6.

"The more she's on the cover of a magazine, the more my life changes," Hodge, who has lived in Las Vegas since 1997, said last week. "I get recognized, constantly. I always hear people whisper, 'Oprah, Oprah, Oprah,' when I walk by."

This week is one of those magazine-cover weeks -- Winfrey graces the cover of Newsweek and, in a smaller photo next to Geena Davis, TV Guide. Hodge says the public's response to her famous-looking face began in the early-'90s. And as a flight attendant for United Airlines, Hodge is frequently picked out of crowds.

"Even when I'm on the plane, with my cart, they ask for my card," Hodge said. "They want pictures. Sometimes the captain, as a joke, introduces me as a celebrity flight attendant -- but people still don't quite get it. They still believe I am her."

They believed she was Winfrey that day in 2004 when she attended the taping of "Oprah," in Chicago -- even though Hodge took a cab to the studio. During that trip she went to Taste of Chicago, but had to leave after just 10 minutes because she was being hounded.

"Oprah" producers have told Hodge they have plans to bring her back to the show -- but how to use her on the air is still undetermined. Hodge has performed onstage just once as Winfrey, last year at the Service Employees International Union national convention in San Francisco. She interviewed a few SEIU members in front of an audience of between 3,000 and 4,000; the session ended abruptly when the crowd pushed its way to the stage.

"It was like, 'Live at the Apollo,' said Hodge, who has retained a Las Vegas talent agent but has no firm plans to cash in on her fame.

"I love Oprah to death," she said, "but I have my own little fan club and I am happy."

NoteMart

The art of the dial: On the heels of Saturday's protest by fans of the defunct adults-standards format at KJUL 103.4-FM comes this news: On Friday afternoon KVGS 107.9-FM switched from its urban-R&B format to alternative rock.

The switch was announced in a news release that was faxed at about 1:30 p.m. At 4 p.m., the format had changed. The new station is called "Area 108," and on Saturday afternoon I turned to 107.9 and was hit with the classic Talking Heads song "Psycho Killer" and now the speakers in the FabMobile need new woofers ...

The indefatigable Aerosmith: Longtime rockers Aerosmith are to release "Rockin' the Joint (Live at the Hard Rock Hotel Las Vegas)," on DualDisk CD/DVD this week. The show was recorded at The Joint (duh) in October 2002 and features the seldom-played "No More No More" from 1975's "Toys in the Attic" ...

Just call me Dr. J: On Thursday the Palms will host the grand opening of its fabulous Hardwood Suite, which (according to the hotel) is the only suite in the world with an indoor basketball court. The two-level abode covers 10,000 square feet, and, to quote from the release, "mad plasma screens, locker rooms, your own personalized jerseys, your name written right on the court, a pool table and, of course, a poker table." The hotel isn't taking reservations for at least two months.