Kim Kardashian lands a role in Tyler Perry's 'Marriage Counselor'

Kim Kardashian has landed a role in the new Tyler Perry film "The Marriage Counselor," which is based on his play of the same name.

"Big news!! I'm co-starring in Tyler Perry's new movie!" Kardashian tweeted over the weekend (on her 31st birthday, actually). "It's gonna be such a fun experience!" she added.

Well, maybe the reality-TV starlet has learned a thing or two about married life seeing that she's been hitched, for what, three months now? Her lavish wedding to Kris Humphries has been the talk of the tabs for months. Could that be what caught Perry's eye?

Kardashian will play Ava, a friend and coworker of the titular counselor (played by Jurnee Smollett of "The Defenders" and "Friday Night Lights"), whose marriage takes a turn when she gets bored dispensing good advice and decides to sleep with a suave client, according to Deadline. But not to worry, Ava is there to give the counselor a big-city makeover when her life is in the dumps. Big stretch for fashionista Kardashian, no?

Mrs. Kris Humphries last appeared on the big screen in the 2009 film "Deep in the Valley" and made her big-screen debut in 2008's "Disaster Movie." 

Let's just hope the middle Kardashian's stab at acting is better than her older sister Kourtney's atrocious attempt on "One Life to Live." Shudder.

The Lionsgate film begins shooting in Atlanta on Wednesday.

Is Kardashian's acting ready for Perry's directorial touch? Or should she stick with TV? Sound off in comments.

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— Nardine Saad
twitter.com/NardineSaad

Photo: Kim Kardashian. Credit: Evan Agostini / Associated Press

Oprah Winfrey's long goodbye: Maria Shriver, Tom Cruise, Tyler Perry and more pay homage [Pictures]

For Oprah Winfrey, the beginning of the end was announcing in November 2009 that her long-running "The Oprah Winfrey Show" would be calling it quits after 25 years on the air. Following a supersized final season and trickling, teary-celeb tributes, the end is almost here.

Taping "Oprah's Surprise Spectacular," her third-to-last show in Chicago, Winfrey hosted tons of famous names who came to pay homage to the queen of daytime television. 

Maria Shriver, Madonna, Tyler Perry, Usher and famous couch-jumper Tom Cruise all graced the stage in front of thousands of fans at Chi-town's United Center. It was an event worth getting out of jury duty to witness.

"You have given me love, support, wisdom and, most of all, the truth," Shriver told Winfrey. "And I know I’m not alone in receiving those gifts from you."

A rather fitting performance came from Beyonce, clad in a tuxedo unitard, belting out her new tune "Run the World (Girls)." Atop a glowing podium fit for a female president, Beyonce flipped her hair and sang out, "My persuasion can build a nation."

Oprah can relate. Another female music tribute came from pint-sized Broadway vet Kristin Chenoweth, who performed with scores of formally dressed Morehouse College grads. 

Power couple Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith came by, as did Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Katie Holmes, Queen Latifah,  Diane Sawyer and Michael Jordan (click the pics to see more photos from the star-studded event).

We were surprised and delighted to see Winfrey's longtime beau Stedman Graham trot out on stage; we imagine he has an insight or two after so many years with the mogul. 

So might Maya Angelou, who appeared with Alicia Keys. As did Dakota Fanning, Jerry Seinfeld, Jamie Foxx, Rosie O'Donnell and John Legend via satellite. 

Other performers included Patti LaBelle, featuring Josh Groban, Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin.

RELATED:

Rosie O'Donnell moving into Oprah's Harpo studio

Oprah Winfrey's family secret: A half-sister named Patricia

Tyler Perry lets go on 'Oprah' about beatings, molestation, healing

— Matt Donnelly
twitter.com/MattDonnelly

Photos: Oprah Winfrey with Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, top, and Tom Cruise, right, during the taping of "Oprah's Surprise Spectacular" in Chicago. Credits: John Gress / Reuters.

Tyler Perry lets go on 'Oprah' about beatings, molestation, healing

Tyler Perry opened up Wednesday in detail about the childhood abuse he suffered, telling Oprah Winfrey on her show that the death of his mother last December was the turning point that has allowed him to go public.

"She suffered so much horror in her life ... and I just could not be a source of pain," he told Winfrey. "I knew if I spoke about this [while she was alive], that she would be hurt. So I didn't. ... I feel this tremendous sense of, 'Now it's time for me to take care of me and get some of this stuff out of me and be free from it.'"

Perry described physical abuse from his father and sexual molestation from four adults of both sexes before age 10 — his body "betraying" him, the abuse leaving him confused, ashamed and never feeling safe.

"All of these people had given me something to carry ... ," Perry said. "What I started to do is untie the strings and chase them down to where they came from. And I was able to free myself and understand that even though these things happened to me, it was not me."

Watching an episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" years ago got him started on his journey when he began writing down what had happened to him, he said, and he hopes his story will encourage other men to speak out and heal.

Citing exhaustion and calling the "Madea's Happy Family Tour" his most special ever, Perry on Oct. 13 announced the cancellation of some shows on the production's encore leg, which was to have begun Tuesday.

"I feel terrible about this and hope you can understand but right now I'm not capable of giving you the show you want and deserve," he said on his website. "I hope one day soon I will be able to make it up to you."

— Christie D'Zurilla

Photo: Tyler Perry at the opening of "Madea Goes to Jail" in New York on Feb. 18, 2009. Credit: Peter Kramer / Associated Press

Related dispatches from the Ministry of Gossip:

Tyler Perry's mother dies at 64; Willie Maxine inspired Madea character

Stars galore at the 2010 Academy Awards Governors Ball

Stars galore at the 2010 Academy Awards Governors Ball

"How can the governor have a ball? California's out of money, isn't it?" We definitely heard that crack more than once Sunday at the Academy Awards.

No, sillies, it wasn't Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's ball -- rather, it was the official after-party presented annually by the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. And this Sunday night the 1,500-capacity ballroom, glowing in gentle purple tones, was packed. Definitely a larger turnout than last year, event staff said.

It was good to be Jeff Bridges: Once the best actor winner made it into the party, flashes were popping like mad as he clapped chef Wolfgang Puck on the back and they both smiled broadly for the cameras, talking all the while.

When Bridges was whisked away for more interviews -- glass of water in his hand, though he'd been sipping Champagne during his victory interview backstage -- a pack of photographers floated along in his wake like a train on a diva's gown. He appeared to be enjoying the ocean of congratulations -- can you blame him? -- and was spotted later, out of the crush ... 

So about that whole 'comments of the week' thing ...

Some of the folks who've been hanging around the Ministry of Gossip since the early days might remember a quiet little post about "comments of the week" -- a feature I'd intended to do on a regular basis.

Oops, my bad.

Turns you all are really into speaking your minds -- which is, believe me, fantastic -- but it's also meant that keeping up on individual comments has been more challenging than I'd imagined. There are a lot of 'em!

I can't do justice to the original concept, so instead I'll direct folks to where the action was in the week (or two) prior.

Click onward for the links, and thanks for spending time at the Ministry.

Barbara Walters' '10 Most Fascinating People of 2009': observations, and a poll [Updated]

Hey, sports fans -- normally I write as "the Ministry," but this time I'm just me. Watched the Barbara Walters special Wednesday night, as I'm sure many of you did, and here are my thoughts on her chosen public figures, many of whom show up on this blog quite often.

Well, OK, Glenn Beck doesn't show up at the Ministry so much, but work with me, all right? If he gets naked next year, or reveals he had an affair with Tiger Woods, or posts another rambling, post-surgical YouTube video, he'll fit right in.

And yeah, I know Barbara and crew can edit and script and all that for dramatic effect, but let's do a willing suspension of disbelief, shall we?

Here's my takeaway, based on Walters' brief interviews.

Lady Gaga: Barbara sees her in a whole new light, and so do I. Maybe I just didn't "get her" before this? I still can't quite hum one of her tunes, but she seems thoughtful and sincere. Is she bisexual? Makes for a nice tease on the tee-vee, but really, who cares? I hope Gaga doesn't fixate on that as she moves ahead, and that others can find something more interesting to ask about.

Tyler Perry: The juxtaposition of this spotlight sit-down with the fact of his mother's death on Tuesday is heartbreaking. His proudest moment? He says it was being able to take good care of his mother. Forget about Barbara making Tyler cry -- he made me cry.

We could end it right here, but there are eight more interviews ...