Nate Berkus, the talk of TV

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Oprah’s top design-guy, Nate Berkus, is breaking out with his own daily talk show, following in the footsteps of other Harpo alums Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz.

Berkus, 38, who was born in Orange County and grew up in Minneapolis, has appeared on Oprah for nine years as a design expert. More recently, though, his role on the show has expanded to include segments on fashion makeovers and more personal stories about triumph over adversity. He is quick to point out that ‘The Nate Berkus Show’ isn’t just about decorating, either.

“It will involve design, but it’s not our only lens of the show, which is broader,’ Berkus said at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where he was promoting the show. ‘It’s about living well and having new information at your fingertips.”

Berkus went on to say that guests can be categorized into three main groups: “There will be regular people with compelling stories where we can step in and help. The second tier is celebrity pops,” said Berkus, who mentioned that Jamie Lee Curtis, an “organizational freak,” will make an appearance. Third, he will feature newsmakers such as Elizabeth Edwards, whom he recently interviewed for the show’s premiere week. “I flew down to Chapel Hill, sat down with her in her home and got to know her and how she’s reclaiming her life,” he said.

And his interviewing style? Berkus said that people have always been drawn to divulge their stories to him, but he will take one major Oprah-ism on his new venture.

“She gave me an important lesson about interviewing,’ he said. ‘She says speak for your guests, not at them. You have to allow the story to come out. I feel like I’ve graduated from the top talk show host in the universe.”

‘The Nate Berkus Show’ premieres Sept. 13. It will air locally on KNBC at 2 p.m.

-- Alexandria Abramian Mott