In, September 2004, Winfrey made headlines and stunned 276 audience members of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" with gifts of Pontiac G6 sports cars donated by General Motors. 
    
O.K., so self-help books aren't as great as a car -- especially for grads. They just finished at least four years of study. More for graduate students. But as far as gifts go, they are less likely to get you in trouble with the tax man.
    
Winfrey delivered the prestigious university's commencement address on Sunday and was among friends. Her goddaughter Kirby Bumpus, daughter of her Oprah's BFF Gayle King, was among the graduates.
    
Winfrey in June topped Forbes Celebrity 100 Power list after earning $275 million in the past year. And for the longest time, she was not a college grad.
    
Winfrey, speaking on Father's Day in the United States, said her dad never let her forget that she was one credit short of a college diploma. Even after she had her own TV show, she remembered him saying, "Oprah Gail, I don't know what you're going to do without that degree."
    
In 1987, when she was asked to speak during Commencement at her alma mater, Tennessee State University, she finished her course work, turned in her final paper, and earned her degree.
    
"I know if anything happens that one credit will be my salvation," she said.

(Reporting by Clare Baldwin)

    Proving again how valuable a hit movie franchise like the "Bourne" espionage thrillers can be, Universal Studios Home Entertainment said on Monday that "The Bourne Ultimatum," DVD sold 5.4 million units in its first six days in retail stories, which translated into roughly $95 million of consumer spending. That is on top of the nearly $440 million the movie earned at global box offices since its U.S. debut in August.

    What makes the figures even more spectacular is that "Ultimatum" is the third film in the series about the super spy Jason Bourne (played by Matt Damon) who has lost his memory and is trying to learn his true identity. Typically third movies in a series will loose their sales punch at box offices and on DVDs, but that hasn't happened with the Bourne movies. The first movie, 2002's "The Bourne Identity" grossed $213 million worldwide, and the second, 2004's "The Bourne Supremacy" took in $288 million around the globe.

    In a statement, Universal Studios Home Entertainment President Craig Kornblau called the movie's success and the DVD's first week sales, "a testimate to the enduring appeal of the Bourne franchise."

    But here is more food for thought. How about some Hollywood awards for what is not only one of the year's best-reviewed action flicks but, obviously, a crowd pleaser too? Can anyone say Oscar?

                                                   The Walt Disney Co. said late Monday that its summer animated hit movie "Ratatouille," about a rat who longs to be a restaurant chef, has now earned more than $600 million at worldwide box offices. That breaks down to $206 million in the U.S. and Canada and another $396 million internationally, where it is still playing strongly.

    That's a huge sum, and it shows the fickle nature of pre-determining box office hits and misses. No one knows exactly how to judge which movies, TV shows, records, DVDs or even Web programs will hit or miss with consumers.

    Before "Ratatouille" was released in June , industry watchers downplayed the movie's chances to perform to the level of recent Disney/Pixar films such as "Cars" or "The Incredibles." After all, it was about a rat in a kitchen that (ahem) wanted to cook. Moreover, it took place in a French restaurant -- in Paris. Sacre bleu!! 

  But the movie turned out to be good. Along with all its successes, "Ratatouille" is the No. 1 movie in France, according to Disney. And not only is the company raking in the box office cash, it must be thinking about winning the animated film Oscar. A happy Hollywood ending? No doubt.