Oprah Winfrey wins Hope humanitarian award at 54th Emmys

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Oprah Winfrey received the inaugural Bob Hope Humanitarian Award during the Emmys. <br><br>Actor-director Tom Hanks presented Winfrey with the award Sunday, which recognizes Hope's

Monday, September 23rd 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Oprah Winfrey received the inaugural Bob Hope Humanitarian Award during the Emmys.

Actor-director Tom Hanks presented Winfrey with the award Sunday, which recognizes Hope's pioneer status in the industry and his humanitarian efforts.

``We all are just regular people seeking the same thing: the guy on the street, the woman in the classroom, the Israeli, the Afghani, the Zuni, the Apache, the Irish, the Protestant, the Catholic, the gay, the straight, you, me _ we all just want to know that we matter. We want validation,'' Winfrey said in accepting the award.

Winfrey is the supervising producer and host of ``The Oprah Winfrey Show,'' which has won 35 Emmy awards, and is the highest-rated talk show in television history. Winfrey, 48, who starred in the films ``The Color Purple'' and ``Beloved,'' started O, The Oprah Magazine, in 2000.

Before she received the award, a series of taped messages from Coretta Scott King, Jim Carrey, Celine Dion and others was played.

``She is,'' actress Julia Roberts said, ``a girlfriend to the world.''

Winfrey established her own private charity, The Oprah Winfrey Foundation, in 1987 to support women, children and families throughout the world. A decade later, she created Oprah's Angel Network, which encourages people to help those in need.