Oprah Digs into Celebrities' History

We don't do a lot of TV Guide-style promos here on Tonic, but today's Oprah lineup caught our eye.

First of all, she's welcoming former Friends star Lisa Kudrow to talk all about her new show, NBC's Who Do You Think You Are?, which we wrote about here on Tonic, and which takes celebrities on genealogical journeys through their surprising pasts.

According to Harpo, Tuesday's show will delve into Brooke Shields' background to find royal connections in her family, while football legend Emmitt Smith will uncover a chilling family secret.

Beyond the entertainment factor of discovering celebrities' "chilling" and "royal" pasts, it's the second part of Oprah's Tuesday lineup that really caught our eye: Harvard professor Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., will discuss the outcome of his now infamous "beer summit" with President Obama and the Cambridge, Mass., police officer who arrested him at his home last year. It's kind of amazing to think how much has changed, and how distant in the past that seems when compared to the economic and health-care issues that have taken over the Obama presidency. (On a side note: Gates will also discuss his PBS series, Faces of America, which similarly delves into individual's familial histories.)

All in all, a good day to set that DVR — or to focus on the up side of not having a job: More time to watch Oprah in the afternoons!

Photo by PR Photos