The Judds are no strangers to Oprah Winfrey's empire. The entertainment-industry-entrenched family has--counting appearances by actress Ashley Judd--appeared on Oprah's talk show a remarkable 18 times, most recently a couple months ago to discuss Wynonna Judd's remarkable weight loss and journey to emotional healing after marital betrayal.
Now, Naomi and Wynonna Judd have solidified their place in the Winfrey "family" by announcing their own reality show, which will debut on Oprah's new OWN Network in 2011. Titled simply The Judds, the one-hour program will follow Wy and Naomi as they prepare for the Last Encore tour--their first time hitting the road together in 10 years.
Longtime fans of the Judds know the duo has struggled with clashing personalities and a tumultuous dynamic over the years. (To wit: On their inaugural Oprah visit back in 1990, Wynonna quipped, "I have the solution for all the other mother-daughters out there who aren't getting along...I figure if you put them on a bus, let them travel up and down life's highways for about six years, they'll either kill each other or they'll make it. And I'm figuring on winning the Nobel Peace Prize any day now.")
However, the pair have clearly come a long way in the past 20 years. Wynonna states that they are ready and happy to share "the good, the bad, and the ugly" with viewers of the new show.
"We think our viewers will relate to the complex and dynamic relationships of Wynonna and Naomi Judd," a spokesperson for the OWN Network noted. Sounds reasonable--show me a woman out there who doesn't have at least an occasionally contentious relationship with her mom? (Hey, Mom, if you're reading this, I'm not talking about us, of course!)
The OWN Network is also planning a reality series around another famous dysfunctional family relationship--actor Ryan O'Neal and daughter Tatum, who have been estranged for years and will be attempting to reconcile on the program. The OWN Network will premiere on New Year's Day 2011.
The Judds will be launching their Last Encore tour the day after Thanksgiving, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It'll wrap December 19 in Phoenix.
Are you interested in getting a glimpse into the Judds' private life? Be sure to let me know if you plan on checking out their reality series next year.
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