Oprah Winfrey Turns to Lindsay Lohan Reality Show to Help OWN Ratings

Oprah Winfrey has secured the first interview with Lindsay Lohan after she is released from rehab later this month and will also be giving the troubled starlet her own reality show on the Oprah Winfrey Network in 2014.

Lindsay’s downward spiral and media meltdowns have only been surpassed by fellow former child star Amanda Bynes, and it looks like Oprah is ready to capitalize on that.

“OWN will air an exclusive interview with Oprah and Lindsay Lohan that will tape and air in August and an eight-part documentary series with Lindsay for 2014,” a spokesperson for OWN said in a statement.

The reality special will give a firsthand look at the 27-year-old’s struggle to put her personal life and career back together amidst the wave of financial, legal, drug and alcohol-related issues that have crashed down on her.

Snagging the first exclusive interview for any controversial star is nothing new for the 59-year-old talk show host who also got the first
exclusive interview for any controversial star is nothing new for the 59-year-old talk show host who also got the first interview with Lance Armstrong after he admitted to using drugs back in January.

It’s no secret that Oprah’s network hasn’t been performing as exceptionally as the media mogul would have hoped, which was probably a deciding factor in giving Lohan her own reality series.

While Tyler Perry managed to give OWN’s ratings a boost with two new original series, “The Have and the Have Nots” and “Love Thy Neighbor,” it didn’t come without some serious controversy and petitions to get the shows pulled off the air.

Turning to Lohan as she reaches her publicity peak may work out in Oprah’s interest as the “Real Housewives” franchise has proven that crazy sells when it comes to reality programming.

The exclusive interview with Lohan is scheduled to air alongside the digital release of the troubled actress’s upcoming film “The Canyons.”

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