HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Oprah Winfrey's new television network, OWN, is launching an investigation into possible foul play surrounding the network's "Your OWN Show" contest.
"The online voting rules for the 'Your OWN Show' video submission competition were carefully crafted to be fair to everyone. Any allegations of impropriety will be investigated and the appropriate actions taken to keep the process unbiased," a network spokesperson said in a statement.
The online competition solicits video entries from contestants who want to host a talk show on the new network, which launches in January 2011. Seems simple enough, however some irregular voting patterns on Tuesday created an outcry that led to the investigation.
The fuss began when contestant Dr. Phyllis, who proposes a teacher reality show, suddenly surged ahead in the voting, overtaking early fan favorite Zach Anner, a wheelchair-bound Texan who has cerebral palsy ("the sexiest of the palsies") and hopes to host "a travel show for people who never thought they could travel."
The sudden shift in voting caught the attention of many, some of whom have speculated that Winfrey was rigging the voting in favor of an African-American contestant. Anner told Entertainment Weekly that he seriously doubts the likelihood of that theory.
"She's probably too busy building schools and helping children to even notice someone like me," he said. "I'm grateful for everyone's continued support and to Oprah for giving me this opportunity. Thanks again, happy travels, and keep being sexy!"
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