Ending the first phase of the protracted trial for the former dorm supervisor accused of abusing students at Oprah Winfrey’s school for South African girls, prosecutors on Wednesday rested their case. In the next phase, the defense will attempt to chip away at the testimony of several students, which was done behind closed doors because of their age. The trial began more than a year ago after Tiny Virginia Makopo pleaded not guilty to sexual and physical assault of six alleged teenage victims at Winfrey’s $40 million school outside Johannesburg. The school opened in 2007

Saying she’s “in a very good place” emotionally, Jennifer Hudson has given her first full-fledged interview since losing three family members to murder. The award-winning actress and singer told Oprah Winfrey that she’s glad to be doing what she loves, performing after months of grief. “It’s like therapy,” Hudson told Winfrey of the decision to resume her career. Hudson’s mother, brother and nephew were all found shot to death within two days last fall, causing the singer to cancel appearances and go into seclusion. Hudson, whose engagement was announced before the tragedy, says she’s moving forward with her wedding plans. She also sang for Winfrey’s studio audience Friday in the latest of a series of February events. Hudson’s estranged brother-in-law has been charged with the killings. He has denied any involvement.

Soon-to-be dethroned Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, in his latest shocker, acknowledged that he was eyeing daytime TV Queen Oprah Winfrey to replace Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate. Speaking on ABC’s Good Morning America, Blagojevich said that a friend of his suggested that consider Winfrey to fill the spot vacated by Obama when he headed to the White House. “She seemed to be someone who had helped Barack Obama in a significant way become president,” Blagojevich said. “She was obviously someone with a much broader bully pulpit than other senators.” However, Blagojevich said, he doubted she would accept. “She probably wouldn’t take it, and then … if you offered it to her, how would you do it in a way it didn’t look like it was some gimmick and embarrass her?” At least the governor’s intuition about that was correct. Appearing on Gayle King’s radio show, Winfrey said, that while she also believes she could be a senator, “I’m not interested” in the position. “I’m pretty amused by the whole thing,” she said. “I guess you’re under consideration but no one tells you you’re under consideration …I would have to say: Where would I fit it in with my day job, my night job, my radio job, my magazine job?”

Morgan Freeman is among those honored by the president. Actor Morgan Freeman joined a host of other talented artists, including Barbara Streisand, as one of the class of the Kennedy Center 2008 Honorees. With tributes by various talents Sunday night, Freeman joined Rock’s Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend, choreographer Twyla Tharp and singers Barbara Streisand and George Jones as this years’ class of honorees. At the White House on Sunday, President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush received the artists, who were honored for their long-time and significant contributions to the arts. On Saturday, the honorees received medallions at the State Department Dinner gala, hosted by Condoleezza Rice. The weekend’s Kennedy Center Honors marks the last time President and Mrs. Bush will host the honorees. This is the 31st year for the event. Past honorees include Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis, Dianna Ross, Tina Turner and Smokey Robinson. George Stevens Jr., the man who created the Honors 31 years ago and still produces the yearly extravaganza, wasn’t worried about a bust-up over the weekend, though. The star-studded event at the Kennedy Center Opera House will be broadcast on CBS Dec. 30, reports The Associated Press. The entertainment mogul also denies rumors she’s quitting TV.

Oprah named most powerful woman in Hollywood. Oprah Winfrey is the most powerful woman in entertainment, according to The Hollywood Reporter’s annual “Power 100 List,” which was announced on Friday. Winfrey, whose “Oprah” talk show began in national syndication 22 years ago, played a role in the victory of President-elect Barack Obama by endorsing him early in his run and by supporting him throughout the campaign, the Reporter points out. In remarking on the Reporter, said she could be “the most influential woman in America.” Winfrey, 54, jumped from the No. 6 spot on the entertainment trade paper’s 2007 list to No. 1 this year. The Hollywood Reporter noted that a study by University of Maryland economists found Winfrey’s support for Obama won him more than 1 million votes nationwide. Winfrey’s production company, Harpo Inc., made $345 million last year, according to the Reporter. She oversees an empire that includes her TV show, a magazine and an online store and recently poo-pooed reports that she plans to quit her talk show in 2011.