OPRAH WINFREY’S TV SESSIONS WITH US ARE ENDING but this charismatic, warm-hearted woman has become part of our family — like a cousin we have come to know and appreciate, and are proud to have in our lives. She isn’t leaving us — just moving into Oprah-rama phase two.

RUMORS OF OPRAH PLANNING A STAGE CAREER, a movie or two, or a trip to the moon (and back) are rampant. We know she’ll do whatever she wants to do, in her own sweet time — and what a sweet time it is!

OPRAH HAS ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD, fabulous connections, friends in high places and a loyal, caring fan base.

SHE’S COME A LONG WAY, BABY, from her 1984 debut hosting “A.M. Chicago” and taking it nationally in 1986. Her poignant portrayal of Sofia in Steven Speilberg’s The Color Purple, and her production company Harpo’s becoming a viable force in film and TV are benchmarks in Winfrey’s career. We have all been privy to her love life with Stedman Graham, her bouts with dieting and her myriad charitable acts and absorbed them with the interest of “cousins.”

OPRAH HAS LOVE, RESPECT, adulation, wisdom and faith, but her personal demons still rule, judging by her weight. All her wealth and support from friends and fans hasn’t been enough to satiate her need for the comfort of food. She’s a handsome woman but we worry about her heart and her health.

OPRAH HAS ENRICHED LIVES through important issue programming and personally donating millions to the educational needs of thousands through scholarships, building schools, etc.

FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS WE’VE WATCHED OUR “COUSIN” OPRAH change before our eyes, but still remain an amazing, visionary personality with a rich spirituality. Here are our favorite pix of the TV goddess. Best of luck, Oprah.

NOW THE SPERMINATOR INSTEAD OF THE TERMINATOR, former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is the latest celeb to get caught cheating on his wife and fathering “love” children. Everyone feels bad for Maria Shriver and their kids but this is just another case of the rich and famous living by their own selfish rules. Arnold will get more movie roles, more bimbos, more headlines — and do we really care? (Maria’s family, the Sergeant Shrivers, lived at 2430 N. Lakeview Ave. in Chicago when she was a child.)

WHO IS THE BLOND DIVORCEE who boasts two married men who visit her, via the freight elevator, in the swank condo where they all reside? What happens when one of the staff tips off a wife or two?

DOGS RULE JUNE 1 AT NOON in the Empire Room of the Palmer House when a tea for canines, classy mutts all, will see Fido and Max etc., dining on puppy pizzas and poochie sushi as mere people sip champagne. Accidents? Perish the thought.

TASTE ON THE LAKE, the June 7 cruise to benefit Friends of Animal Care and Control, is a hot $100 ticket. Chefs will create special dishes led by Jackie Shen as guests cruise on the Odyssey. Call 312-224-1116.

NOBODY DOESN’T LIKE RICH MELMAN … Friends and fans and all who know him are thrilled that he won the James Beard Foundation’s outstanding restaurateur of the year title. He’s an innovative genius with more than 40 respected eateries and two sons following in his aprons.

ROSIE O’DONNELL may find the going’s tough trying to fill Oprah’s hourlong talk show this fall. Word on the street is that she can’t seem to generate interest from the average woman, and that would be her base.

WHO WAS THAT MAN wearing 20 or so heavy faux gold chains over his suit at the Ikram Goldman 10th anniversary party? It was stylist Ken Borochov.

WHO WAS THAT STUNNING BLOND with Jerry Berliant at the Matt Lamb art museum black tie? Model from New York Virginia Loving.

HUGH JACKMAN INTRODUCED PALS BERYL AND AL BLITZ on their 64th wedding anniversary at his San Fran stage show. Jackman sang and danced and the crowd loved him.

AUTHORS SARA PARETSKY, AMY ROSENTHAL AND ELIZABETH BERG star at the Women and Words reception and book signing at 5:30 p.m. June 6 at the Harold Washington Library, a benefit for Attorney General Lisa Madigan. Suzie Glickman is the master of ceremonies and co-hosts include Martha Melman, Barbara Kipper, Sherren Leigh, Virginia Bobins, Joan Harris, Laura Ricketts, Jill Baldwin, Roger Simon and Carrie Hightman.

TASTE ON THE LAKE will offer six chefs’ treats, live music and open bar at the benefit June 7 for the animals helped annually by Friends of Animal Care and Control founded ten years ago by dedicated Charleen Propsom. It will be on the Odyssey for $100 a ticket. Friends has 80 foster “moms” for dogs and cats and has saved hundreds of pets from death. It works exclusively with the city shelter at 28th Street and Western Avenue and provides care and comfort for homeless animals — as well as putting them up for adoption. Should be a fun night. Call 312-224-1116 for tickets and info.

BOTOX AND OTHER INJECTABLES are smoothing the faces of everyone concerned with looking younger and now comes news that hands, a dead give away as to age, can be made to look amazingly youthful. Small-scale dermal fillers pumped into hands to fill out protruding veins and tendons work very well and are now graduating to other parts of the body. Once the secret behind sculpted cheekbones and crease-free eyes, fillers are removing signs of an aging body — from sagging boobs to a rounder, fuller backside, to retouching cellulite dimples and sunken scars. Having the best plastic surgeon doing the injecting is a must.

THOSE EXQUISITE EMERALD EARRINGS that Princess Yasmin Aga Khan was wearing at the Alzheimer benefit were given to her by her grandmama, Volga Hayworth, she told photographer Steve Starr who admired them.

ACTOR COLIN EGGLESFIELD, A LOCAL TALENT, is the star of the comedy Something Borrowed with Kate Hudson. He was with brother Sean when he threw the first pitch at Wrigley Field for the Cubbies.

CARY FRANK, SUELLEN LONG AND JOHN CANNON are promoting an exciting designers’ garage sale benefit in New Buffalo Mich., at 601 W. Buffalo St. to raise funds for the McCormick Boys & Girls Club from May 27 to 29. Art, furniture, fashions, decorative accessories, jewelry, vintage gowns and appliances will be offered. Call 312-643-1419 for more information.

THE PENINSULA HOTEL provided a ravishing, deliciously luxe Night in Old Shanghai gala for the Rehabilitation Institute that had revelers vying for trips to Hong Kong, Beijing, Bangkok and Paris. Chairs were Karie Katz and Christine Nappo, and they were assisted by Alicia Ziegler, Paula Smith, Marisa Bryce, Robin Fern and Cyndy Strong. Robin Armour is the Women’s Board president. Attendees included British Consul General R.C. Dickson, The Eric Lefkofskys, Jude and Lori Reyes, Cindy Galvin, Kelly and Michael Golden, Pat and Shirley Ryan, Quintin and Diane Primo, Anne and Chris Reyes, Dr. Douglas and Ann Anderson, and Peter and Fanee Haleas.

DID YOU NOTICE, IN THE MAY 9 ISSUE of the New Yorker, that there were tiny drawings of Donald Trump throughout the articles with no cutlines? There was big-mouth, presidential candidate Trump as Superman, Marilyn Monroe, crossing the Delaware, Narcissus, etc. — wee reminders of his mega-watt ego. President? No! Dogcatcher, yes!

IS CAROLE GOLDSMITH MIDDLETON the mother of the year, or of the century? The Ladies Who Lunch praised Kate’s mom for guiding her daughter to the school, the bed and then the altar with Prince William. But face it, if there was no chemistry, no mama’s help could have shaped a merger. And Carole wasn’t too much of a concerned parent to frighten off the heir to the throne of England. The fact that Queen Elizabeth only met the Middletons a week before the wedding tells you that Carole wasn’t forcing herself and her daughter on anyone … ABOUT QUEEN ELIZABETH, when did she change from a beautiful young woman to the dumpy, frumpy, lumpy monarch who dresses like Hyacinth Bucket on the Brit TV sitcom “Keeping Up Appearances”? And did you notice Queenie dozed off during the morning ceremony while millions watched and stayed awake? Was her highness up all night with weighty problems about the kingdom? Unlikely that she and Prince Philip were doing the royal bedroom romp, so why couldn’t she stay focused? Will we learn she’s ill and will step down in favor of Prince Charles? Don’t count on Liz giving up the best dang job in the world.

JAY LENO, JERRY SEINFELD and scores of other comics are mourning the death of Zanie’s Comedy Club owner Rick Uchwat, 64. The show will go on. Rick’s intimate neighborhood venue welcomed eager young talent through the years and launched many careers.

ACTOR MIKE MYERS HAS A NEW PRODUCTION — a baby with wife Kelly Tisdale. Thank heavens some celebs get married before having kids, setting a better example for their young fans.

MENAGE A TROIS minus Charlie Sheen? Will Ashton Kutcher add or detract from “Two And a Half Men”? Loved the sexy show, and Sheen, but he couldn’t just shut up and fly right. He had to have the last laugh — but now it’s on him. No one is indispensable, Charlie, even a charming chronic philanderer like you.

ANOTHER SWAT AT THE DONALD … A group called “Balders” claim Trump’s hair-like substance... is from a foreign country. Which means this presidential candidate is not 100 percent American.

—Andy Borowitz in Funny Times