Oprah Winfrey in New York last year. (Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images) At this time in 2009, there was only one VIP whose arrival in Washington was as hotly anticipated as that of the new first family: Oprah Winfrey.

The Queen of All Media had galvanized Barack Obama’s fledgling 2008 campaign with her exuberant, first-ever endorsement — telling massive rallies that “he is the one,” hosting a star-studded $3 million fundraiser — and her presence at that inauguration was no less epic. She taped her show here that week, made the rounds of several balls — and was among the elite gang of insiders toasting the new POTUS at a late-night White House after-party.

This year? Oprah’s not coming at all.

Maya Soetoro-Ng, Barack Obama's sister. (Roxanne Roberts/The Washington Post) • In other inaugural hair news, the Arthur Christine Salon & Academy of Vienna, Va., put out a press release Thursday announcing that two of its staffers had been “appointed exclusive hairdresser and stylist to [President Obama’s sister] Maya Soetoro-Ng and the extended First Family for the 57th Inauguration Celebration.” Fascinating! What exactly does that mean? After we called around a bit, the salon wrote again to say it had been asked to retract the announcement. All righty, then.

Shaquille O'Neal speaks at the NCAA's convention keynote luncheon on Wednesday. (LM Otero/AP)
“ I made a C in Accounting, so I thought I knew what I was doing. ”

— Shaquille O’Neal explaining how he spent his first $1 million paycheck in about half an hour, mostly on nice cars. Yes, he later ended up in debt, the retired NBA star-turned-entrepreneur told attendees at the NCAA annual convention Wednesday, reports the Chronicle of Higher Education, but learned a few life lessons in the process.

More Reliable Source: Michelle Obama; Kim Kardashian; Inaugural ball tickets; the fake girlfriend saga; Anthony Weiner

Michelle Obama meets with Inauguration “citizen co-chair” David Hall at the White House Thursday. (Official White House by Lawrence Jackson )

On her 49th birthday Thursday, Michelle Obama turned over a few new leaves: A new Twitter account, @FLOTUS, which looks like it will replace the @MichelleObama account run by the campaign staff and largely quiet since November; and a new hairstyle — bangs! — which her office unveiled in the second tweet of the day. Of course, the much-clicked-on photo of Mrs. Obama meeting with one of the inauguration “citizen co-chairs” included a plug for the White House’s National Day of Service.

Update 7:45 p.m.: As for her birthday dinner? The president took her to Georgetown’s Cafe Milano.

More Reliable Source: Kim Kardashian; Manti Te’o; inaugural ball tickets; Anthony Weiner; Podesta split

(Joel Ryan/Invision/AP)

“I’m obviously so happy for them, but if anything I loved the privacy.”

— Kim Kardashian telling the Associated Press that she was grateful to Kate Middleton and Jessica Simpson, whose uteruses deflected media attention from her own life during the early weeks before her pregnancy was announced on-stage by Kanye West. Kim Kardashian enjoys privacy? (Pregnant reality star Kim Kardashian says she wants to be more private, AP)

Related: Why Lena Dunham is a Kardashian at heart; the power of oversharing, 1/11/13

More Reliable Source : Inaugural ball tickets; the fake girlfriend saga; Anthony Weiner; Podesta split