Oprah Winfrey Earns Honorary Oscar

Media mogul said she was surprised

Oprah Winfrey is this year's recipient of the 2011 Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The award is regularly given to a person who excels in philanthropy that benefits the film industry and many believe it should have been gone to another person who has done more.

"I understood it because I was equally surprised," said Winfrey of that sentiment. "I was surprised because I am not known as an actress. I've done film and I love the films that I've done."

Still, Winfrey is set to receive the honor on Saturday inside the Grand Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland, above the Kodak Theatre.

"Years ago, I gave [this award] to Quincy Jones and I was honored to be on the stage just giving the award," she recalled. "To be the recipient of an award that's given to you for your contributions toward doing something good for the world or trying to at least make a mark for a force for something that's positive in the world, I just don't think that there's a better honor than that."