OPRAH BEGS BEYONCE FOR A BOOST

TV titan OPRAH WINFREY famously abhors bitch ’n ho’-spewing rappers, but “Jackass” KANYE WEST and she see eye to eye on one thing: both adore BEYONCE KNOWLES – and Oprah’s eyeing the brainy beauty as surefire salvation for her shocking ratings dive!

Furious at dropping a whopping 7 percent in the last year alone, Oprah – fighting back with stunts like street broadcasts from hometown Chicago and Manhattan’s Central Park and big “gets” like WHITNEY HOUSTON – recalled the ratings goose her show got when Beyonce guested last fall.

Revealed a source: “Oprah called Beyonce and told her she’d love to have her appear as a roving correspondent this season, or just come on and talk about her life on a regular basis. She says Beyonce could read a phone book and get ratings.”

Beyonce’s intrigued, but two roadblocks loom: her insanely busy schedule – and insanely private hubby JAY-Z, who fears O might get B to blab about their personal life.

But how’s this for a timely “coincidence” – Oprah suddenly scheduled a major Jay-Z interview for the October issue of “O” magazine, and sources speculate she’s butterin’ up Beyonce’s rappin’ man! (Ya THINK?)