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Walters' Affair With Married Senator Almost Ended Her Career
5 May 2008 (WENN)
U.S. broadcaster Barbara Walters has confessed to a passionate affair with a married senator during the 1970s - but she ended it after it almost destroyed her career. In her upcoming memoirs, Auditions, Walters admits to an affair with former Massachusetts Senator Edward Brooke following the breakdown of her two previous marriages. Walters claims Brooke, the first black member of the U.S. Senate since Reconstruction, was so in love with her he told his wife he wanted a divorce. But when his wife tried to reveal the affair to the National Enquirer, the couple ended the relationship. She writes, "I slowly began asking myself if we could ever be married. Would such a marriage destroy his career? Would it destroy mine?" The 78-year-old also writes about Star Jones' "lies" and Rosie O'Donnell's "diva-like" antics.

O'Donnell: "Let Me Take Britney's Place"
9 April 2008 (WENN)
Actress Rosie O'Donnell wants to take Britney Spears' place as the celebrity face of "mental illness" to relieve the pressure on the troubled star. The former talk show host believes both she and Spears may suffer from bipolar disorder - but insists she is better equipped to deal with the illness and the press intrusion. Speaking on Good Morning America on Tuesday, O'Donnell says, "I have been on anti-depressants since Columbine (1999 high school shooting). I sort of feel Britney has become the poster child (for mental illness). The kid is very young. She never had a childhood. She never rode a big wheel. Rather than put her face on mental illness, or Brooke Shields - who had postpartum depression - use me."

O'Donnell Denies She Is an Alcoholic
8 February 2008 (WENN)
American comedienne Rosie O'Donnell has denied rumors she is an alcoholic, insisting she chose to give up booze because she is desperate to lose weight. The TV star, 45, recently confessed her dieting secret to a fan on her online blog, prompting others to question the real reason behind her sobriety. The devotee queried: "So, Rosie, alcoholic or not? Just spit it out! ...What led to you stopping the beer? You'll only help someone else." And while O'Donnell admits she was consuming more booze than she would have liked, she is adamant she is simply doing it to improve her health, according to the New York Post's gossip column PageSix. She replied: "(I gave up alcohol) 'cause I was drinking too much, 'cause I didn't want to any more, 'cause it is hard to lose weight when drinking, 'cause I can never have only one."

Aiken's Tantrum Over Magazine's Personal Questions
14 January 2008 (WENN)
Singer Clay Aiken cut short an interview with a Newsweek magazine reporter after refusing to answer a series of personal questions. Journalist Ramin Setoodeh was quizzing the American Idol star on his upcoming Broadway debut in Monty Python's Spamalot when the reporter chose to ask Aiken about a series of recent controversies. These included a fight Aiken allegedly had with a woman on a plane and ongoing speculation about his sexuality, which culminated in a spat between TV hosts Rosie O'Donnell and Kelly Ripa. O'Donnell rushed to defend Aiken after Ripa appeared to attack the singer's rumored homosexuality when he was a co-host on her morning show. But Aiken took offence to Setoodeh's questions, repeating, "I'm not going to talk about it," or, "I'm not going to discuss it." He then turned on the reporter when he asked Aiken what he wanted to talk about, hissing, "We're done. I thought Newsweek would be more reputable. I'm surprised. This is Newsweek. It's not the National Enquirer." He added, "I'd hate to have a job where I had to be rude to people." When Setoodeh attempted to save the interview by asking Aiken what he did for fun, the angry singer replied, "I watch the news. I read news magazines, but I'm reconsidering that now."

O'Donnell New Face of Electronics Company?
18 December 2007 (WENN)
Rosie O'Donnell is in talks to become the official spokeswoman for a digital camera - after she used the product extensively in her online blogs. The 45-year-old comedienne - who was awarded the "best celebrity blogger" prize by the Blogger's Choice Awards last month - has used a Flip camera to capture videos of herself, her family and even a swimming excursion with dolphins in Miami, Florida. And now the makers of the high-tech gadget want to sign her up to endorse the product. A representative for the company tells New York gossip column PageSix, "She discovered Flip on her own and started blogging about it. We have started talking to her to see if there can be an official relationship. There was a talk two weeks ago and a talk last week. I don't know the status yet."

O'Donnell Loses Out on Talk Show Deal
9 November 2007 (WENN)
Comedienne Rosie O'Donnell has lost out on a deal to host a new talk show - because network MSNBC "panicked" when she let slip details of the program before negotiations had been finalized. O'Donnell was in talks to front a new primetime program for the American cable channel earlier this week (- but admits her excited comments at the prospect of taking on CNN's Larry King caused the deal to fall through. Writing on her website blog, she says, "we were close to a deal. almost done. i let it slip in miami, causing panic on the studio end. well, what can u do. 2day there is no deal... poof. my career as a pundit is over b4 it began." But according to Fox News, it was O'Donnell's reluctance to commit to further presenting duties which resulted in negotiations being called off. The U.S. news channel reports, "The network couldn't afford to make a deal for Rosie just based on a nighttime show. It would have to have been tied into something else on daytime. The problem with that? O'Donnell doesn't want to return to a grueling daytime schedule while her kids are in school." The chat show would have been O'Donnell's first since she left daytime talk show The View in May.

Rosie: "There Is No Deal"
8 November 2007 (StudioBriefing)
After several published reports suggested it was a done deal, talks between Rosie O'Donnell and MSNBC have broken off, with O'Donnell herself indicating that her prediction that she would soon be taking on Larry King was premature. On her blog Wednesday night, O'Donnell, who never uses the shift key or punctuation keys on her keyboard and whose postings have been likened to haiku, wrote: "we were close to a deal almost done i let it slip in miami causing panic on the studio end well what can u do 2day there is no deal poof my career as a pundit is over b4 it began just as well i figure." Today's (Thursday) Los Angeles Times, citing a person familiar with the discussions, said that O'Donnell had been demanding the kind of salary paid by broadcast networks, not cable news operations. And the New York Times, citing an unnamed NBC executive, said that O'Donnell had insisted on a one-year contract, while the network had demanded a two-year deal. Meanwhile, Tucker Carlson on Wednesday attempted to shoot down growing rumors that his show is about to be canceled. (One website said that Carlson had already been fired.) Contacted by Big Head DC, Carlson called the reports "complete and utter bulls**t."

MSNBC May Be Coming Up Rosie
6 November 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Rosie O'Donnell may be returning to television on the cable news network MSNBC going head-to-head against Larry King, the New York Times reported today (Tuesday). The newspaper, which cited unnamed executives on both sides of the negotiations, said that O'Donnell would likely replace Live with Dan Abrams in the 9:00 p.m. hour. The newspaper also observed that a podcast on lyingonthebeach.com described O'Donnell as saying that she would soon be competing against "the guy with the suspenders and the long, long face." The Times also indicated that Tucker Carlson, the one MSNBC talk-show host who is sympathetic to the Bush administration, is in danger of cancellation because of low ratings. Carlson himself seemed to acknowledge as much last Friday when he closed his show by remarking, "Thanks to all eight of you for watching."

O'Donnell To Take on King?
6 November 2007 (WENN)
Beloved U.S. TV personality Rosie O'Donnell is reportedly planning to take on CNN's Larry King - with a new chat show. O'Donnell is in talks to front a new primetime program for cable channel MSNBC, which will air at the same time as King's long-running show Larry King Live. It'll be O'Donnell's first show since she left daytime talk show The View in May.

O'Donnell Admits She Was Fired From Talk Show
9 October 2007 (WENN)
TV personality Rosie O'Donnell was fired from talk show The View - because she refused to follow the producers' orders. The outspoken star made the admission during a recent stage appearance on Roseanne Barr's Comix show in New York - contradicting The View's official line stating she left the show by mutual consent. But last Wednesday, O'Donnell attacked the show's creator and her former co-host, saying: "When I was fired by Barbara Walters..." O'Donnell also claimed she had been fired because she objected to being the mouthpiece for the program's producers, unlike her ex-colleagues Walters, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Joy Behar and Sherri Shepherd, according to the New York Daily News.

Goldberg Retires From Acting
4 October 2007 (WENN)
Comedienne Whoopi Goldberg has announced she is retiring from acting to concentrate on her broadcasting career. The Oscar-winning star, 52, who replaced Rosie O'Donnell on long-running daytime show The View last month, insists there's "no room" for her in Hollywood anymore - because there are younger, more glamorous actresses taking all the jobs. Goldberg, who has made more than 40 films in her career, winning an Oscar for her role in Ghost, claims she has no choice but to retire from movies - because she never gets sent scripts anymore. She tells talk show host Larry King, "You know, there's no room for the very talented Whoopi. There's no room right now in the marketplace of cinema."

O'Donnell Snubs Winfrey
19 September 2007 (WENN)
Rosie O'Donnell has turned down the chance to appear on Oprah Winfrey's show to promote her new autobiography. The actress-turned-U.S. TV personality, who is currently promoting her memoirs Celebrity Detox, will snub a slot on The Oprah Winfrey Show for an interview with ABC anchor Diane Sawyer. A source tells the New York Daily Post, "She's doing an interview with Diane Sawyer instead. Rosie has always been booked with Diane. We gracefully declined Oprah's offer. I'm sure Rosie will do Oprah's show another time."

'The View' Making Whoopi -- And Vice Versa
14 September 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Whoopi Goldberg's first week as a full-time panelist on ABC's The View captured an average of 3.5 million viewers, some 70,000 more than tuned in for Rosie O'Donnell's first week a year ago, according to Nielsen Research. It marked the biggest season-opening week of The View in its history. The show pulled even even more viewers at the beginning of this week for Sherri Shepherd's debut as co-host, posting 3.9 million viewers on Monday -- 800,000 more than the number who watched the second Monday of The View at the beginning of last season.

Trump Hits Back at "Liar" O'Donnell in New Book
11 September 2007 (WENN)
Tycoon Donald Trump has attacked Rosie O'Donnell in his new book Think Big And Kick Ass - calling the U.S. TV personality a "loser." The pair have been feuding since Trump's appearance on O'Donnell's former show The View earlier this year, which turned nasty. They have bickered in the media ever since - and the billionaire has turned to his literary effort, in a bid to have the last word. He tells the New York Post's gossip column PageSix, "I devote some time to Rosie in my book, as you know, she said I went bankrupt and ABC apologized. Rosie lies. I got angry because I never went bankrupt. I'm worth $8 billion today. She never said that. She writes false stuff... Rosie is a loser, a very sad case - unattractive both inside and out. I'll make a little wager my book sells a lot more than hers." But Trump isn't the only one committing his thoughts on the feud to print. In her new book Celebrity Detox, O'Donnell calls Trump "a torn scarecrow" and "a slug."

Whoopi Is Gold on 'The View'
6 September 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Overnight ratings indicated that 3.4 million people watched Whoopi Goldberg's controversial debut on The View on Tuesday. That compares with about 4.4 million who watched Rosie O'Donnell's debut on the ABC talk show a year ago. During the show, Goldberg appeared to defend NFL star Michael Vick, saying that his involvement in dog fighting reflected the culture in which he was raised. Meanwhile, rumors spread throughout the news media on Wednesday that Sherri Shepherd will be named a permanent new cast member of The View on Monday.

Trump Denies Offering O'Donnell a Place on 'The Apprentice'
7 August 2007 (WENN)
Donald Trump has hit out at reports he offered TV rival Rosie O'Donnell a spot on his show The Apprentice. The pair have been feuding since Trump appeared on O'Donnell's former show The View - but it was recently claimed Trump had offered O'Donnell the chance to appear on his show, in a bid to mend their friendship. But the billionaire maintains the offer was never made - although he would love to have the chance to "fire her fat a**." He says, "No, I never offered Rosie a chance to be on The Apprentice. It's a good idea. Because I would fire her fat a**. She would definitely not last more than one show . . . I would love to fire Rosie, but I don't want her on the show. Everybody has been calling me and driving me crazy because they want to be on the show. We'll be announcing who we've chosen maybe over the next three or four weeks."

Whoopi Replaces Rosie
2 August 2007 (StudioBriefing)
The announcement Wednesday that Whoopi Goldberg had been selected to replace Rosie O'Donnell on ABC's The View received prompt approval from O'Donnell herself. In a statement, O'Donnell said Tuesday, "Whoopi is fantastic in every way. She's perfect for the job. She's amazing and one of my favorites." In an interview with today's (Thursday) New York Times, Goldberg said that she did not expect to engage in the kind of on-camera feuds that punctuated O'Donnell's tenure on the show. "We can have those discussions, and do it in a way people can talk," she said. "Sometimes you get excited, but you move on. You move it forward. You go on to the next thing. You don't harbor any ill will. ... I don't think it's necessary to fight with people over long periods of time. Life is way short."

Goldberg Gets a New 'View'
2 August 2007 (WENN)
Ghost actress Whoopi Goldberg has been confirmed as the new co-host of popular U.S. magazine show The View. The comedienne/actress-turned-radio presenter has been hired to replace outspoken Rosie O'Donnell on the morning show, where a panel of women discuss the latest topics and interview celebrities. Academy Award winner Goldberg has made a series of guest appearances on the show during its 10 year run, and producers insist she was always a top choice. O'Donnell quit the show at the beginning of the summer following a series of fights with co-hosts and producers.

Whoopi Not Seeing 'The View' -- Yet
27 July 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Despite widespread Internet rumors that Whoopi Goldberg has been signed to replace Rosie O'Donnell as a permanent host of ABC's The View, ABC Daytime President Brian Frons told Daily Variety Thursday, "We have no closed deal." (The trade publication, however, said that the network was in "final negotiations" with Goldberg's representatives.) An ABC spokesperson was quoted by the FishbowlNY blog as saying, "We adore Whoopi and enjoy having her as a guest host on the show, but no decisions have been made."

'Simpsons Movie' Marketing Paying Off
26 July 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Twentieth Century Fox's elaborate marketing campaign for its forthcoming The Simpsons Movie appears to be achieving the desired impact. Hitwise, a research firm that tracks Internet usage, said Wednesday that the Simpsons website was the second-most-visited broadcast TV website for the week ended July 21, accounting for 8.23 percent of the traffic. (No. 1 was NBC's America's Got Talent with 12.52 percent of the traffic.) Furthermore, today's (Thursday) Los Angeles Times reported that 7-Eleven stores that were converted into Kwik-E-Marts for the month have been doing land-office business. Swarn Sahni, who owns the 7-Eleven franchise in Burbank, CA that now displays the Kwik-E-Mart signage, told the newspaper, "The Simpsons fans are spending money like crazy. ... I usually sell 800 hot dogs a week. Now I'm selling about 3,000 a week." He also said that the store had sold 57,510 "Sprinklicious" doughnuts since the campaign began. Moreover, an appearance by the Simpsons characters on the Tonight show Wednesday created a stir as Homer led off by asserting that NBC stands for Never Been Crappier and that owner GE "fill the air with more dangerous hydrocarbon emissions than Rosie O'Donnell." Meanwhile, a website set up by promotional partner Burger King in which users can turn themselves into Simpsons-like characters has drawn so many web surfers that the company is reportedly having to deal with a backlash from angered customers who have been unable to access it.

O'Donnell: CBS Didn't Want Her
12 July 2007 (StudioBriefing)
After originally indicating that she had turned down an offer to host The Price Is Right because she didn't want to move to the West Coast, Rosie O'Donnell said on her blog Wednesday that CBS simply didn't want her on the show. "They thought I was too controversial," O'Donnell wrote, adding that network execs thought "I just wanted to 'gay it up.'" She said she had suggested that the show include Broadway hunks, confetti, musical bumpers and a set makeover.

Trump Says No to 'The View'
11 July 2007 (WENN)
Businesswoman-turned-reality TV star Ivanka Trump has turned down the chance to replace her father's chief foe, Rosie O'Donnell, on magazine show The View. The property tycoon and O'Donnell fell out at the beginning of 2007 when she publicly criticized his decision to give alcoholic Miss U.S.A. Tara Conner a second chance. The pair's war of words helped boost The View's ratings, and now show creator Barbara Walters is hoping to recreate the program's success by inviting Trump's sexy daughter to join the regular hosts. But, speaking on Los Angeles DJ Ryan Seacrest's morning show on Tuesday, Ivanka said, "There's zero chance I would do that. I'm working on the sexiest projects around the world, so, to me, to be on a television show every single day... just wouldn't work in terms of my schedule." But Trump confirmed she had been approached as a possible replacement for O'Donnell: "I've gotten a lot of requests - let's just leave it at that."

Price May Have Been Right for Rosie; L.A. Wasn't
25 June 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Rosie O'Donnell has turned down an offer from The Price Is Right producers to host the show, according to FoxNews.com's Roger Friedman. Friedman reported today (Monday) that O'Donnell met with producers of the CBS game show on Thursday but refused to travel to Los Angeles, insisting that it be brought to New York or Miami, where she lives. "The location of the show -- Los Angeles -- was the deal-breaker," Friedman wrote. Separately, he added, ratings for The View have declined 13 percent since O'Donnell left. "Losing O'Donnell was an unmitigated disaster" for the network, he commented.

Rosie May Replace Barker on 'Price Is Right'
19 June 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Rosie O'Donnell has confirmed on her blog Monday that she will meet with producers of The Price Is Right about the possibility of replacing retiring host Bob Barker as the next host of the game show. Barker had disclosed that O'Donnell was being considered for the job when he met with reporters following Friday night's Daytime Emmy Awards. "There's no doubt in my mind she could do the show," he said. "She told me she loved The Price Is Right and wanted to host it one day."

Ellen Steals the Show at Daytime Emmys
18 June 2007 (WENN)
Ellen DeGeneres stole the show at Friday night's Daytime Emmys, winning the Best Talk Show Host award for the third year running. After picking up her first prize - the comedienne's show also won the Best Talk Show award - DeGeneres praised presenter Rosie O'Donnell, who quit talk show The View after a fight with co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck. She said, "I liked what she did. This was the year she should have won. I wanted to acknowledge Rosie because she has done a lot." Other winners included the newly-retired Bob Barker for Best Game Show Host. The Best Soap Award was split between two nominees for the first time ever - after judges couldn't decide a winner from Guiding Light and The Young And The Restless. The Best Performer in a Children's Series category was also split - between Sesame Street's Oscar the Grouch and Elmo, played by Carroll Spinney and Kevin Clash. Friday's ceremony took place at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre - the home of the Academy Awards.

Ratings Remain High for 'The View' After Rosie Quits
11 June 2007 (StudioBriefing)
The departure of Rosie O'Donnell from The View did not result in plummeting ratings, according to figures released over the weekend. In fact, ratings for the week following her much-publicized spat with Elisabeth Hasselbeck were up 12 percent from the previous week when the blow-up actually occurred and 16 percent over the comparable week last year. Meanwhile, it was reported that Barbara Walters had landed an exclusive telephone interview with Paris Hilton in jail and would provide details today (Monday) on Good Morning America and later on The View. The interview was reportedly not recorded.

O'Donnell: "My Feud Was Fabricated"
5 June 2007 (WENN)
TV host Rosie O'Donnell has branded the on-air feud that caused her to quit talk show The View a "publicity stunt." The star's war of words with fellow presenter Elisabeth Hasselbeck over differing political views last month led to O'Donnell leaving the show - but she now insists the dramatic row was purposely incited, according to the New York Daily News. Speaking at the launch for her new book Celebrity Detox, she told the audience her publicist "orchestrated that whole publicity thing just to get more attention for the book ... brazenly calling up the other hosts, telling them to incite me." O'Donnell had already chosen to leave the series when her year-long contract expired this month, but left The View three weeks early, on May 25.

No Rosie 'View'
30 May 2007 (StudioBriefing)
New installments of The View returned to the air Tuesday after a holiday hiatus of reruns, but Rosie O'Donnell did not. Barbara Walters, the show's producer, who was absent last week during the angry exchange between O'Donnell and co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck, told viewers: "I think the Iraq war brings out a lot of very hot feelings, and we had our own hot feelings." She went on to say that her own feelings about O'Donnell had not changed. "My admiration for her and my affection for her -- Rosie, if you're watching -- nothing will change that." For her part, Hasselbeck said that she had been "in communication" with O'Donnell. "And I think this weekend gave us the opportunity to tackle our most important hot topic yet, and that was the power of forgiveness, and I believe we've begun that process."

For Rosie, 'The View' Is Dim
28 May 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Rosie O'Donnell will not be returning to The View. ABC said on Friday that it had received a message from O'Donnell asking to be let out of her contract one month before it expires and that it had agreed to do so. Her request follows an explosive confrontation with the show's co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck during which each woman described the other as "cowardly." On Saturday, O'Donnell posted a message on her personal blog saying that she had always felt like "the foster kid" on The View. "I came and we considered adoption, but I really didn't fit into the family, and then it was time for the foster kid to go back home," she wrote. As for Hasselbeck, she said, "I never tried harder to be friends with someone than I did with her from the get go, but I don't think we ended up there, anywhere close." She disclosed that Hasselbeck had phoned and spoken to her partner, Kelli Carpenter. But, she said, "I haven't spoken to her, and I probably won't, and I think it's just as well." In a statement, The View producer, Barbara Walters, said, "Rosie contributed to one of our most exciting and successful years at The View. I am most appreciative. Our close and affectionate relationship will not change." But Donald Trump, who had feuded with O'Donnell earlier in the year, said on MSNBC, "A great service was done by getting her off the airwaves. ... She's a disaster."

O'Donnell Quits 'The View'
28 May 2007 (WENN)
Actress-turned-U.S. TV personality Rosie O'Donnell has quit her job as a host of The View after a vicious war of words with a fellow presenter hit the headlines earlier this week. The A League of Their Own star clashed with co-host Elizabeth Hasselbeck on Wednesday's program after the pair fell out over their political views, and she has not returned to the daytime show since. She appeared on a show that aired yesterday, but that was taped on Tuesday. In a posting on her blog after the on-air fight, she told fans she didn't know when she'd be back, but now the show's producers have confirmed O'Donnell has quit. On her blog late yesterday, O'Donnell said, "I have said all I needed," and posted a scrapbook tribute to her The View co-hosts as a touching swansong video. The outspoken TV star had already chosen to depart the talk show when her year-long contract expires next month, but has now decided to leave The View early. Network President Brian Frons at ABC revealed yesterday, "We had hoped that Rosie would be with us until the end of her contract three weeks from now, but Rosie has informed us that she would like an early leave. "Therefore, we part ways, thank her for her tremendous contribution to The View and wish her well." O'Donnell, who sent ratings for the daytime show soaring with outspoken attacks on Donald Trump and American Idol, says, "It's been an amazing year and I love all three women (on the show)."

Barbara Returns, But Will Rosie?
25 May 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Barbara Walters, who created and co-produces ABC's The View, returned to the show Thursday and said she intends to secure "peace in the kingdom" between co-hosts Rosie O'Donnell and Elisabeth Hasselbeck. Walters insisted that the angry exchange between the two that occurred on Wednesday was not contrived as a ratings ploy and that reports to the contrary were "just absurd." O'Donnell did not appear on Thursday's show; she had previously indicated that she would take the day off to celebrate her partner Kelli Carpenter's birthday. The Friday and Monday shows were taped in order to give the cast and staff a long Memorial Day weekend. Walters said the extra time would give everyone time to cool off. But it was not at all certain that O'Donnell will be returning to the show on Tuesday. (She is due to leave on June 21, the expiration of her contract.) On her personal blog, she told a viewer that she had "no idea" whether she would return. Meanwhile, O'Donnell found a surprise supporter in her feud with Hasselbeck. On the syndicated TV show Extra, Donald Trump, who engaged in a fierce debate with O'Donnell earlier in the year, said that Hasselbeck was "one of the dumber people on television" and pronounced Rosie the winner of the feud. Finally, the New York Post reported that O'Donnell's chief writer, Janette Barber, had been caught drawing moustaches on photographs of Hasselbeck in The View studios and was escorted from the building.

Rosie's Last 'View'?
24 May 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Rosie O'Donnell appeared to suggest on her website today that she may depart The View quickly. After a fierce on-air argument with co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck, O'Donnell wrote in her all-lower-case, free-verse style, "it may be time / to be done / endings r hard 4 all / emotions r high / talking is tough." She emphasized, "i am glad 2 b out." She had originally said that she would be leaving the show when her contract expires on June 21. She said she will not be appearing on today's (Thursday) program because it is her partner Kelli Carpenter's 40th birthday. On the program, O'Donnell appeared incensed that Hasselbeck had failed to come to her defense against conservative critics who accused her of calling U.S. troops terrorists. (She had compared U.S. action in Iraq to Islamic terrorist attacks, rhetorically asking, "Who are the real terrorists in Iraq.") "I have told you that I support the troops," O'Donnell said. "I asked you if you believed what the Republican pundits were saying. You said nothing, and that's cowardly." Hasselbeck fired back: "I'll tell you what's cowardly -- asking a rhetorical question that you never answer yourself. That is cowardly."

O'Donnell: "I Used To Drink and Drive"
9 May 2007 (WENN)
Actress Rosie O'Donnell can empathize with Paris Hilton because she used to drink and drive. The Sleepless In Seattle star, 45, yesterday admitted she sometimes drove under the influence in her younger years - although there is no excuse for doing so. Talking on TV show The View, O'Donnell said, "Many people drive drunk. If you asked people in this audience how many have ever driven when they've had too much to drink, nearly everybody would raise their hand. It doesn't make it the right thing to do, and hopefully as you get to be an adult... I remember being 21 years old coming home from gigs, totally not in any capacity to drive. Thanks God I didn't kill anyone or anyone else."

Rosie Rising for CBS?
8 May 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Rosie O'Donnell's agent is in talks with more than a dozen interested TV production companies, seeking $40 million a year for a talk show in which O'Donnell would be paired with a single guest host each week, Broadcasting & Cable reported Monday. The trade publication observed that CBS and NBC are the most likely outlets for such a show. CBS, it noted, might package a deal with regular appearances by O'Donnell on its The Early Show, a perennial also-ran among the morning talkers. Any significant rise in the ratings for that program could offset the high cost of launching a talk show with the controversial O'Donnell, B&C remarked.

Rosie Was Offered $10 Million Per Year To Stay, Says Report
27 April 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Rosie O'Donnell had sought $10 million to continue on The View for another year, but ABC had insisted on a three-year deal or nothing, according to a FoxNews.com report Thursday. The report said that ABC would have been willing to pay O'Donnell $10 million for each of the three years but that she wanted the opportunity to leave in case of another serious disagreement with producer/panelist Barbara Walters like the one that occurred at the beginning of the year over Donald Trump's remarks about her.

Trump Says He Got Rosie Fired
26 April 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Donald Trump maintained Wednesday that Rosie O'Donnell was not departing The View on her own volition but had in fact been fired by ABC. "I'm proud to say I probably had a part in it," Trump, who earlier in the year had engaged in a long-running war of words with O'Donnell, said. ABC quickly issued a denial But Robert Thompson, director of Syracuse University's Center for the Study of Popular Television, suggested there may have been some measure of truth in Trump's assertions, noting that while O'Donnell may have succeeded in boosting The View's ratings by 17 percent this season, she was probably being viewed warily by advertisers. In the post-Don Imus era, Thompson told the Philadelphia Inquirer, advertisers are "looking for potential time bombs. It gets to the point where they question whether somebody is worth the trouble. Rosie constantly went over the line." The Catholic League's William Donohue welcomed O'Donnell's departure, telling the New York Times, "She's offended a lot of people. ... She's a train wreck."

O'Donnell To Leave 'The View'
26 April 2007 (WENN)
Outspoken television personality Rosie O'Donnell will leave the American daily talk show, The View in June after failing to agree on a contract with ABC. O'Donnell has constantly made front page headlines with her opinions since her introduction last year on the popular show. The 45-year-old former actress says, "My needs for the future just didn't dovetail with what ABC was able to offer me. This has been an amazing experience and one I wouldn't have traded for the world." The talk show, founded by seasoned journalist Barbara Walters, experienced a massive ratings boost when O'Donnell joined the cast of women who discuss current events and interview celebrities in front of millions of viewers. In response to the announcement, Walters, who is thought to have constantly dealt with the consequences of O'Donnell's risque statements, said, "I wanted Rosie to come back to television on The View even for just one year, She has given the program new vigor, new excitement and wonderful hours of television. I can only be grateful to her for this year."

Rosie To Leave 'The View'
25 April 2007 (StudioBriefing)
ABC said today (Wednesday) that Rosie O'Donnell, the controversial co-host of its afternoon talk show The View, will leave the show in mid-June. The network said that it had been unable to negotiate a new contract with O'Donnell. O'Donnell said that she had been willing to commit to another year on the show but that ABC had wanted her to sign for an additional three years. "It just didn't work," she said on the air, "and that's show biz. But it's not sad because I loved it here and I love you guys and I'm not going away." She said she would return for occasional specials. Barbara Walters, who produces The View, commented, "We have had, to say the least, an interesting year [with Rosie]." She insisted that she did not participate in the decision-making process. "This is not my doing or my choice," she said.

Madonna and Kidman Set for 'Nip/Tuck'?
12 March 2007 (WENN)
Madonna may be set to join the cast of hit plastic surgery drama Nip/Tuck after confessing she's a big fan of the show. Creator Ryan Murphy reveals he's currently writing a part for the pop superstar. Murphy would like Madonna to play opposite pal and A League Of Their Own co-star Rosie O'Donnell, who has become a regular on the show after hitting the headlines for a sex scene she filmed with Nip/Tuck star Julian McMahon last season. Murphy says, "I'm going to write something for Madonna, who is a fan of the show and I would love for her to do something with Rosie." Madonna isn't be the only big name being considered for upcoming episodes - Nicole Kidman has already signed on for a cameo and McMahon explains his Premonition co-star Sandra Bullock is also interested in a role. He adds, "Sandy said she wanted to come on last year and she didn't. She wants to come on the last episode and she wants to get her whole body done, or something."

O'Donnell Questioned Smith's Health Hours Before She Died
12 February 2007 (WENN)
TV host Rosie O'Donnell raised fears about Anna Nicole Smith's health live on air Thursday, just hours before the former Playboy Playmate collapsed and died in a Florida hotel room. Speaking on TV show The View, O'Donnell alleged that Smith was dabbling in drugs and was clearly struggling with the heartbreak of losing her son Daniel last year. She said, "If I have to see Anna Nicole Smith on television one more time... She can hardly speak now. It's a tragedy all around. Her son died. She has this little baby. Obviously some kind of medication or substance involved." Smith was found unconscious in her hotel room at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Thursday afternoon. According to hotel officials, Smith was "unresponsive" and emergency crews performed Cpr at the scene and a breathing apparatus was inserted in her throat. Paramedics were seen pumping her chest as she was taken from the hotel and transported to Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood. She died at 2:49 pm EST. Smith was 39 years old and is survived by her baby daughter Dannielynn.

Cowell Defends "Cruelty" Allegations
23 January 2007 (WENN)
Acid-tongued American Idol judge Simon Cowell has defended mocking a contestant for his "bush baby" looks, saying "if you don't want to hear that, don't show up". The hit TV talent show has been heavily criticized since the first episode of the new season was screened on Tuesday, with Entertainment Weekly critic Michael Slezak claiming, "The American Idol auditions in Seattle sometimes crossed the line into outright cruelty." Chat show host Rosie O'Donnell has slammed the show's tendency to "make fun of someone's physical appearance and then when they leave the room laugh hysterically," after Cowell also called a tall contestant a "giraffe" and asked an overweight hopeful if he'd borrowed the pants of chubby fellow judge Randy Jackson. But Cowell is adamant contestants know what they're letting themselves in for and shouldn't take the "off-the-cuff remarks" too seriously. He adds, "If he's offended, then I apologize. I might never call anyone a bush baby again."

Rosie In New Feud -- This Time with 'Idol' Judges
22 January 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Rosie O'Donnell has taken aim at a new target -- two of the judges on American Idol. Setting aside her feud with Donald Trump, O'Donnell expressed outrage over judge Simon Cowell's remark to one audition contestant on the talent show's premiere. On Tuesday night, Cowell told the contestant, Kenneth Briggs, "You look a little odd. The dancing is terrible. The singing was horrendous and you look like one of those creatures that live in the jungle with those massive eyes. What do they call them? 'Bush babies.'" On The View Friday, O'Donnell laid into Cowell. "I don't think America likes to watch people be ridiculed, made fun of, and called ugly monkeys," O'Donnell said. Such remarks, she said, were utterly unacceptable. "Isn't that what America thinks is entertainment? To make fun of someone's physical appearance and then when they leave the room laugh hysterically at them? Three millionaires, one probably intoxicated." The final zinger was aimed at judge Paula Abdul, whose odd behavior of late has provided fodder for numerous gossip columnists and websites. On Saturday, Fox Entertainment President Peter Liguori defended Cowell, saying that contestants on the show "know what to expect. They have to appreciate the spirit in which that commentary is given." He denied that Cowell was growing more caustic in his comments. "This season has just been a continuation of what has been a very successful formula," he said. He also defended Abdul, saying that she may be showing stress after putting in long hours promoting the show. At the TV critics press tour in Pasadena, Abdul herself maintained, "I've never been drunk. I'm not under the influence of anything." And Cowell commented, "If [Briggs is] offended, then I apologize. I might never call anyone a bush baby again." He then quickly added, "If you don't want to hear that, don't show up [for the auditions]."

Walters Backs Rosie, Calls Trump "Pathetic"
11 January 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Barbara Walters, who had attempted to remain above the fray in the Donald Trump-Rosie O'Donnell donnybrook, came out firmly on Rosie's side Wednesday. After Rosie read Trump's latest missive in which he claimed that Walters had told him that working with Rosie was like "living in hell," Walters remarked, "That poor, pathetic man." The remark touched off cheers from her audience and high-fives from Rosie. (Walters had selected Trump as one her "10 Most Fascinating People of 2006.") In a statement sent to the syndicated TV show The Insider, Trump shot back, "They didn't even have the courage to mention me by name. It was sad to see Barbara read her statement off a cue card. Rosie just pushed her out like a ... puppet." Later, he told the New York Times, "Barbara is a sad case. This has revealed the real Barbara," then added without explanation, "I know a lot about Barbara."

Now It's Geraldo And Olbermann Tossing Brickbats
10 January 2007 (StudioBriefing)
On the heels of the name-calling donnybrook involving Donald Trump and Rosie O'Donnell comes a new one involving Geraldo Rivera of Fox News and Keith Olbermann of MSNBC. It began two weeks ago when Rivera, interviewed on a New York radio talk show, blamed Olbermann for exaggerating the 2003 controversy over his report from Iraq in which he drew a diagram in the sand that allegedly revealed U.S. troop positions. Among other epithets, Rivera called Olbermann a "midget," "punk," and a "slimeball." He then challenged him to a fight saying, "I would make a pizza out of him." Olbermann responded Tuesday, taking special exception to the first epithet. "I'm nearly 6'4", Geraldo more than a half a foot shorter," he told the TVNewser website. On his own show, Olbermann commented, ""Geraldo, you should not give me a hard time. I can still remember when you were a big deal -- back when I was a kid."

Rosie: "It's Not Me, It's Him"
9 January 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Rosie O'Donnell, who has seen ratings for The View, on which she appears, soar during her public feud with Donald Trump while Trump's The Apprentice ratings have tanked, insisted Monday that Trump was "obsessed" with her. O'Donnell responded to Trump's latest tirades against her by remarking on Monday's show, "Boy, did I hit a nerve with that guy." When Barbara Walters, who produces the show and is friendly with Trump, remarked that she hoped "we could rise above it," O'Donnell interjected, "It's not me, it's him. ... He's doing every show in America [talking about me]."

Trump's Daughter Weighs In Against O'Donnell
8 January 2007 (WENN)
Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka has joined his war with Rosie O'Donnell, branding the comedienne "a bully." O'Donnell upset Trump, the owner of the Miss USA pageant, last month when she ridiculed him on her magazine talk show The View for giving hard-partying, alcohol-abusing beauty queen Tara Conner a chance to redeem herself during a much-publicized press conference. She accused him of bankruptcy and called him a "snake-oil salesman." Trump hit back calling O'Donnell "a crude, arrogant, pushy, disgusting slob," and now Ivanka - the 25-year-old vice president of real estate development at her father's Trump Organization - has weighed in. Ivanka says, "I think it was unfair, it was uncalled for and, quite frankly, there was no reason for it. As my father said, she, too, has had a lot of second chances. You know, there's nothing surprising about the fact that my dad's gonna come back with a vengeance anytime anyone says anything negative against him."

Trump Steps Up War of Words with O'Donnell
22 December 2006 (WENN)
Real estate mogul Donald Trump has stepped up his war of words with Rosie O'Donnell after she made unflattering statements about him on US chat show The View on Wednesday morning. Co-host O'Donnell called Trump a "snake-oil salesman" following his announcement that he would not fire troubled Miss USA Tara Conner. She then went on to talk about alleged extra-marital affairs and discussed Trump's finances, claiming that he went bankrupt - a charge he denies. Trump fired back, telling American publication People that O'Donnell is "a woman out of control" and insisting he would be suing her over her statement questioning his financial well-being. And he appeared on Good Day LA yesterday to fire yet more barbs at O'Donnell. He said, "I think she's very attracted to Miss USA so she probably wanted to put the crown on her head herself... She is a very, very unattractive woman who really is a bully... Rosie is a loser, and ultimately (The View) will fail because of Rosie. Barbara Walters made a mistake and let me tell you something, Barbara's a good friend of mine. She cannot stand Rosie O'Donnell."

Trump Threatens To Sue O'Donnell
21 December 2006 (WENN)
Real estate mogul Donald Trump is threatening to sue Rosie O'Donnell after she made unflattering statements about him on The View yesterday morning. Co-host O'Donnell called Trump a "snake-oil salesman" following his announcement that he would not fire troubled Miss USA Tara Conner. She then went on to talk about alleged extra-marital affairs and discussed Trump's finances, claiming that he went bankrupt - a charge he denies. Trump fires back, telling American publication People that O'Donnell is "a woman out of control" and insisting he would be suing her over her statement questioning his financial well-being. He says, "You can't make false statements. Rosie will rue the words she said. I'll most likely sue her for making those false statements - and it'll be fun. Rosie's a loser. A real loser. I look forward to taking lots of money from my nice fat little Rosie." O'Donnell seemed to realize she was in for a fight after she criticized Trump on the show. She said, "Here comes the lawsuit. Get ready. This is going to be good." Yesterday afternoon The View executive producers Bill Geddie and Barbara Walters issued a statement in support of O'Donnell - and Trump. The statement reads: "Both Rosie and Donald are high-spirited, opinionated people. Donald has been a friend of The View for many years and Rosie, of course, is our enormously popular moderator. We cherish them both and hope the new year brings calm and peace."

O'Donnell Slammed for "Racist" Comments
18 December 2006 (WENN)
Comedienne Rosie O'Donnell has come under fire for offending the Chinese community on her US talk show. The actress-turned-TV host has been criticized by ethnic groups for using the phrase "ching chong" to represent the Chinese language on The View earlier this month. But 44-year-old O'Donnell says she was unaware the remark was racist and offensive to Chinese people. She says, "To say 'ching chong' to someone is very offensive, and some Asian people have told me it's as bad as the n-word. Which I was like, 'Really? I didn't know that.' I'm sorry for those people who felt hurt or were teased on the playground. But I'm also gonna give you a fair warning that there's a good chance I'll do something like that again, probably in the next week, not on purpose. Only 'cause it's how my brain works." However, Unity:Journalists of Color, which represents ethnic groups in the media, says O'Donnell's remarks "really didn't sound like an apology," and are calling for The View producers to publicly condemn the host's comments.

O'Donnell Slams Leaving 'View' Rumors
11 December 2006 (WENN)
Comedienne Rosie O'Donnell has slammed rumors she wants to leave talk show The View, after revealing she wants to work on plastic surgery drama Nip/Tuck. The A League Of Their Own actress joined co-presenters Barbara Walters, Joy Behar, and Elisabeth Hasselbeck on the all-female chat show three months ago, where the women discuss the day's most exciting events. And while the star would like to branch out into other projects, she has no immediate plans to leave the popular program. O'Donnell says, "Don't anybody worry where Rosie's going. She's right here."

Ratings Look Rosie for 'The View'
8 December 2006 (StudioBriefing)
In its first sweeps period since Rosie O'Donnell joined The View last September, the program recorded average ratings that were 27 percent above those for a year ago among women 18-49, Neilsen Research reported on Thursday. Among overall viewers, they were up 15 percent. Meanwhile, O'Donnell herself attempted to shoot down recent press reports that she intends to leave the program. "Don't anybody worry where Rosie's going," she said on the program Thursday. "She's right here." A day earlier, New York Daily News columnist George Rush quoted a "well-placed source" as saying, "Rosie could be gone within six months. ... She's grown tired of the daily dramas with her co-hosts and the crew. She wants to spend more time with her family."

Walters: "DeVito Is Welcome Back"
1 December 2006 (WENN)
Barbara Walters insists Danny DeVito is welcome back on her show The View, even though he appeared to be drunk during an interview on Wednesday. The star was promoting his new movie Deck The Halls on the show, and admitted he was still tipsy after a night of partying with pal George Clooney. Walters seemed far from impressed by the actor's behavior, but has quickly forgiven him after he apologized personally to her. Speaking on the show yesterday morning, Walters said, "We love him, we'll have him on again." Walters found a message from DeVito in her office after the show. She says, "I called him back on his cell phone and he had already left on a plane, but he said he was not going to say anything until he had talked to me." The 62-year-old star appeared on the live show slurring his words and ranting against President George W. Bush. He ended his appearance by sitting on co-host Rosie O'Donnell's lap. O'Donnell laughed off DeVito's disheveled appearance this morning, adding, "Danny DeVito is not an alcoholic. He's just a guy who had too many drinks with his friends. He had a wonderful night out, and he was a little drunk."

DeVito Drunk During Interview?
30 November 2006 (WENN)
Danny DeVito appeared on TV show The View yesterday morning still tipsy after a night of heavy partying with pal George Clooney. The star was promoting his new movie Deck The Halls on the show, and admitted he hadn't been to bed the night before. DeVito then cursed his seventh limoncello (a lemon liqueur) from the previous evening and launched into a boozy rant against President George W. Bush, much of which was bleeped out by network censors. The former Taxi star also revealed he and his wife Rhea Perlman made sure to "utilize every surface available" in the famous Lincoln Bedroom when they stayed at The White House as overnight guests of former President Bill Clinton. The show's co-hosts Rosie O'Donnell and Joy Behar seemed to be amused by DeVito's antics, while Elisabeth Hasselbeck, a staunch Republican, tried gamely to switch the conversation to non-political topics, but failed as DeVito continued on his political tirade. The show's creator, veteran newswoman Barbara Walters, appeared visibly uncomfortable as the interview progressed. DeVito's representative, Stan Rosenfield, tells entertainment website Tmz.com his client has requested Walters' phone number and that he would say "what needed to be said privately" to her.

Barbara Walters Might Have Interviewed O.J., Says Report
22 November 2006 (StudioBriefing)
Despite her previous assertions that she had turned down an interview with O.J. Simpson about his book If I Did It, Barbara Walters had in fact expressed interest in conducting the interview but was overridden by ABC News, the New York Observer reported today (Wednesday), citing sources, three of whom work at the network. The book's publisher, Judith Regan, then suggested that the interview be handled through the network's entertainment division, instead of ABC News, so that it could get on the air before the book was published at the end of this month. However, said the Observer, the unit would not commit to airing it before the interview was actually completed. Walters, however, already had another special, "30 Mistakes in 30 Years," set to air on the network and was working on integrating Rosie O'Donnell into The View and finding a replacement for Star Jones on that program. After 10 days, she decided to pass on the interview, according to the weekly. At that point, it said, Regan took the project to Fox, proposing that she conduct the interview herself. Top Fox executives participated in the negotiations, and News Corp chief Rupert Murdoch was kept fully informed, but Fox News chief Roger Ailes was not informed until hours before the announcement went out, the Observer article claims, and allowed his top talent, including Bill O'Reilly and Geraldo Rivera to condemn the broadcast -- and O'Reilly to propose a boycott of advertisers on the program. On Monday, Murdoch ordered that the interview and the publication of the book be canceled. As yet there has been no indication whether the $3.5 million that the publisher had reportedly agreed to pay for it would in fact be paid.

O'Donnell Confirms 'Nip/Tuck' Spin-Off Series
18 October 2006 (WENN)
Actress and talk show host Rosie O'Donnell has confirmed she will star in a Nip/Tuck spin-off show. The A League Of Their Own star made a guest appearance on the show as a lottery winner who sleeps with her plastic surgeon. And the character proved to be such a hit with fans, producers approached her about starring in her own show. In the "Ask Ro" section of her internet blog, she is asked the question, "Is it true ur in talks for a spinoff series starring as Dawn Budge?" O'Donnell posted the message, "Talks r over. I said yes." The new series will reportedly be shot in New York City, so O'Donnell can also continue her hosting duties on US chat show The View.

McMahon Surprises O'Donnell on 'The View'
17 October 2006 (WENN)
Nip/Tuck star Julian McMahon shocked The View co-host Rosie O'Donnell this morning by appearing on the US chat show with the zebra skin rug the two shot a love scene on and preceded to recreate the scene. O'Donnell made a guest appearance on Nip/Tuck when it was screened last Tuesday, and appeared as a lottery winner who paid McMahon's character to have sex with her for $100,000. McMahon unfurled the rug and jumped on top of O'Donnell after she sprawled out on the carpet, to the delight of the studio audience. Co-host Joy Behar also had a turn on the rug with McMahon after musing that she was missing out on all the fun. O'Donnell's character Dawn Budge was such a hit on the show producers are considering giving her her own spin-off show. She will appear again on the plastic surgery drama for another guest appearance in Tuesday's episode.

Maher Finally Gets His Free Speech
28 September 2006 (StudioBriefing)
Bill Maher finally got to make the remarks on religion that he claims he was barred from making on the CBS Evening News as part of its "Free Speech" segment two weeks ago. He made them Wednesday night on Bill O'Reilly's Fox News telecast. Maher prefaced his remarks by saying, "Look, I think they should drop the segment, because it was billboarded as free speech. ... But it's a little disappointing when they say we're going to have free speech and then every night it's the most agreed upon speech you could ever imagine. Last night they had someone who took the stand and said it was good to have football back in New Orleans." O'Reilly then responded, "That's the way they run the network news operations." Taking O'Reilly up on his invitation to speak about religion, Maher described it as "a mass psychosis" and argued that the U.S. cannot succeed in Iraq "because there are two religious sects who are basically at each other's throats." Maher went on to say that he disagreed with Rosie O'Donnell's equating Christian fundamentalists with fanatical Muslims because "nobody takes [preachers like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson] ... that seriously here. In Saudi Arabia, they speak out against homosexuals and then chop off their heads."

O'Donnell Flashed McMahon During Sex Scene
22 September 2006 (WENN)
Rosie O'Donnell shocked co-star Julian McMahon when she bared her breasts during a love scene when her shirt kept getting in the shot. The outspoken gay talk show host guest starred on McMahon's TV series Nip/Tuck as a lottery winner who ends up bedding her plastic surgeon. She tells US news show Access Hollywood that the director tried to shoot around a tube-top they made her wear, but had to keep yelling "cut" because a bit of the top could be seen in the shot. O'Donnell immediately pulled the shirt down to her waist, shocking her co-star. McMahon, who plays sexy surgeon Christian Troy on the show, looked down and told her "nice boobs." O'Donnell is a huge fan of the series and insists she would "love to do that show again and again and again."

Vieira Attracts Big Numbers to 'Today'
15 September 2006 (StudioBriefing)
Ratings for NBC's Today show shot up Wednesday as Meredith Vieira made her much heralded debut, replacing Katie Couric. Today didn't see the same sort of ratings rocket that Couric's debut on the CBS Evening News did last week, but it was certainly substantial. Wednesday's broadcast attracted 6.9 million viewers, up from an average 5.8 million last week. (ABC's Good Morning America counted 4.6 million viewers; CBS's The Early Show, 2.7 million. Today was also helped by Matt Lauer's exclusive interview with Debra Lafave, the former teacher who admitted having had sex with a 14-year-old student. Meanwhile, Rosie O'Donnell's debut on The View, replacing Vieira, gave the show its biggest seasonal start in its 10-year history.

O'Donnell Slams Lohan's Behavior
14 September 2006 (WENN)
US talk show host Rosie O'Donnell has slammed Lindsay Lohan for her behavior on her latest film and insists the star is going to end up in rehab. Outspoken O'Donnell believes the 20-year-old isn't handling fame very well and that she is heading down a very dangerous path. She explains, "(Lindsay's behavior on her latest film Georgia Rule) was unacceptable. It's not like she was doing Dumb & Dumber 2. It's a Jane Fonda movie! Be early! I saw (Lohan) stumbling around a club drunk (once) and her mother was going, 'She's all right!' I can say this from experience: it's hard to be famous, and she's not doing it well at this point. But she'll get into rehab, take care of the eating disorder, and be all better in two years and have a huge comeback."

Couric Wins Second Night
7 September 2006 (StudioBriefing)
Katie Couric's ratings triumph in her debut as anchor of the CBS Evening News Tuesday night did not come at the expense of her two main rivals, analysts observed Wednesday. Compared with their averages from last week, ratings were down slightly for NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams and were virtually unchanged for ABC's World News with Charles Gibson. Nevertheless, Couric drew nearly six million more viewers than either of the two, a result that analysts attributed primarily to the curiosity factor. [Earlier in the day, the same sort of curiosity factor presumably contributed to a boost in ratings for ABC's The View, which saw a 54-percent rise from the comparable day a year ago as Rosie O'Donnell made her debut on the female talk show, according to the New York Times, which cited an unnamed ABC official.] Meanwhile, Wednesday's telecast, which featured an interview with President Bush, drew anger from liberal bloggers. Several bristled at what they described as Couric's "softball" questions to the president and Bob Schieffer's positive analysis of the president's remarks about his policy on the detention of terrorist suspects. Nevertheless, Couric's interview with the president kept her in first place for a second consecutive night with a 7.0 rating and a 14 share in the Nielsen overnight ratings. The ABC newscast placed second with a 5.3/10 while NBC's trailed with a 4.9/10.

Mayer Shuns Simpson
7 September 2006 (WENN)
John Mayer reportedly ended his brief relationship with Jessica Simpson after members of her entourage leaked intimate details of their relationship to the media. The budding relationship came to light last week and Simpson even appeared on the cover of American publication People with the headline "I'm In Love." Mayer posted a cryptic message on his official website Thursday, when rumors went into overdrive about the pair saying, "Don't believe the hype" and both parties are now back-peddling. Simpson appeared on US talk show The View Tuesday to promote her new album, ironically titled A Public Affair. When she was asked by co-host Rosie O'Donnell if she was seeing Mayer she said, "I'm actually not dating John Mayer. He's my friend." The reclusive musician was reportedly shocked when private details of his relationship with Simpson were printed in the press and has since cut off any contact. A pal of Mayer tells American publication Us Weekly the relationship was "a '2', (but) her camp spun into an '11'." The friend says the musician has lost respect for Simpson and "now he will stay away from her. He thinks it's desperate. An attempt for her to stay in the spotlight." A source close to Simpson confirms the relationship has cooled saying, "She met a guy who was scared away by all the attention." Mayer's pal adds, "It's very clear to John who was pushing this story. And it's also very clear to him that Jessica is under a lot of pressure to sell an album."

Simpson Denies Dating Mayer
6 September 2006 (WENN)
Jessica Simpson has slammed tabloid reports she is dating singer John Mayer and insists the two are just friends. The 25-year-old star appeared on US talk show The View yesterday, where she discussed the rumors surrounding her personal life. Simpson appeared on the first day of the 10th season of the show as a favor to new co-host Rosie O'Donnell, who supported her when she was first starting out. O'Donnell asked, "Is everything going good for you, you're in a good place, you're happy...'" Simpson replied, "I'm in a really good place..." O'Donnell then tried to get to the bottom of tabloid reports that she is dating Mayer, prodding her with, "You don't want to say, but maybe?" Simpson sighed and shook her head saying, "I love it that she just goes right there....I'm actually not dating John Mayer." O'Donnell feigned shock saying, "You mean People magazine was wrong?" The American publication featured Simpson on the cover last week with the headline, 'I'm in love,' referring to Simpson's reported new relationship with Mayer. She added, "And they put this quote saying that I'm in love! You know, he's my friend, I've known him for a couple years."

Walters Bans O'Donnell from Blogging
4 September 2006 (WENN)
Veteran newswoman Barbara Walters has urged new co-host Rosie O'Donnell to stop blogging about The View. O'Donnell is joining the show on Tuesday and regularly writes about what is happening in her life on her website. The League Of Their Own star complained about a promotional skit from the new season of the show writing in an all lowercase style saying, "I saw the new view promos. "Found myself/in the position/i loathe the most/powerless." Walters discussed her feelings about O'Donnell's web posts with Newsweek magazine saying, "I didn't like the blog. I'm counting on Rosie's intelligence and sensitivity and humor. "This is, after all, an entertainment show. It is based on people who like each other and are having a good time, not on people who are arguing and unhappy." Soon after Walters spoke to the magazine, she received flowers and a card from her new co-host reading, "Barbara, I only want the promos and the show to be great. And I love you. Love, Ro."

Simpson To Be First Guest for O'Donnell's 'View' Debut
27 July 2006 (WENN)
Singer/actress Jessica Simpson will appear on the first episode of talk show The View with new co-host Rosie O'Donnell, to repay her for her support when she was starting out. O'Donnell booked the then-unknown singer on her top-rated The Rosie O'Donnell Show, which aired from 1996-2002. A source tells American publication People, "Rosie herself reached out to Jessica. When Jessica was just starting out, none of the big shows were interested in her, but Rosie took a chance on her and Jessica never forgot it. When Jessica was on The Rosie O'Donnell Show years ago Rosie went backstage afterwards and said, 'You're gonna be a star. Jessica will never forget her." Simpson will appear on the show September 5.

Star Jones Goes on the Defense
30 June 2006 (StudioBriefing)
Star Jones made the obligatory appearance on CNN's Larry King Live show Thursday night to explain that she decided to announce her departure from ABC's The View on Tuesday because executives of the show had already leaked the news to the press. She claimed that stacks of tabloids with word of her dismissal had piled outside her house "to the point where I couldn't even go outside and walk my dog." She said that on Tuesday morning she consulted her pastor. "We prayed, and I said Tuesday I'm going to tell what's going on, and I did." Jones maintained that she was told last April that she could leave on her own terms. "Actually they said, 'You can make up a story,' and, you know the audience didn't deserve me making up a story. That's not fair." Jones further denied ABC's claims that she had sold photographs of her wedding to Al Reynolds to People magazine or that she ever implied that her dramatic weight loss was the result of diet and exercise. Meanwhile, speculation has mounted that the dismissal of Jones could backfire. Writers have pointed out that The View producer Barbara Walters told the New York Times in April that "if Star wants to continue to be [on the show] she is welcome," after she selected Rosie O'Donnell, who had publicly attacked Jones, to replace Meredith Vieira. Walters has acknowledged that at the time she was aware that Jones's contract would not be renewed. Furthermore, when Jones made her surprise announcement on Tuesday, Walters remarked on the air, "Oh, how long are you going to be with us?" "This was not one of Barbara Walters' finest moments," Syracuse University's media commentator Robert Thompson told today's (Friday) Los Angeles Times."The one person who can stabilize the equation is the one person who has done more harm than good." As of today, Jones is still featured on The View's website, complete with a picture of her before her weight loss, and despite the fact that she has been married for two years, the statement, "Ms. Jones is single and resides in New York City and East Hampton." On Thursday, One Life to Live costar Renée Elise Goldsberry substituted for Jones.

Jones Reynolds: "Barbara Didn't Have My Back"
29 June 2006 (WENN)
Embattled talk show host Star Jones Reynolds has launched another scathing attack on former boss Barbara Walters insisting she "didn't have my back." Jones Reynolds announced that she was leaving The View, live on air on Tuesday morning, stunning her co-workers and the audience. She called American Idol host Ryan Seacrest's KIIS-FM morning show on Wednesday, claiming she was the one who was actually betrayed by Walters, not the other way around. She claims the animosity began when she found out her contract was not being renewed after nine years and that rival Rosie O'Donnell was being added as a co-host. She said, "I honestly understood it was a business decision when I was told then (that her contract wasn't being renewed), but then in the same week, I was told that they were adding another co-host and that it was Rosie O'Donnell. And that was in the same week that she had been so nasty and insulting and vicious. (She) publicly she insulted me; she tried to damage me professionally and personally. If anyone should feel betrayed, then it should probably be me. Because in the same week that I was told I was not being renewed, that's the same week that Rosie O'Donnell vilified me in the media and the exact same week that Barbara, my mentor, my colleague and friend of nine years, called her and invited her to be co-host on The View. She didn't have my back." Jones Reynolds is set to tell-all on Larry King Live on Thursday night.

Star Jones To Leave 'The View'
27 June 2006 (StudioBriefing)
Star Jones is expected to announce this week that she will leave The View sometime next month, Access Hollywood reported Monday. She has been a panelist on the show since it was launched in August 1997. There have been persistent rumors that Jones would be ousted following the decision of program producer Barbara Walters to replace Meredith Vieira with Rosie O'Donnell (Vieira was named co-host of Today). O'Donnell and Jones have repeatedly clashed, both on and off the air, particularly after Jones dropped an enormous amount of weight without disclosing how she had done so, riling O'Donnell. O'Donnell is expected to join The View in September.

It's Official: Rosie To Join 'The View'
1 May 2006 (StudioBriefing)
Barbara Walters and Rosie O'Donnell have confirmed that O'Donnell will join Walters's syndicated The View, replacing Meredith Vieira, who in turn is replacing Katie Couric on NBC's Today show. According to the New York Times, O'Donnell's one-year contract calls for her to become not only a co-host but also the talk show's moderator. In reporting the deal, the Times commented, "Just as Ms. Couric and Ms. Vieira are likely to make a profound impact on their new programs by virtue of their mere presence, so too is Ms. O'Donnell expected to alter the tone and chemistry of The View. .... Ms. Vieira is a veteran broadcast journalist who tends to deliver her views ... with a hammer sheathed in velvet. Ms. O'Donnell ... is more likely to wield a sledgehammer."

Rosie To Return
28 April 2006 (StudioBriefing)
Rosie O'Donnell is expected to replace Meredith Vieira on ABC's syndicated talk show The View, the TV newsmagazine Extra reported Thursday. The Associated Press later reported that an unnamed person close to the show had confirmed the Extra story. Asked by a fan on her website whether it was true "or are you not at liberty to discuss," O'Donnell responded "NALTD." Vieira is departing the show to become the co-host of NBC's Today. O'Donnell won six Emmy awards for The Rosie O'Donnell Show, which ran from 1996-2002.

O'Donnell Joins 'The View'
28 April 2006 (WENN)
Former talk show queen Rosie O'Donnell is to return to the small screen as the new co-host of magazine show The View, according to internet reports. The beloved comedienne, who quit her eponymous hit daytime show in 2002 to concentrate on raising her kids with partner Kelli, is set to be announced as the replacement for Meredith Vieira on the program. TV executives will announce the news of O'Donnell's new TV role later today, according to the reports. Everybody Loves Raymond star Patricia Heaton and US newscaster Connie Chung were also reportedly up for the job to replace Vieira, who is leaving the show to co-anchor US breakfast news show Today.

O'Donnell Challenges Campbell to Fight
5 April 2006 (WENN)
Comedian Rosie O'Donnell has challenged supermodel Naomi Campbell to fight, insisting the British beauty needs someone to "kick her a*s." O'Donnell was horrified when the catwalk queen was charged with assault in New York City last month after she allegedly beat her assistant with a mobile telephone. And she plans to exert her own brand of justice on the fiery model. O'Donnell explains, "I just picture this cute little Mexican woman working saying, Excuse me Miss Campbell can I possibly get you... ' and Naomi going, 'Get away from me, bam bam bam!' "To make matters worse she had that jewel-encrusted cell phone. That's got to score with the diamonds. "She looks like you could snap her in two but she's a tough-a*s, kick-a*s woman "I would actually like to fight her. I think for all the people that she's beaten up, I think she needs a big 200 pound lesbian to kick her a*s."

O'Donnell Slams Letterman Producer
27 February 2006 (WENN)
Rosie O'Donnell will never guest star on David Letterman's talk show, because she hates the host's producer. The A League Of Their Own actress, who had her own talk show from 1996 until 2002, offered to stand in for Letterman when he underwent emergency quintuple bypass surgery in January 2000. However, her generous offer was met with a bad response from Letterman's producer Rob Burnett. O'Donnell says, "When he had his heart attack, I was on the phone with Les Moonves because I was hosting something for CBS and I said, 'Hey, is he okay? I'm sorry. If they need anyone, let me know.' Now he's unconscious in the hospital and his producer Rob calls me up. I'm all friendly and worried and he was like, 'Who are you to try and steal Dave's job? You're not a friend of the Letterman show.' (I won't appear on the show and) it's not 'cause of Dave. It's this other guy, Rob, that I don't enjoy, frankly."

O'Donnell Supports Shields Over Cruise Comments
5 July 2005 (WENN)
Comedienne Rosie O'Donnell has leapt to the defense of Brooke Shields, after she was disgusted by Tom Cruise's comments on the actress and her post-natal depression. Shields suffered post-partum depression following the birth of her daughter Rowan in 2003 and has praised the drug Paxil for helping her to return to a happier state of mind. Shields has written about her experiences with the illness in her tell-all Down Came The Rain. Cruise caused controversy in May and June when he lambasted Shields' "misguided" drug use and asking, "Where has her career gone?", while claiming vitamins would have cured her of her depression, on TV shows Access Hollywood and Today. On her official blog, O'Donnell says she is unimpressed with Cruise's drug opinions and his infamous couch-surfing on the Oprah Winfrey show in May. O'Donnell says, "After watching Tom on O (Oprah) and then everywhere else in the free world, I think I may need to up my meds. Shout out to Brooke - stand tall girl. You saved a lot of women by telling your truth."

Rosie Waxes Poetic Over Sale of Gruner + Jahr (U.S.)
25 May 2005 (StudioBriefing)
Former TV talk show host Rosie O'Donnell greeted in free verse word that U.S. publisher Meredith Corp. was buying two magazines published by Gruner + Jahr (U.S.) and taking an option on two others. O'Donnell, who waged a bruising court battle against the German company over its editorial policies for her magazine Rosie, included on her Web blog such lines as "'I will ruin you, Rosie O'Donnell,'/Said the smug senator's son [a reference to former Gruner + Jahr CEO Daniel Brewster, son of a former Maryland senator]./'I own you and your name.'/One corrupt motherf*****./Well, U didn't, Danny boy./U ruined yourself/And a huge company/2 boot./I wish I felt glee./I don't./What a waste./The demise of G&J, /Brought down/By the girl [who] begged for peace/And got only war."

O'Donnell Apologizes To Alley for Weight Jibe
29 March 2005 (WENN)
Comedienne Rosie O'Donnell has apologized to Kirstie Alley after she accused the Look Who's Talking star of lying about her weight. After watching Alley telling American TV host Matt Lauer that her largest was 201 pounds, O'Donnell said, "I am telling you right now, I'm 218 pounds - Kirstie Alley is not 210. She's a lying sack of s**t. At least tell the truth. She's gotta be like 248." O'Donnell has now apologized to Alley over the phone and told her fans on her official website in free verse style. She wrote, "The phone/ Kirstie with hurt feelings/ I am sorry for that... never been Joan Rivers kicking people when they are down."

O'Donnell Blasts Alley
18 March 2005 (WENN)
Former U.S. chat show queen Rosie O'Donnell is waging a fat war on Kirstie Alley after claiming the former Cheers beauty is much heavier than the 210 pounds she claims to weigh. The Flintstones actress admires Alley for poking fun at her inflated size in new U.S. TV comedy Fat Actress, but O'Donnell wants the Look Who's Talking star to be more honest. O'Donnell says, "I am telling you right now, I'm 218 pounds - Kirstie Alley is not 210. She's a lying sack of s**t. At least tell the truth. She's gotta be like 248 (pounds)."

Brooke Shields Heads Back to Broadway
30 August 2004 (WENN)
Actress Brooke Shields is heading to New York City to join the acclaimed Broadway revival of Wonderful Town. Late next month, Shields will replace Donna Murphy as writer Ruth Sherwood, a young woman from Ohio determined to score success in New York in the 1930s. The musical was first done on Broadway in 1953 with Rosalind Russell in the leading role. The revival opened in November and won a 2004 Tony Award for best choreography. Shields has worked on Broadway before, taking over for Rosie O'Donnell as Rizzo in the long-running revival of Grease, and she later played Sally Bowles in the Roundabout Theatre Company production of Cabaret.

Rosie O'Donnell's Marriage Null and Void
13 August 2004 (WENN)
Comedienne Rosie O'Donnell's marriage to longtime companion Kelli Carpenter has been nullified, after a ruling by the California Supreme Court. In a 5-2 vote, the court ruled yesterday to void the approximately 4,000 same-sex unions which took place earlier this year in San Francisco, deciding that Mayor Gavin Newsom overstepped his authority in issuing licenses to gay and lesbian couples. Justice Joyce Kennard wrote that they must wait until courts resolve the constitutional issues of state laws which restrict marriages to same-sex couples. In response to the decision, O'Donnell says in a statement, "The struggle for civil rights continues in America, as usual. Vote for (Democrat presidential hopeful) John Kerry."

Rosie's Gay Cruise on HBO Won't All Be Smooth Sailing
6 August 2004 (StudioBriefing)
HBO is producing a documentary film with Rosie O'Donnell and her wife, Kelli Carpenter, about the weeklong Caribbean cruise that they recently chartered for 500 gay and lesbian families. The documentary will apparently not merely chronicle the vacationers' fun and games aboard the cruise liner but also describe the protests that greeted them when they stepped off the ship. Burlingame, CA 16-year-old Marina Gatto, who accompanied her two "moms" on the cruise has described on the Alternet website how she was interviewed by an HBO crew shortly after they came face to face with native protesters in the Bahamas. "I told them how I couldn't understand why a group of people that should know discrimination first hand would still hate my family," she wrote.

O'Donnell To Launch Gay Mag
27 May 2004 (WENN)
Comedienne Rosie O'Donnell is set to launch a new magazine aimed at gay and lesbian parents in 2005. R Family Magazine is O'Donnell's second attempt at launching a publication, after her Rosie magazine closed in 2003 after clashes between her and publishers Gruner And Jahr. O'Donnell's spokeswoman Cindi Berger says, "Rosie does hope to launch a magazine in the new year." The new magazine will give the former actress a platform to address gay family issues. The A League Of Their Own actress recently wed her long term partner Kelli Carpenter in San Francisco.

Tony Nominations for 'Taboo'
11 May 2004 (WENN)
This year's Tony Awards shortlist has honored Boy George's shunned musical Taboo, despite the devastating reviews and financial problems encountered by the production. The Rosie O'Donnell-produced stage spectacular failed to capture the American imagination when it relocated from London's West End to Broadway last year. But Taboo garnered an impressive four nominations when the shortlist was revealed yesterday, including Best Score for Boy George and Best Actor in a Musical for leading man Euan Morton. Other big name nominees include X-Men star Hugh Jackman, nominated in the Best Lead Actor In A Musical category for his portrayal of Liza Minnelli's gay ex-husband Peter Allen in The Boy From Oz. Musical Wicked, which tells the Wizard Of Oz story from the witch's perspective, leads the pack with ten nominations, closely followed by Steven Sondheim's musical Assassins and the Lincoln Center's production of Henry IV. The Tony awards will be given out at a glitzy ceremony in New York on June 6.

Affleck Slams Gay Marriage Opposition
19 March 2004 (WENN)
Hollywood hunk Ben Affleck has slammed American President George W Bush's call to outlaw gay marriage. Thousands of same-sex couples - including TV personality Rosie O'Donnell and her longtime love Kelli Carpenter - have flocked to San Francisco, California, in recent weeks to tie the knot in defiance of Bush's ban. And Affleck, who recently enjoyed a same-sex smooch with comic actor Seth Meyers when they starred in a gay marriage skit on Saturday Night Live, has joined a growing list of celebrities who believe homosexuals should be allowed the right to wed. He says, "I don't think the government should be involved in any way in people's bedrooms or lives. With so much hatred and unpleasantness in the world, why would you wanna get in the way of people who love each other marrying each other? "Anybody who wants to be able to get married to anybody else should be able to. It's not my business."

Rosie O'Donnell Weds Lesbian Partner
27 February 2004 (WENN)
Rosie O'Donnell married her lesbian lover Kelli Carpenter yesterday in San Francisco - following President George W. Bush's vow to outlaw gay weddings. The American funnywoman was horrified when she discovered the Republican leader planned to file a lawsuit to stop the city's practice of gay marriage and immediately flew there to exchange vows with Carpenter. But the happy couple do not intend to follow the traditional practice of taking a honeymoon - instead they flew straight back to their native New York to attend a parent's day. Rosie says, "We really did, we got married. Some people asked us where we will be going on our honeymoon. With four kids under the age of eight, there will be no honeymoon." Earlier Rosie had hit out at President Bush fuming, "I think the actions of the president are, in my opinion, the most vile and hateful words ever spoken by a sitting president. I am stunned and I'm horrified."

Rosie O'Donnell Weds Girlfriend in San Francisco
26 February 2004 (WENN)
Making good on a promise broadcast just this morning on Good Morning America, former talk show host and Broadway producer Rosie O'Donnell married her longtime parter, Kelli Carpenter, in San Francisco today, asserting what she called a proud stand for gay civil rights. Inarguably the most famous of the now 3,300 couples to wed in San Francisco since the city started issuing licenses for gay marriage, O'Donnell and Carpenter marched hand in hand down the stairs of San Francisco's city hall to thunderous applause after a brief ceremony in Mayor Gavin Newsom's office. O'Donnell told crowds after her wedding, "I want to thank the city of San Francisco for this amazing stance the mayor has taken for all the people here, not just us but all the thousands and thousands of loving, law-abiding couples." On Good Morning America, she cited both President Bush's backing of a constitutional amendment banning gay marriages and her recent magazine trial, during which she and Carpenter were denied spousal privilege, as inspiration for the marriage -- along with, we presume, their six year relationship and four children, three of whom are adopted. Carpenter gave birth to their fourth child last year, via artificial insemination. --Prepared by IMDb staff

For Rosie, Losing Is Winning
20 February 2004 (StudioBriefing)
The judge who presided over the Rosie O'Donnell/G+J USA Publishing trial in which each side accused the other of breaching their contract to produce Rosie magazine ruled Thursday that neither side is entitled to receive damages or attorneys' fees. The initial lawsuit, for $100 million, was filed by G+J after O'Donnell quit the publication, an offshoot of her popular TV talk show at the time, claiming that the magazine did not reflect her creative vision. O'Donnell countersued, claiming that G+J was beset with management problems, citing in particular alleged efforts by the company to inflate newsstand circulation figures. The revelations eventually led to the firing of G+J President and CEO Dan Brewster. In a statement on Thursday Cindi Berger, O'Donnell's spokeswoman, portrayed the ruling as a vindication of O'Donnell's stance. "When you're sued for $100 million and you don't have to pay anything, clearly that's a win," she said. G+J, while saying that it is "exploring its options," following the ruling, nevertheless said that is "happy to be putting this matter behind us."

Drew Barrymore Mocks Courtney Love
16 February 2004 (WENN)
Actress Drew Barrymore thrilled fans with a rowdy impersonation of troubled rocker Courtney Love when she appeared on comedy show Saturday Night Live over the weekend. The Charlie's Angels star - who used to be close pals with Courtney - appeared as guest host of the popular sketch show, where she mocked Love's recent brush with the law by crashing her car outside Donatella Versace's home, before throwing herself through the fashion designer's window. After screaming at Versace, played by series regular Mya Rudolph, she pointed to a man on the set and declared, "Hey, I know you - I slept with you!" When she was informed her supposed conquest was Sir Elton John, she responded, "Oh, sorry, I thought it was Rosie O'Donnell," before throwing a tantrum and breaking a set of figurines. Drew also dressed up to play Charlize Theron, Pink, America's former first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton in the 1960s, and a slimmed-down Anna Nicole Smith during an incoherent interview with Jimmy Fallon as Larry King. As the episode aired live on Valentine's Day, Barrymore ended the show by holding up a handwritten placard wishing her boyfriend Fabrizio Moretti - drummer for New York rockers The Strokes - best wishes on the day.

'Taboo' Admits Defeat
15 January 2004 (WENN)
Boy George and Rosie O'Donnell's musical Taboo has finally had to admit defeat and end its unsuccessful transfer to the Broadway stage. The production - which was a hit in London's West End - was dogged with reports of arguments between Boy George, who wrote the majority of the musical, and producer O'Donnell, even before it opened on November 13. Despite repeated assurances from the former chat show host all was well on set, audiences failed to flock to the Plymouth Theatre, meaning the show failed to even reach its break-even point, which was reportedly $396,000. The League Of American Theatres And Producers estimated Taboo - which is based on the former Culture Club singer's life in early eighties London - only made $282,600 last week. However, O'Donnell remains philosophical about the experience, even though she funded the musical entirely herself, commenting, "Taboo was by far the most fulfilling experience of my career. Many lessons were learned, and so it goes. For this experience, I am profoundly grateful and have no regrets." The final performance will take place on February 8.

O'Donnell To Provide 'Taboo' Boost
1 December 2003 (WENN)
Comedienne Rosie O'Donnell has signed up for a starring role in troubled New York musical Taboo, in a bid to bring theatre-goers to the show. O'Donnell - who's producing the Broadway musical based on British pop star Boy George's experiences in eighties London - will take up the part of Big Sue when heavily-pregnant actress Liz McCartney takes maternity leave next month. Reports suggest O'Donnell's move is a desperate attempt to help the struggling show attract larger audiences and alleviate its financial problems. Taboo has also been plagued with scathing reviews since it transferred from the West End, London stage to Manhattan. An insider says, "Rosie's been working with a voice coach."

O'Donnell Faces Financial Ruin from 'Taboo'
19 November 2003 (WENN)
American comedienne Rosie O'Donnell could lose an incredible $20 million after promising to keep flop show Taboo on the Broadway stage until January. The League Of Their Own star has personally invested a huge $10 million in developing and staging the Boy George-penned musical, which is loosely based on the singer's life in early-eighties London. And Rosie - who insists the show should carry on despite dismal reviews and poor ticket sales - could double her loss. A source tells the Pagesix website, "On opening night and after the awful weekend, Rosie still says she will single-handedly keep the show open until January. She thinks people just need to warm up to the show, but on Saturday night only 250 seats out of 1,050 were filled. No one wants to see the show. It is awful. She bastardized the British version, which was successful. The talk on Broadway is that she is going to lose her shirt. The show costs over $500,000 a week to run. Last week - its opening week - it only took in $320,872.49 for seven performances. So Rosie has to pay the rest of the costs out of pocket. There is nothing that will lift this production off the ground. Nothing. It's not even farce-bad. This is just tedious. On a good note, Rosie is very committed to the show and cast." A representative for Taboo says, "We've played 21 performances to date and have received 21 standing ovations. There is every reason to believe that Taboo, like most new musicals, will find its audience."

Broadway 'Taboo' Slammed by American Critics
17 November 2003 (WENN)
Eighties pop star Boy George's musical Taboo has been mauled by critics after opening on New York's Broadway. The spectacular show, which is backed and produced by former talk show host Rosie O'Donnell, tells the singer's life story and features George as performance artist Leigh Bowery. Taboo moved to New York after a successful spell in London, but Big Apple critics were unimpressed by preview shows. The New York Times wrote it is "a disastrously overcrowded tableau of a show", the New York Post described it as "a production with such an acute case of meaning-deprivation that you almost forget what's happening as it's happening" and national newspaper USA Today called it "a delightful experience... if you leave after the first act." O'Donnell invested $10 million of her own money in the show - after spotting it in London - and she is unmoved by criticism: "Taboo is a legitimate, knock-'em-down, leave-'em-screaming, worth-a-$100-a-seat Broadway show."

Rosie and Publisher Fight to a Draw
13 November 2003 (StudioBriefing)
A New York state Supreme Court judge on Wednesday in effect threw out the competing cases of Rosie O'Donnell and publisher Grüner+Jahr over the collapse of Rosie magazine. Justice Ira Gammerman surprised observers by abruptly ruling that neither side had proved its case against the other during the trial. "We're just dealing with bragging rights here," he said, "who wins and who loses."

O'Donnell's Case Thrown Out
13 November 2003 (WENN)
A judge has thrown Rosie O'Donnell's legal battle with publishers Gruner + Jahr out of court, refusing to award damages to either side. New York State Judge Ira Gammerman ruled this morning there was no winner in the ugly battle. In a statement, he said, "This is a very ill-conceived lawsuit. It seems to me we're just dealing with bragging rights." O'Donnell quit her namesake magazine a year ago after falling out with publishers over editorial matters. The magazine folded in December 2002. The publishers sued O'Donnell for $100 million, alleging breach of contract. She countersued for $125 million, claiming G+J broke its contract with her by cutting her out of key editorial decisions. In a statement this morning, O'Donnell said, "I have no vengeance towards the company. I'm simply happy about the fact that it's finally over."

Rosie Won't Appeal
12 November 2003 (WENN)
Rosie O'Donnell has promised to stand by the judge's decision as she fights a breach of contract dispute in court with publishers Gruner + Jahr Usa. The former chat show host and actress stood next to her partner Kelli Carpenter at Monday's hearing and insisted she would do whatever the authorities at Manhattan Supreme Court, New York decide is best in the case. She said, "I have never been on the stand testifying. It's a very unique experience. I believe this judge is a wise man, and I will do whatever he decides. I am expecting a quick and speedy end to this trial. I will not appeal the verdict." A verdict is expected later this month. Meanwhile, O'Donnell's new New York musical Taboo opens on Thursday.

Rosie O'Donnell Takes the Witness Stand
7 November 2003 (WENN)
Star Rosie O'Donnell took to the witness stand yesterday in her multi-million dollar legal battle with publishers Gruner + Jahr Usa, and claimed she only started her self-titled magazine after being promised full creative control by them. The League Of Their Own actor said she was willing to begin her own magazine, but was "unconvinced" by her first meeting with G+J executives. She was eventually persuaded to re-meet with G+J CEO Daniel Brewster. O'Donnell said, "Mr. Brewster was quite passionate about the Democratic ideals I had espoused on my show. He said I would add a much-needed voice to the world of women's magazines. He convinced me." She then testified at Manhattan Supreme Court one of her main stipulations would be full creative control of the now-defunct Rosie, and Brewster had agreed to this. O'Donnell left the magazine in September 2002, after long-running editorial disputes. G+J are suing O'Donnell for $100 million for breach of contract after she walked, and allege she cost the company tens of millions of dollars in doing so. O'Donnell is counter-suing for $125 million arguing that the publisher breached their contract by undermining her authority as the magazine's editor-in-chief. The case continues.

Rosie O'Donnell: "Liars Get Cancer"
6 November 2003 (WENN)
A former employee at Rosie O'Donnell's defunct Rosie magazine burst into tears when she was told that "liars get cancer" by the comedienne. Cindy Spengler was head of marketing at the publication, and testified yesterday that O'Donnell made the remark after a meeting to discuss the magazine's problems. Spengler says O'Donnell told her that silence in the meeting was tantamount to lying. She quotes O'Donnell as saying, "You know what happens to people who lie. They get sick and they get cancer. If they keep lying, they get it again." Publishers Gruner+Jahr Usa are suing O'Donnell for $100 million for breach of contract after she walked out on the floundering publication. O'Donnell is counter-suing for $125 million arguing that the publisher breached their contract by undermining her authority as the magazine's editor-in- chief. The trial continues.

Rosie O'Donnell in a Rage Over Aniston
5 November 2003 (WENN)
American funnywoman Rosie O'Donnell tore into Friends actress Jennifer Aniston during an editorial meeting - according to Rosie magazine editor Susan Toepfer. The incident - which allegedly occurred last year - was raised during O'Donnell and publisher Gruner+Jahr Usa bitter lawsuit in Manhattan Supreme Court Monday. According to Toepfer, O'Donnell went into a rage when she suggested that the magazine ran a feature on the stunning wife of Brad Pitt, saying that Aniston would be a boring interviewee. Toepfer alleges O'Donnell said: "That is an example of someone I don't want to do. The girl has nothing to say." Gruner+Jahr are suing the League Of Their Own actress for $100 million for breach of contract after she walked out on the floundering publication. O'Donnell is counter-suing for $125 million arguing that the publisher breached their contract by undermining her authority as the magazine's editor-in-chief. The trial continues.

Rosie Objected To Magazine Cover on "Lesbian" Grounds
4 November 2003 (WENN)
Rosie O'Donnell objected to a cover of her now-defunct magazine showing her with her arms around two women on grounds of her being a lesbian, according to the magazine's former editor. Susan Toepfer was formerly editor-in-chief of Rosie magazine, and testified in Manhattan Supreme Court yesterday that O'Donnell started a fight over the proposed cover for September 2002 that led to the publication's demise. The aborted cover showed former chat-show host O'Donnell standing in between two Sopranos stars - Edie Falco and Lorraine Bracco - with an arm around each of them. Toepfer says that O'Donnell angrily called her after seeing the photo. She says, "(Rosie) said, 'You're about to hear a Rosie you've never heard before.' She proceeded to scream and yell at me. She was screaming obscenities at me. She wouldn't listen to me. She said, 'As a lesbian, I'm uncomfortable being on a magazine cover holding another woman or touching another woman.' I said, 'You know Rosie, that would never have occurred to me in a thousand years.'" Toepfer was testifying in court as part of the multi-million dollar lawsuit between O'Donnell and publishers Gruner + Jahr Usa, who are both suing each other for breach of contract. She continues, "(Rosie) said, 'I've been the boss of a TV show for six years. If I'm not going to be the boss of this, then I'll shut it down.'"