Rosie O'Donnell

2.1. Early Life and Family

Rosie O'Donnell, born Roseann O'Donnell on March 21, 1962, in Commack, New York, was the third of five children. Her parents were Roseann Teresa (née Murtha; 1934-1973), a homemaker, and Edward Joseph O'Donnell (1933-2015), an electrical engineer who worked in the defense industry. Edward had emigrated from County Donegal, Ireland, during his childhood, and her mother was Irish American, leading O'Donnell to be raised Roman Catholic. Her older brother, Daniel J. O'Donnell, later became a member of the New York State Assembly. A profound early life event occurred on March 17, 1973, just four days before O'Donnell's 11th birthday, when her mother died from breast cancer.

2.2. Education

While attending Commack High School, O'Donnell was a popular student, being voted homecoming queen, prom queen, senior class president, and class clown. It was during her high school years that she began to explore her interest in comedy, performing a skit in front of the school where she imitated Gilda Radner's character Roseanne Roseannadanna. After graduating in 1980, O'Donnell briefly attended Dickinson College before transferring to Boston University, though she ultimately dropped out of college.

3.1. Stand-up Comedy and Early Career (1979-1995)

O'Donnell began her career touring as a stand-up comedian in clubs from 1979 to 1984. Her first major break came on the television series Star Search, where she won five weeks in a row, gaining national exposure. Following this success, she transitioned into television sitcoms, making her series debut in 1986 as Nell Harper's neighbor on Gimme a Break!. In 1988, she joined VH1 as a veejay and hosted Stand-up Spotlight, a show featuring emerging comedians. In 1992, she starred alongside Melissa Gilbert in the Fox Network sitcom Stand By Your Man, which was not successful.

However, O'Donnell's film career began to flourish. She made her feature film debut in A League of Their Own (1992), starring alongside Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, and Madonna, with whom she developed a lifelong friendship. She was initially considered for the role of Mary Sanderson in Disney's Hocus Pocus but turned it down, stating on her blog that she refused to portray a frightening evil witch. Throughout this period, O'Donnell took on a variety of roles, appearing as Meg Ryan's best friend in Sleepless in Seattle, as Betty Rubble in the live-action film adaptation of The Flintstones with John Goodman, Elizabeth Perkins, and Rick Moranis, and as Gina Barrisano in Beautiful Girls. She also played a federal agent with Dan Aykroyd in Exit to Eden, voiced the tomboyish gorilla Terk in Disney's Tarzan, and portrayed a baseball-loving nun in M. Night Shyamalan's Wide Awake. O'Donnell was also considered for the role of Elaine Benes on Seinfeld.

3.2. The Rosie O'Donnell Show Era (1996-2002)

In 1996, Rosie O'Donnell launched her own syndicated daytime talk show, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, under her production company, KidRo Productions. The show quickly became immensely successful, winning multiple Emmy Awards, and earning O'Donnell the affectionate title of "The Queen of Nice." Her hosting style was characterized by light-hearted banter with guests and playful interactions with the audience, including frequently tossing koosh balls into the crowd and at the camera. She also famously expressed an infatuation with actor Tom Cruise.

Based in New York City, O'Donnell used her show to promote her love of Broadway musicals and plays. She regularly featured cast members as guests, encouraged her audience to attend shows, premiered production numbers, and gave away tickets to various productions.

Following the Columbine High School massacre in 1999, O'Donnell became a vocal advocate for gun control and a prominent figure in the Million Mom March. On an April 19, 1999, broadcast of her show, she controversially stated, "You are not allowed to own a gun, and if you do own a gun, I think you should go to prison." This stance evolved from her earlier position that she had no problem with qualified, licensed, and registered gun owners. In May 1999, she famously interviewed actor Tom Selleck about his unpaid commercial for the National Rifle Association of America (NRA), questioning the organization's stance on "assault weapons." Although she apologized if Selleck felt insulted, she maintained that her intention was to raise awareness about the issue. Ironically, at the time, O'Donnell was a paid spokesperson for Kmart, which was the largest volume firearms retailer in the United States. She later discontinued her contract with Kmart in 1999 amidst complaints from gun enthusiasts, though she publicly stated that Kmart sold legal hunting rifles, not handguns or assault weapons, which she supported. In May 2000, a request for a concealed firearm permit by O'Donnell's bodyguard raised concerns, but O'Donnell clarified that the security firm contracted by Warner Bros. requested the gun due to threats against her and her family.

After the September 11, 2001 attacks, O'Donnell actively encouraged viewers to support Broadway and tourism in New York City, which had suffered a decline. She announced a personal donation of 1.00 M USD for rescue efforts and urged other celebrities and citizens to contribute generously.

In 2002, O'Donnell departed from The Rosie O'Donnell Show, which was subsequently replaced by The Caroline Rhea Show. During this period, she also made a guest appearance on the HBO show Curb Your Enthusiasm in an episode titled "The Bowtie".

3.3. The View Appearances and Controversies (2006-2007, 2014-2015)

In September 2006, Rosie O'Donnell joined The View as a co-host and moderator, replacing Meredith Vieira. Her arrival generated significant media attention, particularly due to her more liberal stance contrasting with the conservative views of co-host Star Jones, who later left the show. O'Donnell was credited with increasing the show's "buzz factor" and shifting its focus to be more news-oriented while still retaining elements of traditional daytime talk shows. During her first year, ratings for The View rose by 27%, averaging 3.4 million viewers and achieving record numbers in the key demographic of women ages 18-49.

O'Donnell moderated the "Hot Topics" segment, where she and fellow comedian Joy Behar frequently expressed strong opinions against the Bush administration's domestic and foreign policies, including the Iraq War. This often led to adversarial exchanges with conservative co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck. O'Donnell's outspoken nature sometimes provoked controversy; in December 2006, she stated that "radical Christianity is just as threatening as radical Islam." In a 2003 appearance on Phil Donahue's talk show, she commented on the sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic archdiocese of Boston, expressing hope that the Catholic Church would be sued "until the end of time" and suggesting that "the whole tenet of living a Christ-like life, has been lost in Catholicism." She also made controversial remarks about communion rituals and questioned the number of Catholic judges on the Supreme Court of the United States following a ruling on the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, leading some conservative commentators to accuse her of "anti-Catholic bigotry."

On December 5, 2006, O'Donnell used "ching chong" sounds to imitate Chinese newscasters, drawing criticism for insensitivity, particularly given her advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights. She apologized on December 14, explaining she was unaware of the term's offensive nature, but also noted her brain's tendency to spoof languages. She later expressed regret for not being "more pure" in her public apology in her memoir Celebrity Detox.

A significant public dispute arose in December 2006 when O'Donnell criticized Donald Trump for reinstating Miss USA Tara Conner, accusing him of using the scandal for publicity. O'Donnell questioned Trump's moral authority, citing his marital affairs and business bankruptcies. In response, Trump launched a media campaign, threatening to sue O'Donnell and making personal attacks. This put Barbara Walters in a difficult position, and O'Donnell felt Walters did not adequately defend her, leading to a confrontation. O'Donnell later described feeling "pain and hurt and rejection" from the situation. Walters publicly denied regretting O'Donnell's hiring.

On April 25, 2007, ABC announced O'Donnell would leave The View due to failed contract negotiations. Her arguments with Hasselbeck had reportedly brought the show its highest ratings ever. O'Donnell's contract was cut short, and she departed on May 25, 2007, with Whoopi Goldberg taking over as moderator. O'Donnell later stated that her departure was not solely due to the arguments but also her perception of a "setup" by the show's producers, particularly the use of a split screen during her heated exchange with Hasselbeck.

O'Donnell continued to criticize the Bush administration's policies, especially the Iraq War, and questioned the official explanation for the destruction of the World Trade Center, stating, "I do believe that it's the first time in history that fire has ever melted steel." She also highlighted military deaths and criticized the U.S. media's lack of attention to war issues. In May 2007, she rhetorically asked, "655,000 Iraqi civilians dead. Who are the terrorists? ... if you were in Iraq and another country, the United States, the richest in the world, invaded your country and killed 655,000 of your citizens, what would you call us?" These comments led to further heated discussions with Hasselbeck and accusations from conservative commentators that O'Donnell was comparing American soldiers to terrorists. O'Donnell felt that Republican pundits and right-wing media were mischaracterizing her statements and portraying her as a bully.

In May 2007, Time magazine included O'Donnell in their annual list of the 100 most influential people. However, she was also named "The Most Annoying Celebrity of 2007" in a PARADE reader's poll, to which she responded, "Frankly, most celebrities are annoying... and I suppose I am the most annoying, but, whatever." In 2008, The View won an Emmy for "Outstanding Special Class Writing" for an Autism-themed episode that O'Donnell helped create.

O'Donnell returned to The View as a co-host in the fall of 2014, joining Whoopi Goldberg, Rosie Perez, and Nicolle Wallace in a revamped version of the show. However, on February 6, 2015, she confirmed her departure after just five months, citing personal health issues as the primary reason.

3.4. Later Television and Film Roles

After her initial departure from The View in 2007, Rosie O'Donnell continued to be active in various television and film projects. In March 2007, she launched a video blog called Jahero on her website Rosie.com, which became popular and won the "best celebrity blogger" category in the 2007 Blogger's Choice Awards. She also expressed interest in replacing Bob Barker as host of The Price Is Right, though it ultimately did not happen.

In 2008, O'Donnell starred in and executive produced America, a Lifetime channel film based on E.R. Frank's book, where she played a therapist to a boy aging out of the foster care system. In October 2009, she appeared in the original cast of Love, Loss, and What I Wore. From 2009 to 2011, she hosted "Rosie Radio," a daily two-hour show on Sirius XM Radio. She made another guest appearance on Curb Your Enthusiasm in 2009, and again in 2011, competing for the affection of a bisexual woman.

In 2011, O'Donnell began producing content for the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), including The Doc Club with Rosie O'Donnell. In fall 2011, she launched her new show, The Rosie Show, which was taped at the former The Oprah Winfrey Show studio in Chicago. Despite generally positive reviews, OWN canceled the show on March 16, 2012, with the final episode airing on March 29, 2012. Oprah Winfrey thanked O'Donnell for her partnership, acknowledging the challenges of a new network launch, while O'Donnell expressed gratitude for the experience and the city of Chicago.

In 2013, O'Donnell appeared in several television shows, including a role as reporter Dottie Shannon in Bomb Girls, voicing the Bouncing Bumble Queen in Jake and the Never Land Pirates, and appearing as herself in two episodes of Smash and an episode of Impractical Jokers.

From 2014 to 2018, she had a recurring role as Rita Hendricks, a tough yet compassionate foster care worker, on The Fosters. In 2015, O'Donnell made a cameo as a co-host on The View in Pitch Perfect 2 and appeared as Pepper O'Leary, a criminal who shared a cell with Cookie Lyon, in an episode of Empire, for which she hired an acting coach. She also appeared in two documentaries that year: Roseanne For President! (about Roseanne Barr's presidential bid) and Everything Is Copy (about Nora Ephron).

In 2016, O'Donnell made a two-episode appearance as Jeanine, the ex-girlfriend of Bonnie, in the CBS series Mom. She was also a regular panelist on Match Game and competed against Kathy Najimy on The $100,000 Pyramid. Later that year, she played the gym teacher in Hairspray Live!.

Since 2017, O'Donnell has returned to acting with significant roles. From 2017 to 2019, she starred as Tutu in the Showtime comedy series SMILF, earning critical acclaim for her performance. In 2019, she was cast as Lisa Sheffer in the HBO miniseries I Know This Much Is True, appearing in five episodes. In 2021, she guest-starred on Run the World and The L Word: Generation Q. In 2022, she voiced the MTA subway announcements in the second season of the Netflix series Russian Doll and appeared as Vi in the Amazon Prime Video series A League of Their Own. She also starred as Detective Sunday alongside Jon Bernthal in the 2022 Showtime series reboot of American Gigolo.

3.5. Other Ventures

Beyond her work in comedy, film, and television, Rosie O'Donnell has engaged in a variety of other entrepreneurial and creative endeavors.

4.1. Coming Out and LGBTQ+ Advocacy

Rosie O'Donnell publicly came out as a lesbian in February 2002 during a performance at the Ovarian Cancer Research benefit at Caroline's Comedy Club. She announced, "I'm a dyke! ... I don't know why people make such a big deal about the gay thing. ... People are confused, they're shocked, like this is a big revelation to somebody." This announcement came two months before the conclusion of her talk show, The Rosie O'Donnell Show. While she aimed to put a face to gays and lesbians, her primary motivation was to draw attention to LGBTQ adoption issues. O'Donnell is a foster and adoptive mother and has actively protested against adoption agencies, particularly in Florida, that denied adoption rights to gay and lesbian parents.

On March 14, 2002, O'Donnell was interviewed by Diane Sawyer on PrimeTime Thursday. O'Donnell stated that she chose Sawyer to discuss Florida's ban on gay adoption, hoping for an investigative piece on the issue and how it pertained to her life. She highlighted the case of two gay men in Florida who faced the removal of a foster child they had raised due to the state's law prohibiting gay or bisexual couples from adopting. Some LGBTQ+ activists criticized O'Donnell for her previous on-air infatuation with Tom Cruise on The Rosie O'Donnell Show, viewing it as deceptive. She addressed this in her act, stating, "I said I wanted him to mow my lawn and bring me a lemonade. I never said I wanted to blow him." After leaving her show and coming out, O'Donnell returned to stand-up comedy and adopted a shorter haircut, which she said was meant to mimic Culture Club backup singer Helen Terry.

In recognition of her advocacy, O'Donnell was named 2002's Person of the Year by The Advocate, a prominent LGBTQ+ magazine. In May 2003, she became a regular columnist for the publication. The magazine's editor-in-chief, Judy Wieder, acknowledged O'Donnell's "long and brave journey" that led her to the magazine's cover and now to its "chorus of voices" as a columnist.

4.2. Marriages and Children

Rosie O'Donnell adopted her first child, Parker Jaren O'Donnell, as an infant in 1995. Parker later developed an interest in military history and successfully lobbied his mother to send him to Valley Forge Military Academy in 2011.

On February 26, 2004, O'Donnell married Kelli Carpenter, a former Nickelodeon marketing executive, in San Francisco. This decision came two weeks after Mayor Gavin Newsom authorized marriage licenses for same-sex couples in the city. O'Donnell viewed her marriage in San Francisco as an act of defiance against then-President George W. Bush's support for the Federal Marriage Amendment, stating, "We were both inspired to come here after the sitting President made the vile and hateful comments he made... one thought ran through my mind on the plane out here - with Liberty and Social justice for all." The ceremony was officiated by San Francisco Treasurer Susan Leal, a high-ranking lesbian official, and included a serenade by the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus. O'Donnell later explained that the inability to receive spousal privilege in legal matters, despite acting as spouses, solidified her commitment to gay marriage advocacy.

Carpenter and O'Donnell have four children together. In 2000, they took in a foster child named Mia (born 1997) with intentions to adopt her. However, in 2001, the state of Florida removed Mia from their home due to a law prohibiting same-sex family adoption, a law O'Donnell has since worked extensively to overturn.

In mid-November 2009, O'Donnell disclosed that Carpenter had moved out of their home in 2007. Their marriage, along with thousands of other same-sex unions in California, was voided by the California Supreme Court in August 2004.

In mid-2011, O'Donnell began dating Michelle Rounds, an executive-search consultant. On December 5, 2011, O'Donnell announced their engagement during a taping of The Rosie Show. The couple married in a private ceremony in New York on June 9, 2012. On January 9, 2013, they announced the adoption of a baby girl. In February 2015, O'Donnell filed for divorce from Rounds after two years of marriage, citing personal issues. Their divorce was settled in October 2015, with O'Donnell being awarded full custody of their daughter. Michelle Rounds died by suicide on September 15, 2017.

In August 2015, O'Donnell tweeted that her 17-year-old daughter, Chelsea, had gone missing from their Nyack, New York, home along with her therapy dog. Chelsea was found a week later in Barnegat, New Jersey. In September 2024, Chelsea was arrested in Marinette County, Wisconsin, on charges including child neglect, domestic abuse, maintaining a drug trafficking facility, possession of methamphetamine, illegally obtaining prescriptions, and drug paraphernalia, after her 11-month-old child was found in a house with crack pipes, feces, and garbage. In October 2024, Chelsea was again arrested, this time in Oconto County, and charged with bail jumping, felony possession of methamphetamine and narcotic drugs, and misdemeanor counts involving drug paraphernalia and resisting an officer. In November 2024, Chelsea was arrested for a third time in Wisconsin, in Marinette County, on two felony counts of bail jumping, two felony counts of possession of methamphetamine, and a felony count of possession of narcotic drugs.

Rosie O'Donnell was a resident of Nyack, New York, after purchasing "Pretty Penny," a Victorian river home previously owned by Helen Hayes, in 1996. She sold the home in 2000. She has also lived in South Nyack, New York, and owns a home in West Palm Beach, Florida. In the early 2020s, O'Donnell relocated to the West Coast.

4.3. Health

In the summer of 2000, O'Donnell suffered a serious staph infection after accidentally cutting her middle finger with a knife while removing a price tag. The infection incapacitated her for weeks and nearly resulted in the amputation of her hand. She humorously attributed the infection to George W. Bush, stating she was preparing for a fishing trip to avoid seeing him on television during the 2000 Republican National Convention. O'Donnell has also openly discussed her struggles with recurrent major depressive episodes during the fall and winter months, consistent with seasonal affective disorder.

In mid-August 2012, O'Donnell suffered a heart attack. She revealed that an artery was 99 percent blocked and a stent was inserted. Following this health scare, she announced on Twitter her decision to adopt a whole-foods, plant-based diet to reverse her heart disease, inspired by the diet promoted by Caldwell Esselstyn.

4.4. Political Views

Rosie O'Donnell is a registered Democrat. She has contributed funds to multiple political campaigns, including to the campaign to elect Senator Doug Jones of Alabama, though some donations exceeded federal legal limits and were planned to be returned. On numerous occasions, O'Donnell has been outspoken about controversial topics. In 2007, she voiced her opinions regarding the September 11, 2001 attacks, questioning the NIST conclusions and implying U.S. government involvement in the event.