Rosie O'Donnell To Leave The View

Variety posted the scoop last night:

Rosie O’Donnell is leaving ABC’s “The View’ for a second time, sources confirm. She will exit the daytime talkshow next week to concentrate on her family, following a split from wife Michelle Rounds, according to her publicist. “I can confirm that Rosie and her wife Michelle split in November. Rosie has teens and an infant at home that need her attention,” O’Donnell’s rep, Cindi Berger, said in a statement. “This has been a very stressful situation. She is putting her personal health and family first. ABC has been wonderfully understanding and supportive of her personal decision to leave ‘The View.’ Next week will be her last.”

ABC has issued a statement:

Rosie is an immensely talented star who comes in each and every morning brimming with ideas, excitement and passion for the show. When she told us she wanted to exit ‘The View,’ we respected and understood her desire to put her well-being and her family first. We’re delighted she’s still part of the ABC family with upcoming guest appearances on ‘The Fosters,’ and we know she’ll return to ‘The View’ often with her unique point of view and updates on her work and her family.

Rosie O'Donnell: Blood Doesn't Make A Family, Love Makes A Family

NEW YORK CITY: Cyndi Lauper To Host Benefit Concert For Homeless LGBT Youth

Via press release:

Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors Fund today announced annual “Cyndi Lauper & Friends: Home for the Holidays” benefit concert on Saturday, December 6th at New York City’s historic Beacon Theatre to help raise awareness about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth homelessness and funds to support the True Colors Fund’s work to address the problem. Cyndi Lauper will be joined on stage this year by 50 Cent, Natalie Maines, Patty Griffin, Salt-N-Pepa, Sufjan Stevens, Emily West, STRFKR, Liv Warfield, Hoda Kotb, and co-hosts Rosie O’Donnell and Laverne Cox. Additional guests will be announced soon. 

“For the fourth year in a row, ‘Home for the Holidays’ will feature an amazing night of performances in support of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender youth experiencing homelessness," said Lauper, co-founder of the True Colors Fund. "I am astounded by the artists who continue to give of their time and talent each and every year and I am so excited by the line-up who are joining us in December. The concert plays such an important role in supporting the True Colors Fund’s work to ensure that no young person is homeless again because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.”

50 Cent! That's interesting. Tickets go on sale here tomorrow. The Beacon Theatre is on the Upper West Side and is one of the most gorgeous venues in New York City.

REPORT: Sarah Palin Is Working To Get Homocon Tammy Bruce Cast On The View As The "Anti-Rosie O'Donnell"

Via wingnut entertainment columnist Nikki Finke:

The best way on TV to shut up a loudmouth is with another loudmouth. I’ve learned that Tea Party advocate Tammy Bruce – the outspoken nationally syndicated radio show host, author, and Fox News talking head – is being considered for a hosting slot on The View as the so-called "anti-Rosie". What makes this especially interesting is that Bruce reportedly BrucePalinwas suggested to the show by Sarah Palin. "I don’t think Sarah Palin is being considered to be a panelist on the show. I think she’s working behind the scenes to help them cast the conservative," an insider tells me. "Tammy and Palin are close friends, and I think they are hot on Tammy because of Palin. They want the show to be politically combative, and Tammy would certainly be the anti-Rosie in every possible way." Bruce’s website describes her as a "gay, pro-choice, gun-owning, pro-death penalty Tea Party Independent conservative". I’m told Bruce just had a meeting with ABC about potentially joining the show.

For those blissfully unaware, Tammy Bruce is a right wing radio shrieker who regularly screams about "the gaystapo" and who often speaks at far-right, anti-gay conventions. (Tipped by JMG reader Peter)

Trump Attacks Rosie O'Donnell

Elizabeth Hasselbeck: Rosie O'Donnell Has Spit In The Face Of America's Military

Former View co-host Elizabeth Hasselbeck is so upset about Rosie O'Donnell's reported return that she called into Fox News this morning to scream about it. In her opening tirade, Hasselbeck says, "Talk about not securing the border! Here in comes to The View the very woman who spit in the face of our military."

Is Rosie Returning To The View?

Page Six says it's a done deal.

Rosie O’Donnell has been offered a “one-year, seven-figure deal” to rejoin “The View,” sources said — and she’s demanding a say on her co-hosts and absolutely no reality stars. Just days after we reported that ABC was reaching out to her, insiders tell us the deal is not confirmed but is “absolutely in progress.” We hear terms of her deal would include her appearing full-time on the show alongside Whoopi Goldberg, and O’Donnell will also get “approval over offers to other co-hosts.” But according to a source, Rosie wants a stipulation that no other reality stars can be slotted as co-hosts, (so Bethenny Frankel’s agent should stop pitching). The deal would bring O’Donnell back after a rocky exit in 2007 after just one season.

BROOKLYN: Liza And Rosie Join Cyndi Lauper For Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

During last night's concert at Brooklyn's Barclays Center, Cyndi Lauper prefaced a song from Kinky Boots by mentioning that she has now won a Grammy, an Emmy, and a Tony, a status known as GET. Lauper noted that the night's headliner, Cher, has EGO status as she's won an Emmy, a Grammy, and an Oscar.  Following the Kinky Boots number, Lauper brought Rosie O'Donnell up out of the audience and Rosie pointed out that she was seated with a full EGOT winner, Liza Minnelli, who then joined the the pair onstage for an obviously unrehearsed take on Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.

RELATED: Lauper is one of twenty artists with GET status. Eighteen artists have EGO status. Twelve artists have full EGOT status and Liza is not on that list because her 1990 Grammy Living Legend award is honorary. Barbra Streisand and James Earl Jones are also asterisk EGOT holders for the same reason. Rosie O'Donnell has 11 Daytime Emmys for her talk show and an Emmy for her performance as the host of the 1999 Tony Awards. Next month Rosie will receive an honorary Tony Award for her philanthropic work on Broadway.

Rosie O'Donnell To Get Special Tony

Rosie O'Donnell will receive the honorary Isabella Stephenson Tony Award this year for her musical theater work with New York City school kids. Via the Hollywood Reporter:

O'Donnell was chosen for the 2014 award in recognition of her commitment to arts education for New York City public school children and her establishment of the nonprofit arts education foundation Rosie's Theater Kids (originally known as Rosie's Broadway Kids), which provides students with training in dance, music and drama, mentoring programs and exposure to professional theater. "Rosie exemplifies the spirit and the generosity of the Broadway community through her "pay it forward" mentality within the arts community and beyond," said Charlotte St. Martin, executive director of The Broadway League and Heather Hitchens, executive director of the American Theatre Wing.

Previous recipients of this honorary Tony include Larry Kramer and David Hyde Pierce. (Tipped by JMG reader Wanda)

Rosie O'Donnell Reveals Weight Surgery

Speaking at a Chicago event for the American Heart Association, Rosie O'Donnell yesterday revealed that she has had weight loss surgery.

O'Donnell had a Vertical Gastric Sleeve, a procedure that removes part of the stomach, in July 2013, one year after her heart attack. Rosie reportedly said that she has lost 40 pounds since the surgery, going from 230 pounds to 190 pounds, and added that doctors recommend she lose 40 more pounds. "I did what many woman do, and I did not take care of myself," Rosie said. "And that's why I'm here, to try to get women to know you're worth it, take care of yourself and know the symptoms."

O'Donnell had a heart attack in 2012 and credits a Bayer aspirin commercial for saving her life after she waited more than two days before seeing doctors, who then put in a stent. (Tipped by JMG reader David)

Rosie O'Donnell To Return To The View

But only for one show. For now.

Sweeps tend to bring together the strangest bedfellows in pursuit of ratings. On February 7, The View will welcome back former co-host Rosie O’Donnell six years after her nuclear exit from the show amidst a reported feud with View co-host/executive producer Barbara Walters. Now the two will reunite in Walters’ final season on the show. Said Walters, “I have great affection for Rosie and we have remained in contact through the years. I am happy to welcome her back to the program. She is always a lively and engaging guest and a part of the show’s successful history.”

It's a pity that Elizabeth Hasselbeck won't be there. Heh.

Rosie's Kids - Santa's Girls

Clip recap: "BD Wong wrote and directed this special holiday music video to showcase our Performance Ensemble students at Rosie's Theater Kids. Music and lyrics by the wonderful Steve Karmen and Nancy Coyne. Happy Holidays, everyone!"

(Tipped by JMG reader Nathaniel)

MANHATTAN: Stars Turn Out For Cyndi Lauper's Benefit For Homeless LGBT Kids

Last night Cyndi Lauper held her annual Home For The Holidays show at Manhattan's Beacon Theater, where Pink, Josh Groban, Rosie O'Donnell, Big Freedia, Susan Sarandon, Nelly Furtado, and the Indigo Girls were among the performers. The evening benefited Lauper's True Colors Forty To None Project, a name which references the fact that 40% of the homeless kids in New York City identify as LGBT.  Here are few clips from last night that appeared on YouTube so far.

Rosie O'Donnell: 9/11 Truther

Rosie O'Donnell spent yesterday's anniversary arguing 9/11 truther conspiracy theories on Twitter. 

Rosie's Kids - The Trolley Song

Student's of Rosie O'Donnell's Theater Kids performed the show tune classic The Trolley Song in a clip directed by BD Wong.

Rosie's Theater Kids is an arts education organization dedicated to enriching the lives of children through the arts. We serve students who otherwise would not have the opportunity to experience theater, positively changing the trajectory of their lives by providing comprehensive classes in music, dance, and drama; thoughtful mentoring; and structured academic guidance.

Rosie O'Donnell: I Had A Heart Attack

Rosie O'Donnell has revealed that she suffered a heart attack last week.

Calling it a "miracle" she's still alive, Rosie O'Donnell suffered a heart attack last week and is now recovering at home. O'Donnell, 50, credited her survival to quick Internet research on her painful symptoms and a Bayer aspirin she had seen recommended in ads. "Thank god/saved by a tv commercial/literally," she wrote Monday in her usual verse form on her blog. O'Donnell said she had a stent inserted after doctors found that her coronary artery was 99 percent blocked. In a statement on Monday, her rep Cindi Berger tells PEOPLE, "She is now home and resting comfortably. She is very, very lucky." "They call this type of heart attack/the Widow Maker/i am lucky to be here," she wrote.

Read Rosie's account on her personal blog.

Christian Love: Street Preacher Calls Rosie O'Donnell "A Lesbian Pig"

This apparently happened outside the 2012 Super Bowl. The clip below has been on YouTube since March 10th, but was just posted today by Christian Nightmares.


UPDATE: JMG reader Gary sends us the preacher's "apology" for not being more abusive to Rosie, which he says he would have done had he known it was her.

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