Rosie ODonnell reveals why she will never return to host The View again
The Sleepless in Seattle star doesn’t hold back!
Rosie O'Donnell, 61, firmly declared she will never return to host The View, stating it wasn't the "best use of my talent to have to argue and defend basic principles of humanity and kindness."
The comedian first joined the show in 2006, only to leave after a year due to conflicts with co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck.
star made a comeback in 2014 but left once more in 2015 as tensions continued on set.
During a candid conversation with Brooke Shields on her podcast, Now What?, the former actress didn't hold back as she criticized Elisabeth and then-producer Bill Geddie for their roles in her 2007 departure.
She described Bill as an "old, cis, white man, Republican who was against everything that I believed in and stood for," and accused him of providing Elisabeth with Republican talking points.
MORE: Whoopi Goldberg leaves fans confused with continued absence from The View
Rosie claimed that her co-host set her up, leading to backlash from her fan and also revealed that her second stint on the show wasn't any better, as she experienced surprising clashes with host Whoopi Goldberg.
She alleged that Whoopi didn't want to discuss now-convicted rapist Bill Cosby, and that Bill preferred to focus on trivial topics like "fall lipstick colors" rather than serious issues like the Abu Ghraib torture scandal.
Despite these conflicts, Rosie said she considered Elisabeth a friend during their time on the show, taking her to Broadway shows and inviting her to her home. However, when Brooke asked if Rosie felt she was "made to be the villain," the comedian agreed, saying, "in some ways."
Rosie emphasized that she has "no regrets," as each experience in show business has taught her something. She reiterated that participating in a show where she had to "argue and defend basic principles of humanity and kindness" was not the best use of her talent and that she "wouldn't ever do it again."
READ: The View slammed by viewers after 'awful' Hugh Grant interview fail
Brooke praised Rosie for her courage in navigating the challenges of the show. Although O'Donnell faced controversies during her time on The View, she said she forgave Barbara Walters, the show's longtime runner who invited her to join.
Barbara passed away in December at the age of 93.
Elisabeth returned to The View last summer, and Rosie candidly expressed her disinterest in watching the show with her again, stating: "I remembered why I don’t want to watch it with her anymore. Her little Post-It notes, I don’t know."
The current hosts of The View include Joy Behar, Ana Navarro, Whoopi Goldberg, Sunny Hostin, Sara Haines, and Alyssa Farah Griffin.
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