Tag: Rosie O’Donnell

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Rosie O’Donnell’s ‘Broadway-Palooza’ Raises $500k For Actor’s Fund

Rosie O’Donnell offered up a heaping helping of Broadway stars (all from the comfort of their own homes) during a 3+ hour streaming revival of her eponymous talk-show on Sunday evening. From her garage/craft room, Rosie welcomed folks like Barry Manilow, Randy Rainbow, Judith Light, Billy Porter, Chita Rivera, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker, and many, many more via Skype.

Billy Porter on The Rosie O’Donnell Show
And yes, there were performances including Patti LuPone (singing a lovely “Smile”), Kelli O’Hara (singing Sondheim’s “Take Me to the World”), Audra McDonald & hubby Will Swenson (also choosing to sing “Smile”), Lea Salonga (singing “Reflection”), Darren Criss (singing “Being Alive” from Company), Shoshana Bean (“Don’t Rain on My Parade”), and Kristin Chenoweth popping off a funfilled “Taylor the Latte Boy” (with her hottie boyfriend making a cameo). The project was the brainchild of Broadway and TV actor Erich Bergen who popped in every now and then to address small sound or tech issues. And Rosie’s former music director John McDaniel was on hand as well.
Kelli O’Hara on The Rosie O’Donnell Show
The event served as a fundraiser for The Actor’s Fund, which helps not only actors but everyone in the theater world during hard times including stagehands, stage managers, and more. At the end of the Broadway-palooza, over $500,000 was raised for the charity. Bravo to everyone involved! Hit the play button below and enjoy 🙂  

If you want to jump to a particular perf0rmer, here at the time marks for each (in chronological order): John McDaniel – 2:42 Jesse Tyler Ferguson – 4:56 Tituss Burgess – 8:09 Gloria Estefan – 12:57 Lin-Manuel Miranda – 19:40 Cynthia Erivo – 23:55 Patti LuPone – 28:50 Ben Platt – 36:07 Laura Benanti – 41:50 Idina Menzel – 48:10 Aaron Tveit – 53:35 Rob McClure – 54:03 Jordin Sparks – 54:31 Bernadette Peters – 55:01 Chita Rivera – 56:13 Alan Menken – 1:02:15 Neil Patrick Harris – 1:09:40 Brian Stokes Mitchell – 1:15:43 Audra McDonald and Will Swenson – 1:23:30 Andrew Lloyd Webber – 1:29:52 Stephen Sondheim – 1:30:23 Jeremy Jordan – 1:32:33 Jane Krakowski – 1:33:05 Uzo Aduba – 1:33:36 Andrew Rannells – 1:33:49 Annette Bening – 1:34:20 Judith Light – 1:37:02 Darren Criss – 1:41:23 Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker – 1:47:37 Kelli O’Hara – 1:54:16 Jeremy Pope – 2:03:20 Nate Berkus – 2:08:01 Adrienne Warren – 2:11:40 Kristin Chenoweth – 2:18:16 Harvey Firestein – 2:25:25 Katharine McPhee and David Foster – 2:29:12 Billy Porter – 2:33:40 Shoshana Bean – 2:40:17 Gavin Creel – 2:43:54 Miranda Sings / Colleen Ballinger – 2:48:19 Lauren Patten- 2:54:43 Skylar Astin – 2:59:25 Michael Gladis and Beth Behrs – 2:59:53 Ben Vereen – 3:00:21 Sutton Foster – 3:00:41 Frankie Valli – 3:01:09 Matthew Morrison – 3:01:42 Jordan Fisher – 3:04:47 Maria Tomei – 3:11:32 Lorna Luft – 3:12:02 Miguel Cervantes – 3:12:33 Andy Karl and Orfeh – 3:12:55 Elizabeth Stanley – 3:13:26 James Wesley and Seth Rudetsky – 3:13:54 Lea Salonga – 3:13:34 Randy Rainbow: 3:20:59 Barry Manilow: 3:23:59

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Watch Broadway Stars Perform LIVE From Home Today

Don’t forget to hit the play button below at 7pm ET/4pm PT today for the return of The Rosie O’Donnell Show LIVE! as she hosts a star-studded array of Broadway’s finest performing from their homes. The event will serve as a fund-raiser for The Actor’s Fund,  which fosters stability and resiliency, and provides a safety net for performing arts and entertainment professionals over their lifespan. According to Broadway.com, the special program will feature performances and appearances by some of the biggest names in entertainment, all participating live from the comfort of their own homes, including Sebastian Arcelus, Skylar Astin, Beth Behrs, Nate Berkus, Stephanie J. Block, Matthew Broderick, Tituss Burgess, Norbert Leo Butz, Kristin Chenoweth, Gavin Creel, Darren Criss, Gloria Estefan, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Harvey Fierstein, David Foster, Morgan Freeman, Neil Patrick Harris, Megan Hilty, Lorin Latarro, Judith Light, Barry Manilow, Rob McClure, Audra McDonald, Katharine McPhee, Alan Menken, Idina Menzel, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Kelli O’Hara, Sarah Jessica Parker, Lauren Patten, Ben Platt, Billy Porter, Randy Rainbow, Andrew Rannells, Chita Rivera, Seth Rudetsky, Miranda Sings, Jordin Sparks, Ben Vereen, Adrienne Warren, James Wesley and more.

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‘The Rosie O’Donnell Show’ Returns For One-Night-Only Streaming Event

Rosie O’Donnell is bringing her talk-show back for a one-night-only special fundraiser to benefit The Actors Fund to help the theater community during the ongoing coronavirus threat. All Broadway theaters are currently dark with April 13 set as the target date for curtains to rise again. The all-star event will be streamed live on March 22 on Broadway.com and YouTube. Daytime fans will recall The Rosie O’Donnell Show was THE afternoon talk show during its six-year run from 1996 to 2002. Along the way, the gabfest scored numerous Emmy Awards, including five Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Talk Show and six for O’Donnell as Outstanding Talk Show Host. An avid fan of musical theater, O’Donnell used her platform to showcase dozens of performances from Broadway productions on the show.

“Everybody who knows me knows that Broadway has been one of the brightest lights in my life since the time I was a little girl,” said O’Donnell in a statement. “It has also been the lifeblood of New York City for generation after generation. After all Broadway has given to the world, now — in this time of tremendous need — it’s our turn to give something back.” “There is no better way to support this community than via The Actors Fund,” she added. “And, with a line-up like this, I dare you not to tune in.” Actor Eric Bergen (Broadway’s Jersey Boys, CBS’ Madame Secretary), who is co-producing the Broadway-palooza with O’Donnell, foreshadowed the event on his Instagram featuring The Rosie O’Donnell Show logo: “Everyone could use a little Rosie in their lives right now don’t ‘cha think?” Bergen followed that up with this message: “I told my friend @rosie that I had an idea. I thought the world needed The Rosie O’Donnell Show back…even for just a night. I’m so thrilled she said yes and that I get to produce this event. Join us Sunday night on @broadwaycom and on YouTube as we raise money for @theactorsfund with the biggest names on Broadway!”

PEOPLE reports the star-studded event will feature performances and appearances from celebrated actors and entertainers including Sarah Jessica Parker, Darren Criss, Gloria Estefan, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Harvey Fierstein, David Foster, Morgan Freeman, Neil Patrick Harris, Megan Hilty, Judith Light, Barry Manilow, Rob McClure, Audra McDonald, Katharine McPhee, Alan Menken, Idina Menzel, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Kelli O’Hara, Lauren Patten, Ben Platt, Billy Porter, Randy Rainbow, Andrew Rannells, Chita Rivera, Seth Rudetsky, Miranda Sings, Jordin Sparks, Ben Vereen, Adrienne Warren, James Wesley, Sebastian Arcelus, Skylar Astin, Beth Behrs, Erich Bergen, Nate Berkus, Stephanie J. Block, Matthew Broderick, Tituss Burgess, Norbert Leo Butz, Kristin Chenoweth, Gavin Creel, Lea Salonga, Idina Menzel, and more. And yes, they’ll all appear from the comfort and safety of their own homes! John McDaniel, The Rosie O’Donnell Show‘s original music director and producer, is also slated to return. The big show will stream live on Sunday, March 22 at 7 p.m. ET on Broadway.com and its YouTube channel. To make a tax-deductible donation to The Actors Fund, visit here.  

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Rosie O’Donnell On Donald & Ivanka: “I Think He’s Been Doing Bad Things With Her”

Rosie O’Donnell (image via Instagram)

During an interview segment with SiriusXM host Michelangelo Signorile, Rosie O’Donnell shared her thoughts on Donald Trump’s relationship with his daughter Ivanka, as well as Ivanka’s ‘public service’ working in the White House and a possible future run for president.

“I don’t know what he’s doing with her,” said O’Donnell “I think he’s been doing bad things with her for a very long time. There’s a creepy incest feel that is a very prevalent amongst Donald Trump and his children, at least his daughter. Very creepy. I don’t know.”

“I think she’s like, you know, a talentless, non-intelligent, non-powerful woman. And, I think she’s…it’s laughable to think of her in any kind of public service role. No one in his family has ever been in public service. Why should they start now?”

Rosie doesn’t cite any particular instance between Trump and his daughter, although many in the public square have noted various statements by the Donald about his daughter that seemed to step into queasy territory.

Listen to the clip below.

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News Round-Up: April 9, 2019

• InstaHunk Thara (above) is getting pumped up for the summer circuit (and I don't mean weight training).

Some news items you might have missed:

• InstaHunk Thara (above) is getting pumped up for the summer circuit (and I don’t mean weight training).

• Quartz reports “former agency officials,” said White House adviser Stephen Miller would leak the monthly number of immigrants apprehended at the border to the Washington Examiner, who would then publish a story about the high numbers.

He would then print out the story and give it to Donald Trump. After seeing the story, Trump would then “pick up the phone and blast (Homeland Secretary) Nielsen.

• FX has announced that the second season of Pose will premiere June 9 at 9pm. The network also confirmed that the second season will time jump to 1990 with vogueing about to the day Madonna released her music video for “Vogue,” causing the ball culture to “reevaluate their goals.”

• Rosie O’Donnell says she greatly regrets giving Ladies Who Punch author Ramin Setoodeh 20 minutes of her time. In those minutes, she revealed she was sexually abused by her father, that she had “a little bit of a crush” on former colleague Elisabeth Hasselbeck and described working with Whoopi Goldberg as “The worst experience I’ve ever had on live television.”

• A tire company in Colorado is paying a transgender man $60,000 and writing a letter of apology after it settled a sex discrimination lawsuit.

• Don’t miss the season finale of Schitt’s Creek on Wednesday at 10 p.m. on POP.

[Spoiler alert] Last week’s episode gave us quite the moment:

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News Round-Up: March 26, 2019

Some news items you might have missed:

• My girl Olivia Newton-John can add “New York Times Best-Selling Author” to her long, long list of accomplishments. Her memoir, Don’t Stop Believing’ debuts at #12 on the famed NY Times list. Folks are going nuts over the audio book version where you can hear Liv tell her story to you one-on-one in her own voice. Check it on iTunes here.

• The Human Rights Campaign has announced that U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), one of the many pro-equality champions running for the White House in 2020, will speak at the 2019 HRC Los Angeles Dinner next Saturday, March 30, 2019.

• Removed from the prom ballot for being trans, 17-year-old Dex Frier was added back with the support of his peers and was crowned as part of the prom court.

• Out Olympic skier Gus Kenworthy was NOT having the homophobic social media posts during a Pride ski week at Breckenridge, Colorado.

• Fox News host Elisabeth Hasselbeck said that former The View colleague Rosie O’Donnell’s confession of a crush on her is “offensive” and that she is immediately began praying for O’Donnell.

• Former First Lady Michelle Obama’s memoir, Becoming, has sold more than 10 million units since its release in November. The autobiography is nearing the top of all-time memoir sales.

• Grammy Award-winning multi-platinum singer/songwriter DAYA drops the music video for her latest hit “Insomnia.”

The video throws viewers into rave culture with an epic party; but while everyone is dancing in the club, Daya is alone in a darkly-lit room, unable to join the party as her thoughts stay focused singularly on missing the one she loves.

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Rosie O’Donnell: “Everyone Sort Of Knew” About Whitney Houston’s Same-Sex Romance With Robyn Crawford

During a recent appearance on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live, Rosie O’Donnell told Andy Cohen that she knew about Whitney Houston’s longtime romance with Robyn Crawford.

“Everyone sort of knew it,” said O’Donnell, who also expressed surprise that Houston recording empresario Clive Davis had feigned ignorance about the relationship. “I don’t believe that for one minute,” she said.

Watch below.

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Broadway: Rosie O’Donnell Skewers Trump With Parody GREASE Song

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Last night, Rosie O'Donnell joined us for a VERY special #DisasterRelief performance with her own Donald J. Trump version of "There Are Worse Things I Could Do" from Grease! #PrepareForDisasterPosted by Disaster – On Broadway on Friday, April 8, 2016

For those who aren’t aware, after each performance of the new parody musical DISASTER, the cast is having guest stars come up on stage and perform to help raise money for Broadway Cares (my favorite charity which helps countless men and women with HIV/AIDS) as a “bonus” to the DISASTER experience.

Rosie O’s lyrics (penned by herself and Seth Rudetsky) are pretty clever.

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Rosie O’Donnell To Leave THE VIEW – Again

Following a split with wife Michelle Rounds, Rosie O’Donnell has announced she will leave her co-hosting duties at The View.

From Variety:

“The View” has been in a state of turmoil since last May when founding anchor Barbara Walters signed off of the roundtable 11 a.m. talker and Jenny McCarthy and Sherri Shepherd also left the panel. O’Donnell was recruited back to the show, which she co-hosted in the 2006-07 with much turmoil behind the scenes, along with newcomers Rosie Perez and Nicolle Wallace. Whoopi Goldberg, the show’s moderator and only returning member of the panel this season, is said to have butted heads with O’Donnell behind the scenes, as well as on-air.

Sources close to the situation said O’Donnell had been struggling with the stress related to her divorce as well as the pressure on “The View” set. The show’s lineup opened strongly in the ratings in September but viewership quickly tailed off. There has been much discussion at ABC about making further changes or additions among the hosts. Sources close to the situation suggested that O’Donnell decided to jump, citing her personal reasons, before she had to face the prospect of getting pushed.

“Rosie is an immensely talented star who comes in each and every morning brimming with ideas, excitement and passion for the show,” ABC said in a statement. “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.”