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Rosie O'Donnell (born March 21, 1962 in Bayside, Queens, New York) is an American talk show host; comedian; film, television, and stage actress; and LGBT advocate. She is a co-host and the moderator of the ABC talk show, The View. She has also announced that she has agreed to star in a Nip/Tuck spinoff show in the role of Dawn Budge, a character she portrayed on the show in September 2006.http://www.rosie.com/sections/ask-ro/. From 1996 to 2002, she hosted the daytime talk show, The Rosie O'Donnell Show.

Early life

O'Donnell was born in Bayside, Queens, New York to Edward J. O'Donnell, an Irish Catholic immigrant from Belfast, and Roseann Murtha, an American of Irish Catholic descent who later died of breast cancer at the age of 38. O'Donnell was raised in Commack on Long Island (Suffolk County, New York). She briefly attended Dickinson College, later she transferred to Boston University but has not completed a degree.

Stand-up and film career

O'Donnell began her career performing stand-up around the U.S. East Coast. Her comparatively heavy-set appearance and distinctive New York accent set her apart from other comediennes and actresses.

Ms. O'Donnell hosted the VH1 stand-up comedy series in the late 1980s. She was next cast as the lead in her own sitcom in 1992, called Stand by Your Man (a U.S. version of the BBC hit Birds of a Feather), which lasted only briefly due to low ratings.

Beginning in the early-90s, O'Donnell starred in a string of comedy films including A League of Their Own, Another Stakeout, and Sleepless in Seattle. In 1994 she played Betty Rubble in the live action movie version of The Flintstones. Throughout this period, she was highly acclaimed for her performances, but lost ground in the mid-90s with the less successful films Car 54, Where Are You? and Anne Rice's Exit to Eden. She also had roles in Now and Then, Beautiful Girls, and the family movie Harriet the Spy.

Talk show success

In the fall of 1996, she began hosting a daytime talk show, The Rosie O'Donnell Show. The show proved extremely successful, winning multiple Emmy awards, and earning O'Donnell the title of "The Queen of Nice" for her style of light-hearted banter with her guests and interactions with the audience. It was also her interviews with "Superkids", and other notable non-celebrities that brought her critical and public acclaim.

On the show, O'Donnell frequently highlighted various charitable projects, often boosting awareness and donations to these causes.

O'Donnell was also known for featuring extended production numbers from Broadway musicals on her show, and is credited with giving Broadway a greater visibility to her viewing audience.

Magazine

In 2000, O'Donnell partnered with the publishers of McCall's to revamp the magazine as Rosie's McCall's (or, more commonly, Rosie). O'Donnell's magazine focused on accessibility, with features about depression, breast cancer, foster care, and other socially relevant matters. Rosie eventually folded due to difficulties in securing advertising at satisfactory rates.

Leaving talk show and coming out

In 2002, O'Donnell left her talk show, favoring a return to stand-up comedy. The show was then hosted by comedian Caroline Rhea (the show was renamed The Caroline Rhea Show), but it only lasted one season.

Shortly before leaving her show, O'Donnell confirmed the rumors about her sexuality when she came out of the closet as a lesbian. Within the gay community this was common knowledge, and the tabloids had been hinting at it. She claimed various reasons for doing so, including the need for publicity and to put a familiar face to homosexuality, but her primary reason was that as a lesbian adoptive mother (with a long-time lover) she was infuriated that adoption agencies, particularly in Florida, were refusing adoptive rights to able gay parents. She hoped that by coming out, it would increase awareness of this subject.

In her January 31, 2002, appearance on the gay-themed sitcom Will & Grace, she played the role of a lesbian. Thus the scriptwriters put the words "I'm gay" into her mouth before she officially came out.

After leaving her show and coming out, O'Donnell underwent a minor image change. She returned to stand-up comedy, and within her first few shows made fun of various celebrities, among them Michael Jackson, Liza Minnelli, Diana Ross, Martha Stewart, Oprah Winfrey, Winona Ryder, and Joan Rivers. She also received what was considered by many to be an unflattering, somewhat masculine haircut, reminiscent of Cyndi Lauper's hair in the 1980s. The tabloid press again picked up on her life, claiming that she had abandoned the "Queen of Nice" image. O'Donnell pointed out that her stand-up routine had always been very political and abrasive, and that her haircut was a personal choice. She eventually claimed that she had cut her hair in imitation of Boy George, in hopes that he would allow her to produce his stage show Taboo in the United States. If that was the true motive, she was successful, although the show was not, with a failed run on Broadway.

In 2002 O'Donnell also published an autobiography entitled Find Me. In addition to cataloging her childhood and early adulthood, the book delved into O'Donnell's relationship with a woman with Multiple Personality Disorder who posed as an under-aged teen who had become pregnant by rape. The book was critically acclaimed and reached number two on the New York Times bestseller list.

Legal battle with magazine publishers

In late 2003, O'Donnell entered into a legal battle with the publishers of Rosie magazine. They claimed that the failure of the magazine was due to O'Donnell's uncooperative, rude and violent behavior within the magazine's offices. They claimed that by removing herself from the magazine's publication, she was in breach of contract. O'Donnell claimed that there was no way she could in good conscience continue to be a part of the magazine, because they were moving away from her vision.

The trial received considerable press coverage. O'Donnell would often give brief press interviews outside of the courtroom responding to various allegations. Of note was a former magazine colleague who testified that O'Donnell said to her on the phone that "people who lie die of cancer."Cancer survivor: Rosie O'Donnell told her liars 'get cancer' Ultimately, the judge ruled against both sides and dismissed the case.

Marriage & Children

On February 26, 2004, O'Donnell entered legal union with her partner Kelli Carpenter, a former Nickelodeon marketing executive, in San Francisco, some two weeks after mayor Gavin Newsom authorized the granting of marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Her decision to marry Carpenter came after O'Donnell blasted President Bush over his support for the Federal Marriage Amendment. The license was later voided by the California Supreme Court.

Rosie and Kelli are parents to adopted children Parker Jaren (b. 05-25-1995), Chelsea Belle (b. 09-20-1997), Blake Christopher (b. 12-05-1999). Vivienne Rose was born 11-29-2002 by Kelli through sperm donation.

Return to television

During the 2006 Daytime Emmy Awards, Barbara Walters announced that O'Donnell would become a co-host on the talk show The View. On September 5, 2006, she officially replaced Meredith Vieira as the moderator of the show.

In September 2006, O'Donnell made her first guest appearance on TV show, Nip/Tuck, in the role of Dawn Budge. A spin-off starring O'Donnell as the Budge character http://www.tvsquad.com/2006/09/02/rosie-odonnell-starring-in-a-nip-tuck-spin-off/ was reportedly being considered and confirmed by O'Donnell on her bloghttp://www.rosie.com/sections/ask-ro/. On October 16, 2006, O'Donnell indicated that negotiations had concluded and that she had accepted the jobhttp://www.rosie.com/sections/ask-ro/.

Political views

Gun control stance

Rosie O'Donnell is an outspoken supporter of gun control and a major figure in the Million Mom March. In 2000, O'Donnell outraged parents of kindergartners at the school her son attends when she was granted special permission to allow an armed bodyguard to accompany her son to school. In response, she promised that the bodyguard wouldn't actually be armed while on the school grounds. Her critics charged that this was hypocrisy, citing the April 19, 1999, broadcast of her talk show, on which she stated, "You are not allowed to own a gun, and if you do own a gun, I think you should go to prison." O'Donnell has since regretted making the remarks and has attempted to reconcile her stance by remarking, "I don't personally own a gun."

In 1999, O'Donnell interviewed actor Tom Selleck, who was promoting a film. During the interview, in what some critics perceived as an "ambush," O'Donnell confronted him about his stance on guns and his involvement with the NRA, making it an infamously tense TV moment[1]. According to Selleck, the two had agreed not to discuss the topic prior to his appearance on the show. O'Donnell maintains that Selleck and his publicist had been informed that the topic would be discussed. However, she did subsequently say on her show that the interview did not go as she hoped it would.

Also in May 1999, Bernadette Peters and the rest of the cast from Annie Get Your Gun was to appear for taping and perform the song "Anything You Can Do." O'Donnell insisted that the line "I can shoot a partridge with a single cartridge" be removed from the song. Peters refused, and the cast sang a different song without Peters. Later in 1999, O'Donnell discontinued her contract with Kmart as their spokeswoman, because of her opinion of the large retailer's sale of firearms.

On the October 3, 2006, edition of The View, in the aftermath of the Amish school shooting, O'Donnell argued with Elisabeth Hasselbeck on gun control.http://newsbusters.org/node/8064http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhXqexuRkLk.

George W. Bush

Rosie O'Donnell is an outspoken critic of many conservative politicians, including President George W. Bush. O'Donnell received both applause and disapproval by some for saying on The View that "radical" Christianity is just as much of a threat to America as is "radical" Islam.Rosie: Radical Christians pose Islamofascist threat

Works

Television

• Gimme a Break! (cast member from 1986–1987)
• Stand-Up Spotlight (1988–1991)
• Stand by Your Man (1992) (canceled after 2 months)
• The Rosie O'Donnell Show (1996–2002) (also producer and executive producer)
• The Twilight of the Golds (1997)
• Jackie's Back! (1999) (cameo)
• Riding the Bus with My Sister (TV movie, 2005) (also executive producer)
• Queer as Folk (TV series, 2005)
• The View (2006–Present)
• Nip/Tuck (2006)

Will & Grace

Theatre work

• Grease (1994)
• Seussical (2001) (replacement for David Shriner)
• Fiddler on the Roof (2004) (replacement for Andrea Martin in 2005)

Filmography

• A League of Their Own (1992)
• Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
• Another Stakeout (1993)
• Fatal Instinct (1993)
• Car 54, Where Are You? (1994)
• I'll Do Anything (1994)
• The Flintstones (1994)
• Exit to Eden (1994)
• Now and Then (1995)
• The Flintstones (1995)
• Beautiful Girls (1995)
• Harriet the Spy (1996)
• A Very Brady Sequel (1996) (Cameo)
• Wide Awake (1998)
• Get Bruce (1999) (documentary)
• Tarzan (1999) (voice)
• The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas (2000) (voice only)
• Artists and Orphans: A True Drama (2001) (short subject) (narrator)
• Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001) (Archive footage)
• Last Party 2000 (2001) (documentary)
• The Lady in Question Is Charles Busch (2005) (documentary)
• Show Business (2005) (documentary)
• Pursuit of Equality (2005) (documentary)
• All Aboard: Rosie's Family Cruise (2006) (documentary) (also executive producer)

Award ceremonies

• Kids Choice Awards (Host) (1997-2003)
• 54th Annual Tony Awards (Host) (2000)
• 42nd Annual Grammy Awards (Host) (2000)

Autobiography

• Find Me (2002)

Awards

Daytime Emmy Awards

• 2002 Outstanding Talk Show, The Rosie O'Donnell Show
• 2002 Outstanding Talk Show Host, The Rosie O'Donnell Show

• 2001 Outstanding Talk Show, The Rosie O'Donnell Show
• 2001 Outstanding Talk Show Host, The Rosie O'Donnell Show (tied with Regis Philbin)

• 2000 Outstanding Talk Show, The Rosie O'Donnell Show
• 2000 Outstanding Talk Show Host, The Rosie O'Donnell Show

• 1999 Outstanding Talk Show, The Rosie O'Donnell Show
• 1999 Outstanding Talk Show Host, The Rosie O'Donnell Show

• 1998 Outstanding Talk Show, The Rosie O'Donnell Show
• 1998 Outstanding Talk/Service Show Host, The Rosie O'Donnell Show (tied with Oprah Winfrey)

• 1997 Outstanding Talk/Service Show Host, The Rosie O'Donnell Show

Emmy Awards

• 1999 Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special, 52nd Annual Tony Awards

References

• Interview on Inside the Actors Studio. Host James Lipton. Bravo TV. Aired 23 October. 2005 (original interview May 2005)

External links

• About.com's Profile of Rosie O'Donnell, Liberal Activist and ABC Talk Show Host
• Article on O'Donnell's marriage in San Francisco
• Jump The Shark com - The Rosie O'Donnell Show
• Rosie's blog
• R Family Vacations
• Rosie's Flickr Photos - Personal photos that Rosie takes in her daily life.
• Rosie's Favorite Toy Store - This company also sponsors a huge toy room on Rosie's RFamily cruise just for toddlers.
• Everything Rosie: An ACME Page
• Rosie Returns Loud and Proud on The View

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