Rosie O'Donnell Mouths Off About Jay Leno

By Chris Jancelewicz Posted Jan 15th 2010 10:20AM

Jay Leno should step aside and let Conan O'Brien helm the 'Tonight Show' for good, Rosie O'Donnell said last night.

The outspoken comedienne says she's a huge fan of O'Brien, defending him to reporters while promoting an HBO documentary, reports The Huffington Post.

"If you're privileged enough to drive the bus, you should say, 'Thank you' and drive it to the best of your ability, and when it's time for them to hire a new driver, you should say 'Thank you for allowing me to drive this as long as I did' and pass the keys to the new guy with red hair, and not try to flatten his tires before he even gets going," she said.

She was even more candid and outspoken on her blog, outlining in poetic verse that Leno had bullied his way back into his old time slot, even comparing him with shamed ice skater Tonya Harding's attacker. O'Donnell even quotes Canadian rocker Joni Mitchell in her diatribe.

A former daytime talk show host with her own program as well as a controversial seat on panel of 'The View', O'Donnell has no interest in a late night gig.

"That question today is like asking if I'd want to have a vacation in Haiti," she said.

NBC is seeking to move Leno into his old 11:35 p.m. 'Tonight Show' time slot and push O'Brien past midnight, to 12:35, after Leno's prime-time show failed. O'Brien is balking at the move after only seven months at 'Tonight,' and a negotiated exit from NBC seems likely.

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Rosie O'Donnell Photos

Rosie O'Donnell, executive producer of the HBO documentary "A Family is a Family is a Family: A Rosie O'Donnell Celebration," addresses reporters during a panel discussion at the HBO Television Critics Association winter press tour in Pasadena, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 14, 2010. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Rosie ODonnell Photos

Parker O'Donnell (L) and actress Rosie O'Donnell of "A Family Is A Family" speak during the HBO portion of the 2010 Television Critics Association Press Tour at the Langham Hotel on January 14, 2010 in Pasadena, California. HBO 2010 Winter TCA Langham Hotel Pasadena, CA United States January 14, 2010 Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic.com To license this image (59279010), contact FilmMagic.com

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic.com

Actress Rosie O'Donnell of "A Family Is A Family" speaks during the HBO portion of the 2010 Television Critics Association Press Tour at the Langham Hotel on January 14, 2010 in Pasadena, California. HBO 2010 Winter TCA Langham Hotel Pasadena, CA United States January 14, 2010 Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic.com To license this image (59278995), contact FilmMagic.com

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic.com

Rosie O'Donnell, right, executive producer of the HBO documentary "A Family is a Family: A Rosie O'Donnell Celebration," makes a joke as her son Parker O'Donnell reacts during a panel discussion at the HBO Television Critics Association winter press tour in Pasadena, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 14, 2010. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Rosie O'Donnell, right, executive producer of the HBO documentary "A Family is a Family: A Rosie O'Donnell Celebration," and her son Parker O'Donnell participate in a panel discussion on the show at the HBO Television Critics Association winter press tour in Pasadena, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 14, 2010. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 14: Parker O'Donnell (L) and actress Rosie O'Donnell of "A Family Is A Family" speak during the HBO portion of the 2010 Television Critics Association Press Tour at the Langham Hotel on January 14, 2010 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Parker O'Donnell;Rosie O'Donnell

Getty Images

Tags: conan obrien, ConanObrien, jay leno, JayLeno, rosie odonnell, RosieOdonnell, the tonight show, the view, TheTonightShow, TheView

Comments

(37)

Friday 15 January

By basinr

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What a pig of a women ? !!!

Friday 29 January

By Jenny

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oh please. you are reduced to bashing her weight? Try and have a point, why don't ya.

By rjdcascadia

No-one should be more familiar with ratings than Rosie. It is a reflection of who watches you and she doesn't have any. Jay Leno is the ratings king. His Tonight Show was consistently #1 in the ratings for about 15 years. Jay's ratings as a Monday night host for Johnny were even better than Johnny's for that day so he is THE hot property. NBC made a catastophic blunder pushing him out for Conan who did a good job in New York at 12:30 but was untested with an earlier audience and failed. Jay needs to get the Tonight Show back and Conan can fit in or not. Unfortunate as that may be for Conan, he is a victim of poor management at NBC. NBC had a total lock on late night with Jay at 11:30 and Conan at 12:30 and they blew it.

Sunday 24 January

By chrissy0

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Jay should have the decency to retire, he's a has been..Give Conan the chance he deserves.

By ck

Why should he retire? He was still #1 when they asked him to move to the earlier slot. I could see if he had fallen out of the top spot. NBC's big mistake came five years ago when they made this dumb deal.

By Lianna London

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Typical Rosie-- always going against the grain....... how pitiful to be HER.

By Canalexpo

Put a sock in it Rosie. You are so over th hill, so inconsequential, so hungr for attention you will mouth anything to get a word in.

Saturday 16 January

By Al

have another slab of cake and SHUT-UP you OLD FAT B***H

By Joanne

The big fat witch has her tongue flapping again. Climb on your broom and go to Hell.

By Jamwh

Rosie, as usual, has no clue what she is talking about. This whole situation at NBC is NOT Jay Leno's or even Conan O'Brien's fault. It is the result of NBC being greedy and wanting to hold on to both Jay and Conan on NBC's terms. They had a lock on the late night television market and made a huge mistake by pushing Jay Leno out in order to humor Conan O'Brien. And as for Rosie O'Donnell saying she does not want to appear on Jay Leno's show - WHO CARES? The show will receive higher ratings if she does not. There are plenty of celebrities that actually have talent who would and could take her place with ease.

By Billy Boy

She has a big mouth to go with her big a--.

By Dottie

ssshhh, be quiet, don't give NBC the chance to think about hiring Rosie to do late night t.v. Am I the only one grateful that crazy,loud-mouth nutcase retired to raise her kids?

Wednesday 14 July

By Bob

Dottie; You made one honest mistake, it's not her kids she is raising. Lesbians can't reproduce.

Tuesday 19 January

By Judy

What happened to the old Rosie?

By Karola

Jay Leno was pushed out of TONIGHT. NBC received an ultimatum from Conan that he was not going to wait forever for TONIGHT. tHIS PROMPTED GIVING jAY 5 YEARS to exit the TONIGHT SHOW. A lot of like a more basic humor that Jay offers. Conan can keep his "Harvard educated" humor. He does belong on cable.

Saturday 30 January

By Mary Ellen

You are certinly correct Conan can go on cable or any other station and we can turn him off whenever we want. And Rosie has had such a big mouth that I feel sorry for her children in school. Their Teachers better look out. All I know is that her friend/wife was so very smart to get away from her. But, she is going to have to do so much reconision work that I feel sorry for her.

Wednesday 27 January

By Mike

I know lets get Thom Selleck to put in a good word in for ,what her name again??????

Thursday 28 January

By oldboy643

Rosie nobody misses you go back to your log cabin in the woods and zip your lip we are all tired of your mouth and NOBODY cares what you think anymore stay in hideing.

By Jackie

I don't understand her anger towards Leno. He was forced out by NBC...in 2005 he was told he would be leaving the Tonight Show. This was NBC's decision. Jay went out at #1. After Jay left, Letterman took over the #1 spot and help it consistently. I truly feel bad for Conan and his staff, who moved across the country to helm the Tonight Show. However, Jay did not bully his way back to 11:35. That was totally NBC's decision, in response to the ratings. TV is a business, not a hand holding enterprise. It's too bad that more time can't be given to let shows develop and evolve, but there is too much money at stake these days.

By Nancy

Seems employers and management are all crap these days. Everywhere.

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