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 29 January

By jack

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Who gives a crap about what Rosie thinks/says? She should go back to her hamburgers. Jay rules...

By momofasoldier1

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why should Jay retire?? he should take back the tonight show this is not his fault Jay is a good guy and it shows!!

By K Wilson

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I think Rosie O'Donnell is a good hearted person with strong feeling and opinions. I watched her TV show and have been a fan ever since. I miss seeing her on TV.

By Jenny

Me too! She's the best. :-)

By scott

I can't believe anyone really listens to Rosie
"The Hater". She needs to go away for a long time.

Sunday 31 January

By Alicia

I just can't see why Jay Leno is blamed for not stepping aside for O'Brien. Didn't Conan get hit with low ratings when he took over the later spot so why would his ratings have gotten great if Leno didn't preceed him? I think that Jay got low ratings because 10:00 was too early for the western stations.

Saturday 30 January

By babs

I'm sorry. I just don't get it. Not that I'm a huge fan of either Jay or Conan, but it seems to me the villian in this piece is NBC.

By Jan

Jay Leno did well for many years on the Tonight Show. They should have never taken it away from him in the first place. Who makes decisions like that five years prior to the incident? He should have been allowed to run the course until HE decided to retire. Where did Conan get off trying to push the situation just because he wanted the position? He should have waited until Jay decided to retire. Jay should have been given the respect that other hosts in the past were given.

By millie ricci

Jay Leno the best! Conan not funny! N.B.C.has no other shows worth watching! Enjoying Whtg now! Craig Ferguson funny when I can stay awake!

By MagickBeans

And we care what Rosie thinks............WHY??? She's not exactly the last word on what is right or wrong in entertainment. And she's thrown plenty of her own tantrums. How could she criticize Jay Leno and keep a straight face??? But this is what always happens....a "celebrity" (and I use that term loosely these days) does something stupid (how unusual) and the media goes running to the NEXT celebrity to get their opinion. WHO CARES??? They're actors...I don't believe a word they say in "real life"....they're acting !! And with what they get paid, and their own skeletons, they need to learn to keep their opinions to themselves.

By Vicky

I don't get why anyone is mad at Jay! Who was mad at Conan when he "bullied" the network into firing Jay?
And truly, does ANYONE care what Rosie has to say?

By The ripper

Who cares what that pig thinks, she should mind her own business, She is one of (if not the )most revolting wo-MEN on the planet. No wonder she is gay, no man is that desperate!!!

By sparky

Well, that's nice. Someone else has referred to Her Lowness in retrospect, as a Fat Skank, so I don't have to. No; I can see how some folk admire Rosie. I don't care to watch her, but who am I? As to her opinion, why not admit it; she's entitled to one. I bet she'd have enough gall to ask Obama for a notarized copy of his birth certificate.
Sparky.

By Nonnie

I think this is such a sad photo gallery. I'm not a fan of Rosie O' really, but I so enjoyed her performances in several movies, A League of Their Own, particularly.

In these pictures it's like she's trying her best to smile, but each time it's a grimace. It must be a terrible feeling to know one has lost her last smile.

By marie

h=i resent Rosie of all people putting dwn Jay he is funny and not arrogant as so many stars are so Rosy just step back and take watch some of your shows and see who is arrogant and not funny........

By Annette

Well, as usual, I totally DISAGREE with everything that Rosie has to say! How she or anybody else can find Conan in the least bit humorous is beyond me, and THAT is why he FAILED on the Tonight show!!! NBC is at fault here - NOT Jay!!! His show was #1 and he did absolutely nothing wrong. The executives at NBC have been DESTROYING that network for some time now, and this whole fiasco is their fault. I'm glad Conan is off of The Tonight Show - he never belonged there in the first place!!!

By Roadrunner

I am not a fan of Rosie's. It seems to me she enjoys running everyone else down except herself. She really made me mad when Charlton Heston appeared on her talk show. She rolled him over the coals because he was head of the NRA at the time. Rosie you don't mess with Moses.

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