Rosie's Return Means Round Two With Barbara Walters

By Ben Widdicombe Posted Mar 23rd 2010 02:00PM

Rosie O'Donnell's plan to return to daytime chat means that viewers will get to watch a fight for Oprah Winfrey's crown that once looked like it would pass smoothly to Barbara Walters and the ladies from 'The View.'

And it's a fight Rosie could win.

After Oprah announced that her 25 years on network television would end in September 2011, 'The View' beat out 'Ellen' in a battle for her coveted time slot. But after a brief peace, Rosie has already come out swinging against her former sparring partners.

"I [know] that 'The View' wants to be on in the Oprah spot," O'Donnell said yesterday on her Sirius Satellite radio program, adding that when Walters asked her when her new show would air, "I said, 'Oh yeah, the Oprah spot' -- to which Barbara's face goes slack-ish."

She was joking, but her glee at the exchange sets the tone for a pitched battle over who will be the new Diva of Daytime. So why will Rosie win?

"She can command an audience," says veteran TV executive Mark Finkelpearl. "Rosie has enormous brand equity and this is clearly a sign that people are ready, willing and able to invest in her again. She does belong in this space [of daytime TV] and she's proven time and again that she can do it."

And let's not forget the slew of Emmys she won during her six years at the helm of 'The Rosie O'Donnell Show,' including five consecutive awards for Best Talk Show. While O'Donnell is often portrayed as a "love her or hate her" figure, Finkelpearl believes that her essential popularity will win out. "When I think of Howard Stern or Bill O'Reilly, those are polarizing figures. With Rosie, she reaches much more of a mainstream audience than people give her credit for," he says.

And there's no question that Rosie is hungry for success. Another source, who has worked with O'Donnell in the past, told PopEater, "Rosie loves a fight, it energizes her. When she left 'The View' and clashed with Barbara, some people thought it was a put-on for the cameras, but she was really fired up. Rosie will relish a chance to go hand-to-hand with Barbara Walters on competing shows."

Rosie has already outined the plan for her new series. She told Entertainment Tonight that it will be "a single topic, hour-long show about life, love and laughter."

O'Donnell added that there won't be a desk or stars promoting their upcoming projects. "It's gonna be a lot different, because I'm a lot older, you know. It'll be a dozen years since leaving my own show when we go back on the air and I've grown a lot and I think that it's time," she said.

With Oprah leaving the stage and Ellen Degeneres diversifying into other formats, like 'American Idol,' the timing seems perfect for the one-time "Queen of Nice" to return to talk. Whether the "Nice"-ness will last in a battle with 'The View' remains to be seen.

Tags: barbara walters, rosie odonnell, the view

Comments

(455)

Tuesday 23 March

By Kathleen

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I think Rosie is a thing of the past. Too many things have gone down and she is not as nice as I thought she was. I would rather watch The View or Ellen.

By Barb

I am so sick of Rosie. Who the heck wants to watch that fat pig with all that rage she has for so many people. She makes me sick...

By Donna

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I agree with you Rosie did have a good show at one time,
but I think her enjoyment of a "fight" with everyone and anyone has hardened her.
I truly hate watching the view, I love Whoopie, and I
like Barbara but I have to shut it off as soon as the
blonde know it all opens her mouth.
They should have left her on the island when she was
on Survivor.
I think Ellen should have gotten the time slot,she is
funny, and a breath of fresh air with all the other
nonsense that is taking up tv time.

By Jean

That is the exact thing I was thinking. We all know she is a mean person. I'm not into mean people and I don't care to watch them on TV. Even if she acted nice, we would all still know that there was a mean person hiding inside her.

By GB

Could care less about Rosie, and the View, particularly Barbara, and Joy the big mouth. Ironically the only one worth listening to on the View is Whoopie. Sherry is just too dumb. The blond thinks she knows more than she does. Joy already has her own show, and should get the axe. Barbara is an eighty year old hag that has no discernable talent...

Wednesday 24 March

By j.michna

i belive rosie is two faced, i rember when she was against people haveing guns , but she helped get her babbys bodygard a gun permit and gun, , she also has a big mouth,and most of the time is talking from her butt

By Dan

I agree, Rosie O'Donnell needs to be put out to pasture. She has proven time and again to be no more than a bully. i thought her show was entertaining until she chose to corner and attack guest on her turf. She has no manners or class. What a terrible example she has set for her children.

By LinMG

Oh NO..PLEASE, if there is a god of TV, do NOT let this woman back on the air! I absolutely canNOT stand her, never have been able to watch or listen to her. I find her so annoying. Ugh. I don't want anyone from the View on at that time either. But please do not put Rosie on. When I see her, I just feel like screaming.

By Wish Belkin

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It's all well and good to hope that Rosie fails, but bear in mind that if she does, Donald Trump will doubtlessly take credit for it. Choose your devil.

By patnpatc

I think she should stay where ever she has been. Do we really need her back on TV. NO. Save TV viewers from more crappy programing.

By ron griffin

I thought she had a show in Florida and killed her trainer and was being kept away from the other whales.

By MYRNA

Rosie, Rosie, Rosie.... No one wants you back... ANYWHERE!!! Haven't you learned your lesson yet?? You are NOT funny, you are NOT missed and WE do NOT want you back on TV or anywhere else... Stay home with the kids, better yet, leave those poor children alone. I can't imagine what a screaming, yelling, fit throwing mom you are... So why don't you just go away to some far, away desert island, let someone raise those kids, stay out of their lives and everyone elses... GET LOST!!!!

By Irene

I agree 100%!!!!

Friday 07 May

By Gabz

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ELLEN and WHOOPIE! wooooooppppieeeeeeee! ;-)
Those are the ONLY people I wish to hear talking!!!

The View makes me crazy -- when ALL of those twits (save Whoopie who just looks at the friggin mess in front of her) start TALKING AT THE SAME TIME!!!! Then the blond idiot gets a few sentences alone, which is THE TIME I know to CHANGE CHANNELS - QUICKLY!!!

Whoopie is WAY TOO INTELIGENT and, yes, WISE to take part in the messy spittle of those women's verbiage, so we DON'T GET ENOUGH OF HER!

ELLEN & WHOOPIE -- this would be terrif!

By RCA

The View has nothing to worry about. Rosie is done. She's a big, fat baby who couldn't take the heat from little old Elizabeth. Rosie has been irrelevant ever since.

By louise Martinez

couldn't take the heat from Elizabeth??? It's likely good that Rosie was lady enough to leave or else we might be rid of the mouth named elizabeth and that would be too good to be true!!
Talk about trash!!

By yourwrongone

Louise get a life, go live with Rosie if you like her NOONE else does

By chicobombico

The sponsers and producers must be desperate to put Rosie back on television. Rosie is nothing short of an animal foaming at the mouth. All should boycott the show, network and sponsers

By valeskas

You have my support on this one.

By Linda

I agree

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