Rosie O'Donnell discusses awkward relationship with Ellen DeGeneres: 'We had a bit of a weird thing'
On Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen Thursday, actress and former talk show host Rosie O'Donnell discussed the "weird" relationship she has with Ellen DeGeneres.
When asked why she never made an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show during its 20-year run, O'Donnell admitted that they likely didn't have her on as a guest because they "had a little bit of a weird thing."
O'Donnell shared, "After my show went off the air, and hers was coming on the air, Larry King was on with Ellen and he said, 'Whatever happened to Rosie O'Donnell? Her show went down the tubes. She came out as a lesbian and disappeared.' And Ellen said, and I'm quoting, 'I don't know Rosie. We're not friends.'"
Given the fact that DeGeneres went on The Rosie O'Donnell Show in 1996, where she danced around the gossip regarding her sexuality by saying her character was going to come out as "Lebanese," months before she came out as gay on her self-titled sitcom Ellen, O'Donnell was hurt that DeGeneres later said she didn't know her.
"I was in bed with Kelli and I went, 'Did I just hear that or was that, like, a hallucination auditory voice?' I'm like, no, and that's what happened, and it hurt my feelings like a baby and I never really got over it," said O'Donnell.
O'Donnell did share that The Ellen Show did finally ask her to appear toward the end of the show's run to promote her Showtime comedy series SMILF, but O'Donnell asked if she could bring a guest to make it "a little less awkward," but they rejected her request so, ultimately, she passed. However, despite the awkwardness, she wishes Ellen all the best.
"I wish her all good things in her life and that she should be well. So there you go. But I never did it. I never did it," concluded O'Donnell.
Video Transcript
ANDY COHEN: Why were you never a guest on Ellen's show during its 20 year run? Were you really never?
ROSIE O'DONNELL: Never.
ANDY COHEN: Did they not ask?
ROSIE O'DONNELL: No.
ANDY COHEN: Really?
ROSIE O'DONNELL: No, like, we had a little bit of a weird thing.
KYLIE MAR: Rosie O'Donnell dropped by Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen Thursday, where the actress and former talk show host discussed the weird relationship, or lack of a relationship she has with Ellen DeGeneres.
ROSIE O'DONNELL: After my show went off the air and hers was coming on the air, Larry King was on with Ellen. And he said, whatever happened to Rosie O'Donnell? Her show went down the tubes. She came out as a lesbian and disappeared. And Ellen said, and I'm quoting, I don't know Rosie. We're not friends.
KYLIE MAR: Given the fact that Ellen went on the Rosie O'Donnell show in 1996 months before she came out on her self-titled sitcom, where she danced around the gossip regarding her sexuality by saying her character would come out as Lebanese, Rosie was hurt that Ellen later said she didn't know her.
ROSIE O'DONNELL: I was in bed with Kelly, and I went, did I just hear that, or was that like a hallucination auditory voice. And like, no, and that's what happened. And it hurt my feelings like a baby, and I never really got over it.
KYLIE MAR: O'Donnell did share that she was finally asked to appear on Ellen towards the end of her run to promote her Showtime comedy series [INAUDIBLE]
ROSIE O'DONNELL: But I wanted to bring someone with me, because I thought it might be a little less awkward.
ANDY COHEN: Right.
ROSIE O'DONNELL: And they didn't want to do that.
KYLIE MAR: But ultimately, she passed. And despite the awkwardness, she wishes Ellen all the best.
ROSIE O'DONNELL: I wish her all good things in her life and that she should be well. So there you go. But I never did it, I never did.
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