ABC announced yesterday that Rosie O'Donnell won't be coming back to The View after an explosive argument on air Wednesday. Rosie's appearance on the show brought an astronomical rise in ratings and viewers. She was the most outspoken member of the female panel. Ms. O'Donnell spoke on many sensitive and controversial political topics, including the torture of prisoners of war, the unjust war in Iraq, and calling for the impeachment of President Bush and Vice-President Cheney.
Elisabeth Hasselbeck, a proud yet somewhat blind follower of the Republican administration, tried to be an opposing force to Rosie's liberal stand. Unfortunately for The View, Hasselbeck couldn't understand the difference between a political opinion and character assassination. Wednesday O'Donnell addressed how her feelings were hurt when Hasselbeck failed to acknowledge that Rosie didn't call the troops terrorists. O'Donnell always made sure Hasselbeck felt defended even when they were at odds on a topic. Instead of clarifying her feelings, Hasselbeck went on a immature attack on Ms. O'Donnell, including bringing up the trouble Rosie had with Donald Trump. Hasselbeck came off looking heartless and immature, with an obvious agenda that didn't include being anyone's friend.
Hasselbeck recently went to a White House dinner and I think this may have gone to her head. Too bad her ego can't be backed up with some sense of humanity towards someone she called a friend. She reportedly told the TV show Extra, after the on air blow up, that it was just a political fight and they have them all the time. I didn't see anything political about it. But it proved to me that Hasselbeck's agenda is one of political ass-kissing and not friendship. Not very Christian, if you ask me.
Rosie O'Donnell brought a much needed boost to The View and what she got in the end was nothing less than character assasination. Barbara Walters seemed to make almost light of it the following day. There was no on air reprimand of Hasselbeck nor apology. One is owed to Ms. O'Donnell. They benefited wildly from her appearance and how did they thank her? By letting her contribution to the show end with an attack on her character and questioning her loyalty to the troops she's been fighting for since the war began.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Cinzia
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for so articulating what I have been feeling and screaming out to the universe! I have felt absolutely sickened by this entire attack on Rosie = especially FoxNews - I actually had to turn the television off because I was becoming physically ill from the hatred and vile coming from this one particular blonde woman hosting one of the shows.On the show, there was one bright moment when a gentlemen from Inside Edition actually defended Rosie, in that he mentioned her feelings had been hurt (as you so eloquently expressed).
I mean, come on people, what about Section 18 and all that she has done for our troops, as you referred to, and the money and support? And while we're on it, how about our fireman and 9/11 injuries and all she's doing for them? People are jealous of her ability to strip it all away and get right to the heart of things. I'm getting myself all revved up once again just thinking about this, so, Ruthie, I thank you once again for your great post.
I feel like you glimpsed inside my brain, and wrote down everything inside. I couldn't have said it any better. I believe you nailed it ablolutely perfectly about Elizabeth - when someone can not look at you straight in the eye, as she couldn't do to Rosie, it's game over. Anyway, Ruthie, your post is helping me feel better and if Rosie gets a chance to read it, I hope it makes her feel better as well. Peace/Out
2 - Ruthie
Cinzia... Thanks for the feedback. I think even those who want to discredit Rosie know she is speaking the truth... at least I hope its arrogance and not genuine stupidity that drives them. I hope everyone will post to Rosie's blog words of encouragement and support.
I feel your frustration Cinzia.
3 - methuselah
"The View" has become much less Intellectually Piquant since Hasselbecks swollen breasts have shriveled, I suppose associated with her sex/birth/nursing cycles.
Ho hum.
4 - Katherine
Dear Ruthie,
Thank you for this article! I can totally identify with your thoughts and feelings about Rosie, her time on The View, the misinformation about her, the confrontation with Elizabeth H., etc. It makes me feel better just reading your article, because there are far too many nay-sayers out there. I feel Rosie is a brave beacon of truth in this world of political double-speak, brainwashing and power-mongerers and I admire her very much.
When I heard Rosie had decided to not return to The View and complete her contract, I was afraid to search the Web and read people's thoughts. I feared so much of it would be damning of her. I was happy to discover, through a Technorati search, not only your article, but a number of other posts supporting Rosie.
And yes, I have posted a message of support to Rosie's blog - among tens of thousands of other messages! :-) Thanks again.
5 - Ruthie
Thanks Katherine...I like your description of Rosie...brave beacon of truth. She definitely shines a bright light into the darkness. So glad you posted to her blog. I think its funny in a sad way the effort her critics take to share the venom that is eating their souls. They think the louder they are or the meaner their words they will convince others they are right. So toxic and sad. I'm glad you are finding positive articles on Rosie, she deserves respect.
6 - Billybob
Only women watch the view so they can learn how to vote. God help the USA.
7 - Rachel Sundin
Hey Ruthie,
I LOVE IT! You rock girl!
I hope you don't mind, but I posted your article as a blog on my JaHeRo myspace page. I think everyone needs to read this. Here's my myspace page if u would like to see it. :D
xo
Peace
8 - Ruthie
Hey Rachel...thanks for linking my article...so cool you have a Jahero myspace. I'm going to go check it out now.
9 - Steve
To me, both Rosie and Elisabeth are very partisan, albeit on opposite ends of the spectrum, the politics segment of the show reminded me somewhat of the now defunct 'Crossfire' program on CNN.
I couldn't imagine Rosie saying what she said about the Govt. these last few months if had it been a Democratic administration, I fear her disagreement with them over social issues increases her negativity towards them on other issues (e.g the 9/11 conspiracy).
Anyway, she had good, useful things to say on other topics, and obviously cared about people who needed help, so I'll be sorry to see her go, politics aside.
Not sure why Elisabeth should have to go because of the disagreement, however. I didn't think Rosie had to leave because of it either. Politics can be personal unfortunately, so heated arguments are understandable sometimes and can be forgiven, though I can understand Rosie being upset by the name-calling from certain commentators, which is certainly juvenile on their part.
I think for the Fall, the show needs to hire two co-hosts, maybe one in the next month or so and another in September. They need at least one minority woman (Black, Latino, Native Indian, Oriental??). With Elisabeth going on maternity leave in November, maybe one should be a Republican.
Sure is going to be interesting to see who'll step up to the plate next!!
10 - Lynn
Ruthie,
Loved, Loved , Loved what you wrote! So true, written well, and I agree totally! I have been watching the View, since Rosie came on. She has truly made that show exciting, and fun to watch. Neither Star or Elizabeth ever made that show work. If ABC had any intelligence at all, they would fire Elizabeth, and just give Rosie her 1 year contract! I will surly NOT watch that show if Elizabeth stays on!
11 - Judy
It's about time she's gone. She used that show for her own liberal politcal agenda. Elizabeth should be shown some respect. So long Rosie!
12 - Ruthie
Thanks Lynn....I think EH has such a ugly agenda I'm glad Rosie sensed it and left...they were setting her up to create a lot of drama for her final weeks. I think its emotional abuse and they were never really Rosie's friends..they just used her for the ratings and money she brought in...I hope all the new viewers leave with Rosie. There is just something really toxic about that show and its not just EH.
13 - sean Paul Mahoney
Ruthie, great article.
I'm not a huge fan of Rosie & Elisabeth's bickering back and forth. But it's been more entertaining than self-absorbed Star Jones.
It'll be interesting to see who they hire to replace Rosie. Hopefully, Barbara & CO don't drag their heels on this one. To keep the momentum, they need to hire someone ASAP. The only problem is-who?
14 - Judy
It seems to me that some women feel threatened by women who are beautiful and have brains. Rosie hasn't either, so she has to attack women who do.
15 - J.J. Hunsecker
"some women feel threatened by women who are beautiful and have brains."
True, but what does that have to do with Elisabeth?
16 - Billy Bob
Rosie is just a fat big mouth pig like Michael Moore. The only difference is fat Michael sucks dick and fat Rosie eats pussey,
17 - Karen & Ernie
Hi Ruthie,
We can't imagine anyone watching any show where several women are sitting around bitching and arguing. Rosie and Donald Trump BOTH acted like a couple of 5 year olds. i didn't mind that as much as the fact that it made the news. i personally could't care less what the Hollywood bunch does. If the media wouldn't report it as news and keep talking about it, maybe the nerds woildn't act like idiots. They think because they are rich and famous they can act anyway they want. It really ticks me off when some holloywood celebrity breaks the law (DUI,drugs, etc.) and gets a slap on the wrist. You or i would be in jail. Some of hollywood celebs do good , why don't we hear more about them instead of devoting so much time to the dweebs. Sorry Ruthie, i didn't mean to write a book.i think rosie & elisabeth owe the view audience an apology for wasting their time. And Donald get a life and a new hairdo. Thanks, Karen
18 - Harold
Yea! I don't like the View at all to be honest with you. Ruthie, I am an old friend. I don't know if you remember me but we were talking around November of last year on People's Court and you STUFF. How do become a contributor on the blog? I need to report an internet scam. TV Writer's Vault just scammed me out of a lot of money! Spread the word if you can darlin.
19 - Harold
Yea! I don't like the View at all to be honest with you. Ruthie, I am an old friend. I don't know if you remember me but we were talking around November of last year on People's Court and you STUFF. How do become a contributor on the blog? I need to report an internet scam. TV Writer's Vault just scammed me out of a lot of money! Spread the word if you can darlin.
20 - Ruthie
Hi Harold...my email is in my brief bio above.. write me...also if you want to write for BlogCritics..just scroll down under EXPLORE BC...the third link will give you the information you are looking for on becoming a writer for "Blogcritics an online magazine, a community of writers and readers from around the globe."
21 - Den
None of you know whats going on in Iraq. All you know is what you see on tv. Im a US Marine serving in Iraq, and I'm telling you that we are making a positive difference in the country's development. All this nay saying really isn't helping. If you all want to act like you know whats going on, do a tour out here, then talk. Every time someone talks about withdrawals, it just makes the insurgents attack us more often if they think we don't have resolve. So every little comment you post, or your nagging, is actually killing our soldiers. None of you know whats best for us, only we do. You know what, I'm not even going to finish, go eat a granola bar and hug a tree.
22 - Ruthie
Den..thank you for your service...I also know people who have died in Iraq or came home needing help with post traumatic stress and the very government they served didn't want to help them.
I'm sure we could make a difference in many countries who do things differently than us. Take for example some countries in Africa who "castrate" the females and sew them shut until marriage. Many childrend die from bleeding out of infection. There are many ways of living that we won't ever agree with so are we going to invade every one of those countries? Our President went against the UN...he has basically voided our constitution. We are suppose to be about democracy and freedom. While Bush claims to be trying to bring democracy to Iraq he is destroying it here.
Again, thanks for your service. I do know people who have died over in Iraq and some who are home now and will never be the same and are fighting to get the help they need from those who sent them to war.
23 - Billybob
Den#21. Right on my friend. During Vietnam we had Hanoe Jane the trader Fonda. Now we have the big lard ass Rosie. At least Jane took her trader ass to Vietnam. I could just see fat Rosie in Iraq. Im sure the welcome mat would be laid out for the pig. I have heard the reason she will not go to Iraq Is no plane is equiped to fly a blue whale. Reading the comments from these fine ladies on this thread and knowing they vote I sleep better at night with full knowledge the country is secured.
24 - Alec
I really enjoyed this post, although I come to somewhat different conclusions about the Rosie/Elizabeth dust-up.
I agree with you that Rosie was often a breath of fresh air on "The View," but her early exit (and the alleged behavior of one of her writers, who supposedly defaced photos of Elisabeth Hasselbeck)was immature and thoughtless. Rosie's behavior might undermine the continuation of "The View," which was based on the somewhat false premise that the women on the show were all best buddies, a fiction that was exploded last year when Star Jones was fired from the show, and refused to go along with the company line that she was simply leaving to pursue other opportunities (fortunately the departure of Meredith Vieira didn't appear to have any acrimony behind it).
I admire Rosie greatly and am much closer to her politically than I am to Hasselbeck. But Rosie's misplaced outrage wasn't about politics or respect. Rosie's demand that Hasselbeck "defend her" against idiot right wing columnists was misguided and infantile, and was an implied demand that Hasselbeck validate her views. But Hasselbeck isn't responsible for Fox News or right wing blowhards, nor is it her responsibility to explain what Rosie meant by her outrageous rhetoric question about "who are the terrorists."
It is also noteworthy that she dismissed Hasselbeck's views as "Republican crap," which was not only close-minded and unfair to Hasselbeck, but also pointlessly insulted and alienated a good portion of The View's audience, who do not see themselves as mindless stooges just because they are Republicans. Both the left and the right continue to be guilty of this kind of arrogance in which they assume that only their side is right, and Rosie's comments here fed into the belief that the left are close-minded elitists.
Lastly, it is sad that Rosie seems to disparage the real affection that Hasselbeck seemed to feel for Rosie and her family (which was not stereotypically "Republican" or anti-gay), and here she may have sadly misread the room. Donald Trump recently slammed Rosie again and called Elisabeth stupid. And talk radio and blogs have been filled with nasty comments by people who find the idea of a group of women discussing world events on television to be either ridiculous or frightening. So instead of re-enforcing a sense of sisterhood, Rosie's abrupt departure actually gives aid and comfort to those who just want women on TV to be pretty and say nothing.
25 - Ruthie
I want to clarify that Janette only drew on one photo and it was a magazine cut out that was thumb tacked to a bulletin board. It wasn't a press shot that is hung around the studio. Janette is a friend of Rosie's and I can understand her need to act out. Her friend was in pain. It is sad that EH is often saying how Christian she is but then acts the way she did that awful Wednesday. EH hurt Rosie...Rosie thought they were friends. They had socialized outside the show. On her blog Rosie talks about opening up to EH. So when your friend doesn't back up a character attack..especially on live television...it is the worst kind of character assasination. Then add to it the EP exploiting it with split screen. The next day Barbara made light of it.."auntie barabar is back"...I feel Rosie deserved much better than she got...she brought a lot to the show..viewers, money, notariety. She deserved better. They hurt someone who gave them the boost they needed. But hey it showed them for what they really are and if the results in the end of the show..so be it.