Rosie O'Donnell is an American comedian, actress, and talk show host. She gained prominence through Star Search in 1984, leading to various television and film roles. O'Donnell hosted the successful daytime talk show, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, from 1996 to 2002, earning the moniker "Queen of Nice" and recognition for her philanthropy. The show garnered multiple Daytime Emmy Awards.
In 1933, Edward Joseph O'Donnell, Rosie O'Donnell's father, was born.
In 1934, Roseann Teresa Murtha, Rosie O'Donnell's mother, was born.
On March 21, 1962, Roseann O'Donnell was born. She would later become a talk show host, comedian, and actress.
On March 17, 1973, four days before Rosie O'Donnell's eleventh birthday, her mother, Roseann, died from breast cancer.
In 1973, Roseann Teresa O'Donnell, Rosie O'Donnell's mother, died.
From 1979, Rosie O'Donnell toured as a stand-up comedian in clubs.
In 1980, Rosie O'Donnell graduated from Commack High School and later briefly attended Dickinson College.
In 1984, Rosie O'Donnell got her first big break on Star Search.
In 1984, Rosie O'Donnell received her breakthrough on the television series Star Search.
In 1986, Rosie O'Donnell made her series debut as Nell Harper's neighbor on Gimme a Break!.
In 1988, Rosie O'Donnell joined music video station VH1's lineup of veejays and started hosting Stand-up Spotlight.
In 1992, Rosie O'Donnell made her feature film debut in A League of Their Own and starred in the Fox Network sitcom Stand By Your Man.
In 1995, Rosie O'Donnell adopted her first child, Parker Jaren O'Donnell, as an infant.
In May 1996, Warner Books advanced Rosie O'Donnell $3 million to write a memoir, and she used the money to seed her For All Kids Foundation to help institute national standards for day care across the country.
In 1996, Rosie O'Donnell began hosting a daytime talk show, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, known for her light-hearted banter and Koosh balls.
In 1996, Rosie O'Donnell began hosting her own syndicated daytime talk show, "The Rosie O'Donnell Show."
In 1996, Rosie O'Donnell purchased "Pretty Penny", a Victorian river home in Nyack, New York, previously occupied by Helen Hayes.
In 1997, Rosie O'Donnell adopted a baby girl named Chelsea.
In 1997, Rosie O'Donnell released the children's book Kids are Punny: Jokes Sent by Kids to the Rosie O'Donnell Show, which contained jokes she had received from children.
In 1997, Rosie O'Donnell went on a blind date with Kelli Carpenter, a Nickelodeon marketing executive.
In 1997, after Procter & Gamble's designation of Rosie O'Donnell as "unkissable" in a Scope mouthwash promotion, O'Donnell partnered with Listerine, who donated bottles of mouthwash and $1,000 to charity every time a hosted guest would kiss her.
Since 1997, Rosie's For All Kids Foundation, overseen by Elizabeth Birch, has awarded more than $22 million in Early Childhood Care and Education program grants to over 900 nonprofit organizations.
In 1998, Rosie O'Donnell released the sequel titled Kids are Punny 2: More Jokes Sent by Kids to the Rosie O'Donnell Show, and an HBO special was made based on the books.
On April 19, 1999, during her talk show, Rosie O'Donnell expressed strong support for gun control following the Columbine shootings.
In May 1999, Rosie O'Donnell interviewed Tom Selleck on her talk show and questioned him about his support for the National Rifle Association (NRA).
In 1999, Rosie O'Donnell and Kelli Carpenter adopted a boy, Blake, at birth.
Later in 1999, Rosie O'Donnell discontinued her contract with Kmart as their spokeswoman due to controversy over her gun control stance.
In May 2000, Rosie O'Donnell's bodyguard applied for a concealed firearm permit due to threats, highlighting the need for protection for her and her family.
In September 2000, Rosie O'Donnell partnered with the publishers of McCall's to revamp the magazine as Rosie's McCall's (or Rosie). In the September 2000 issue, she shared that she had struggled with depression her entire life and decided to start medications.
In 2000, Rosie O'Donnell and Kelli Carpenter took in a foster child named Mia, who was born in 1997, and announced intentions to adopt her.
In 2000, Rosie O'Donnell sold "Pretty Penny", her Victorian river home in Nyack, New York, to businessman Edward M. Kopko.
In the summer of 2000, Rosie O'Donnell suffered a staphylococcal infection after she accidentally cut a finger, which incapacitated her for weeks and nearly led to her hand being amputated.
After the September 11, 2001 attacks, Rosie O'Donnell encouraged support for New York City's performing arts and pledged $1 million for rescue efforts.
In 2001, the State of Florida removed Mia from Rosie O'Donnell and Kelli Carpenter's home, and O'Donnell has since worked extensively to bring an end to the Florida law prohibiting same-sex family adoption.
On January 31, 2002, Rosie O'Donnell appeared on the sitcom Will & Grace, playing a lesbian mother.
On March 14, 2002, Diane Sawyer interviewed Rosie O'Donnell on PrimeTime Thursday. Rosie discussed her desire for an investigative piece on Florida's ban on gay adoption and spoke about two gay men in Florida who were at risk of losing their foster child due to the ban.
In April 2002, Rosie O'Donnell released Find Me, a combination of memoir, mystery and detective story with an underlying interest in reuniting birth mothers with their children. The book reached number two on The New York Times bestseller list.
In June 2002, Rosie O'Donnell left her talk show, which was later replaced by "The Caroline Rhea Show".
In September 2002, Rosie O'Donnell quit Rosie magazine following a dispute over editorial control.
In December 2002, Rosie O'Donnell hosted the reunion special for Survivor: Marquesas.
In 2002, Kelli Carpenter gave birth to their fourth child, Vivienne, through artificial insemination.
In 2002, Rosie O'Donnell came out as a lesbian and was named The Advocate's Person of the Year.
In 2002, Rosie O'Donnell published her memoir Find Me and used the US$3 million advance to establish her For All foundation.
In 2002, Rosie O'Donnell was named Person of the Year by The Advocate.
In 2002, Rosie O'Donnell's talk show, "The Rosie O'Donnell Show", ended its run.
On February 24, 2003, Rosie O'Donnell commented on Phil Donahue's talk show on the sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church.
In May 2003, Rosie O'Donnell became a regular columnist for The Advocate magazine.
In 2003, Rosie O'Donnell and Carpenter partnered with Gregg Kaminsky to launch R Family Vacations, catering to LGBT families.
In 2003, Rosie O'Donnell and Kelli O'Donnell collaborated with Artistic Director Lori Klinger to create Rosie's Broadway Kids, which provides free instruction in music and dance to New York City public schools or students.
In 2003, Rosie O'Donnell brought the musical Taboo to Broadway and hired Charles Busch to rewrite the book.
In 2003, Rosie magazine folded. Later in 2003, O'Donnell and the publishers sued each other for breach of contract. The trial received considerable press coverage, with O'Donnell apologizing for comments made to a former colleague.
On February 8, 2004, the musical Taboo closed on Broadway after about 100 performances and "mostly bad" reviews.
On February 26, 2004, Rosie O'Donnell married Kelli Carpenter in San Francisco, two weeks after Mayor Gavin Newsom authorized the granting of marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The event was seen as a show of defiance against then-President George W. Bush over his support for the Federal Marriage Amendment.
On July 11, 2004, the first R Family Vacations cruise was held with 1600 passengers including 600 children. The company partnered with Provincetown's Family Pride to host discussions on LGBT families.
In August 2004, Rosie O'Donnell and Kelli Carpenter's marriage was among thousands voided by the California Supreme Court.
In 2005, Rosie O'Donnell was a guest star on an episode of HBO show Curb Your Enthusiasm entitled "The Bowtie".
The viewership of "The View" was up 15% versus the same time in 2005.
All Aboard! Rosie's Family Cruise, a documentary film about the R Family Vacations trip, debuted on HBO on April 6, 2006, and was nominated for three Emmy Awards.
In September 2006, Rosie O'Donnell replaced Meredith Vieira as a co-host and moderator of The View, contributing to a rise in ratings.
On October 30, 2006, Rosie O'Donnell was honored by the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children for her work with Rosie's for All Kids Foundation.
In November 2006, Nightline aired a video report about the opening of The Children's Plaza and Family Center in Renaissance Village, a FEMA trailer park in Louisiana. This was an emergency response initiative of Rosie's For All Kids Foundation.
In November 2006, Rosie O'Donnell commented on Kelly Ripa's complaints about Clay Aiken on Live with Regis and Kelly, sparking controversy.
On December 5, 2006, Rosie O'Donnell used a series of ching chongs to imitate newscasters in China. The incident drew criticism, including from Vanessa Hua of the San Francisco Chronicle, especially given O'Donnell's support of LGBT rights.
In December 2006, Rosie O'Donnell publicly criticized Donald Trump for his handling of the Miss USA Tara Conner scandal. She questioned his moral authority due to his past marital affairs and business bankruptcies. This led to a media feud, with Trump threatening to sue O'Donnell and making personal insults.
In December 2006, it was confirmed that $50 million from Rosie O'Donnell's five-year contract were donated in an irrevocable trust to charity. She is also reported to have contributed several hundred thousand dollars for rehabilitation therapies for war veterans.
In 2006, Rosie O'Donnell became the moderator on the daytime talk show The View.
In March 2007, Rosie O'Donnell launched a video blog called Jahero on her website Rosie.com. The blog, featuring O'Donnell, Helene Macaulay, and Janette Barber, answered fan questions, provided behind-the-scenes content, and served as a video diary. O'Donnell also won the "best celebrity blogger" category in the 2007 Blogger's Choice Awards.
On April 19, 2007, Rosie O'Donnell and the panel on The View discussed the Supreme Court's ruling in Gonzales v. Carhart, which upheld the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act. O'Donnell questioned the number of Catholic Supreme Court judges and the separation of church and state, sparking controversy and accusations of anti-Catholic bigotry.
On April 25, 2007, ABC announced that Rosie O'Donnell would be leaving The View before the end of the year. This decision was due to a failure to reach an agreement on a new contract.
In May 2007, Rosie O'Donnell and Pogo.com announced a joint effort to raise money for Rosie's All Kids Foundation. EA committed $30,000 and held a sweepstakes in which winners get to fly to New York and meet O'Donnell.
In May 2007, Rosie O'Donnell was included in Time magazine's annual list of the 100 most influential people. However, she was also named "The Most Annoying Celebrity of 2007" in a PARADE reader's poll.
On May 17, 2007, Rosie O'Donnell questioned the high number of Iraqi civilian deaths resulting from the Iraq War, during a segment on The View. She controversially asked who the terrorists were, leading to criticism that she was comparing American soldiers to terrorists.
On May 23, 2007, a heated discussion occurred on The View between Rosie O'Donnell and Elisabeth Hasselbeck. O'Donnell felt betrayed by Hasselbeck's perceived unwillingness to defend her from criticisms regarding her earlier statements about the Iraq War. This led to hurt feelings and a sense of betrayal.
On May 25, 2007, Rosie O'Donnell and ABC agreed to cut short her contract agreement, leading to her departure from The View. O'Donnell cited feeling set up by the show's director and producer as a contributing factor to her decision.
Beginning on June 8, 2007, Rosie O'Donnell was a guest on the True Colors Tour, which traveled through 15 cities in the United States and Canada. The tour was sponsored by the gay cable channel Logo and headlined by Cyndi Lauper.
In June 2007, Rosie O'Donnell announced on her blog that she would not be replacing Bob Barker as the host of The Price Is Right. She cited reluctance to move her family to California as the main reason for declining the opportunity.
In October 2007, Rosie O'Donnell released Celebrity Detox, her second memoir which focuses on the struggles with leaving fame behind, noting her exits from The Rosie O'Donnell Show and The View.
In 2007, All net profits from Rosie O'Donnell's book Celebrity Detox were donated to Rosie's Broadway Kids.
In 2007, Kelli Carpenter moved out of Rosie O'Donnell's home.
In 2007, Rosie O'Donnell announced her opinion concerning the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, in which she questioned NIST conclusions, and alleged the United States government's involvement in the attacks.
In 2007, Rosie O'Donnell published her memoir Celebrity Detox.
In 2007, Rosie O'Donnell's run as moderator on The View included a public feud with Donald Trump and on-air disputes regarding the Iraq War.
In 2008, Rosie O'Donnell appeared again on True Colors Tour 2008.
In 2008, Rosie O'Donnell said she was not an alcoholic and had temporarily given up alcohol to lose weight.
In 2008, Rosie O'Donnell starred in and executive produced America, a Lifetime channel film based on the E.R. Frank book of the same name. She played the therapist of the title character.
In 2008, The View won an Emmy for "Outstanding Special Class Writing" for a specially themed Autism episode that Rosie O'Donnell helped create. Janette Barber accepted the award on behalf of the writers.
In October 2009, Rosie O'Donnell appeared in the original cast of Love, Loss, and What I Wore.
In November 2009, "Rosie Radio", a daily two-hour show with Rosie O'Donnell discussing news and events, premiered on Sirius XM Radio. The show was launched after O'Donnell's appearance on Howard Stern's Sirius XM show.
In November 2009, Rosie O'Donnell disclosed that Kelli Carpenter had moved out of their home in 2007.
From 2009, Rosie O'Donnell hosted Rosie Radio on Sirius XM Radio.
In May 2011, The Doc Club with Rosie O'Donnell premiered on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). In this show, Rosie O'Donnell moderated live panel discussions following premieres of OWN Documentaries.
In June 2011, Rosie Radio, Rosie O'Donnell's show on Sirius XM Radio, ended its run.
On October 10, 2011, The Rosie Show debuted on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). The show was taped at the Chicago studio formerly home to The Oprah Winfrey Show and received generally positive reviews.
In October 2011, Rosie O'Donnell hosted specials for Miss Representation on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN).
On December 5, 2011, Rosie O'Donnell announced to her studio audience during a break in the taping of The Rosie Show that she and Michelle Rounds were engaged.
From 2011, Rosie O'Donnell hosted a talk show on OWN (the Oprah Winfrey Network) called The Rosie Show.
In 2011, Parker successfully lobbied his mother to send him to Valley Forge Military Academy.
In 2011, Rosie O'Donnell made another guest appearance on Curb Your Enthusiasm, competing for the affection of a bisexual woman with Larry in an episode called "The Bi-Sexual".
On March 16, 2012, the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) canceled The Rosie Show. The final show was taped on March 20.
On March 29, 2012, the final episode of The Rosie Show aired on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN).
On June 9, 2012, Rosie O'Donnell and Michelle Rounds married in a private ceremony in New York.
In mid-August 2012, Rosie O'Donnell suffered a heart attack. An artery was 99 percent blocked and a stent was inserted. She adopted a whole foods, plant-based diet to reverse her heart disease.
In 2012, Rosie O'Donnell's talk show on OWN, "The Rosie Show", ended.
On January 9, 2013, Rosie O'Donnell and Michelle Rounds announced they had adopted a baby girl named Dakota.
In 2013, Rosie O'Donnell appeared in a number of television shows including Bomb Girls as reporter Dottie Shannon, Jake and the Never Land Pirates as the voice of the Bouncing Bumble Queen, Smash as herself, and Impractical Jokers as herself in an episode called "Everything's Rosie".
In 2014, Rosie O'Donnell landed a reoccurring role as Rita Hendricks on The Fosters. She played a compassionate woman who works for the foster care system and becomes a mentor.
In 2014, Rosie O'Donnell returned to The View for a brief five-month run.
On February 6, 2015, Rosie O'Donnell's representatives confirmed that she would once again exit The View. She cited health and personal reasons for her departure.
In February 2015, Rosie O'Donnell filed for divorce from Michelle Rounds after two years of marriage.
In April 2015, Rosie O'Donnell appeared in Roseanne For President!, a film about Roseanne Barr's 2012 presidential bid, alongside Michael Moore and Sandra Bernhard.
In August 2015, Rosie O'Donnell tweeted that her 17-year-old daughter, Chelsea, had gone missing from their home in Nyack.
In September 2015, Rosie O'Donnell appeared in the documentary Everything Is Copy, a film about Nora Ephron, to help "bring his mother into focus".
In 2015, Edward Joseph O'Donnell, Rosie O'Donnell's father, died.
In November 2016, it was announced that Rosie O'Donnell had joined the cast of the comedy pilot SMILF.
Following President Trump's first election victory in 2016, Rosie O'Donnell started drinking again due to depression.
In 2016, Rosie O'Donnell appeared in two episodes of the CBS series Mom as Jeanine, the ex-girlfriend of Bonnie. She was also a panelist on Match Game, competed on The $100,000 Pyramid against Kathy Najimy, and played the gym teacher in Hairspray Live!
On September 15, 2017, Michelle Rounds, Rosie O'Donnell's ex-wife, died by suicide.
On November 5, 2017, the series SMILF, featuring Rosie O'Donnell, aired.
From 2017, Rosie O'Donnell starred on the Showtime comedy series SMILF.
On March 31, 2019, the series SMILF, featuring Rosie O'Donnell, ended.
On April 3, 2019, it was announced that Rosie O'Donnell would play the role of Lisa Sheffer in the HBO series I Know This Much Is True.
In 2019, Rosie O'Donnell finished starring on the Showtime comedy series SMILF.
In 2019, the Survivor series did away with reunion shows after Survivor: Island of the Idols.
On June 15, 2021, it was announced that Rosie O'Donnell would star as Detective Sunday in a series reboot of American Gigolo on Showtime, premiering in 2022.
In 2022, Rosie O'Donnell voiced the role of the MTA subway announcements in the second season of the Netflix series Russian Doll and appeared as Vi in the Amazon Prime Video series A League of Their Own (2022).
In 2023, Rosie O'Donnell became a regular contributor to The Advocate magazine.
In 2024, Rosie O'Donnell's daughter Chelsea was arrested several times on charges involving drugs, child neglect, domestic abuse, and bail jumping.
In July 2025, Donald Trump threatened to revoke Rosie O'Donnell's U.S.-born birthright citizenship.
In 2026, Jeff Probst returned for Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans.
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