Rosie O'Donnell: Barbara Walters Exaggerates, There Was No Camaraderie Off-Camera On "The View"

UPDATE: Walters responded saying "Get a life"

Rosie O'Donnell, whose NBC variety show airs next week, cannot shake questions about her tumultuous time on "The View." And Wednesday morning, she fanned the flames by telling reporters that Barbara Walters misrepresents the camaraderie among co-hosts of "The View."

The Los Angeles Times' Denise Martin reports:

Barbara Walters, [Rosie] told reporters on Wednesday morning, "wanted everyone to believe and think and act as if [the women on 'The View'] get along and are really good friends and happy and hang out together, and, you know, that's just not the reality.

"I'm not saying they loathe each other, but the fact of the matter is, there was not a lot of camaraderie off camera."

O'Donnell famously exited the ABC daytime talk show after months of politically charged bickering with her co-hosts, among them Elisabeth Hasselbeck, who came under scrutiny again in this election year as the show's only staunchly conservative voice.

But she conceded "arguing about politics is not the best use of my talent."

"I didn't grow up thinking, 'I hope I can talk about politics.' If you watch my stand-up comedy, I talk about my life, my family. It only became about [politics] with the job on 'The View.'

Rosie's former sparring partner, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, has been at the center of countless fights on "The View" this election season, but Rosie has reportedly mended fences with the conservative co-host (despite calling her Sarah Palin's "identical cousin" and saying both are "women who hunt in high heels").

There have long been rumors of a feud between Rosie and Barbara Walters, though Walters denies them and has said she has "enormous affection" for Rosie. Rosie has said that Walters fired her from "The View," despite the official stance that it was a mutual agreement that she would leave the program.

"Rosie Live" airs Nov. 26 at 8PM, and is expected to feature Liza Minnelli, Alec Baldwin, Ne-Yo, Alanis Morissette, Gloria Estefan, Kathy Griffin and Jane Krakowski.

The headline and body of this article originally suggested Rosie O'Donnell said Barbara Walters lies about the co-hosts' camaraderie. Upon reevaluating the story, the word "lies" was removed in favor of "exaggerates" and "misrepresents."

Comments

[elr50]

I'd watch The View if Hasselbitch wasn't there. I can't take it with her-makes me want to throw a rock through my TV. I can't afford to replace it every day , so I don't watch the show anymore. When will this ignorant twit be gone?

[DinSea]

Baba Wa-wa scratched & clawed her way to the top ... she's a playah ... I don't trust her or believe her.

[harriettubman]

Rosie has diarrhea of the tongue. Get her something please. Who is usually friends with all of their coworkers?

[USindependent]

If all you readers believe that Rosie has resumed the feud????
You watch to much TV... And ((The View))...
This is a classic media tactic to stir up some kind of controversy....
It gets you to read this and keeps you watching that Tube..
I will bet that Rosie is focused on her new show, and has had nothing to do with this latest media driven remarks.....

[2351]

Nobody tells the truth anymore. How do you ever know who is telling the truth? Who do you really trust? Nobody!!!!!!

[oldleftcoastdude]

Who Cares????

[ediva75]

Can someone tell Rosie to SEEK THERAPY AND GET OVER IT. She has been off of The View for over a year now and is still venting about it. Star Jones venting about it for a hot minute and has moved on- WHY CAN'T ROSIE do the same???

Barb don't care about her and the more Rosie attacks Dizzie Lizzie she has Lizzie' s fellow neo-con moronic fools sticking up for her poor baby $%# even more!!

LET IT GO ROSIE PULEEZE CAUSE U LOOKIN FOOLISH!!!!

[TAFL]

Let me get this straight...Rosie answers questions asked of her and that somehow means she hasn't gotten over whatever it was she got asked about?

In what universe does that make sense?

[santabarbara67]

I wished that Rosie stayed and Elizabeth H. left.

Rosie provides better intelligent discussion than Elizabeth. All she does is
complain and forces her views on other people.

That woman must go.

[mymomma2]

I agree, who would want to hang out with that nut Elizabeth anyway... You would have to pay me to be on a show with her and pay me if I was suppose to hang out with her after the cameras stopped rolling. She is frightening... at least Rosie can provide occasional comic relief. Elizabeth H is THE JOKE.

Barbara W. should be embarrassed for hiring her and keeping her on this long.

[Lizaxyz]

I believe there is an element of truth to what Rosie is saying. I think it would be hard for people who obviously feel so much passion in their convictions and beliefs, to get along all chummy off camera, especially if they are on opposing sides of an issue. They probably tolerate each other, because after all, this is their livelihood we're talking about. I'm sure a person could tolerate a lot to get that big paycheck and stardom. I do believe that Barbara tries to give an idealistic view of the show's co-hosts to try and protect and ward off any negative opinions of the show.

[Nan2008]

What was Rosies' response to what Barb said? I do believe Barbara Walters is PHONY, she tries to be down here with the rest of us, but she falls way short when she won't allow, those who she believes to be beneath her a kiss on her cheek...

[ricland]

What is Rosie's f--king problem?

She acquitted herself well on the show. Showed everyone what a banshee Hasselbeck is, then left. so why does she keep revisiting it? Walters is right -- "Get on with your life, Rosie!"

Besides, Barbara Walters is an American icon. You don't call Americans icons "Liars."

Rosie was out of line.

ricland

[Steamboater]

The women on Baba Wa Wa's show were supposd to be good mannered and nice and not speak out vociferously on important issues of the day, with the exception of getting raged up about the latest fashion or best or worst resturant. Rosie changed all that and in Baba's generational view weren't nice. Ba ba expected the white gloves to stay on but never realized Rosie didn't have them in her wardrobe and didn't want them.

(Liza Minnelli on Rosie's new show? I hope she doesn't sing. It's just too embarrasssing to watch her try.)

[Carolab]

GO RO! I love you!

[DesertWinds]

Rosie made the View fun and interesting. I like Whoopie - she is intelligent and thoughtful with her opinions - not that she is always able to get them out.
Elizabeth must Go - right on over to Fox. The Kool-Aid is just to her taste. I like a variety of opinions, but the View needs an intelligent Conservative at the table not a Hannity/Rushbo clone.

[gravon]

Of course BW is a liar. Is this really new news to anyone? No credibility whatsoever. Did she really think that the so called pregnant man was a news story? She did and evening inerterview and then again brought the guest back on the view. Do you really think that she "got the story"? No one else wanted the story yet BW thinks this is real news. Pathetic.

[LeiftheLucky]

Rosie is a theophobe.
http://allanerickson.wordpress.com/2008/11/20/theophobia-and-persecution/

[chilifan]

A theophobe? As opposed to someone who insists on shoving their personal beliefs down everyone else's throats?

Too bad Christians like you do not seem to pay any attention to what Jesus Christ actually said. It seems there is a lot of hate in your heart and you love to play the victim. Where is the proof that anyone in this country has been treated badly simply because they are Christian, at least in the last decade?

[elr50]

, No Leif, YOU are a homophobe.