Inside the long-running feud between Rosie O'Donnell and Ellen DeGeneres as former 'The View'' host rejects apology
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Rosie O'Donnell recently discussed her ongoing conflict with Ellen DeGeneres, stating that she did not accept the latter's latest apologies. The 61-year-old television personality opened up to The Hollywood Reporter about their troubled relationship. Ellen, according to Rosie, apologized a few weeks ago, but Rosie opted to reject her apology.
In her interview, Rosie as per Daily Mail explained, "She texted me a few weeks ago checking in, seeing how I’m doing, and I asked her how she’s surviving not being on TV. It’s a big transition. But we’ve had our weirdness in our relationship. I don’t know if it’s jealousy, competition, or the fact that she said a mean thing about me once that hurt my feelings."
'We're not friends'
Last year, Rosie initially disclosed their long-standing feud on an episode of 'Watch What Happens Live.' Subsequently, Ellen reached out to apologize with Rosie sharing, "She wrote, 'I’m really sorry, and I don’t remember that.' I guess she saw me talk about it on Andy Cohen’s show. 'I remembered it so well, I had T-shirts printed and I gave them to my staff that said 'I don’t know Rosie. We’re not friends.'"
'I don't really known Rosie that well'
The conflict between Rosie and Ellen started in May 1998 when Ellen made an appearance on 'Larry King Live' soon after Rosie came out as a lesbian. Ellen said, "I don't know. You know, maybe she didn't—I don't really know Rosie that well. I mean, I've spoken to her, but we're not really friends." Rosie ultimately addressed their conflict in September 2022 while making an appearance on 'Watch What Happens Live' with Andy Cohen. The stars never got along despite sharing traits like being successful female comics with daytime talk programs and both being out gay. Rosie seldom appeared on 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show,' but in the 19th season, she was invited to be a guest.
'It hurt my feelings like a baby'
Watching the interview at home with her ex-wife Kelli Carpenter, Rosie felt hurt. She recalled, "'I was in bed with Kelli, and I said, 'Did I just hear that? Or was that a hallucination, auditory voice in my—' and that's what happened. And it hurt my feelings like a baby. And I never really got over it.'" Years later, Rosie was finally asked to be a guest on Ellen's show, but there was talk of bringing someone along to make it "a little less awkward." However, that idea didn't come to fruition. Despite their feud, Rosie maintains goodwill toward Ellen, saying, "I wish her all good things in her life and that she should be well." Rosie's own daytime chat show 'The Rosie O'Donnell Show' aired from 1996 to 2002, and Ellen's talk show seemingly took its place in 2003.