Rosie O’Donnell bashes Trump’s presidency
Rosie O’Donnell thinks Trump is the “worst thing” to happen to the U.S. calling his presidency an ‘abomination.’
Rosie O’Donnell’s next guest won’t be Kathy Griffin, and the comedian is feeling dejected about the snub.
In a video released on her YouTube channel Tuesday, Aug. 18, Griffin, 65, said her “feelings are really hurt” after she was “not invited” to be a guest on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” this week while her “pal” O’Donnell, 64, is filling in as guest host.
“I might cry,” she said at the start of the “really personal” video, later telling viewers that she was “having all kinds of the feels” about it.
USA TODAY has reached out to an O’Donnell representative for comment.
O’Donnell took over as the ABC late-night talk show’s latest guest host beginning Monday, Aug. 17, while Kimmel is on his planned summer break. In a comment on Griffin’s Instagram, the former “Rosie O’Donnell Show” host clarified that she did not book her own guests for her week of episodes.
“Kathy – shoulda called me honey – I didn’t choose the guests …” O’Donnell wrote.
In her video, Griffin said she ran into O’Donnell prior to the comic’s “Kimmel” hosting stint while they were both in New York, and she told O’Donnell she “would love to be a guest,” arguing this would make sense, given the two have both been outspoken in their criticism of President Donald Trump.
Though O’Donnell didn’t extend an invite at that time, Griffin said that as the week of episodes approached, friends began reaching out to ask her which night she would be on. Griffin started getting “excited” about the potential for a “really cool moment” between her and O’Donnell – but no invite ever came.
Griffin also said she was surprised by O’Donnell’s recent comments about Griffin’s infamous 2017 photo where she held up a mock “decapitated” head of Trump, which sparked significant backlash. Speaking on an episode of the podcast “The Tangle,” released Aug. 11, O’Donnell said she “didn’t agree” with Griffin’s decision to release the photo.
“I was genuinely, and am, surprised and hurt and shocked, because she was with me and my friend, and we communicated quite a bit during that time,” Griffin said.
O’Donnell has so far sat down on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” this week with guests Hannah Waddingham, Ana Gasteyer, Jean Smart, Richard Gadd, Charlie Day and Janelle James, and her guests for Aug. 20 will be Megan Mullally, Nick Offerman, Shawn Hatosy and Sydney James Harcourt, according to ABC’s schedule.
In her debut monologue, O’Donnell took aim at Trump without ever saying his name, joking, “If you thought the president hated ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ when it was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, buckle up, people!”
Despite being upset about not being invited, Griffin said she would be watching O’Donnell’s shows and rooting for her. She also said she was told that Kimmel and ABC had “nothing to do” with keeping her off the show, though she speculated that given her “naughty history,” she “probably won’t ever be on TV or a streamer or cable again.”