Rosie O’Donnell Says She and Jimmy Kimmel Squashed Their Beef

Rosie O’Donnell’s talk show was appointment viewing for my mother. And that wasn’t always the case for her, because she had three children who were often controlling the television. But that would not stop her from watching Oprah, the O.J. trial, and The Rosie O’Donnell Show. She loved it, and she loved Rosie, and even as a child who would have rather been watching Power Rangers, I couldn’t say that I blamed her.

I love Rosie, and not only because I know she used to make my mom so happy (but that helps, of course). Rosie is funny, loud, and proud. She also speaks her mind and doesn’t take any b.s. While she’s appeared in various things over the years, she stopped feeling as omnipresent as she did in the 90s (or I stopped looking in the right places). So, I was pleased as punch to hear that she would be guest-hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live this summer, and surprised to learn that she and Kimmel have beef.

To be clear, I’m not surprised that Kimmel had an issue with someone. He’s a comedian who, I think, really made his bones by pushing buttons and hosting a show that could be described as misogynistic at best (whether it was trying to be tongue-in-cheek or not). He has also softened considerably over the years. Life will do that to you. To wit, O’Donnell says that it was the death of Kimmel’s uncle that brought the two together.

Speaking to Variety, O’Donnell explained that the guest-hosting gig was quite a surprise. “We’ve never spoken on the phone; we’ve texted a few times. Howard Stern tried to make amends with us, so we’ve been at the same parties a few times, and I would talk to his wife,” she explained. “But Jimmy was never a fan of mine, and it was kind of an adversarial relationship — not that I was fighting back, but I was like, ‘OK, one of the bro guys…” That sounds like a pretty apt way to describe the former host of The Man Show!

She went on to explain what ended up connecting the two. “When everything happened with his uncle dying, I wrote him, and he wrote back. So, when my publicist called and said, ‘Do you want to guest-host ‘Kimmel’ for a week?’ I said, ‘I haven’t ever even been a guest!’ And then I said, ‘If you’re positive that that’s an actual offer and he wants me to do it, then I most certainly will,’” she told the outlet. “I was surprised, to tell you the truth, and very thankful.”

She did a wonderful job, as well, dressed to kill in a fantastic pink suit and slinging jokes like she’s got decades of experience doing it or something. She also quickly brought up how she and Kimmel share a common enemy in the current President. It was a good time, and it was wonderful seeing her hosting again.