Rosie O’Donnell’s Trump Roast on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ Has Everyone Thinking of ‘Hacks’
Rosie O’Donnell’s triumphant return to television has people talking — and the way real life is mirroring one of our favorite Hacks storylines hasn’t gone unnoticed. The comedian made a serious […]
Rosie O’Donnell’s triumphant return to television has people talking — and the way real life is mirroring one of our favorite Hacks storylines hasn’t gone unnoticed.
The comedian made a serious splash over the past week as she stepped in to guest host Jimmy Kimmel Live! The four-night run marks her first time hosting late night TV, three full decades after she launched her wildly popular six season daytime talkshow, The Rosie O’Donnell Show, back in 1996.
O’Donnell’s final monologue was a riotous success. She spent nearly 10 minutes roasting the current White House administration, talking about her time raising kids (with jokes that notably came only at her own expense, not theirs), and lauding longtime pal Barbra Streisand, who congratulated her on the hosting gig by saying, “It’s good to see you back on TV! Welcome home.”
The guest spot has led to a lot of broad speculation—could this lead to O’Donnell getting her own late night hosting gig? President Donald Trump has repeatedly lashed out at the late night hosts who have criticized him, with many suspecting that played a significant role in the cancellation of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. O’Donnell has also been a target of the president’s online tirades over the years, though it hasn’t stopped her from calling him out either.
Notably, the speculation about what this gig might mean for O’Donnell’s future, and the way she’s remained vocally at odds with Trump, has led to comparisons with a major storyline in Hacks. Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) finally gets a chance to guest host a late night show in season three, leading to a campaign for her to become the first female host of late night TV. When she gets the gig, she finds herself constantly battling network politics, ultimately feuding with an executive who wants to control what she can and can’t say on the show.
In addition to her guest spot being a clear win in terms of ratings, it’s also inspired a number of people to come forward with memories of how important O’Donnell’s original talk show was to them, including former staff and guests with delightful stories about working with her.
It certainly sounds like the people are clamoring for more of O’Donnell—funny, kind, authentic, and constantly able to get under Trump’s skin. Someone get her a show, stat!
In the meantime, you can watch her full final monologue below:
