Rosie O’Donnell, the iconic host of The Rosie O’Donnell Show, recently offered candid reflections on her tenure, pulling back the curtain on the varied experiences she had with celebrity guests. Speaking on the Australian talk show Sam Pang Tonight, O’Donnell opened up about who stood out, for better or worse, during her more than 1,000 episodes between 1996 and 2002. While she adored Barbra Streisand as "probably" her favorite, she didn’t shy away from labeling Keanu Reeves as "one of the worst" guests, despite her immense admiration for him.
O’Donnell explained that Reeves, a beloved star of films like The Matrix, struggled with the fast-paced nature of live television interviews. "He’s so sweet, he looks gorgeous, I love all his movies, but he wouldn’t answer any questions," O’Donnell recounted. She described trying to prompt him with standard queries like, "Well, Keanu, how are you? How are you feeling?" only to receive a simple, "Fine." The host eventually had to intervene during the live broadcast, telling him directly, "You know, Keanu, it’s a talk show. You have to talk." Despite the initial difficulty, O’Donnell was quick to add that Reeves "came back and got the hang of it," emphasizing he is "a lovely, good-hearted man."
In stark contrast to Reeves’s reserved demeanor, O’Donnell named Only Murders in the Building star Martin Short as the "best guest to have." Short’s effusive and engaging energy made him an ideal interview subject. "Because you walk out and you say, ‘How are you, Marty?’ and you’re done," O’Donnell revealed. "He gets up and says, ‘Here I am!’ He was the funniest, nicest guy, so I would say Marty Short was, without a doubt, one of the best."
Beyond challenges of personality and interview style, O’Donnell also reflected on a far more contentious on-air moment: her infamous 1999 interview with actor Tom Selleck. The confrontation, which occurred shortly after the Columbine High School massacre, saw O’Donnell challenge Selleck on his stance regarding gun laws, particularly his public support for the National Rifle Association (NRA). It was a moment that diverged sharply from her usual affable interviewing style.
"It was very uncomfortable. I had never been cruel or controversial," O’Donnell explained, noting her deep emotional impact from Columbine. She recalled Selleck having an ad in magazines stating, "I’m from the NRA. Shooting teaches kids good values." Feeling strongly about the issue, O’Donnell pursued the topic relentlessly. She even reflected on her naivete immediately after, asking her crew, "Do you think this will get any press?" The exchange certainly did, becoming a significant news story at the time.
Selleck himself addressed the feud years later in a 2007 interview, stating, "I still like Rosie. I think she should take a deep breath and stop thinking everyone who disagrees with her is evil." O’Donnell also revisited the incident in a 2021 conversation, calling it the first time she had challenged a celebrity. She usually adhered to a policy of kindness and respecting guests’ wishes, avoiding uncomfortable topics. This confrontation marked a departure, teaching her a powerful lesson about the host’s role, echoing Johnny Carson’s philosophy that "if there was egg on anyone’s face, it’s supposed to be the host, not the guest."
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