Liberal comedian Rosie O’Donnell said that she was surprised to be tapped to guest-host Jimmy Kimmel’s show, but said she was thankful to be filling in for the ABC late-night host known for his hostility to President Donald Trump.O’Donnell, former host of "The Rosie O’Donnell Show" and "The View," began serving as a guest host of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" Monday night and will continue through Thursday.She revealed to Variety that she was initially surprised by the move after she and Kimmel had an "adversarial relationship" in the past."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.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…,’" O’Donnell recalled.However, after the death of Kimmel's uncle, Frank Potenza, O'Donnell reached out to him and they became more friendly. JIMMY KIMMEL REVEALS HE ASKED MAJOR TRUMP CRITIC TO GUEST HOST WHILE HE'S ON VACATION AS A 'SPECIAL TREAT'Rosie O'Donnell attends the 79th Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on June 7, 2026.
(Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)"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 Variety.
"I was surprised, to tell you the truth, and very thankful."One key aspect that motivated her to guest host was the opportunity to criticize Trump and support Kimmel in his feud with his administration.ABC temporarily suspended Kimmel's show last year after he made controversial comments following the assassination of conservative activist...